How to Prepare for Your Bridal Appointment

Congratulations on your engagement! When it comes to starting your wedding planning, the possibilities are endless and the vision comes alive as you start to check things off your to-do list. At the beginning of your planning, it’s time to start dress shopping! The best place to start your dress search is on the internet.

Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest are essential to starting your gown search. There are no rules, just save pictures of anything you like! And guess what...all of our gowns here at I Do Bridal are available to view online! Once you book your appointment, you will get a link to our private online lookbook where you can save gowns straight to your IDB profile so that your stylist can get to know your style and pull gowns for you before you arrive!

Having a set wedding date, or a close approximation, is going to be very important when you're wedding gown shopping. It can take up to 6-7 months to order a wedding gown and then you will need 2 months for alterations. Starting your gown search 9-12 months before your wedding is ideal.

Be prepared for anything. You may end up loving something completely different than what you are expecting, but don’t let that hold you back. The goal is to find what you love, not to force yourself to love something because that’s what you pictured. Your vision may change as you try on different gowns, but that is very normal.

Try a silhouette you are not expecting to like. You will either confirm that you don’t like it, or you will find out that you do! If you end up liking two different silhouettes, don’t worry! Just trust your gut and pick the one that makes you feel the most excited. Keep in mind, you love them both so you can’t make a wrong decision.

Bring the people who are closest to you, but try to keep your party small. The more people you bring with you, the harder it will be to listen to your own feelings and opinions. The opinions of your friends and family are important, but your opinion matters more.

Dress shopping is one of the best parts of wedding planning. Try on accessories with different gowns to get a sense for each gown's possibilities. When you find one you love, pair accessories with it and take a moment to just look in the mirror and soak in the moment.

You will know when you find the perfect gown. You might roll your eyes whenever other people say that to you, but it's true! When you put on the right gown, you will feel excited and you will see the whole vision come together. When you find the gown, don't hesitate! That's the moment! Soak it in and celebrate!