How to Purchase a Wedding Dress

Buying a wedding dress should be a fun experience.

The bride is the center of attention at any wedding, so it's important for her to look her best. One of the first things that wedding guests notice about the bride is her dress. While dress shopping should be an activity that every bride looks forward to, it can be intimidating and stressful. The proper preparations can make for a relatively stress and hassle-free wedding dress shopping experience.

Instructions

1. Calculate your budget to determine how much you're willing to spend on a dress. Wedding dresses can range from under $100 up to several thousands of dollars, so it's good to narrow down a price range right away.

2. Find a flattering dress style for your body. A triangular dress is good for a bottom-heavy body; a reverse triangular dress is good for a top heavy body; a rectangular dress is good for an evenly proportionate body with minimal hip definition and an hourglass dress is best for a body with large hips and bust with a small waist.

3. Locate bridal stores in your area. They can be found either in a phone book or with an Internet search for "bridal stores" followed by your zip code. For example, if your zip code is "46219," search for "bridal stores in 46219."

4. Go to the bridal store and tell a customer service representative the style of dress you want and your price range. They will assist you in finding the most flattering dress for your budget. If desired, bring a camera so you can take pictures of yourself in each dress so you can look over them and have more time to weigh the pros and cons of the dresses.

5. Repeat the process for each bridal store in the area until you find the perfect dress.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider the need for alterations when trying on dress. The overall price of the dress increases with the amount of alterations needed.

• Used wedding dresses can often be purchased online for a fraction of the price of new dresses. Check online auction and classified sites to find good deals. Be sure you have the exact brand and model number of the dresses that you're interested in to ensure you get the correct dress.

References

• Mrs Party: Wedding Gown Tips