One of the favorite parts of a wedding day by the majority of our brides is finding the perfect wedding dress! Choosing the right dress can be such a fun, and joyous event typically spent with closest family and friends. The moment you try on the dress that makes you feel like a Queen (not a princess!), you know that THIS IS THE DRESS!The dress is finally ordered and tucked away in a safe spot. Other than alternation, it will never see the light of day until your Wedding Day. Today’s Tuesday Tips will enlighten your thought not touching your dress again until your big day. We put together our top 5 tips for how to ensure you have the perfect Wedding Day Dress Experience!

1. Pre-Wedding Day Photos! Most likely when you tried on your wedding dress in the store, it was not the right size. Before and after you have your dress alternations, call over your bridesmaids and grab a glass of wine (or a few… no judgment). Bring back your childhood and play dress up. Ask a member of your bride squad to take photos of you… from ALL sides. Front, sides, and back… this will be extremely helpful! We do not want any surprises when you get your photos and be surprised how the dress looks from an angle or side you didn’t see! Oh yeah… also take a moment and grab a picture of you sitting down! We want to make sure you can breathe but also, so you are aware of how it will appear during your wedding. Our suggestion is to say that you should do you photo shoot before and after alternations… just in case you don’t like how something was changed. If you did bring the wine… just keep it AWAY from your dress!
2. Try on Your Dress! This goes back a little till our first tip, but after alterations, try it on. When trying on your dress, be sure to ask the lady or ladies who will be responsible for getting in your dress on the actual wedding day to be there to help. This will allow them some time to practice (especially if it’s a corseted back) and it will also give you an idea of HOW long it will take to get in your dress. Remember, this will be important on your actual wedding day! Delays in prep time are typically the part of the day that will throw the whole day off. Now for a bit of “real” talk now… there is a chance a Bride may gain and/or lose weight before her wedding. Often months pass between the actual Wedding Day is and when the dress was altered. Trying it on a month before will give you time to have minor adjustments made or figure out an alternative fix (like bridal tape.) Also, it’s a low-pressure environment to really look at yourself and enjoy how your dress makes you look AMAZING!
3. The Bustle! As much as we LOVE helping our Brides with all their wedding needs, we prefer to avoid getting under your dress to bustle it for the reception. Before you final fitting with your alternation seamstress, decide who you would like to be responsible for your bustle the day of your wedding (and maybe have a backup). The lady in charge of the bustle should be at your final alternations appointment to learn how to do the bustle. Our biggest suggestions are to take a video of how the seamstress does the bustle (an excellent reference for later). The next step, when you try on your dress before the wedding, have her practice doing the bustle! Watching and doing are two entirely different things! While watching the seamstress do the bustle makes the process look remarkably simple, actually bustling your dress may be a different story. Keep in mind that the seamstress does this for a living and just image HOW many bustles she has done in her career. Remember our tip about Pre- Wedding Day photos… don’t forget to get a shot of the bustle done. Once again, we want to avoid any surprises!
4. Practice Walking! If you’re following along and doing the previous tips, you’re already in your dress… put on those shoes and go for a stroll around the room. Wedding dresses can have tons of layers or very fitted, making walking a little more difficult. Keep in mind; we’re not usually walking around in 12 layers of fluff and tulle. While you’re practicing walking around, if you are going to have to walk up and down stairs on your wedding, be sure to practice that technique as well. The last thing you want on your wedding day is to try and figure out how to maneuver in your dress.
5. Day of Dress Helper! Sorry… we do not have any special fun term for this role! We suggest asking a member of your squad to be your day of dress helper. This is someone who can help you throughout the day for “mundane” task… such as going to the restroom. Having someone you’re comfortable with is going to the key. Your Dress Helper should also have in her “day of kit” things that you may need to make the dress stay perfect! This can be things like Bridal Tape, Safety Pens, Shout Wipes… just to name a few. At the end of the day, we prefer her to have to be the one up your dress instead of us. Please do not assume someone will “volunteer” to help you out on the wedding day, instead do a little prep work and ask her beforehand.

During the wedding day, these are the most problematic issues for a Bride. Just spending a little extra time with your Wedding Dress will defiantly enhance your experience. Not to mention, this is most likely the MOST expensive article of clothing you will ever get to wear…so why not enjoy it just a little more! Remember, the more comfortable you are in your dress, the more con􀁿dent you’ll be on your wedding day. Confidence = Sexy!!!!!

Have a fantastic day!

Nicole and Ryan