Appointment Prep
1. Inspiration.
Bringing along wedding dress inspiration to your appointment is very important. Some great ways to share your wedding inspiration are your personal Pinterest board, printing out photos or telling your consultant all about your favorite designer. If you’re not sure about what you’re looking for, sharing venue, decoration or theme ideas can help your consultant lead you in the right direction.
2. Proper undergarments.
While shapewear and the perfect bra aren’t totally necessary until your first fitting, feeling and looking your best will ultimately help you feel more confident to find the dress of your dreams. We suggest bringing along or wearing a supportive nude strapless or convertible bra, seamless nude underwear (such as boyshorts, thong, or high cut underwear), as well as any shapewear you’d like to wear under your dress. There are plenty of shapewear options out there, so keep this in mind before you arrive at your appointment.
3. Hair ties & clips.
Not only are you going to want to sweep your hair out of your face so you can get a full view of the dresses you’ll be trying on, but pulling your hair up with a hair tie or clip will also help you envision your wedding day look if you choose to wear an updo and also help you envision your wedding day if you choose to wear an updo OR VEIL.
4. Appropriate shoes.
Make sure you bring along proper footwear to try on with your dress. Already bought your wedding shoes? Great! If not, bring along similar-looking shoes to the pair you’d like to wear on your wedding day (think heels vs. flats).
5. Your squad.
Make sure you bring along a few close family members and friends to help you “Say Yes”. Keep in mind though that less is definitely more—too many opinions from eager family members and friends can ultimately make your decision tougher. Our largest room seats up to 8 comfortably. If you plan on bringing any more than 8, please call to let us know so we can better accommodate you.
6. A realistic budget.
Finally, come with a relative idea of how much you’d like to spend on a dress. You should also include room in your budget for alterations, headpieces, a veil and any jewelry.
So you’ve set the date for your bridal appointment at Audras Bridal Gallery—the next step is deciding who your ultimate ‘say yes’ squad is! It can be such a tough and overwhelming decision—you might think you want everyone there, but that might not be the best choice.
Family. Whether it’s your parents, siblings, grandparents or extended family, it’s essential to have close family members involved through this important (and exciting!) decision process.
Bridal party. Considering they’re in your wedding, why wouldn’t they be there when you make the single most important decision of the whole event? Having your most important people there will only allow for more “ooo’s” and “ahh’s” when you come out in different dresses.
Your fiancés family or part of it. Now, this doesn’t mean their entire family, but maybe their sister, or even mother. If of course, you feel comfortable having them there. Inviting them to your bridal appointment is a very sentimental gesture.
Less is more. Remember, less is more. Too many opinions from too many people at your appointment can make for a stressful and overwhelming overall process. The goal is to be shedding tears of joy when picking out your wedding dress, not tears of stress!
Please note, you may bring up to 4 guests to your bridal appointment. Give us a call if you would like more than 4 guests.
First and foremost, remember this is your daughter’s day though your ideal styles for her dress may differ from her style she still needs your approval! We find that moms tend to have the most influence on the bride’s decision to ‘say yes’ to the dress. So MOB this one is for you.
Listen.
We all know mother knows best, but take the time to listen to what she wants, what makes her feel good, and therefore makes her happy! That is what the experience is all about.
Suggest a family heirloom over wearing your wedding dress.
Wedding dresses have changed so much over the years that chances are she has no interest in wearing your gown. Perhaps offering a family item, i.e., veil, brooch, earrings, etc. may be more suitable offer.
You’re her rock.
She really needs you there for stability and support. It’s crucial to keep the atmosphere as calm and relaxing as possible. Wedding dress shopping is a very emotional experience and creates a lifetime memory and needs to be treated delicately.
Wait on the MOB dress.
Don’t start shopping for your MOB gown before she has her gown—she will love to be a part of your dress shopping experience too. Wait to shop until the bride-to-be is comfortable with her selection.
Don’t pre-shop without the bride.
Unless she asks you to, don’t start pre-shopping online or otherwise—do it together. Listen to what she wants first. Styles have changed significantly over the past several decades with the influence of Hollywood and the red carpet;there are more dresses and bridal dress designers than ever!
Trends have changed.
Just like you needed a dress with mutton sleeves in the 80’s, your daughter might also want a dress featuring the latest trend. So bare with the bling and pops of color because it’s not your dress!
Come with a budget in mind.