Recently, we teamed up with Alicia Adams at Hers Bridal in Minden, LA. We’ve known Alicia for years and we’ve shot a wedding or two that featured one of her dresses. If you haven’t found your dress yet, you should definitely take a trip to Minden and visit her shop. Alicia knows her stuff and her staff has always been very helpful when we’ve visited. So, check out Hers Bridal, THE dress might just be waiting for you.
Even though only one of us has actually worn a wedding dress, we HAVE shot a lot of weddings; which means we’ve heard a lot of complaints, too. So we’ve picked up a few things along the way that might just help you out, too. Anyway, let’s get started.
#1 – Make an Appointment
Whichever shop(s) you decide to visit, be sure to book an appointment! Alicia points out that making an appointment “will guarantee that you have a bridal consultant and dressing room waiting for you.” Without one you are pretty much just gambling on whether or not the store will be busy that day. If they are – particularly if everyone else had an appointment – you may be out of luck and doing it all yourself. Once they know you are coming, you’ll get all of the personal, hands-on, attention to detail goodness. So make an appointment. It’s what you deserve.
#2 – Hair & Makeup
Before your appointment, consider having your hair and makeup done. “Looking and feeling your best will help you to visualize what you will look like on your wedding day,” says Alicia. Don’t leave anything up to guesswork. It’s better to know how you are going to look than have to worry about it on the big day. Plus, let’s be honest, it’s probably going to be more fun if you are feeling great about yourself. And looking good is a great way to feel good. It’s also a great way to turn your appointment into a whole day of fun – see the next tip below.
Hidden Bonus Tip: The same sort of concept also applies to your underwear. If you are trying on dresses for hours you are going to be in your underwear a lot, so maybe wear that cute new bra you just love. The different types of bras available can also affect how your dress fits, so choose wisely!
#3 – Assemble the Squad!
Ok, you’re probably going to want second opinions, and maybe some third and fourth opinions. Dress shopping can also be a great excuse for a day out – see above – with your closest friends and family. But don’t over do it. Alicia says, “Try not to bring too many guests. Sometimes too many opinions can confuse and discourage you from finding the dress of your dreams and take away from your experience.” Remember, your opinion is the most important and you are going to be the only one that actually wears the dress . . . probably.
#4 – Try New Things
So, you have your style and you are comfortable. You’ve been rockin’ it for years – after years of fine tuning it. You know what makes you look good. You know what makes you feel good. And you know what makes you feel like you look good. BUT, maybe try something different. It doesn’t have to be crazy different, but maybe something you wouldn’t have thought of before. Now here’s the thing, this sounds like your regular generic tip – “Try something NEW! It’ll be fabulous! blah blah blah.” We get it. But this time you should actually do it. Alicia has noticed that “most of our brides leave with a dress they never imagined themselves in . . . and are so happy they stepped out of the box.” Don’t just fall in love with a dress on Pinterest and go looking for it. Keep your options open to anything. The goal here should be to have a wide variety of options/styles to choose from. This will up your odds of finding the perfect dress for you.
#5 – Be Ready to Make a Decision
Have at least 50% of your dress budget ready to go at your appointment. Finding the perfect dress is really only half the battle . . . making it yours is the other half. The only way to make 100% sure that you get the dress you want is to make some form of payment as soon as you know. Alicia warns against shopping without being ready to commit, “if you leave without reserving your dress, it might not be there when you come back. Dresses are rotated constantly. They are either sold off the rack or they can be discontinued at any time.” And no one wants to put all of the effort, care, and attention to detail into picking the perfect dress just to not get it for their wedding day. Be ready to make a decision and make it a sure thing with an initial payment.
So there you have it! Five ways to help ensure that you get the perfect dress for your wedding day. Let us know what you think in the comments or hit us up with any questions you might have. Thanks for stopping by!
Comments +