A Wedding Planner’s Wedding #5:  The Dress

In the fourth instalment of my blog series as an experienced wedding planner planning my own wedding, I’m tackling the biggest issue for any bride (including me!) – The. Dress.

I’m going to be honest and say I found wedding dress shopping probably the most depressing part of my role as my own wedding organiser. I don’t think I’m a big girl but even a 10-12 person can be made to feel fat trawling through wedding shops and designers.

All the dresses in wedding shops are usually the ones straight off the runway shows or are sample dresses so there wasn’t a single dress that I could do up when I went in. How off putting is that? If you’re planning ahead and buying a designer dress around twelve months months in advance, take into consideration that they will have changed their dress collection by the time it comes round to your wedding. The designer will ask for a deposit before they cut out the pattern. Then the pattern is put to one side until closer to the date when you are ready to confirm your size.

I had to sign a disclaimer to say I will be a size 10 by the time of the wedding and it wouldn’t be their fault if the dresses didn’t fit. Eeep. No pressure then!

My Wedding Planner Tips For Dress Buying

From my own experience of being a wedding organiser shopping for my dress here are my top tips for successful wedding dress buying:

1. Book an appointment in advance. You can’t just rock up, these places are busy.
2. Have some idea of style before you go, you need to be able to whittle the choice down a bit.
3. Take heels if that’s what you intend to wear. I’m on a beach so flats worked best for me.
4. Take someone with you who you trust will give you an honest opinion not just tell you look amazing in everything, although that’s lovely to hear!
5. Simple alterations are usually included but any larger changes are usually an additional cost. Things like lowering a back v line an inch could cost you around £500 if it has heavy beading.
6. Remember that alterations do not get done by the designer or at the design house unless you are shopping there directly. It’s usually done by a seamstress at the wedding showroom so be sure that they have pinned everything correctly before you leave.

For more great advice and the safest possible pair of hands to plan your own wedding please get in touch with our amazing team of wedding planners!