You’re faced with a big decision with literally thousands of choices! How on earth do you decide which wedding dress to choose?! Even if you have an idea of the style of dress and perhaps even the shade of white you want, there are still too many options that can leave you feeling anxious and unsure on what the “right” one is for you.
From experience spending so much time with brides as they get dressed and throughout the day, I’ve kept notes on what to consider that no one really thinks about in the process, in hopes to help you feel more confident with that decision. No regrets, Am I right?!

1. Match with your Heirlooms…

   There’s a good chance that you will know about an heirloom you will be incorporating for your wedding. Whether that’s a veil, jewelry, or brooch, something to definitely consider is how well those would match. If the heirloom has busy details to it, you may want to choose a dress with less details so they don’t overpower each other. If your heirloom veil has a certain shade to it, I’d recommend trying to match that shade with your dress so you don’t have two different “whites” going on as that does make a difference, especially in photos!

2. Your Body Type…

   You’re trying on dresses for a reason, right?! OF COURSE you’d make sure it fits, but there are more things to think about here. Back when I first started shooting weddings, it seemed like strapless dresses were the ONLY style. Everyone wore them. There’s nothing wrong with that, except, there may have been a lot of women that bought them because it was the “trend”, but didn’t think about the difficulty they personally would have with it. If you’re heavier chested, I promise you will not want to be spending your whole day hiking up your dress and adjusting it.
   Think back! You know that shirt or pair of pants that you got rid of, because every time you looked at it, it only reminded you of how uncomfortable it made you feel when you had it on? Those memories STICK with you, and it would be heartbreaking to relate that to your own wedding dress.

   3. Self Esteem…

   No matter who we are and our size, we all have something about us we don’t like. One example, and most may relate to, is our arms. If you can relate to this, sleeves may be the way to go! And you are completely in luck as those are trending hot right now and create STUNNING wedding dresses. You expect to love your wedding photos, and you deserve to love them, so choosing a dress that hides those negative features you’ll be looking for can be one of the best decisions you make.
   I had a bride years back that explained to me her frustration with her arms before we even did the engagement shoot, and with the style guide she received and inspiration for sleeved dresses, she wore long sleeves and we produced amazing images that I’m sure she could cherish because those parts of her that she hated, weren’t even shown!
   So I was pretty surprised to see at the wedding she chose a strapless dress, and you know what? I never to this day heard back if she loved her wedding portraits, and honestly believe because she chose a dress that showed areas she hated about herself, made her automatically hate her photos. I don’t want that for you!
   So when trying on dresses, take a few extra minutes in it trying to think of those key “flaws” you think you have. Even though you should always work on loving yourself and how you were created, we aren’t perfect! Meaning our minds will still wander, and we will probably always be our hardest critique. So even though you’re going to be absolutely breathtaking for your wedding, make sure you can look at your photos and love every inch of that girl, by choosing the right dress for you.

   4. Focus on the waistline…

   This is probably the highest point I can talk about, and the one I’ve taken home to consider when it’s my time to buy a dress! I’ve seen this issue SO often, and knowing how to avoid it is a game changer! If your dress doesn’t have some sort of separation in the waist line, no matter how skinny you are, it can look straight up “frumpy”, especially if it wasn’t altered correctly!  You NEED that waistline to separate your body. For example, the ballroom gown (see below image) separates below the chest into that breathtaking flare of tule, creating that elegant and petite shape. I’ve seen a high trend in dresses that are made with no separation and to where it just looks the same all the way down your body. The best thing you can do is add a sash or belt to the waist of these. This will create that separation and say goodbye to “frump”. Try it out when you’re choosing your dress, explore with the waist lines and I think you’ll see what I mean!

   5. Try it twice.. 

   Have you ever went shopping and found something you ADORED, but chose to not get it that day? Instead you
   came back later on, and realized when you tried it on again it didn’t give you the same feeling?
   This has happened to me SO many times!
   Try this when shopping for your dress. I know it may sound inconvenient, especially if you plan an outing with your favorite girls to join you. But why not have a few you all agree on, hold those for a day or two, and go back with your sister or mom if everyone else can’t make it a second trip. It may be a good thing to consider, especially if you’re feeling the anxiety on committing to ONE dress.

   I hope this has helped you and given you more thoughts when it comes time to make your decision. You can always check my wedding gallery to see the variety of dresses on different women, to help your inspiration juices flow!