I did something really exciting at the end of June – I said YES to the dress and I can’t WAIT to put it on again! I would have shared this exciting news with all of you then but technically, we were not engaged yet! (More on that to come soon!)
I first started looking for dresses online but quickly realized, they kind of all looked the same to me and I’m probably going to need to browse a couple of stores first.
Thanks to the virus, there were a lot of restrictions in place including the number of people who could join you at an appointment, as well as the number of dresses you could try on. I completely supported these shops and their procedures but my oh my I wish I could have tried on all of the dresses!
Dress shopping was a big deal for me. It was really important to me that Doug’s mom be included and I wanted to share this moment with each of my bridesmaids so I made five appointments at five different shops in three days. What fun!!
We started off at David’s Bridal just to get a baseline. I walked in with an idea in mind but was surprised to see it was hard to find a modest neckline in an a-line style. The workers were so friendly and helpful and I tried on a bunch of different dresses. I even went back to try on this beautiful “fairy” gown a second time but I just couldn’t get past the deep v-neck. Don’t get me wrong, that style looks great on some but it’s just not the look I’m going for with my wedding gown.
Next, we visited a couple of other dress shops in the Cleveland area. As fun as trying on dresses can be, it can also be super overwhelming. Sometimes I felt like I was trying on dress after dress after dress in 30 minutes and I didn’t even have time to appreciate the dress before having to move on to the next one. There was always something beautiful about each dress but also something I didn’t like. I was often reminded it can be altered but the options for altering plunging necklines weren’t really great and I felt it would change the dresses too much.
Finally, we made it to CLE Bride in Mentor, OH. I felt so special the minute I walked in! They greeted me by name and even had my name on the welcome chalkboard. They were also very accommodating of our small group, respectful to keep their distance and kept their masks on the entire time.
They let us browse through every single dress and even pulled a few based off my Pinterest board but there was one dress, I think my mom may have found, that stood out. The stylist suggested I try it on at the end as she felt I had a special reaction to it. Boy was she right! As soon as I put it on, I felt magnificent. I excitedly proclaimed to my family, “I feel like Taylor Swift in this dress!”
Now don’t get too excited, I’m not going to ruin the surprise but I will say, my one hesitation was the dress I tried on wasn’t the color I planned to wear, it was gold. The next day, we traveled to The Winner in Sharon, PA and friends, if you have never been, it is well worth the drive. That place is gigantic and filled with so many fantastic dresses! I tried on several beautiful gowns but saw a dress similar to the “Taylor Swift dress” in the color I wanted, tried it on and immediately knew. We went back to CLE Bride and the rest is history!
I had a wonderful experience searching for “the dress” even when I did have a few moments of overwhelm. I’m so grateful for the girls at CLE Bride and I can’t wait to wear it again. I know I’ll feel like a snow princess and I can’t wait for Doug to see it!
If you’re shopping for your wedding dress, here are my best tips:
- Do not waiver on what you want. If you have a clear picture of what you want in your mind, don’t let the stylist convince you otherwise. It’s important to stay open and try on styles and dresses you may not be crazy about but if you find they aren’t right, keep looking. If you want a particular kind of neckline, waistline, or length, be clear with your stylist and discuss with the seamstress what alterations would look like before you agree to something you’re not crazy about. I’m not saying you’ll find a dress that doesn’t need altered – I’m adding straps to mine – but you shouldn’t settle for a dress that requires a bunch of changes to make it the shape or style you like.
- Your stylist will work hard for your business. If they don’t, then they don’t deserve your sale. This is your wedding dress we’re talking about, friends. You’re going to have a lot of visits to the shop and will have to work with them closely so you want it to be a place that values you and treats you well. As I mentioned, I went to several shops and one in particular missed the mark in a lot of areas. They even had a dress I considered trying on again, but the poor customer service made it easy to decide not to, so I took my business elsewhere. However, just because we are making a big purchase, doesn’t give us permission to be “bridezillas” to our sales staff. It’s important we are kind, patient, and respectful with them too.
- If you don’t see a dress you want on the racks, keep looking! There is nothing wrong with shopping around for your perfect dress. Not only can it be a really great experience, it gives you peace of mind to know you explored every option.
- You don’t always know it’s THE dress as soon as you put it on and that’s OK! Often we hear those stories of the first dress being the one, or the moment they put it on, they knew. But, that’s not always the case and that’s OK. Sometimes, you have to try it on a few times, or in my case, process my reaction to the dress for a couple of days before realizing it’s a Rachel dress.
- Take your time and enjoy the process. This is supposed to be FUN! Take photos, laugh, make the memories and enjoy the process of shopping for your dress. Don’t stress, your perfect dress is out there!
Have you already shopped for your wedding dress? Share your experience below!
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