10 Things To Know About Your Wedding Dress

Our Special Moments Event Planning team works with some of the top bridal salons for our couple’s Tampa Bay weddings.

And whether you are shopping for your wedding dress here or at home before coming to sunny Florida for your destination wedding, here are a few things we’ve learned that you want to keep in mind.

 

1. Find Your Wedding Venue

We talk to tons of brides who are SO EXCITED to be engaged that the first thing they do is rush out to shop for their wedding dress. Truthfully, we have seen some who have it all picked out before the proposal happens.

WAIT! Please wait!

Knowing when and where you are getting married plays an important part in the wedding gown you might pick. The dress for a wedding ceremony ON the beach might be different than a wedding next to the beach and your gown will definitely be different if you are getting married in a church with air conditioning and a big long aisle.

A dress for a wedding in the middle of a Florida summer can be very different than if you marry in a cooler time of year.

 

couple walking on a beach - wedding dress for a beach wedding - tips for picking the right wedding dress

 

2. Be Open To New Ideas

We are sure you have been all over the internet and looked at every Real Wedding feature ever published and have an idea of THE dress.

You are not alone!

Surprisingly, not everyone picks a dress that is most flattering for their body type. If you open yourself up to suggestions from the bridal salon, you might just fall in love with a dress you would have never considered.

 

3. Make It An Intimate Gathering

It is absolutely OK to take a couple of people with you when you go gown shopping. Whether you include your mom {yes, it’s probably something she’s dreamed about your whole life}, or your BFF or even your future mother-in-law {way to score big points} – you want a few sets of eyes to see things you might miss.

But, too many people will give you too many different opinions, so keep the group small.

 

shopping for a wedding dress- bride with friends shopping for a wedding dress - tips for finding the right wedding dress

 

4. Allow Enough Time

If you are ordering a made to measure wedding dress, be sure to allow enough time for it to be made and for alterations.

Many times, delivery takes five to six months; it might come in sooner but never count on that. Bridal salons have no control over production delays from manufacturers or things like import and customs delays.

When the gown comes in, your salon wants to have time to inspect your gown and steam it out before you come in to see it.

 

5. Nip and Tuck

Once your wedding dress has come in and you schedule alterations, there are a few things to keep in mind.

First, remember that gowns cut to your measurements might need a few tweaks. Altering the hem or alterations to the bust or the waist are pretty common.

Many salons have their own seamstresses. These are people usually work on nothing but wedding gowns and evening gowns and know what they are doing.

They should be able to quote you a price and timeline for any alterations on your first meeting.

 

wedding dress alterations - tips for picking the perfect wedding gown - seamstress at a bridal salon

 

6. It’s What’s Inside That Counts

When you go for your first fitting you want to wear the garments you are planning on wearing on your wedding day. From Spanx to strapless bras, not everything is the same thickness or fits the same and can affect the way your wedding gown lays and fits.

 

7. It’s All About The Shoes

You also want to make sure that you wear the shoes you will wear on your wedding day when you go for your fitting.

Long gowns need to be altered so they just kiss the ground, and different shoes will change the length. Whether they are under your gown or you are showing them off for photos, you need to know where the gown will fall wearing them.

 

wedding shoes - wearing the right shoes for your gown fitting - alterations on your wedding dress- bride and groom sitting on a rock - shoes of bride and groom

 

8. Party Like A Rockstar

These last tips are things that NO ONE talks about.

When your gown is altered for a bustle you want to talk about your wedding reception. If you are the person who never leaves the dance floor you want the seamstress to make sure the bustle is secure.

Simple hook and eye closures might work for your first dance and through dinner but are bound to come undone during a night filled with dancing.

You also want to have your honor attendant or trusted friend come to your final fitting to learn how to bustle your dress.

 

9. Take A Seat

Unfortunately, one thing overlooked during alterations is that you will be sitting for part of the reception. At least long enough for dinner.

Occasionally, when a bustle is constructed, how it is gathered and how it sweeps the floor are the only considerations.

Have the seamstress bustle the dress and then sit down in it. Sometimes it gathers too high for you to sit comfortably.

 

10. Look Down

Both before and after your wedding dress is bustled you want to sit down in the dress.

We find that sometimes, whether it’s the stiffness of the fabric, the darts in the bust or the length from the hollow of your neck to your waist – the front of your dress will gap out in the front.

There is nothing more uncomfortable on your wedding day than having guests looking down the front of your dress.

With these ten simple tips and an expert team like Special Moments Event Planning in your corner, you are sure to say YES to your dress.

Share this: 

Planning a wedding?

Whether you are a Tampa Bay Area local or planning a Gulfside destination wedding, we have the creativity and connections to help you have the day of your dreams without all of the stress.

Planning an event?

We LOVE social events as much as we love weddings. From Wedding Showers to Reunions, we've done it all. It's all in the details and we've got you covered.

Planning a trip?

Need a weekend getaway during your wedding planning, time away with your family or help planning your honeymoon? We're happy to help!