Shopping for a wedding dress can be one of the most exciting parts of wedding planning for many brides. So many brides have dreamed about their wedding dress since they were a little girl, and who doesn’t love to get dressed up like a princess?! In today's wedding planning advice post, we're talking about the difference between choosing or picking out your wedding dress and actually purchasing or buying your bridal gown. Choosing and buying are two very distinct parts of the wedding dress shopping experience and knowing the difference and what to do about it will set you up for a smooth and stress free experience finding your dream wedding dress.
Wedding dress shopping can also be a somewhat stressful and emotional experience, but with our tips and advice, you will be well equipped to handle any situation. As the world is still recovering from the pandemic, supply chains and manufacturers are experiencing delays in many industries. The bridal industry is also being affected and we want all brides to take this into consideration when beginning to shop for their wedding dress.
Choosing a wedding dress and “saying yes to the dress” is not the same as purchasing your wedding dress. We are going to give you some advice on why you want to be ready to buy your wedding dress whenever you are out shopping. We have always encouraged our brides with this advice, but it is especially true in today’s climate.
VIDEO: The Debate: Picking Versus Buying A Wedding Dress
Don't miss this week's wedding fashion planning advice video with everything you need to know about picking versus buying your wedding dress so you can be prepared as you shop for your wedding dress.
Be Ready To Buy
At Lovella, we have always encouraged our brides to be ready to buy their wedding dress when they find “the one.” But with the current manufacturer delays and shipping delays, we can’t stress this point enough. We hear from so many brides that they expected to have to go to many different wedding dress boutiques before finding their dream wedding dress, and in the end, they end up saying "yes to the dress" during their first appointment.
For more information about purchasing a wedding dress during the pandemic recovery and supply chain delays be sure to read our blog post on the topic.
Anytime you are going wedding dress shopping to try on a wedding dress or browsing for dresses, you should be prepared to walk out the door with your wedding dress ordered. You just never know when you will find your dream wedding dress.
Once you find and order your dream wedding dress and this is marked off the wedding planning to do list, you can move on to so many other exciting tasks. Being ready to buy your wedding dress is our biggest piece of advice overall when it comes to wedding dress shopping.
What Does It Mean To Be Ready To Buy?
You understand that you need to be ready to buy when you go wedding dress shopping, but what does that mean? What do you need to do to in order to be ready to purchase your dress when you find it?
First, in order to be ready to purchase your wedding dress, you'll need to be in a good frame of mind and mentally prepared that it might happen faster than maybe you thought. It's always helpful if you're in a good place to make the decision and ready to go.
You'll also want to be prepared financially to have all of your budgeting issues worked out and discussed in advance of wedding dress shopping. So that if you find your dream dress, there are no delays. For more on who is paying for your wedding dress and other purchasing logistics, be sure to check out our blog post on the topic.
In addition to the mindset and the finances, you'll also want to make sure that whoever you wanted to be involved in your wedding dress decision is available and on board. While it isn't always possible to bring anyone and everyone with you to every wedding dress shopping appointment, it will be important that those who you want to be involved in your bridal gown decision are aware that you're ready to purchase your wedding dress.
Don’t Risk A Discontinuation
Along with shipping and production delays, we have seen many wedding dress styles be discontinued. Usually this is due to styles going out of fashion, but lately it is due to wedding dress designers being unable to get the fabric and materials they need for certain bridal gown styles.
We would be so disappointed for any bride to come back to their wedding dress shop after finding their dream wedding dress and not be able to place an order due to their chosen wedding dress being discontinued. This is another reason why you always need to be prepared to buy whenever you go bridal dress shopping. Don’t risk your wedding dress being unavailable when you come back to the store to make the purchase. If you find your wedding dress, go ahead and place your order during your appointment right away.
Avoid Price Increases
In the wedding industry, we are also seeing price increases and wedding dresses are not exempt. We know how important budgets are when wedding planning, and that includes budgeting for your dream wedding dress too.
If you are not ready to purchase your wedding dress at the time you find your dream dress, you also risk the cost of that dress increasing. Some brides may not care or mind paying more for their wedding dress if it is their dream dress. But, why not go ahead and lock in that price, get your dress ordered, and keep on track with your wedding budget.
Don’t waste extra funds that you can put towards another portion of your wedding by delaying your wedding dress purchase decision.
Appointments Are Tight
Wedding dress shopping appointments in bridal dress stores and boutiques have always been limited. There are only so many brides that we can see in one day. But due to the pandemic, bridal salon appointments are even more limited and can be hard to get. Brides are booking dress shopping appointments far in advance as well, so that should also be taken into consideration when picking your wedding dress.
If you are not ready to buy your wedding dress at your appointment, then you risk it being weeks or even months before you can get another appointment and finally purchase your wedding dress. You don’t want to risk this delay, as you may run into one of the issues we mentioned earlier, such as a discontinued style or price increase on your dream wedding dress.
Waiting for another bridal dress shop appointment may even mean your wedding dress can’t be produced in time for your wedding date.
Since these shopping appointments can be so tricky to book at this current time, we suggest gathering all the important people to help you make your wedding dress decision at the same time. Even if it’s for the first bridal store you are visiting, have those people with you, because as we mentioned before, you never know when you will find your wedding dress and you want to be as prepared as possible.
A Note on Accessories
Being prepared to buy your wedding dress when you go out shopping also applies to your bridal accessories, such as your veil, crown, and bridal shoes. If you find your dream wedding dress, be prepared to order your bridal accessories at the same time. This includes your wedding veil, any hair pins or headpieces, and jewelry.
It will be so much easier to order all the pieces of your bridal outfit at once. You will get the full picture of your wedding day look if you decide on a veil, hair accessories and jewelry while wearing your wedding dress. We can ensure that colors and fabrics match as well.
If you wait until your wedding dress arrives in the store after it is ordered and produced for you, you will likely not have enough time from then until your wedding date to order your bridal accessories.
It’s not ideal to have to pick your wedding accessories without your wedding dress, but it can be done. But why wouldn’t you want to just get everything ordered at once? Make your life simpler!
For more, check out our blog post on when to order bridal accessories.
Don’t Set Yourself Up For Stress
Many brides end up finding their dream wedding dress at the first bridal dress store they visit. Yes, it is true. If you go into your bridal dress appointment thinking that you’ll just pick the bridal dress and purchase it later, you are setting yourself up for a much more stressful experience. With our expert bridal fashion advice, that doesn’t have to be the case. You don't need to be stressed when finding your dream dress, rather you should be relaxed and feeling your most beautiful and confident.
It is such a beautiful thing to see the wedding dress, love it, buy it, and check it off your wedding planning to-do list. Move on to the other elements of wedding planning and the other decisions you need to make when it comes to your big day, from finding a wedding venue to picking tables linens and so much more. Don’t risk the cost of your wedding gown increasing in price, or even worse, your bridal gown is discontinued.
Adding to the stress if you wait to purchase your wedding dress are sample dresses. Sample wedding gowns do sell, so don’t plan on that being your backup option. Yes, you might find a wedding dress you love and if you wait to come back and purchase the sample dress, it might have already been sold.
If you go to many wedding dress stores, you will eventually end up seeing a lot of the same designs and inventory. If you are going to these bridal stores just to try on wedding dresses and you aren’t ready to make a purchase, then you are wasting your time and the bridal consultant’s time. You don’t want to have to do this all over once you have your important people with you. And, we've already talked about how difficult it can be to book dress shopping appointments.
Be prepared to purchase your dream wedding dress once you find it to make your life simple and easy. Have everyone you need to make a decision with you when you go shopping. Be sure that includes whoever is paying for the dress too! Be ready to buy the wedding gown when you see it.
About Lovella
If you're shopping for your perfect wedding dress, come visit us at Lovella Bridal in Glendale, CA. We carry wedding dresses in all sizes and styles, including plus-size bridal gowns and a full selection of veils and accessories. Lovella Bridal is the premier, luxury bridal wedding dress shopping boutique located in Los Angeles, California. Lovella features couture, feminine, modern and chic bridal gowns in all sizes from the best wedding dress designers. Schedule an appointment to find the wedding dress of your dreams at Lovella Bridal. We can't wait to help you!
About Wedding Fashion Expert
Our wedding dress shopping tips and advice are from Nayri, Lovella's own, in-house wedding fashion expert. Nayri is truly the expert when it comes to bridal fashion and wedding style. As the Wedding Fashion Expert, Nayri is the top bridal fashion stylist and the best-selling author of the book "I'm Getting Married And I Have Nothing To Wear," the ultimate guide to helping brides find their wedding day style and their perfect wedding dress. You can subscribe to her YouTube channel or listen to her podcast for more helpful and practical advice on wedding dress shopping.
