Finding the perfect wedding dress has its ups and downs! Walking through David’s Bridal a few months ago, I realized that everything looked exactly the same in the bags! I couldn’t tell ivory from off white, mermaid from a ball gown, and had no idea where to begin! So like many ladies, I started browsing online and watching bridal shows like “My Fair Wedding by David Tutera” and “Say Yes to the Dress”! I think I actually overdosed on “Say Yes to the Dress”, but I managed to narrow down a few styles that I really liked!

Then the fun part! Or so I thought! Actually visiting a busy bridal store in Raleigh on a Saturday and trying on dresses! It was a little overwhelming! So here are a few tips that I wish I had known before searching for my perfect wedding dress!

Find Your Favorite Style

Ball gowns are big and beautiful! Mermaids and trumpets are more fitted and flare towards the bottom! I’m definitely not a dress expert, but here is a designer who is. Maggie Sottero! And she creates beautiful wedding gowns! Finding the style I liked best was one of the toughest parts!

Choosing A Fabric

So I never once imagined that I would care so much about my wedding dress fabric, but I did! Here’s my story! As I was searching online for the perfect wedding dress, I came across a few websites that offered designer like gowns for less! I thought “wow, that’s an Allure design for $200, AMAZING”! So I ordered it! And what I received in the mail was not exactly what I expected! The fabric was cheaper quality and the dress looked nothing like the photo online! It was shiny and looked blue in certain lights! That is when I realized that fabric was everything to me! And that there was a reason those dresses were so much less compared to the real ones! Some dresses are made with lace, tulle, organza, satin and the list goes on! Even if you decide to order a dress online, be sure you know exactly what kind of fabric it will be! No surprises! Say Yes and Quit

Once you find the perfect wedding dress, stop looking! Seriously! Don’t look at anymore wedding dresses! People always told me that when you find your dress, you will feel all sorts of emotion! And they were so right! When I visited David’s Bridal with my family and friends, I tried on several dresses! None of them gave me that OMG feeling! Then I tried on this one gown by Galina Signature and it was gorgeous! I LOVED it to say the least! But I still wasn’t sure it was MY dress!! So I didn’t get it! I ended up browsing their website and found one that I couldn’t stop looking at! And that is when I fell in love with MY dress! Well actually when it arrived and I tried it on for the 2nd time! 🙂

I hope that my personal experience and advice helps you find the perfect wedding dress for your big day! Check out tips for finding your dream wedding cake here!