How to Choose Your Wedding Dress?

Finally, you’ve said “yes”! With sparkling eyes, you can already picture yourself in your princess gown, walking down the aisle among your guests. It’s a dream that will soon become a reality. Meanwhile, planning a wedding isn’t something you can rush into; you have quite a bit of work ahead. Among the many important aspects, the selection of your wedding dress is particularly crucial. All eyes will be on you and your dress, so don’t leave any detail to chance. Here are some tips to guide you in this challenging choice; follow this guide to know how to select your wedding dress.

A wedding dress within your budget.

You might be tempted to plan a tour of bridal shops to ensure you don’t miss out on the dress of your dreams, which might be hidden in the back of any tailor’s workshop.

Forget that idea: you’ll just exhaust yourself running around everywhere. Instead, focus from the start; clarify your desires and your budget. Once you’ve set your budget, avoid looking at dresses that exceed it, or you might regret not being able to afford something you fall in love with. Establish a framework and stick to it, or else you risk facing unnecessary disappointments. Moreover, even if your budget is tight, shops are increasingly creative in offering on-trend dresses that fit your price range. If you're leaning towards a bohemian wedding dress, you’ll have no trouble finding one that suits your style, as this trend is quite prominent. By the way, we have a dedicated collection for bohemian wedding dresses here.

Bohemian Wedding Dress

Select a few boutiques or designers that offer styles you love within your budget and take an afternoon to make a first selection. Spot a few dresses; take photos if possible, and note the references. After a few days, revisit your chosen models: there might be details you missed, persisting doubts, or confirmations of attractions. It’s always good to create some distance between the first impression and the second, as a natural second sorting will take place, refining your selection and getting you closer to realising your dream.

Surround yourself with the right people to help with your wedding dress choice

Can you picture it? You and your group of friends invading a bridal shop, snapping photos of each dress as you try them on. Hold on: that’s not a great idea. Everyone will have their own little opinions, all well-meaning. Half might adore the rustic bohemian dress you just tried on, while the other half prefers the lace from your previous dress. You’ll never get anywhere; it’ll only complicate your choice. It’s impossible to please everyone. On your fitting day, surround yourself with your bridesmaids and possibly a fashion-savvy friend whose opinion is valuable. Don’t have too many people with you, or you might get overwhelmed with suggestions. Additionally, your arrival with a whole squad might not be well-received by the consultants, who will then be less likely to give you helpful recommendations. Don’t ruin the moment, as you won’t get to relive it.

Also, know how to be attentive to the sales assistants: they are much more accustomed to this than you and are trained to suggest the dresses that suit you best. Even if you love that dress with sculpted sleeves and refined beading, be reasonable and listen to them: if they say it doesn’t flatter you, no matter how much you try to find the right angle in the mirror, step away from the idea of that dress. You will be the star of the day; you don’t want to wear a fabulous dress that makes your waist look bigger or flattens your bust. Trust them; it’s their job.

A dress made for you

Somewhere in a boutique, there is surely a hanger holding the dress of your dreams that will turn heads on the big day. Several criteria must come together to achieve this ideal. Firstly, not every dress will suit you: your body shape can accept certain cuts and not others. In fact, we have written an article dedicated to different body types and suitable wedding dresses here. Whether you are very slim, curvy, tall, or petite, no body type can wear just anything. Depending on your shoulder width and height, certain cuts should be avoided while others are recommended. What part of your body do you love the most? That’s what you should highlight, without falling into vulgarity: a bride should remain chic and refined.

Also, don’t rely on a diet: it’s easier to adjust a dress that’s slightly large than to take in a dress because you couldn’t lose those desired few kilos. Get the dress in the size that fits on the fitting day. A seamstress can always alter it if it turns out to be slightly too big later.

If you've already set your sights on a few models, and the fitting is convincing, but something still bothers you, don’t push it. As well as the dress may fit, remember, you will wear it for hours. You absolutely must feel comfortable in it; otherwise, you might spend your day trying to hide that one element that’s bothering you. Focus on enjoying the moment; that’s the whole point.

Also, be mindful of accessories: a dress already heavy with beading or lace won’t allow for many additional embellishments. Furthermore, the current trend leans towards minimalism and shuns overload. The eyes of your guests, and especially your future spouse, should be drawn to a single piece or main element.

A designer wedding dress is a possible dream

Most future brides visit a specialised shop dedicated to wedding dresses and accessories. They often have a specific model in mind—or conversely, they might not know which direction to take.

Although these boutiques offer a multitude of models that likely need some alterations, the choice remains challenging, and there’s often a detail that doesn’t quite fit. Whatever your plan, there’s another way to wear the perfect wedding dress on the big day. A custom designer wedding dress.

Many think it’s an unattainable dream. That’s not true. For your wedding dress in Nantes, for example, a designer offers custom wedding dresses designed just for you. The one you choose with the designer will come from your meetings and will be totally unique. It will highlight both your body shape and your personal style.

Whether you dream of a minimalist, bohemian, romantic, or vintage gown, this designer can make all your wishes come true. Additionally, they use natural materials like cotton, silk, or tulle for a sustainable wedding dress creation.

The perfect match

You’ve decided to get married with a country or bohemian chic theme. There’s no doubt you’ll find plenty of inspiration in terms of decoration or venues on specialised social media. You can already envision the atmosphere of the champagne reception, and your imagination has planned the details adorning the guests' tables during the meal. That’s great, but remember to include your dress in the decor: it must be in perfect harmony with the backdrop you intend to create. If you show up in a sequined and glittery dress in a rustic scene, there will be a mismatch that will be tough to correct.

You may have chosen not to reveal your dress choice to your future husband before the big day. This tradition is quite lovely, but you’ll need to be clever to ensure that your outfits are coordinated for the wedding. It would be wise to discuss what you like or dislike in advance, what you definitely want, or, conversely, what you absolutely don’t want. That way, you both have guidelines for the final decision. You could also choose your dress and his suit from the same boutique and benefit from a consultant's input, ensuring that both outfits complement each other. This way, you can be sure to achieve the perfect match.