How To Choose A Wedding Dress Style For Your Body Type: 21 Tips

how to choose a wedding dress

Congratulations, you are getting married! In all of the excitement and stress of planning your own wedding over the upcoming months, one of the most crucial things you will buy is your wedding dress. And, the first thing you had better do before really heading to the bridal shop is getting the idea about which style of your wedding dress you love. Thus, you might need to get familiar with some wedding gown styles and terminology. Here we at VKool.com complete a full article about tips on how to choose a wedding dress style for your body type that can help you get started on the road to the wedding day bliss.
Check the tips below now!

How To Choose A Wedding Dress Style – Choose The Wedding Gown Of Your Dreams

1. Set A Budget 

set a budget

The first tip on how to choose a wedding dress is to figure out how much you want and can spend on a wedding dress, and tell the sale person before she begins bringing out the gowns. By that way, you will not lose your heart when seeing a dress that you could not afford.

A wedding ensemble, typically, containing veil, undergarments, and other accessories, accounts for about 10 to 15% of the total wedding cost. Besides, the factor in extras, like alterations that might add a few hundred of even a few thousand dollars to your cost, depending on how involved they, and shipping fees. On the other hand, when the wedding gown arrives, it might require such a professional pressing or steaming, tacking on a further amount of money.

Recommend reading: wedding tips on a budget

2. Start Early 

start early

The next tip on how to choose a wedding dress is to start early, from 6 to 9 months before your wedding, if possible. In fact, it might take a few months for a producer to make a dress and another 2 months to accomplish the alterations. Those extremely elaborate gowns might take longer. If you do not have enough time, then there are many shops rushing the orders for an extra fee, yet your choices might be limited. Also, they have a section of sale with some samples you could buy off the rack. You could get the wedding dress that needs just minor alterations, if you are lucky.

3. Do Your Research

do your research

Before arriving to the bridal shop, you should not pore over some bridal magazines, websites, and books to get to know about silhouettes, fabrics, and the lexicon, helping you understand what you look for. In everyday life, people do not see terms like basque waist and Watteau train often, so if you do your research beforehand, then you will be more confident when choosing and considering a wedding dress. Create folder with photos of dresses or details that appeal to you, and then take that folder with you when shopping.

If you want to get more detailed instructions on choosing wedding dress, you should read The Best Friend’s Guide to Planning a Wedding, the most widely used book.

4. Decide On Silhouette

decide on silhouette

Wedding gowns are made in some different silhouettes. Before choosing anything else, you had better know which kind of gown is going to flatter your figure the best. Look at the pictures of each kind. You could browse wedding website message boards as well as member profiles for pictures of real women wearing wedding gowns, instead of relying on the professional pictures of models wearing them.

5. Envision Your Gown

envision your gown

Picture yourself on the wedding day. What are you wearing and what silhouette is your dress? What fabric? Is it beaded or embroidered? What color is it? Really, with many choices for the wedding gown it could be overwhelming to look through hundreds or thousands of them. Many brides have reported that after looking at too many racks and racks of dresses, they start to look the same. Hence, before setting out to try gowns on, you should picture your wedding day and how your gown looks like and list down some things describing the gown of your daydreams. However, it is not necessary for you to know about terminology of wedding dress, just simply jot down the simple description of the dress you are picturing.

6. Make A Game Plan 

make a game plan

After considering some basics on how to choose a wedding dress style, you need to decide where you would like to go and call stores in advance to find out which designers they carry, the range of price of their wedding dresses, and if they also sell accessories and supply alterations. In reality, the majority of salons require that customer schedule an appointment. Ideally, you should shop on a weekday yet not during your lunch hour when you might be rushed. However, you should also not shop until you drop, just limit yourself to 2 stores per day, so you will not get exhausted or overload about what you have seen. Remember to take a notebook with you to note down the dress descriptions.

If you want to get more detailed instructions on choosing wedding dress, you should read The Best Friend’s Guide to Planning a Wedding, the most widely used book.

7. Bring Backup

bring backup

When choosing a wedding dress, you should take anything you want to wear like a special necklace or the veil of your grandmother. Boutiques will usually supply bustiers, shoes, and strapless bras, yet you might want to bring your own. Additionally, you will need the consultation and advice from a few trusted confidantes, yet not too many as they might let your feel confused and frustrated. Just invite one or two people really understand your taste and are going to be honest with you.

8. Find A Dress For Less

find a dress for less

Before your wedding, you do not necessarily to spend a million bucks achieving the perfect wedding dress. In addition to containing sale racks, a lot of salons also give large sales several times per year in order to clear out those discontinued or “gently worn” samples (often in the sizes 6, 8 and 10). In order to check out when this event happens, you call stores and go to the designers’ website, and simply log in for the mailing lists. Additionally, you can register for the trunk shows, in which designers will debut new lines. Occasionally, boutiques offer discounts when customers purchase on the show day.

9. Keep Your Mind Open 

keep your mind open

This is the mantra that those bridal consultants repeat over and over again. So, you should not overlook their advice, even if what they consult you to try on are not your style. A few dresses do not look like much on the hanger, yet really look great on when tried. In other words, you should never let your own be talked into buying a wedding dress that you are not really in love with.

If you want to get more detailed instructions on choosing wedding dress, you should read The Best Friend’s Guide to Planning a Wedding, the most widely used book.

10. Concentrate On Fit, Not On Size

concentrate on fit, not on size download

Bridalwear usually runs rather smaller than those ready-to-wear; thus, if you normally use an 8, then you might need a 12 in this case. You should forget about the numbers and do not insist on the smaller size as you intend to reduce weight before your wedding. Just simply order the wedding dress which fits now. A gown is really to take in, yet hard and costly to let out.

11. Get It In Writing

get it in writing

Remember that, before putting down the deposit (often 50%), you should go over the contract with the bridal consultant. Then, check when the wedding dress will be ready, the fee for alterations, if the gown could be shipped out of the country or state, the cancellation policy, and the recourse you can have if the gown is damaged or comes without your requested medications. Eventually, you had better check once again that the name of producer, the style number, the size, and the color are exact.

12. Make The Most Of Each Fitting 

make the most of each fitting download

In reality, it often takes about 2 to 3 fittings to modify a wedding dress, yet you should not be shy about asking for more if necessary. The initial appointment happens about 2 to 4 months before your wedding, at which time you need to have your own undergarments, accessories, and shoes. You might also want to choose your hair style. Then, ask yourself some questions like: Can you lift the arms easily? Do straps stay up or any seam pucker? Normally, the last fitting might take place about 1 or 2 week before your lifetime event. At that time, you should bring your mom, an attendant, and whomever to help you get into gown.

If you want to get more detailed instructions on choosing wedding dress, you should read The Best Friend’s Guide to Planning a Wedding, the most widely used book.

13. Focus First On Finding The Best Wedding Gown Silhouette For You

focus first on finding the best wedding gown silhouette download

Though details are crucial, a long rows of teensy pearl buttons as well as a well-placed ruffle or two could mean a big different between a good wedding gown and a really great one. Yet, before starting nitpicking the details, you should initially figure out the silhouette that might work best for you. You should try not to get caught up in the trend of the moment, yet rather than focusing on your own personal style and what will flatter you most.

14. Do Not Forget The Top For Your Wedding Gown

do not forget the top for your wedding gown download

A gorgeous, long wedding gown with a fancy hem might be to die for. Keep in mind that the top of your wedding dress is what people will pay attention the most and what will shown up in wedding photos. Most wedding pictures that the guests take of you are from your waist up, actually.

15. Do Not Pick The Wedding Gown Just As It Is Trendy Now

do not pick the wedding gown just as it is trendy now download

Those trending wedding gowns will not necessarily stand the test of time. Just flip through the wedding album of your parents for seeing the evidence of that saying. The wedding dress should be timeless. When a girl feel glamorous and sexy in the wedding dress that has both traditional and modern elements and she feels like a better version of herself when wearing it, she has found her timeless gown. It is something that will never go out of style.

If you want to get more detailed instructions on choosing wedding dress, you should read The Best Friend’s Guide to Planning a Wedding, the most widely used book.

16. Bring A Camera Wedding Dress Shopping (If Allowed)

bring a camera wedding dress shopping (if allowed) download

Just embrace a camera and photograph your dress possibilities rather than putting all your trust in the mirror.

Oftentimes, mirrors are used to sell dresses while the camera does not lie. As you will be looking at the pictures of this wedding dress for many years to come, know how to photograph from different angles. Nevertheless, some boutiques do not allow customers to take photos of their dresses. The advice is to call ahead to check if you could take a few pictures for decision making purposes only.

Check out: tips to take wedding photos

17. Try On As Many Wedding Gowns As You Need To

try on as many wedding gowns as you need to download

The next trick on how to choose a wedding dress is to try on as many wedding dresses as you need to as most dress could look gorgeous on the hanger, yet might take on a different shape and look when put on the real female body. It means that you, as a bride, should try on different dresses to opt for the ones fit for you. Just as it seems to take time to find a good husband or wife; it also takes time to choose the perfect wedding dress.

18. Avoid Trying Too Many Wedding Gowns

avoid trying too many wedding gowns download

In this list of tips on how to choose a wedding dress, this one sounds controversial to the previous one, right? However, you should not try to confuse yourself by wearing too many wedding dress at one time. If you feel like you have to try on 20 different dresses at every salon you arrive, then too many places and choices will result in confusion and stress. 9 times out of 10, you might go back to the first salon and opt for the favorite gown anyway. Find the bridal salon which carries your favorite three designers and get your own style.

If you want to get more detailed instructions on choosing wedding dress, you should read The Best Friend’s Guide to Planning a Wedding, the most widely used book.

19. Do Not Feel Like You Have To Bring The Audience When Trying On Gowns

do not feel like you have to bring the audience when trying on gowns download

The wedding TV shows might make it look like girls need bring one of their female relatives, neighbors and kindergarten teacher with them to help with the gown search. In fact, you will feel a little bit of pressure to bring a group of female friends with you. The results of that may be negative as there will be too many options and ideas, and coordination. Even, some girls say that she found success when going to the salon by herself and selecting her dress.

20. Wear A Gorgeous Bras When Trying On The Gowns

wear a gorgeous bras when trying on the gowns download

One the try-on day, you will spend a large amount of time in your own skivvies. Admiring your great new bra between gowns will help you feel more positive than catching a glimpse of the ratty old gray one you have worn for years. Moreover, a well-fitting bra will help your trying process go smoothly and easily.

21. Do Not Freak Out About The Size Of Wedding Dress

do not freak out about the size of wedding dress download

As mentioned earlier in the previous tips on how to choose a wedding dress, you should pay attention to how the wedding gown looks, not what the label reads.

These above are top 21 special must-know tips on how to choose a wedding dress that every girl needs to consider before choosing her important wedding gown.

If you have any comment about this topic of how to choose a wedding dress style for your body type or any other lifestyle topics, drop your words below this post and we will answer soon.

If you want to get more detailed instructions on choosing wedding dress, you should read The Best Friend’s Guide to Planning a Wedding, the most widely used book.

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