Bridal gowns can range in price from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. Therefore, it is important to remember your budget and purchase a gown that is within your price range. Remember to make sure to save enough money for accessories including the headpiece/veil, jewelry, stockings, slip and shoes. Alterations may also be very expensive as well depending upon the bridal shop.

Shopping for a wedding dress is exciting but often stressful. Here are some simple tips that may help you in your quest for the perfect gown:

• Look through the magazines for bridal gowns that you like. There are so many styles and looks out there that it can be very overwhelming. Start by buying a few bridal magazines and marking the wedding dresses that appeal to you. You will start to get an idea of what you are looking for.

• Do some online research. After looking through the magazines, one or two designers of bridal gowns and bridesmaid gowns will probably strike your fancy. Check out their online wedding catalogs for more ideas.

• Get to the store. Make appointments at bridal shops to start trying things on. Try not to buy the first bridal gown you love. A dress that might look rather plain on the hanger might transform your figure. You really have to try them on to get a proper impression of what you will look like in that particular bridal gown. Take pictures and shop around for the best price. Beware of alteration fees. What you may save in a discount, you will pay for in alteration fees.

• Many gown manufacturers now offer champagne, ivory, blush, diamond white, pink, etc., in addition to traditional white. These softer hues may be more flattering to your complexion.

• Size isn’t everything. Most of the bridal gowns in most bridal shops are a size 10 or 12. (However, wedding dress sizes are notoriously smaller than normal sizes. If you wear a size 10 normally, be prepared to wear a size 12 or 14 wedding gown.) You may have to work extra hard to picture the bridal gown in your correct size. Don’t let this deter you from trying on different styles – you have to try them on to see what they are really like on you. Also – try to make appointments at bridal shops that carry all sizes in stock – even plus sizes through Size 28. This will give you a more realistic picture of what the bridal gown will look like on you. If the bridal shop wants to order a gown for you that is a larger size than you wear, that’s normal. Remember the bridal gown will be fitted to your body. However, don’t order a dress that is smaller in hopes that you will lose weight – a gown cannot be enlarged but can be taken in.

• Choosing the right gown starts with proportion. A dress may look gorgeous on the model in the photo, but it will never look good on you if the lines are wrong for your proportions. Don’t worry, many styles also can camouflage your less than perfect features. Large hips can be hidden with an A-line gown. It will give height and reduce width making you look taller and slimmer. Another option would be a hollow waist which begins an inch and a half below your natural waist, camouflaging your heaviest part. A thick waist can be minimized by a princess waist, just make sure the fullness of the dress starts below your thick part. Heavy thighs are easy to conceal beneath a full skirt, but stay away from any style that is straight or narrow. The same advice applies if you have a full derriere. Remember to draw attention away from your flaws and concentrate on a beautiful neckline instead.

• Bring or wear appropriate undergarments. (This may not be the day to wear your leopard lace bra.)

• Limit your company. When you go shopping for your special bridal gown, it is tempting to bring the whole world with you for advice. However, it can be a mistake to bring more than one or two people. Bring your maid of honor and/or your mother or someone else whose taste you admire and whose opinion you value. More than two people can turn a day at the bridal shop into an opinion-ridden nightmare. Listen to the suggestions of the professional at the bridal store. Even though you may have an idea of the type of gown you want, they may have some good ideas that may have never entered your mind.

• Be clean. You are trying on some very expensive bridal gowns. Don’t show up for your appointment after eating a burger, greasy fries, and a chocolate ice cream cone. Keep your hands and face clean, avoid wearing excessive make-up, and be prepared to spend an hour or two in your stocking feet. Have the availability of something to keep your hair up if and when you want to try on veils when you find ‘the perfect wedding dress’.

• Many bridal gowns go on in a rather complicated manner, and you may need some assistance from the person you brought with you or the bridal gown consultant. Don’t be afraid to ask the bridal gown consultant for help – they would much rather help you than you struggle with a bridal gown for 20 minutes!

• Most of all – have fun! Take pictures and put them in your pre-wedding day scrapbook. Purchasing your perfect wedding dress should be an experience to remember – but a pleasant one!

Try not to wait too long to start looking for your bridal gown. Keep in mind that certain manufacturers do take longer to get in (possibly up to 6 months), but the normal time for shipment of bridal gowns is anywhere from immediate (in stock) shipment to up to 16 weeks. Many bridal gowns come in before 12 weeks. You will also need time for fittings for your alterations.

There are many different styles of wedding gowns ranging from informal to very formal. Typically the longer the train of the gown, the more formal the wedding. Regardless, some gown styles are more flattering than others for certain body shapes.

At French Bouquet Bridal Centre', unless you are concerned about the size ordered, or if you feel you’ve gained or lost weight and need to be sure the dress can still be altered, your first fitting should be approximately one month before the wedding. After that, you could have two more fittings to make sure everything is perfect and to also put in a bustle. The last fitting usually includes instructions on how your gown will be bustled.

NOTE:
We at French Bouquet offer gown preservation services and for our customers to come see us not the dry cleaners.  Thank You!

You may want to preserve your wedding dress as a keepsake or for your own daughter to wear someday. There may be invisible stains from food, beverages and perspiration that can turn into permanent yellow stains if the gown is not properly cleaned before storage. Dry-Cleaners do an excellent job of preserving your wedding dress in a timely fashion.Be sure to point out any stains or spills to your dry-cleaner. In addition to removing stains, dry-cleaners should treat the dress with chemicals that slow down deterioration, press it and place in acid-free packaging.

Finally, do not store your gown in a basement or attic. It should be placed in a cool, dry place to keep it from yellowing and mildew free. French Bouquet Bridal Centre' would be happy to recommend excellent dry-cleaners to preserve your wedding gown for you.

For Assistance Planning Your Wedding, Please Stop By French Bouquet Bridal Centre' and Let Our
Bridal Specialists Help You. Email Karolynn Here or Call 928-855-2354