Your Perfect Wedding Gown: Finding the Best Dress for You

Your wedding day is one of the most special days in your life, and choosing the right wedding dress to make you feel like the most beautiful version of yourself is an important decision to make alongside your partner. It can be overwhelming trying to decide on just one wedding dress style that you think will be perfect, though, because there are literally thousands of beautiful gowns out there to choose from. Start your search off on the right foot by reading this guide to finding your perfect wedding dress!

Different Styles

When wedding dress shopping, it’s easy to get caught up in the different styles available. Today, the wedding dress of your dreams might be a lace trumpet gown with sleeves or an off-the-shoulder fit and flare—it’s all a matter of personal preference. Take the time to consider your own taste in dresses before shopping and don’t let trends sway you into purchasing a wedding gown that doesn’t fit your personality. If you’re getting married on the beach, try to find a romantic A-line that won’t get muddied by sand. If comfort is key, opt for an easygoing maxi or flowing chiffon dress that will keep you from feeling restricted on your big day. Even consider the color! You do NOT have to choose white!

What Length Should My Dress Be?

So, now that you’ve picked out your wedding gown style, it’s time to find your perfect fit. One of our biggest tips is to try dresses on at different lengths. Whether you think you want a shorter or longer dress, take measurements before going shopping—you may be surprised by what looks good on you! For example, a bride who thought she wanted an ankle-length dress discovered that she looked and felt more beautiful in a shorter dress. Or another bride found her most flattering look in a knee-length gown because it was forgiving to her figure. There are no hard-and-fast rules with length; you just have to experiment until you discover what makes you feel best in your perfect wedding dress. Just because the “norm” is a floor length dress, doesn’t mean that’s what you have to choose!

What Should I Look For in a Designer?

An amazing designer can make you look amazing on your wedding day. When selecting the designer of your gown, it’s important to focus on the price range of the designer and the styles they produce. You don’t want to fall in love with a dress that’s way out of your price range. Focus instead on finding designers that produce great styles you can afford AND that you love. If you’re still working on saving money for the wedding, think about renting or borrowing rather than buying your gown.

Where Should I Look For My Gown?

This is a tough question, as there are just so many wedding dress shops out there. Wedding dresses are much more expensive (and much more important!) than regular clothing; so it’s worth comparing costs between local dress shops to find out which location will give you your dream gown at a price that is in your budget. It’s also important to remember that wedding dress shopping can be very emotional – and therefore exhausting! You should also consider tailoring services. Purchasing your gown from a shop that also does alterations is very convenient. Lastly, if you’re worried about going somewhere over your budget – or even without enough time – online shopping is definitely worth considering! However, if you want that “This is my dress moment” I highly recommend going to a physical location to try on dresses.

How Much Does a Wedding Dress Cost?

American couples spend between $15,000 and $150,000+ on their wedding ceremony and reception. This is a crazy range, I know. With that being said, wedding gown budgets also range very widely. You can find dresses from $300 all the way to $30,000 (can you say one of a kind dress?). Realistically I would put a solid wedding gown budget anywhere from $2500-$10,000. Whatever your budget, make sure you set it BEFORE you go dress shopping and fall in love with something that’s out of your range.

Dresses from: Weddings by Debbie, Brides and Beyond, and more