Not long left to go now girls, just 7 days to go…

Have you started your count down to your appointment yet?

Now while we get super excited for your upcoming bridal appointment, it is also the time to get prepared because, come on, shopping for your wedding dress is just a little bit different to popping into Primark.

So here are some of my top tips to make wedding dress shopping an absolute breeze, from how to prepare for your appointment to what to wear and what not to do the night before.

How to prepare…

We all love a good pamper sesh right? and if having an afternoon trying on wedding dresses isnt an excuse for a pamper I don’t know what it!

Get those oils in the bath and smother yourself in your favourite moisteriser, whatever it takes for you to feel like a queen!

Spend a bit of time that morning and do your hair and make up, maybe try something similar to what your thinking for your wedding day (if you happen to be skilled in that department) try not to make it too heavy, I don’t want to ruin all your hard work and we don’t want to get it on the dresses, red lipstick is a bitch to get out!

Obviously it doesn’t have to be perfect and if you’re not sure yet what you’re thinking and want to find the dress first, I would definitely suggest that you come to your appointment with at least your hair up, for one it really helps you to see the dress in all her glory, I mean we’ve all been there, tried on our latest Zara delivery with 4 day old hair and a bare face for it to look nowhere near as good as you hoped. Anyone else do their make up before drying their hair for it to look shit but then suddenly you’re glowing ready for the red carpet once you’ve finished your blow dry? and for two, getting in and out of wedding dresses is hard work, and you will end up getting all a bit hot and sweaty, trust me, you’ll be thanking me for getting your hair up and out the way!

One final note on that appointment prep…. please and I mean PLEASE, DO NOT come to your appointment covered in fake tan. Honest to God, Red lippy is a bitch to get off a dress but fake tan is something else, save that little bit of prep for the Hen do!

Let’s talk underwear…

First things first, pants and the colour of said pants.

It might not sound like a big drama, but trust me when I say, I have lost count of the amount of times a Bride has come into an appointment with neon pink zebra print pants on and as hard as we try, Mum/Nan or whoever else is with her, has not been able to see past it. You’re gonna want to make sure that they are the closest you could possibly get to your own skin tone, as nude as you possibly can.

Let’s face it within 10 minutes of being in the boutique, you’re going to be standing in front of me in your underwear, so you’re going to want to make sure they fit perfectly (going a size up will avoid that dreaded VPL) and I mean I’m never going to judge but if there was ever a time to treat yourself to a good pair of pants…

With your bra, 99% of you will not be wearing one on your wedding day, so many of you are surprised by how much of the support that you need is built into the dress and if it’s not already there, your seamstress can certainly fix that for you.

Again, most of the time you wont be needing it in your appointment either, and if you do keep it on, it’s essentially for me to be able to clip the dress correctly for you!

The night before?

Much like the night before the wedding, there are a few do’s and don’ts to abide by, they might sound a bit mad but again TRUST ME; trust me when I say, you will thank me for them later!

Sleep well

Wedding dress shopping is hard work and very very tiring, especially if you’re doing a couple of appointments in one day. You are going to want to be getting started on that hunt with a full battery, you wouldnt go out for the day without a fully charged phone would you?

Breakfast

Like I said with the sleep, Wedding dress shopping is hard work and you’re going to need all the energy you can get, and that’s going to come in the form of a really decent breakfast, something that’s going to keep you going and if possible keep the bloat at bay as best you can. We’ve all been there, trying clothes on feeling bloated and blurgh! It’s not fun at the best of times!

No Booze (seriously!)

Hands up who’s had a hangover and had to go to work or be out with family? Honestly, I’ve been hungover in the boutique and thankfully there was no bridal appointments that day, just model fittings but it’s hands down one of the worst days in the boutique I’ve ever had! You do not want to be hanging out of your arse when you’re having to climb in and out of dresses, focus on what’s going on around you as well as answer a million and one questions about how you feel! You’re not going to be able to do it and it’s just going to ruin the whole experience for you.

Finally and possibly THE most important one of all…

Have fun!

Yes of course, wedding dress shopping is a serious task but it is also a really bloody fun one. Try not to worry and come to the boutique with as much of an open mind as you can. Trust in me, it’s my job to make you look and more importantly feel like the beautiful queen that you are, I am never going to let you leave my boutique in a dress that does not do the above. I want those photos to look just as good as you do my lovely! You’re not the only one who wants them on the wall!

If you haven’t already booked your appointment, do that now! I mean, what are you waiting for? and if you have booked your appointment then make sure you’ve noted down all of the above and I hope you’re just as excited as I am for your time in the boutique and finding THE dress you’ll remember forever, hanging proudly on my rails.

All my love

Victoria x