How to Choose Your Wedding Dress?

That's it, you've said “yes”! With sparkly eyes, you can already picture yourself in your princess gown, walking down the aisle among your guests. It's a dream that will soon come true. In the meantime, planning a wedding doesn't just happen haphazardly, so you've got plenty to get on with. Among the key points not to overlook, the choice of your wedding dress is particularly crucial. All eyes will be on you and the creation of your dress, so don't leave any detail to chance. Here are some tips to guide you through this tough decision—follow the guide on how to choose your wedding dress.

A wedding dress within your budget.

You might be tempted to embark on a tour of bridal boutiques to ensure you don’t miss the dress of your dreams, which could be hiding in the depths of any tailor's shop.

Forget that idea: you'll just tire yourself out running around. Instead, set your sights from the start, take stock of your desires as well as your budget. Once you determine your financial limits, don't allow yourself to peek at dresses that exceed that budget; you could end up regretting not being able to indulge in a design that calls to you. Set a framework and stick to it, or you might end up with unnecessary disappointments. Additionally, even if your budget is tight, boutiques are getting increasingly creative in offering affordable dresses that are still fashionable. If you're considering a bohemian wedding dress, you won’t have any trouble finding something you love, as the trend is strong. In fact, we have a dedicated collection of bohemian wedding dresses here.

Bohemian Wedding Dress

Select a few boutiques and designers that offer the styles you love within your budget, and set aside an afternoon to make an initial selection. Spot a few dresses, take photos if you can, and note the references. Leave it a few days, then revisit the models you chose: there might be details you missed, lingering doubts, or on the other hand, attractions that get stronger. It’s always good to create a distance between your first impression and your second; a second sorting will naturally occur, narrowing down your selection and bringing you a step closer to making your dream a reality.

You can already picture yourself, surrounded by your friends, storming the bridal shop, snapping photos every time you come out of the fitting room. Hold on a minute: that's probably not a great idea. Each one is going to offer their own little piece of advice, with the best intentions. One half will adore that rustic bohemian dress you just tried on, while the other half will prefer the lace from the one you tried on before. You'll never get anywhere; you'll only complicate your decision. It’s impossible to reach a consensus. On fitting day, surround yourself with your bridesmaids and perhaps a fashion-savvy friend whose opinion will be invaluable. Don't bring too many people; you may get overwhelmed with suggestions. Plus, it's probably not going to be viewed favourably if you show up with the whole gang. You risk frustrating the consultants, who will then be less likely to offer you helpful advice. Don't ruin the moment; you won’t get to relive it.

Also, be sure to listen to the shop assistants: they have much more experience than you and are trained to suggest dresses that will suit you best. Even if you absolutely love that dress with the sculpted sleeves and refined beadwork, be sensible and heed their advice: if they say it doesn’t flatter you, no amount of posing in front of the mirror will change that; you need to let that dress go. You’re going to be the star of the day, so there’s no point in choosing a dress that, while stunning, makes you look larger or flattens your figure. Trust their expertise; it is what they do.

A dress made for you

Somewhere in a shop, there's undoubtedly a hanger with the dress of your dreams that will turn heads on the big day. A few criteria have to come together for this ideal. First of all, you can't wear just any dress: your shape dictates which styles will work and which won’t. We’ve also written an article about the different body types and their suitable wedding dresses here. Whether you're slender or curvy, tall or petite, no body can pull off every style. Depending on your shoulder width, height, etc., there are styles to avoid and others that are, on the contrary, recommended. What part of your body do you like the most? That’s the feature you'll want to highlight, without crossing into tacky territory: a bride is expected to remain elegant and refined.

Likewise, don’t rely on a diet: it's easier to adapt a dress that’s slightly too big than to resize one if you’ve been unable to shed those few extra pounds. Go for the dress in your size on fitting day. A seamstress can always take in a dress if it turns out to be a bit loose afterwards.

If you've already set your sights on a few models, and the fitting is convincing, but something’s nagging at you. Even if you can’t quite articulate what bothers you about the detail or impression, don’t push it. That dress might fit perfectly, but remember that you’ll be wearing it for hours. You must feel comfortable in it; otherwise, you’ll spend the day trying to conceal the element that disturbs you. Focus on nothing but enjoying the moment; that's what it’s all about.

Be cautious with accessories as well: a dress that’s already adorned with beads or lace won’t allow for much extra flair. Additionally, the current trend leans towards minimalism and shies away from excess. The eyes of your guests, especially your future husband, should be drawn to a single decoration or main element.

A designer wedding dress, a dream that's achievable

Most future brides head to a shop that specialises in wedding dresses and accessories. They often have a fairly clear picture in mind or, on the contrary, are unsure about the direction they want to take.

While these boutiques offer a multitude of styles that will likely need alterations, the choice remains difficult, and there’s always some aspect that doesn’t quite fit. Whatever your plan, there’s another solution to wearing the perfect wedding dress on the big day: a made-to-measure designer wedding dress.

Many believe this is an unattainable dream. This is simply not the case. For your wedding dress in Nantes, for instance, a designer offers custom wedding dresses created just for you. The one you choose with the designer will come from your meetings and will be totally unique. It will showcase both your body shape and your personal style.

Whether you dream of a minimalist, bohemian, romantic, or vintage gown, this designer can bring all your wishes to life. Furthermore, she uses natural materials like cotton, silk, and tulle for an eco-friendly wedding dress creation.

The perfect match

You’ve decided to have a rustic or bohemian chic themed wedding. No doubt you’ll find plenty of inspiration for decorations or venues on specialised social media. You can already envision the atmosphere of the reception, and your imagination has lined up the details that will adorn the guests' tables during the meal. That’s all well and good, but remember to include your dress in the decor: it must be perfectly aligned with the setting you plan to create. If you show up in a dress covered in rhinestones and sequins in a rustic setting, it will create a disconnect that will be hard to reconcile.

There’s a good chance you’ve chosen not to reveal your dress to your future husband before the big day. This tradition is lovely, but you will need to coordinate so that your outfits are in sync for the wedding. It’s a good idea to agree in advance on what you like or dislike, and what you want absolutely or, conversely, want to avoid. This way, you both have guidelines for the final decision. You may also decide to choose your dress and his suit from the same shop and benefit from the recommendations of an advisor who will see both outfits. This way, you'll be certain to achieve the perfect match.