Consulting With The Style Experts

Wedding gown consultations are a bit different from everyday shopping at the mall. It is important for a bride to be prepared for the task of trying on and assessing formal dresses. Here are a few tips to keep in mind.

1.  Actually call the bridal boutique and make an appointment. Many boutiques do not have a huge staff and you need to be sure that you will receive proper attention.

2. Arrive on time without a giant posse of friends. Your appointment is your time to work with a trained style professional and allow her to get to know your personality, body concerns, and dreams. Allowing too many friends to interfere with this process will lead to an unproductive consultation.

3. Be polite to your consultant. She knows wedding gowns and styles and she knows what will flatter any shape. Do not feel like she is being nosy when she asks you lots of questions! This is a technique for learning about you and your wedding.

4. Wear an outfit that reflects your true style to the appointment. This often offers the consultant a major style clue about you! If she knows your are preppy, she may select tailored gowns; if you are more flowery and girly, she will look for details to reflect that style.

5. Bring proper undergarments to your appointment. If you know full well that you like to wear shaping garments on special occasions, bring them! If you have a strapless bra, bring that as well. Remember- in a full service bridal boutique, it is the consultant’s job to help you into the dresses. Wear undergarments that you will not be embarrassed for her to see!

6. Do not freak out about the consultant helping you to get dressed. It is next to impossible to get into a wedding gown all by yourself. She is not judging you or your body! She seriously does this all day and is simply there to assist you.

7. Wear minimal makeup (getting smudges on the dresses is a no-no) and bring a few hair bands or barrettes. Sometimes the option of putting your hair up makes a difference in how you perceive yourself in the dress.

8. Let the consultant offer accessory suggestions. This is a great time to try different veil lengths, hair accessories, jewelry, etc.

9. If you want to bring magazine pictures, just bring a few. Show them to the consultant at the beginning of the appointment. Make notes on each picture about why you like each dress.

10. If your consultant urges you to try on a variety of dress styles, listen to her. Eliminating choices and styles is an important part of your journey to finding the correct dress.

11. Do not be shocked if you are not allowed to take pictures of yourself in each dress. Many designers and boutiques frown upon this practice for a variety of reasons.

For all your wedding planning questions or event services, The Bliss Collection is your source for Northern Virginia’s finest wedding professionals.