Buying A Memorable Wedding Dress

As a former bridal consultant, I know all to well the signs of a bride in a downward spiral towards despair. One of the best things you can do for yourself, is to forget about shopping for your perfect wedding dress, at a large bridal warehouse establishment.

I have two very specific reasons why not to shop at a bridal gown warehouse store:

• Customer Service: Way too often, many brides get it stuck in their head that a bridal warehouse, is the best place to shop for their dress. Why? That is simple- larger selection and cheaper prices! Am I right ladies?

However, the one thing that they find missing is exceptional customer service. Which all brides-to-be deserve. Therefore, take the time to shop at mom and pop bridal boutiques. There you will find informative bridal consultants, who are able to advised you on all your wedding needs with careful, thoughtful and meaningful advice. Believe you me, that is priceless when it comes to your wedding day. Furthermore, it is no secret that brides-to-be require a little extra nurturing, especially if they're slightly frazzled from shopping, for that "one" jaw dropping dress.

Another way to stop short changing yourself, is by using the Internet to help you locate a certain wedding dress. Nines times out of ten- most brides are capable of finding their wedding dress, at an inexpensive price this way. Thereby, even before you get started, do not short change yourself over price.

It is a huge misconception that smaller bridal boutiques are not competitive in their pricing. Well, I’m here to tell you that they are. One of the best things you can do when shopping for a bridal dress, is to tell the bridal consultant the top dollar amount, you are wanting to spend on your wedding dress. I think you will find that through his or her helpful and insightful knowledge, your dress will end up being the one-true, legendary, wedding dress out all those expensive dresses, your friends just bought.

• Selection and Presentation: Yes; it is true that smaller bridal boutiques do not warehouse the size of inventory, which larger bridal warehouses do. I personally know from experience that you don't need 15,000 additional wedding dresses, to try on and fit.

Matter of fact, when a bride is presented with too many wedding dress options, they often find themselves irritated and very frustrated by the end of the day. Moreover, they also find themselves dressless and deeply confused. Therefore, when you caught up in that moment of trying every dress on, try to stop yourself. Furthermore, by choosing a smaller bridal business to shop for your dress, you drastically cut the chances down for you getting ticked off and extremely upset. It is always best to remember, any and all set backs, only cause more complications in the long run. Smaller bridal shops, actually allow to enjoy the magical moment of wedding dress shopping, for your big day.

From the Expert:

When I sold bridal gowns for a living, the first thing I would ask the bride was to give me a description of what she was looking for. I would present my bride with three wedding dresses. The first dress would be a dress of my choosing. It was usually a dress that I knew without a doubt would look best on her. The second dress would be the exact opposite , of what the bride had described to me. The third dress would be the dress she and everybody else, had came in to see.

I actually had a ninety percent sell rate, by using this methodical approach. Applying this approach made it easier for both the bride and myself. She was free to sit down and relax, and enjoy the company of her family and friends, which had gathered there to be with her. What made it easier was the fact that this approach to shopping, actually helped the bride and her family to focus in on what features, they were most excited over. The time spent with me, helped her to break down the dress she was trying on, and get a true taste of what she was really after.

Successful bridal consultants build up their reputations by word of mouth. It is important to each consultant that they do their job right the first time. The greatest measure of accountability for a bridal consultant, is when a family allows her to be bridal consultant to all the family. When I got married, I had the great pleasure of buying my bridal gown from Dala Yontz, who had sold my mother her dress 25 years before. Dala also dressed my sister Krystal, and my future sister in-law. Buying dresses in my family, became a long, treasured, tradition and great compliment to Dala. My mother's dress was made out of crepe and cost $98.00, my dress was made out of silk and cost $440.00, my sister's dress was taffeta and cost $1500.00, and my sister in-law's dress was satin and cost $800.00.

Whatever the budget set for your wedding dress, remember selecting a legendary wedding dress takes skill. —Cheers and good luck.

Test your knowledge here and find out just how much do you know about weddings, and some of the most famous brides?

1. True or False: Queen Victoria popularized the idea of the "white wedding", especially the white bridal gown?
2. What did Grace Kelly, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, Queen Elizabeth all have in common on their wedding days?
   a. They married into royal families.
   b. They rode in glass carriages.
   c. They wore pearl bridal jewelry.
3. Which of these famous young brides wore a white silk slip dress that sparked a huge trend in bridal gowns?
   a. Mia Farrow
   b. Carolyn Bessette Kennedy
   c. Audrey Hepburn
4. Who designed the antique lace wedding gown that was worn by Grace Kelly when she married Prince Rainer of Monaco?
   a. her mother
   b. Christian Dior
   c. a costume designer

Answers:

1. True. Before Queen Victoria's wedding to Prince Albert, most royal brides wore silver gowns, and regular brides wore their best dress in any color. Queen Victoria's white wedding gown has become so iconic that now almost every bride wears white in the Western Hemisphere. The orange blossoms that carried in her bouquet set off an enduring trend for that traditional bridal flower that has only waned since the 1950s.
2. c. All three brides wore some form of pearl bridal jewelry for their weddings. In Grace Kelly's case, it was actually thousands of tiny seed pearls which adorned her veil, while Jacqueline Kennedy wore a single strand of classic pearls around her neck, and Queen Elizabeth II wore two strands of pearls together (they were a wedding gift from the King and Queen).
3. b. When photos surfaced of the Carolyn Bessette and John F. Kennedy, Jr. exiting the chapel after their ultra-private wedding, women everywhere went crazy for Carolyn's gown. The white silk slip dress was designed by Narciso Rodriguez, and it transformed the landscape of bridal gowns, inspiring brides worldwide to choose a chic modern style over a traditional wedding dress.
4. c. Grace Kelly's wedding gown was designed by Helen Rose, who was a wardrobe designer at the MGM movie company where Grace Kelly had been under contract. The exquisite gown was a gift from the studio to its star actress.

Article Source:EzineArticles, Bridget Mora