Nada Allam 
11/20/13, 12:00 AM 
Let's be frank, shopping for your wedding dress is a hectic and long process. It takes quite some time to find the perfect dress, you need to go through a lot of fittings, which involves dressing and undressing numerous times, finding the right accessories…it's a whole process really. I'll be honest, there really isn't a way for you make it any easier, so suck it up and get ready for the search of the perfect dress.
There are a few things you should have in mind to make the search for your dress a smooth and practical one.
1. Budget
Decide on the budget you are willing to put for your dress. Try to leave a bit of room for an increase in the budget, incase you find something you love that is above what you expected to pay.
2. Decide where to shop
Research, research research, the internet is there for a reason, use it. Look for shops in your city, if you have the option of traveling, also look for shops in other cities. Compose a list of the shops and check out their online store. Surely you won't have time nor energy to go to 20 bridal shops, so pick your favorites and start with them.
3. When to shop
The phrase, 'The sooner, the better' was invented for a reason. Once you have your wedding dress ready, a huge load will be removed from your endless wedding checklist. If you are free tomorrow, then book an appointment and head on down. Go for the earliest opening, that way the sales people could start with you as opposed to being the their last appointment before the end of their day.
4.Who to take with you?
The people who you are most comfortable around, however they shouldn't exceed three people. That way you won't have too many clashes of opinions and you would feel more relaxed. More importantly, your crowd should be people who know your style perfectly, so they can give you an honest opinion, whether or not the dress you picked reflects your personality.
5. Think of your hair and accessories
We all think of our dream dress and dream look on our wedding day. While trying on dresses, be prepared with your hair and accessories. That way you have an idea of the full outcome.
6. Be open-minded.
If you find your dream dress, that's awesome! However, if you don't find exactly what you want, you need to keep an open-mind. There is a big chance you will find something fabulous, but you never expected yourself to wear. Don't turn down any idea, a dress is not what it seems on the hanger.
7. Never Settle
As much as you need to keep an open-mind, don't ever settle for something you are not 100% comfortable with. Even if your family and friends think a dress is perfect for you, you are the deal breaker. If you hate it, move on and find yourself something else. This is your wedding day; your look, and your comfort are the things that count.
9. Buying Online
Purchasing a dress online really isn't the wisest idea, as you don't have the option of trying it on and seeing how you look in it. However, some brides have a picture in their head, and the picture on the website matches exactly, and so it's tempting to order. I would recommend that you make sure, the dress you purchase is something basic that can handle alterations. Be sure to have a good tailor on hand, so if the dress isn't exactly your size, it can be fixed.
10. Fixed Size
Don't buy a dress a size smaller or a size bigger, buy a dress that fits you perfectly in the present, I know your weight will probably change between now and the wedding. That is why you will go in for a final dress fitting around two weeks before your wedding.
We Recommend:
