I’m not gonna lie here girls, I was never that girl that always dreamed of getting married and had the wedding planned from the age of 5!

To be perfectly honest, I always thought I was going to be that mad old auntie with no children and only appeared at family gatherings and then when I did get married, being the first one in the friendship group to say I do, I never really experienced the many many questions that comes along with planning a wedding.

There was never the comparisons, the ‘oh when I got married, we did this…’ there was never even the ‘oooooo when do we get to go dress shopping’ I was a very lucky girl!

So here we are, think of me as the best friend you didn’t know you needed, here with the only advice you ever need to hear…

Wedding planning, dress shopping, life in general, everyone’s experience of it is completely different, what you love more than anything in the world is someone else’s absolute worst nightmare, the high street wedding dress that your friend bought for her elopement/micro ceremony might be the lifesaver she needed after a terrible shopping experience where as your other friend may have also been to the same bridal shop and found the dress of her dreams.

The key to everything here is preparation, getting the right research done and feeling calm and confident, ready to have that Yes moment. You might like me not have dreamed of it all your life but you certainly will remember it for the rest of your life!

Before the shopping starts, before you’ve even started in on the Pinterest boards, there’s a few things you need to consider…

Style…

Do you have one? Are you a stickler for a sleeve or maybe off the shoulder is more your thing? What is your go to look for ladies day/that awards do at work? Your wedding dress should be the ultimate in showcasing your style, this is the day for you to look like you at your very best!

Season…

Feels a bit obvious but when thinking about what works for you style wise, you also need to take into consideration, the time of year in which you will be getting married. A dress that would look stunning for your winter Manor House wedding might be just that little bit much for that summer festival tipi wedding!

Body type…

This goes hand in hand really with your style, you’re going to know better than anyone what works for you and your body shape. Not sure where to start with this one? Make sure you read my previous blog post… How to dress for your body type?

Research…

Now that you are slowly starting to piece together what works for you, you can start researching what that means in terms of what you are looking for in a wedding dress, be prepared to lose several hours/days to Pinterest and Instagram (if you’re not already!)

Be sure to be searching for real wedding inspiration that relates to you, if you can find a bride that looks like you, has your body shape or maybe skin tone? Seeing brides that look like you is going to be really helpful in getting a clearer idea as to what to expect when you start your own wedding dress search.

Start saving all those gowns that you love, the ones that have those features that you already know works in your favour and then after a while, look back over your saves and see if there is a common theme, are you pinning the same designer without realising?

Once you know you have a theme/favourite designer, its then time to find out 1. how much these dresses are, (there’s no point hunting them out if they’re not going to be achievable for you.) and then 2. where these dresses might be. Find the boutiques that have the designer, check out their reviews, what does their social media look like? Does it feel like you would get on with the stylists?

To be completely honest, that last question might be the all important one, feeling comfortable to be in your pants in their company after just 10 minutes, is going to be a game changer, whoever you end up spending that time with in the fitting room is unlike any other relationship you will have experienced.

There will be things that you tell her that you may not have even discussed with your closest friends or even family! Trust me, I’ve been the first person to find out about new pregnancies on more than one occasion!

All being said, if you have any worries or concerns, do not hesitate to get in touch, with me or whatever boutique you’ve got your eye on! If they are genuine in wanting to help you find the right dress for you, they will be clear and honest with their advice!

I hope that’s helped!

All my love

Victoria x