How To Shop Like A Bridalwear Pro

A whole new type of shopping brings a whole new set of rules. Rachel Lawler finds out what you need to know about bagging your dream dress.

- Rachel Lawler

Shopping for a wedding dress is an alien experience for most of us. You have to (ideally) do it way ahead of the big day, book an appointment to try the gowns on and once you do, you’ll have the entire shop to yourself. It’s a truly special, rather celeb-worthy experience – but it can also feel a bit intimidating if you’re more accustomed to doing a Primark panic-dash after work on a Friday. So how do you prepare for it?

START YOUR SEARCH

First of all: hit the shops as soon as you can, preferably once you’ve booked your venue. “We recommend around 9-12 months before the big day,” says Catherine from Alison Kirk Bridal. “Always book an appointment as you will have your very own bridal consultant to take care of you. Appointments can be around one hour to an hour-and-a-half.” Jennifer from The Bridal Courtyard points out that weekend appointments are particularly sought-after, so it’s worth planning well in advance.

Struggling to decide which shops to visit? We’ve got a list of them on p134; all you need to do is visit their websites and social media pages to get an idea of the type of dresses they stock (and check out our photoshoots too!). “Don’t waste time visiting dress shops that don’t carry designers or styles that you are most interested in,” advises Jen from Anne Priscilla Bridal. “This is especially important if you have a certain look you want to achieve.”