Wedding Planning 101: The Dress

I want to start by letting you know that we have an AMAZING ad in the upcoming issue (Fall / Winter 2011) of The Knot Texas Magazine. This was even more exciting to me because that means that I received multiple issues of the magazine this week… before it even hits shelves. Sneak peak… It’s a good one!!

Now on to the dress. I’ve now entered into the nine months out category. And, let me tell you, the list is getting long. I spend most of my nights reading magazines or hunting for the perfect ideas online. During the 9 to 11 month period, most timelines say to start your dress shopping… among many, many other tasks. So for the past few weekends my mom, grandmother (or Mimi as I call her), future Mother in Law and best friend have been trekking to stores all across central Texas. 

Here are a few things I’ve learned:

• Do your research on the individual stores. Once you have researched the stores you want to go to, I REALLY encourage you to look at the individual brands of dresses that they carry before you go. That way, you can walk into the store and know which dresses you are interested in. Trust me, this will make your consultant love you and it will give you the most opportunities during your appointment.

• SET YOUR BUDGET BEFORE YOU GO! It doesn’t do any good to try on dresses that are outside of your budget. It might seem like something fun – try on the really expensive dress just to play princess for a minute – trust me, DON’T DO IT! Unless you (or your mother) are willing to buy this dress if you fall in love with it, it’s important not to tempt yourself. Once you fall in love with a dress, nothing will ever look as good to you.
• Use your first appointment to get the experience and figure out what you like. I was really surprised to learn what style looked good on me. I tried on dresses that I never imagined I would like or look good in and I loved them. Go in with an open mind.
• Trust your consultant. This is what they do day in and day out. Trust their judgment and consider their opinion closely. Yes, they don’t know you very well, but they know wedding dresses better then you ever will. If your consultant brings you a dress that you hate on the hanger, just try it out you might be pleasantly surprised. 
• Give yourself plenty of time. When they say start shopping at 9 to 11 months, they mean it. A typical dress order takes between four and six months and then you have to get alterations – usually about another six weeks. Plan accordingly and make sure that you are on top of this. You don’t want to incur any added costs for expediting.
• Trunk shows can be your best friend. Though few and far between, shops will usually offer anywhere from 10 to 15 percent off all merchandise during trunk shows. You will also have the opportunity to preview the newest line of dresses. Be warned that the dresses are runway size. If you’ve been to a store and they have a trunk show coming up for a designer you love, don’t be afraid to ask them to order specific dresses for you.
• Sample sales. These can be a great deal with some dresses being 50 percent or more off the sticker price. Be very careful, though. With the wear and tear on the dress, it might cost you more in the end just to get it fixed. Not to mention, the dresses have been stretched and stepped on and sometimes even ripped open at the zipper. Just use your best judgment here.
• Take a camera. Or a phone with a camera. It’s likely that your dresses won’t all be at the same store, a camera will help you remember which one’s you liked. Designate someone you trust and try to get the back and the front of the dress. If you like a specific veil – or the look – try it with every dress to get the best comparison. 
• Don’t let the sizes scare you. In the bridal world, dresses run small, I mean really small. Sample sizes are usually a 10, which translates into about a 6 or 8 depending on the designer. There are times you will have to use your imagination to visualize how the dress will really fit. Don’t take this as a message that you need to eat nothing but salads for the next nine months, not true. If you find the right dress, the fit will look great on you.
• Other cities. Don’t forget about alterations. If you buy a dress and get them to alter it and say you’re in San Antonio and they’re in Austin, be prepared to make many trips for fittings.
• Don’t discount your mom’s or grandmother’s dress. Seamstresses can do wonders. If they are willing to let you have your way with the dress, take it to get looked at and see what you can dream up.
• Have fun! This is supposed to be an experience that you will remember for a lifetime. Make a day of it, go to lunch and bond with the girls (or boys) you love.

Here are some of the stores I visited in San Antonio and Austin. There are many, many more, I was just looking for specific dresses and designers. I’m keeping the list short – two per city.

San Antonio:

• Julian Gold. Look here for everything designer. They provide the whole experience and the consultants are wonderful. There’s a reason they have been so successful for so many years. My consultant was Barbie she’s wonderful.
• Bridal Salon of San Antonio. I am visiting this store this weekend. They also have some higher end designer dresses and some lower price points.

Austin:

•  Serendipity. A really great store with many dress options in a variety of prices. I really enjoyed my experience here and found many potential options for “the one”.
•  Unbridaled. This was much more of a boutique, which I liked. They had many designers that other stores didn’t carry. If you are looking for something a bit different, definitely try this shop. They are very helpful and great to work with.

Off the beaten path:

• Etsy.com. I know I’ve mentioned my love of Etsy in another post. Don’t discount the fact that there are many talented designers on this website and you might be able to custom order or find the dress of your dreams.

Lower cost options:

• If you are strapped for cash but want a designer dress, visit preownedweddingdresses.com. This is a site for people to post dresses they are trying to sell. Don’t be scared – many of these dresses were purchased and never worn for various reasons and you can get them for more than half off in some cases.

Coming soon:

Wedding blogs I love.

To get a planner or not to get a planner?

Vendors: how do I choose?!

Happy shopping!!

Jessica