The world of wedding dress shopping can be dizzying. With so many different styles, materials and patterns, how are you meant to know what you should be looking for? 

Here at Ivory & Co, we’ve had years of experience with the whole process - from the initial appointment right through to your wedding day, we know exactly what you should expect, and what you should consider when entering the world of weddings.

Finding the Dress

When should you book your appointment? The answer is simple: the earlier the better!

Believe it or not, but your dress will dictate a lot of the other styling choices involved with your wedding, including the look of the location and overall theme.  Take for example, a barn wedding with a rustic vibe. If you fall head over heels with a ball gown, you’ll stick out on the big day in this environment - and not in a good way. 

Choose your dress first and make sure you feel 100% comfortable and happy before making any further decisions to ensure the day’s style remains in line with exactly what you and your partner want. 

Open Mind, Open Heart 

Your first consultation should be a time for exploration, to experience different styles and open your mind to the vast expanse of designs available. It’s therefore imperative that you arrive at your appointment with an open mind. Over the years,  we’ve seen so many brides arrive at the showroom with a detailed description of how they want their dress to look only to leave having fallen in love with a completely different design.  

Arrive at your appointment and take a look at every silhouette, from tea-length to fishtail, and get an idea of what you might like before gathering your favourite designs and trying them on. Narrow down your chosen style by experiencing how it feels to sit, stand and walk in the dress. You want to ensure the shape and design reflects your style and personality, but also that you’ll be comfortable enough throughout the day.

Once you’ve narrowed down your favourite silhouette, you’ll be able to explore more designs and features. There are so many ways to customise your dress - from beaded designs and embroidery patterns to colour options, it’s important that you explore your options at your dress appointment and that you take in every aspect of the look to see how it makes you feel. 

Practicality Is Key

It’s also important to grasp how practical the design you’re choosing is. Do you have dreams of a natural ceremony deep in the countryside? A long gown probably isn’t the best choice for roaming the fields, so you may want to consider a tea length design. Alternatively, if you’re jetting off for a sunset ceremony on a beach, you’ll want a lightweight gown that won’t leave you overheating on your special day.

Additionally, consider what activities you want to do on your wedding day. If you want to dance the night away, a restrictive fishtail number won’t give you the space to throw some shapes on the dance floor. If this is the case, we’d also suggest taking a look at a detachable skirt as this will help you achieve the look of your dreams through your ceremony, while still giving you freedom in the evening to do what you want and still look glamorous. 

Trust The Experts

Another thing to bear in mind when entering your first wedding dress trial is ensuring you trust the experts. For your first appointment, we completely understand that you’ll be feeling unsure and nervous, but we’ve gained years of insight and experience, meaning our team can help you find the perfect dress.  

But by all means don’t feel pressured to buy your dress on the first consultation. If you find the ‘one’, then of course go ahead, but don’t let concerns over time frames push you into a decision you may regret later. Additionally, do not worry about being too picky - this is a day you’ll remember for the rest of your life and we understand that you want everything to be perfect. 

Budget Restrictions

Walking into a showroom and being faced with the bright whites and shimmering pearls can sometimes make you leave your budget at the door. You therefore need to keep your budget in mind as you make any decisions about the design and added extras such as veils, trains or boleros. 

It’s vital that you also take into consideration any alterations you may need to make to the dress’s fit. Some designers include an alteration package which will keep the cost controlled so it’s always worth enquiring when looking for your dress. 

Here at Ivory & Co, we make a new pattern for each bride, taking into account the perfect dress length, body proportions and a built in bra.  This means that for many brides, the need for alterations is taken away. And, if any adjusts do need to be made because of weight changes, the alterations are minimal compared to the normal adjustment process. 

Yes, there is a lot to consider and evaluate when you begin your search for the perfect dress, but as long as you feel like your best self when you step into the gown of your dreams, that’s all that matters. 

Book your initial consultation today and see our range of dresses, accessories and tiaras.