If you're just about to start dress hunting, then you absolutely must read this first. It's a slightly epic post - sorry about that. But you'll find looking at wedding dresses is not a business that can be rushed ;)
Settle down with a glass of wine and enjoy...we're about to share inside information with you that will make finding your dream dress SO much easier.
What You Need To Know
There isn't really a 'right' time to go wedding dress shopping, it's more about making sure everything is ready for your wedding date. You'll need to allow time for your dream dress to be ordered and altered (this can take up to six months). And you'll need to actually find that dress in the first place (for some people this is a matter of weeks, for others it's months of searching). So we'd recommend starting to think about things about a year out from the big day itself. The bridal wear industry is not dissimilar from the fashion industry in that there are 'fashion weeks' where designers will showcase their collections (these happen in the Autumn in the US, and in the Spring in the UK), following which the dresses will land with stockists the following January or September respectively. Remember not all wedding boutiques stock every single designer. And if they do stock the designer you love - they may not carry every dress from the collection. But generally with the rise of some fabulous new style-led boutiques, bridal wear pop ups and a little thing called the Internet, there is always a way to get your hands on a dress you've fallen for. Generally previous years collections will be discounted before a new collection is brought into store, so keep an eye on your favourite designers and boutiques Instagram accounts to hear sale details. It's always worth calling stores about sample sales too - these run frequently throughout the year.
When you're pinning and browsing designers websites - try to remember that dresses are put on models to 'sell' a brand/lifestyle. It can feel really overwhelming to imagine yourself in a dress when all you can see is model after model after model. Google real brides wearing the designers you love, find testimonials from real brides. And if I had a pound for every time I heard a bride say that she ended up with a dress completely different to what she'd always imagined, I'd be a very rich lady. Be open to trying on lots of styles and listen to the boutique owners/designers suggestions, they really do know their stuff.
Who To Have On Your Radar...
Now this list is by no means exclusive or exhaustive - I could have listed hundreds of fabulous designers below. The world really is your oyster these days, so get yourself to Pinterest and start finding styles and colours you love. Here's some of our favourite designers, worn often by the gorgeous real brides who grace these pages everyday.