February 16, 2021

Picking a wedding dress is one of those life moments that almost every girl dreams about. You imagine trying on dress after dress,  not convinced each one is quite right, when finally at last, you find THE ONE. Kind of like finding your Prince Charming actually, huh?! haha

I had to visit several bridal shops following the weeks after the engagement until I met my perfect dress. But there were moments before the dress, where I thought I might have signed on the dotted line for a different one. With so many gorgeous options out there, I almost felt like I could pick any dress and people would say it was “perfect”.

Which leads me to my biggest piece of advice:

Schedule one dress try-on for the full bridal experience, then schedule a handful more to go at alone with focus and intention.

The first time you try on wedding dresses, you want the whole shebang. And why shouldn’t you have your moment, you ARE the bride after all! And it only happens once! So schedule your first try-on appointment at a posh bridal boutique where they serve you champagne and invite your besties. This will give you that special memory and experience that every bride dreams of. Including the entire room breaking into tears when they see you for the first time as a bride. You don’t want to miss this moment.

While having your girl crew with you makes for unforgettable memories and fun, your attention might be scattered.

What kind of wedding do I want again? What’s the big difference between ivory and champagne? Am I a lace kind of bride? Is this taking too long for everyone? Should we have eaten beforehand?

During that first dress try-on, I was fully having the fairytale experience. But a few glasses of bubbly later, I struggled with concentrating on what my dress goals were. My sweet friends were so complementary and kept saying that I looked good in every dress! While that made me feel special, it didn’t help me think critically.

Technically at that first appointment, I said “yes to the dress”. I fully intended on buying one of those first dresses and made an appointment to go back the following week to purchase it. But after the girls went home and the excitement and bubbly wore off…I started thinking. Is that really my dream dress? While it truly was a gorgeous gown and would have been lovely, I thought there is no harm in scheduling a few more dress try-ons before I pull the trigger.

It took six bridal appointments until I found THE dress.

I scheduled try-ons at a variety of bridal shops, ranging from couture to off-the-rack. I even spent an entire afternoon with a designer who consulted me on creating a one-of-a-kind, handmade gown. In the end, I found my perfect fit at a quaint, local bridal boutique where the owner and two employees helped me discover the most beautiful gown that truly screamed “me”.

So my tip: fully enjoy your fairytale moment, but don’t limit your options to one try-on. You shouldn’t be hesitant to consider all your options! In fact, if you do find your perfect dress at your first try-on, sampling other options will only convince you that nothing can compete with your original choice.

While none of these dresses here made the cut, I am glad I got to try out many different options! How is your wedding dress shopping going?? Comment below!

With love,

Ashley Jo