Almost impossible to answer
How many wedding dresses should you try on? It’s one of the questions I’m asked most, and it’s almost impossible to answer.
Some brides come in, try on the first dress and absolutely love it. They try on a couple of others, shake their heads and say, “No, it’s the first one,” and they’re done. Others try on ten dresses, aren’t really sure about any of them, and go on to quite a few more places.
Both are completely normal. But there are ways to make the search feel a lot calmer, and a lot shorter.
How many wedding dresses should I try on? It depends on you
It really comes down to your personality, and how confident and decisive you are. The less decisive you are, the more important it is to find a designer who can work with you to narrow down your choice. If you visit lots of shops on your own and only see salespeople, you’re likely to feel more and more overwhelmed. I’ve seen brides who have seen over thirty dresses in total, and the one commonality between them all is they are all overwhelmed to the extreme.
With so many dresses on Instagram and Pinterest, it’s easy to arrive at your first appointment with hundreds of saved images and no clear direction. That’s not a problem. A good designer will look at what you’ve saved, find the common thread, and help you see what you’re really drawn to.
Choosing a wedding dress: shape first, details second
You might like to read my post on managing wedding dress overwhelm, but here’s a quick recap. There are two parts to choosing a wedding dress.
- Find the shape that suits you best. Do this first. Don’t worry yet about the exact fabric or lace. Just work out which bodice shape, waistline and skirt size suit you best, and whether you prefer lace, plain fabric, beading or a mix.
- Then look at the finer details. Once you’ve sorted out your shape, either with a designer’s help or on your own, you can move on to the details: the particular lace, the neckline, the sleeves, the back and the little finishing touches that make the dress yours.
Trying to decide on the shape and the finer details all at once can make an overwhelming decision even more overwhelming. Getting the shape right first means every dress you try on after that is a much more useful comparison.
Three boutiques, five dresses each
If you’ve done your research and chosen your boutiques well, I believe you only need to visit three boutiques or designers. Try on around five dresses at each, and narrow it down to one favourite from each place. Choosing your final dress will be so much easier.
That’s around 15 dresses in total, which is plenty to compare without everything starting to blur together. Before you book, look closely at each boutique’s website and Instagram, and choose places whose style already feels like you. It saves you trying on dresses you were never going to love.
After each appointment, take a few notes and a photo of your favourite while it’s fresh in your mind. By the end, you’ll have a short list of three dresses to compare side by side.
Don’t wait for the tears
Some brides wait for that overwhelming, excited, teary feeling, but not everyone gets it. Waiting for it can keep you searching long after you’ve already found a dress you love.
In another post, Can I Trust That I Love My Dress If I Didn’t Cry?, I explain why I think only some brides feel emotionally overwhelmed while others don’t. If a dress ticks everything that matters to you and you feel excited and happy in it, that’s a very good sign you’ve found the one.
Wedding dress shopping tips and FAQs
How many wedding dresses should I try on? There’s no set number. As a guide, around 5 dresses at each of three well-chosen boutiques, about 15 in total, is plenty for most brides.
How many bridal shops should I visit? Around three, if you’ve researched them well and chosen boutiques whose style suits you.
Is it normal to choose the first wedding dress I try on? Yes. Some brides know straight away. If you’ve compared it with a few others and keep coming back to it, trust that.
How do I stop feeling overwhelmed when wedding dress shopping? Decide on your shape first and the details second, and work with a designer who can help you narrow down your choices.
Do I have to cry to know it’s the one? No. Not every bride gets emotional. Excitement and the feeling that a dress ticks every box are just as good a sign.
Need help finding your direction?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed and don’t know which direction to go in, helping brides navigate this is one of our head designer’s specialties. You’re very welcome to book a bridal consultation at our Chippendale studio in Sydney. We’ll be very happy to take you through it and help you find the dress that suits you best and, better still, excites you the most.
You can also get in touch at info@corston.com.au.
See you soon,
