in case y'all weren't aware {which i honestly wasn't until recently}, it takes anywhere from four to six months for a designer to create your wedding gown.
when i decided to move up my wedding date from november 2014 to may 2014 {that's another story}, i realized that - oh crap - i needed to go wedding dress shopping, stat.
being that i have seen my share of wedding gowns at this point in my life, i was reasonably sure what i wanted though not positive and pretty open-minded about trying out styles i hadn't considered before.
i also knew that i did not want the experience of going to a huge bridal warehouse where i'd be overwhelmed with options - i'm bad enough at making decisions as it is!
my only other requirement for my wedding gown was i didn't want it to show any cleavage or cling to my tummy. that's surprisingly difficult to find these days, y'all. don't ask me why.
so anyway, knowing all of that {and this is where tuesday's tip comes in ;) }, i limited my search to two bridal boutiques:
first, bleu belle bridal here in savannah. these girls are so sweet and so helpful! courtney is forever donating gowns for us to use in our styled shoots and i knew that i'd get plenty of personalized attention during my appointment, which i did. i also knew from being in their shop before that all of their gowns are gorgeous and fall into a variety of budgets - they have everything from vera wang to lusan!
while i did not end up purchasing my wedding gown from bleu belle, it is where i found my "second place" gown, this lovely lace gown designed by lusan:
this gown by lusan mandongus reminded me so much of something that jacqueline kennedy or grace kelly would have worn - its stately, classic silhouette is flattering without being over-the-top. you can just barely see the back in the mirror, but it's a low-cut ordeal that i just loved!
my second {and final, as it happens} stop was at the sentimentalist in atlanta. i found this fabulous little boutique while searching for sarah seven {my dream designer, or so i thought;)} stockists, and when i saw their website i just knew i had found my wedding gown shop soulmate!
the best thing about shopping at the sentimentalist was the fact that their taste in gowns - feminine, classic, romantic - so perfectly meshed with my own that i was confident i needn't continue my search anywhere else. choosing from their short list of curated gowns was a relief, actually; they had already done the hard work of sorting through the myriad options on the market today and presented me with only the prettiest, most tasteful options.
yay! i finally got to try on a lovely sarah seven gown, even though i ultimately did not choose to go with one of her gorgeous designs.
this leanne marshall gown was gorgeous {i would've worn it with a little bolero jacket or somesuch if i'd chosen it}
oh, and a bonus of shopping at the sentimentalist?
i started my appointment by taking afternoon tea, complete with lemon tea cakes, in the social room adjacent to the wedding gowns. perfect? i think yes.
in sum, then, here are my wedding gown shopping tips for you all based on my {admittedly limited} experience:
{} make an appointment at a smaller, locally-owned boutique that you know will give you personalized attention. preferably, find a boutique whose owner's style meshes perfectly with your own.
{} don't overwhelm yourself with choices. consider a few key factors, like the time of day you're having your ceremony, budget, the location, etc. and choose a dress that fits your vision {or, if you're open to building your vision around your dress, feel free to do that too!}. visit two to three shops with that vision in mind, see what options each has, and then just make your decision. there will always be more
{} shop early. to avoid rush fees, purchase your gown at least six {though preferably eight} months prior to your wedding date. at just over six months out, i was actually cutting it very close with mine - it should be shipped by the end of march, which will give me a little over a month to get it tailored before my wedding at the end of may.
{} budget. don't try on a $10,000 gown if you are not able or willing to spend that much money on your wedding dress. straight up don't even look at gowns outside of your budget because you will just end up making yourself sad. trust me on this, y'all.
what do y'all think? have anything to add? be sure to comment!!
have a beautiful day & XO,
jennifer
Dress, BHLDN; Shoes, Mark & James; Bracelet, Erickson Beamon; Headpiece, BHLDN
Dress, Justin Alexander; Shoes, Steve Madden; Earrings, JCrew.
Dress, Temperly London; Shoes, Enzo Angiolini, Earrings, Dannijo; Sash, Serendipity Bridal
Dress, JCrew; Shoes, Via Spiga; Bracelet, Juliet and Company
Dress, Calvin Klein; Shoes, Steve Madden; Clutch, Alexander McQueen; Ring, soo lhn Kim.
