RMW Real Bride {Vicky & Oli: The Dress}

Hey lovelies, hope you’re all having an indulgent bank holiday weekend. This weekend on RMW I will be talking all about the dress...including my rather interesting process of finding ‘the one’, as well as giving some advice for those who are yet to embark on the dress shopping trips! I would say my wedding planning has been going really well, and I have been lucky enough to book nearly all the suppliers I was hoping for. However, when it came to finding my dress, this was far from easy. After covering what felt like every dress shop in Manchester & Norfolk over the past year, only in March (just 4 months before the wedding!) did I decide on 'the one.'

THE BOUTIQUE

Being an athlete, my body is strongly shaped and I generally found it very hard to find the perfect neckline. Once I did find a few dresses which had the 'racer' style top I was after, the dresses still didn't wow me. Admittedly, if Oli could have helped with my wedding dress it would of been done ages ago! Only a couple of months ago I decided to go back again to the lovely ladies at Love Bridal in a last minute hope that one of the new 2017 dresses would be 'the one'. With my stress head on I pulled up at the shop. As soon as I arrived there was an absolute stunner in the window with the exact style top I was after! BUT...not the fit that I wanted. Regardless of this, for some reason I just had to take the plunge and try it. Admittedly I just had a feeling! Then just like that wedding dress, accessories and a veil all found at once. I wish I could tell you more but I definitely need to keep this one a secret for a little longer. Going to a really good boutique completely makes your experience, so I would highly recommend The List on RMW! The lovely ladies at Love Bridal have a stunning setup - everything from their shop decor right to the stunning range of dresses. Obviously the ladies are super lovely too, and have gone out of their way to adapt this beautiful British designers dress to suit me perfectly! (no more hints!)

THE TIPS

With friends now calling me an ‘experienced’ campaigner when it comes to dress shopping, I would love to offer some advice to create a chilled and successful shopping experience - things that I wish someone would of told me! My number one tip would be to try on styles that are completely different to what you see yourself wearing on the big day. I know its often said in boutiques, but it really couldn't be more true! The fit of the dress that I was so stubborn to try on, and avoided for months, ended up being my dream dress. I am certain this will help you to zone in on the exact style that you are after. We are all guilty of being a crowd pleaser right?! I would highly recommend taking a smaller entourage, of maybe only 2-4, as you can be drawn in too much by others opinions and styles that may not be YOU. When you find THE dress, I can guarantee when your friends/family see your smile - they will adore it as well. After watching countless episodes of Say Yes to The Dress I had built up in my head that I was waiting for this BIG moment - don't panic if you don't have this, its completely normal. In some cases you may find a dress you really love, but parts of it aren't quite there yet, so a touch of customisation may be required. This is really common and a good boutique will go out of their way in order to turn the dress from a 9/10 to a 10/10 - maybe by adding some straps/sleeves, or even some more bling! This is also where you should be sure to put trust in the assistants. They see lots of brides try on their beautiful dresses and know their stock inside out, so can be very helpful with direction. The most important thing about dress shopping is to have fun and enjoy the experience! Have a browse on pinterest or bridal magazines to get an idea of your style, start booking appointments with plenty of time, and you WILL find your dream dress! Feel free to tell me all about your experiences below! Lots of love, Vicky x