Throughout this blog post, I’m not only sharing tips on how to have the best wedding dress shopping experience but also showing you real brides trying on wedding dresses at my bridal salon, Trudys Brides. I always strive to create a welcoming and warm environment where every bride has an amazing wedding dress shopping experience. I want every bride to look and feel absolutely beautiful in the wedding gown that becomes “the one” and for her to say ‘Yes to the Dress’!
Recently, I was in line at the post office going through the passport process for an out of country trip to visit one of our bridal designers. While in line, I started talking to a sweet gal who was recently married, and of course being in the bridal gown industry, I wanted to know all about her wedding dress shopping experience.
I genuinely enjoy hearing about brides’ experiences at bridal salons, not only to learn what their likes and dislikes are, but I also love hearing their stories of how they met their fiancé or what type of wedding dress they think they want or have been dreaming of their whole lives.
Bride Razan trying on a Maggie Sottero wedding dress at Trudys Brides.
Bride Razan trying on aMaggie Sotterowedding dress accessorized with a beautiful belt at Trudys Brides.
Bride Razan trying on aMorileeby Madeline Gardner wedding dress at Trudys Brides.
As we waited in line, this young lady told me that she shopped at many bridal salons on the hunt for her perfect wedding dress. Unfortunately, she hadn’t heard of Trudys (bummer, right?!). She ended up finding her wedding dress at a chain bridal store, which I won’t mention by name.
She told me that she never really connected with her bridal consultant and felt like she wasn’t a priority. I really wanted to ask her “why did you choose that store?” but I thought it would sound a little weird and assuming, so I refrained.
After listening to her talk about her experience, I think what happened is that she had tried on so many wedding dresses that she finally just chose one because she was burned out and wanted to be done with the wedding gown shopping process. It seemed like she just wanted it to be over and checked off her wedding to-do list.
Bride Nicté trying on aMon Cheriwedding dress at Trudys Brides.
Bride Nicté trying on a Mon Cheri wedding dress at Trudys Brides.
Bride Nicté saying ‘Yes to the Dress’ at Trudys Brides.
HOW TO AVOID GETTING OVERWHELMED
I do see this in my own bridal salon from time to time where a bride shops at so many places and for so long, that the styles start to become one big confusing blur. I get it. It’s a once in a lifetime purchase that will show up in pictures forever. My goodness, that’s a lot of pressure.
Don’t let wedding dress shopping become a chore. You don’t need to go to every single bridal shop, or try on every designer, or stick to a rigid list of styles and silhouettes.
I’ve seen too many brides do this and then they lose the spark and passion and are left exhausted and wanting the process over with. Sometimes by having too many choices, it becomes overwhelming, and not being open enough to the process can lead to frustration. Don’t let this happen to you.
Bride Alex trying on aPronoviaswedding dress at Trudys Brides.
Bride Alex trying on a Pronovias wedding dress at Trudys Brides.
Bride Alex trying on a Pronovias wedding dress at Trudys Brides.
LET YOUR GUARD DOWN AND EMBRACE THE PROCESS
For some reason, some brides come in very guarded and not wanting to express themselves fully. As you can imagine, this never works well, as our bridal consultants need to connect fairly quickly in order to hone in on the right styles.
It really is a two-way experience. The brides who are an open book, who fully express themselves about their likes and dislikes, and are open to suggestions are the ones who have the most fulfilling experience.
Of course, the right selection is important, but having the right consultant is crucial.
Bride Razan with a friend and Trudys Brides Senior Bridal Consultant & Buyer Didi during a bridal appointment at Trudys Brides. Razan is wearing a Maggie Sottero wedding gown.
Ideally, you want someone who is in tune with you, and really listening well. I have said this before many times, but it’s usually an out-of-the-box suggestion from the bridal consultant that ends up being the perfect dress. Often times, it’s a dress that the bride would never have imagined that she would pick, but because she was open minded, she tried it on and fell in love with it and knew in her heart that it’s “the one.”
This is what I call being open to the process of discovery. Embrace the process! Try on new styles openly and enthusiastically. Be adventurous. Be bold. Be daring. Have fun! Most importantly, let your guard down and enjoy the journey, and before you know it, you will have your dream dress and a memorable experience that you will cherish for years to come.
Written by Steven Blechman, owner of Trudys Brides and Special Occasions.