If you are ready to begin shopping for your wedding dress, then you will want to start with today’s advice post and video from Lovella’s Wedding Fashion Expert. We are giving you all the tips you need to know when it comes to ordering and paying for your wedding dress, along with important logistics to consider when you go wedding dress shopping. Much has changed in the world over the past two years and as such much has changed in the wedding world too. There are many things that brides need to know about who is paying for the wedding dress as well as appointment scheduling, ordering, and more. We're here to walk you through it all!
Let's face it, planning a wedding can be hard work and it can be lots of little (and very big!) decisions all along the way. But, don't worry! When it comes to wedding dresses, your bridal style, and feeling beautiful on the wedding day, we've got you covered with everything you need to know.
At Lovella, we see so many brides come through our doors searching for their dream wedding dress and we're here to help. Many brides have questions about how the dress purchasing process works, who should come along to the appointment. We're going to talk all about the logistics of buying your dream wedding dress so that you can have an easy and simple wedding dress purchasing experience. It should be a simple and stress-free process!
About Appointments
Let's first talk about wedding dress shopping appointment scheduling and times. You will want to schedule your dress shopping appointments early in your planning process.
For most wedding dress shops, you'll have to make an appointment try on sample dresses in order to find the one that you love. Unless it is a sample sale or a trunk show and it is clearly marked "no appointments necessary," typically you can't just walk in and try on a wedding dress at any time. You'll need to make an appointment first. At Lovella, we are noticing that there is a lot of demand for appointments and that bridal dress shops all over the country are booked very far in advance.
You'll need to keep this in mind as you go through your planning and dress purchasing process. To ensure that you get the appointment time and day that you want, do not wait too long to schedule your wedding dress shopping appointment.
Many brides want to start shopping early for their wedding dress to kick off their wedding planning. We completely understand this, shopping for your wedding dress is exciting and for many brides. A wedding dress can help set the tone for wedding day style. This natural excitement together with the lead times necessary for ordering a wedding dress along with dress manufacturer delays, all add up to a longer than usual time to schedule your dress shopping appointment.
Dress Ordering
In addition to the demand for appointments, you'll also need to factor the ordering and production timing of your dress into your scheduling.
Once you find your dream wedding dress in the store, you'll place an order with the dress designer who will make your dress for you. Wedding dresses take 6 to 8 months to be made by the dress designer. Once your dress is made and arrives in the store, you'll have additional appointments to try on your dress, find the right bridal accessories and have your dress altered to fit you perfectly.
With this in mind, you'll want to order your dress about one year before your wedding. Keep this timing and sequence of events in mind when you are scheduling your bridal appointments. Be sure to call far in advance to book your dress shopping appointments.
Guests At Your Appointments
You may notice that some wedding dress stores have limitations on the number of guests that you can bring into the store with you to your appointment. You'll need to make note of the dress shop's guest policy before arriving at your dress shopping appointment.
It can be inconvenient when the guest count is limited, but it can also be a blessing that you can’t bring everyone along with you to shop for your dream wedding dress. Sometimes less opinions mean less drama for you! With current rules and regulations, you don’t have to be obligated to invite everyone to your appointment that may cause more harm than good in your dress decision-making process.
To avoid any other drama, be sure to read our 5 most common wedding dress shopping mistakes for brides to avoid.
Some of our brides have loved having a more intimate, aka smaller number of guests, dress shopping experience. While some brides have been disappointed that they can not have more loved ones involved in this experience with them. While we are in the business of celebrating the most important day of your life and certainly do not want to take any of that celebration away, we have to keep in mind the safety of our staff, our team, our families as well as you, your family and your friends.
Wedding Dress Finances
Now that we have talked about wedding dress shopping appointments and guests, let’s talk finances. It is important that whoever is paying for your wedding dress is with you - or available virtually - when you go wedding dress shopping. We cannot stress this enough.
If you find your dress at your appointment, you want the person paying for the dress (if it’s not you) to be there as well. This is important because you want them to be a part of the process and you also want to make it a smooth, seamless process.
We talked about this topic as well in our post about shopping for your wedding dress before you are engaged or have a wedding date set. No matter when you go for your appointment, you should only try on wedding dresses if and when you're ready to purchase. You never know when you'll find "the one"!
We see this mistake all the time. Brides go wedding dress shopping when they aren't ready to buy and they are disappointed because they end up finding their dream dress when they weren't expecting to find it.
At Lovella, we have brides who have found their dream wedding dress, but the person paying wasn't available or they weren't ready to purchase at that moment, and unfortunately, they couldn't get another appointment, because we were booked. In these cases, we were forced to handle the ordering and payment over e-mail.
It is always easier and safer, with less room for errors and mistakes, to do your wedding dress ordering and payments in person during your dress shopping appointment.
Video: Whos' Paying For Your Wedding Dress & Ordering Logistics You Need To Know
We have a very helpful video for you today where our Wedding Fashion Expert walks you through the wedding dress appointments, purchasing, and ordering process. Nayri also explains why it is so important to not only make your dress shopping appointment early but to have whoever is paying for your wedding dress available at your appointment.
After all, you never know when you're going to find your dream dress that makes you feel beautiful and confident. We want you to be ready!
Make It Simple, Easy & Refreshing
The best thing you can do when you go out wedding dress shopping - even if you think you are just browsing for a dress - is to be prepared to find (and buy) your wedding dress. Be mentally prepared to have the money and to spend the money for your dream wedding dress.
If you find your perfect wedding dress and you're ready to say "yes," at that moment, it’s a beautiful thing! And, you don’t want to waste your time or the time of anyone else involved, if you are not ready to buy the dress at that moment you find it.
We encourage you to let wedding dress shopping be simple and easy. There's no need to make it more complicated than it needs to be. You don’t want to have to worry about making another appointment and going back to the bridal dress shop.
Make it simple, easy, and refreshing. If you are shopping for a wedding dress, be prepared to buy it when you find it. How beautiful for you to find your dress, be able to check this off your planning list, and move on to the next element in your wedding planning journey.
Allow yourself to feel the joy of finding your dream wedding dress and feel good in your decision. And know that, we're so happy for you too!
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.
