Weddingbee boards

Yesterday I went into the boutique to put a deposit on my dress.  I put it on one last time just to engrain an image of me in the dress LOL.  It had taken me 15 separate visits to different stores until I found this one.  I had actually tried it on over the summer, but it was over my budget, so I didn't think much of it later.  But - with some bargaining, I got it for under my budget, and I couldn't be more happy about it!!

The model pic doesn't do it any justice, and I look forward to sharing a pic of me in it in a few months!

http://www.projectwedding.com/wedding-dresses/designer/allure-bridals/8633

And yes - those are Swarovski crystals all along the front and back.  Can anyone say "bling bling"? LOL

So - some words of advice for all my online Bee friends :)  Take 'em or leave 'em, but I thought I'd share...

1.  Bargain, bargain, bargain.  Remember that stores want your business and they will bend over backwards to meet your demands.  There's no need to be a tirant about it, but simply mentioning that you can get the dress somewhere else can get their attention.  And - the smaller the store the better, because they tend to get less traffic, thus, not as many customers.

2.  Set a budget.  I set mine at $1000 which can be a lot for some and not enough for others.  But that was mine, and it definitely made it easier to narrow down choices.  And to go back to point #1 - if you find a dress that's over your budget, it's not too hard to believe that you'll be able to bring the price down.  My dress was a few hundred over $1000, and I was able to bring it down significantly, and without taxes!

3.  Shop on your own first.  Yup, I did 15, coun 'em, FIFTEEN, visits to different stores, the majority on my own.  Although this is a bit excessive relative to other brides (or is it?) I found that just trying on a few on my own gave me a sense of what I felt both beautiful and comfortable in - and without the comments of everyone else.

4.  Which leads to this next point.  When you do bring people along - BRING THE RIGHT PEOPLE.  Be prepared for the clashing of tastes, the "oohs" & "aaahs", and in my case, the running around of two nieces under the age of 4 who were utterly bored.  I had actually tried on my dress with lots of people (more than I expected) and it totally ruined the experience.  I wasn't feeling it.  So I went back to the store on my own, and tried on the dress, and it made a HUGE difference.

5.  Lastly - get what feels right for you.  I know, I know - every other bride says the same thing, but this point is so very true, and probably the most important of all.  Don't do it because you *think* you have to.  And dear god, please try on the dresses!!  Because if there's one thing I've learned through this site, is that every woman wears a dress a different way.  And remember - this is the dress you are wearing to walk towards the man you are about to share your life with.  So, the only person you really need to *wow* is him :)

Good luck with your dress hunting!  And please feel free to share your own tips!

AFishCalledPuddles...to answer your question:  Is your dress the dress that you imagined yourself in, or, is your dress a dress that you tried that became your dress?

Answer: I never really had a specific dress in mind but the one I ended up with was definitely something I wouldn't have considered at first. I had originally planned on something a-line (a safe bet every time), in taffeta, with minimal beading.  But I found that the bigger dresses made me hot (and god knows i'll be sweating like a mad woman on the big day) and they felt fussy.  As for the beading - I fell in love with the Swarovski crystals.  It sparkles so beautifully!  Again - try on a few that you woudln't normally consider.  You'd be surprised at what you do/don't like!

I am SO WITH YOU on your number 4 piece of advice. I think I'd have never found my One Dress without finally going alone. I was sick of feeling like I had to please the people I brought with me (even if they didn't feel that way, I'm a people-pleaser). Finally I found a dress - when I was alone - that I knew I loved. And I loved it so much I didn't give a crap what anyone else thought!

Hey Sage...that was exactly how I felt when I went with too many people.  Part of the fun of getting a dress is the experience itself!