Along with marrying the love of your life, every bride knows that the wedding dress is one of the most essential parts of the day. It’s more than just about looking beautiful, it’s about feeling your absolute best and achieving your younger self’s dream of feeling magical. But, it can be hard to make a decision on how to choose the perfect wedding dress for you.
First things first, comfort really is key! You are going to be in this dress all day, you have to be physically and mentally comfortable in it. There are so many ways to find comfort in your dress, whether it’s the material you choose, the fit and support and even the colour. We recommend before heading to a shop to hunt for THE dress, write a list of the key parts you’re looking for. You want this experience to be fun and as stress-free as possible. So, to eliminate the worry of what questions to ask, or worry if you won’t speak up if you are not happy, write a list of key things your dress must include.
When it comes to comfort, if you are someone who doesn’t want to feel restricted at all and want to be able to move around as much as possible, maybe opt for something without a train and has more of a relaxed fit, like a satin slip dress. It’s beautiful, comfortable and really achieves that minimalist look you might prefer.
We understand that with the stress and what seems like the most chaotic planning you’ll ever have to do, it can sometimes be a quick decision when going somewhere to choose your wedding dress. But, believe us when we say, do your research! You won’t regret spending that little extra time finding the perfect place, but you will regret any doubts about your dress on the day. Google places locally to you and even slightly further afield. Ask yourself things like ‘Do they have good reviews?’ ‘are they present on social media?’ You should be looking for a shop that is going to make the whole process smooth and fun and never make you feel awkward for maybe changing your mind 10 times, because it is your wedding and the dress is important!
Not only is researching the place you get it from important but also the type or brand of dress you want. No one likes going into anything feeling completely blind and thrown in at the deep end, so look into styles you like on platforms like Pinterest or even Tiktok. This way you have an idea of what you’re looking for before you even step in the shop.
And one of the biggest things, is try on lots of dresses. You may have a real idea in your mind as to what you want. Then you try some on and absolutely hate the way it makes you look and feel. No matter what your plan is, be a little open minded as to styles. A meringue isn’t for everyone…nor is a fishtail. The most unlikely style may be the absolute stunner for you!
Don’t let the age-old myth of needing to ‘slim down’ for your wedding fool you. This is going to be one of the happiest days of your life, you don’t need any added pressure to fit into a dress when you are taking care of everything else. The dress is always meant to fit you, not you fit the dress. Buy true to size and if anything changes, dresses can be altered. It is also always important to bear in mind, wedding dresses often come up small, so definitely don’t be disheartened if you are buying a size you wouldn’t usually buy. Sometimes it’s best to not even know the size, just try on and let your wonderful bridesmaids help with the rest.
Let your personality shine through and choose the dress that will best reflect that! We know some things may be traditional but it’s your day, you can wear whatever colour and style you like!
If you have never been a fan of traditional white, choose something else. As the years have gone on white has become less popular and people are now opting for pink, blue yellow and even black dresses. Just the same with the tradition of white, if a long dress isn’t for you, then choose something totally different. It can be very overwhelming when you want to feel your absolute best, but don’t feel like you fit the traditional bridal look. And that’s okay! You don’t even have to wear a dress if it’s really not your thing. We have seen some breathtaking brides in tailored suits and things that make them feel comfortable.
You could even do a “Carrie Bradshaw” moment and wear a simple dress that you found in the most unexpected place. It really is down to you and what you want, it’s your wedding day after all!
It is very easy to get caught up in the moment and be completely in love with a dress that is so far out of your budget that you’ll be asking your guests to pack a picnic! To completely avoid the heartbreak, work out your budget and tell the people helping you choose the dress, This way they will only pick out things you can genuinely afford. There is nothing worse than feeling like you found THE dress and realising it’s 3x the price you can pay. But also, if the dress means a great deal to you, maybe budget less in other areas and allow yourself that little extra for the dress. It’s really about what you want to prioritise. If you want to spend more on the dress and less on the catering then that is absolutely fine. But plan it out to avoid the stress and disappointment that might occur without a plan.
Lastly and most importantly, make sure you feel beautiful. They say you’ll know when you’ve found THE dress, you’ll feel so beautiful that you’ll never want to take it off. That’s when you know you’ve found your wedding dress. This is the day you want to feel your most beautiful; a day you can look back on and fall in love with your dress every time you see it. When you feel like you can’t take the dress off and like it was made for you, is when you’ve found the dress to get married in.
Your partner will think you look beautiful no matter what, so it’s important you feel beautiful. If you feel beautiful and confident, it will make you glow even more on the day.
Hopefully, this has helped How to choose the perfect wedding dress for you. Here at Blackstock Estate, we host some of the most beautiful weddings, with all completely unique themes, dresses and colour schemes. We help make your wedding day one to remember. If you are looking to book your wedding, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with us!
Our thanks goes to all the wonderful photographers who have supplied us with these images. Please visit all the case studies to see who has taken which photograph. Thank you.
