The secret to wedding dress shopping

Wedding dress shopping should be one of the most exciting parts of your wedding planning journey.

Here are a few tips to help you prepare for your appointment and have the best experience you can...

Leave the entourage at home-

Pick just one or two trusted friends or family to come along with you to try on dresses, too many opinions can spoil the experience and detract from how you actually feel. "So many times we have seen brides leave the changing room feeling amazing in a dress and then returning feeling deflated and confused". If you are worried about offending people by not bringing them along then maybe you could invite them to come along to a fitting once you have chosen your dress.

Hair and make up-

Make a special effort with hair and make up on the morning of your try on. On the day you will probably have the full professional service so you want to get the best idea you can. Also, who feels great in a dress with no make up on???

Oh pants!

Wear white or nude undies and seamless is even better. Its amazing the difference good underwear can make to a fitted dress. (think Bridget Jones!) Most of the dresses will have built in bras but to be safe bring a white or nude strapless one with you.

Trust us...we have done this before.

Most women go into their appointment with an idea of what they want and often end up leaving with the opposite. In real life not all women are a size 6 with pert boobs and no lumps and bumps like the airbrushed models in the bridal magazines, be open minded and try lots of different styles. "I recently had a bride who came in with a very exact idea of what she wanted, I had a dress in mind straight away but it wasn't what she was expecting. It took a long time for me to convince her to try it on but eventually she did. It looked amazing and ended up being 'the one'!". Let your bridal consultant give you suggestions as they will have a good idea what will suit you. Its so hard to see what the dresses will be like just on the hanger so some gentle nudges in the right direction are often very useful.

No photos please

We are very passionate about this at The Farnham Boutique and this is why.

We believe that when you choose your dress it should be when you are in the dress, not from a photo hours after the appointment. A dress you may have felt amazing in at the time may be tossed aside when you look back at a bad photo your friend took from a smart phone; a bad angle, in a dodgy light and not fitting properly. Also, we find it scary how quickly a photo can accidentally get posted onto social media and into the abyss. Put the phones down and use your intuition.

Accessorize-

Some of the most beautiful dresses we have seen have been the most simple. Remember, accessories can be key. That spectacular belt, long lace veil or statement necklace could be what make the outfit. Think about the whole package.