HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR DREAM WEDDING DRESS?

Finding your dream gown can be stressful. After all, you've likely never tried one on before, and it's the most expensive garment many women will ever own, so it can feel like the pressure is definitely on while wedding dress shopping. Plus, your dress sets the tone for the wedding as a whole, whether it's a grand ballroom affair or a casual beach bash.
With all eyes on you, not to mention photos you'll keep forever, of course you want to look perfect on your big day. But what does perfect mean to you? For some brides, a dream dress is a regal ball gown fit for a princess. For others, it's a sexy, va-va-voom sheath dress that makes everyone appreciate her curves, or a look that allows her enough movement to be able to get down on the dance floor. The choices can seem overwhelming. But no matter your budget, personal style, or timeline, these wedding dress shopping tips are guaranteed to help you find the gown of your dreams—the one you'll love today, on the big day, and in 30 years from now when you look back at your wedding photos. sexy beach wedding dresses
1. Be open
Keep an open mind while wedding dress shopping. You may find your dream dress that you didn't know would be your dream dress.

2. Shop True to Your Size
Even if you plan on losing weight before the big day, shop for dresses in your current size rather than going smaller. It’s much easier to take a dress in than trying to work with one that’s way too snug.

3. Shop Early
Many gowns take four to eight months to be produced, and once it arrives, you still have to factor in more time for alterations and accessorizing.

4. BUT not too early.
If you’re having a long engagement and immediately start shopping for gowns, the one you end up buying might be out of style by the time your wedding comes around, or you might find one you like even better closer to the date.

5. Figure Out Your Budget
Yes, it's uncomfortable to talk numbers, but it will save you from heartache later on. Before your first appointment, figure out who is paying for the gown (your family, your partner, you?). If someone else is paying, get the hard numbers on your limit, so you can stay within that budget or pay the difference yourself to get the dress you want.

6. Know Your Wedding Theme Beforehand
Before you start dress shopping, decide whether you want a casual garden-party-themed wedding or a formal, romantic affair. Always keep the venue and theme in mind as you browse gowns, because the last thing you want is for your dress to clash with your overall wedding style.

7. Find a Great Bridal Salon
Do your homework before you start making appointments, since you don't want to waste time at a shop that doesn't carry dresses you like or has terrible customer service. Get referrals from married friends and check online reviews to find shops with solid reputations.

8. Pick Three Adjectives to Describe Your Dream Dress\
Whether you want to feel classic, vintage, and comfortable, or romantic, glamorous, and beautiful, go into wedding dress shopping with a clear vision of how you want to look on the big day. Choosing three specific words to describe your vibe can help narrow down your dress selections.

9. Choose Your Shopping Crew Wisely
Yes, you love your mom, sister, sister-in-law, maid of honor, and six bridesmaids—but if you've ever tried to get a crowd to agree on where to go for dinner, you can only imagine how hard it will be to find consensus on a gown. Narrow the group down to the two or three people whose opinions matter most to you.

10. Pick Your Silhouette
Your ideal gown's shape is partly based on the style you like, the venue, and mood of your wedding, and also what flatters your body most. A fit-and-flare is both contemporary and traditional and works on many body types, whereas a simple sheath is best on tall, willowy brides. A voluminous ball gown adds drama, but can overwhelm a petite frame. Mermaid styles show off curves like your favorite pencil skirt.

11. Pay Attention to Fabric
In addition to silhouette, color, and embellishments, fabric makes a big difference on how a gown will look on you. A heavier, more structured material (think silk shantung, taffeta, or guipure lace) will hold its shape and smooth your figure. Unstructured silk and filmy chiffon are less flattering for those brides with curves.

12. Wear Heels to the Appointment
Some bridal salons have communal high heels you can borrow, but that's a little icky, and a dress will look a lot different with flip-flops than stilettos. Be prepared by bringing heels of the same height you think you'll likely wear for your big day, so you'll have a better idea of how the dress will look.

13. Bring Dress Photos for Inspiration
Whether it’s printouts of dream dresses from your secret wedding Pinterest board you’ve had since college or a page from a magazine, come armed with a photo collage of the wedding dress styles you like best while shopping.

14. Know That Embellishments Add Big Bucks
"Handwork like embroidery or beading always adds to the cost of the dress," Hall says. Of course, if simple isn't your style, those embellishments are worth it—just factor that into your budget.

15. Don't Try on Gowns above Your Budget
If you can't afford it, there's no point in trying it on—you're just torturing yourself and making a standard that no dress you can actually have will live up to.

16. Decide if you’re More Traditional or Trendy
Perhaps you're more the type who wants to look classic and timeless on your wedding day (think lace). Or maybe you're a fashionista who loves being up to the minute on trends. If so, try on some of the hot bridal runway trends for 2019, including capes, detached sleeves, and short hems.

17. Take Inspiration from Celebrity Styles
Even though you may not have a star's unlimited wedding budget, you can still draw inspiration and help create a vision of what styles you want to replicate in your dress

18. Consider How You Feel in the Dress
The gown that makes you feel the most beautiful is the gown you should choose. Even if a gown checks off all of your criteria, keying in on feelings can help you decide between dresses and lead to that magical moment when you've finally found "the one."

19. Test to Make Sure You Can Move

No wedding gown is going to be as comfortable as your pajamas, but you don't want to be pulling it up or constricted by it all night, so bust out some moves in the dressing room. If you're planning a church wedding where you may need to kneel or sit during the ceremony, practice doing that in the gown. If you're planning to drop it like it's hot on the dance floor, try it out to make sure you can move how you want.

20. Throw Out the "Rules"
Despite all the advice that's available about choosing the most appropriate silhouette, style, and fabric, you don't have to listen to us, your consultant, or your mother. If you want to wear a taffeta ball gown on the beach or a trendy pantsuit to City Hall, do it—it's your wedding.

21. Pay Attention to the Top of the Dress
You should love every aspect of your wedding dress, but keep in mind that the top of the gown will appear most in wedding photographs, especially while you're seated at dinner or dancing with your nearest and dearest. Make sure the gown fits comfortably when you're sitting down and that the neckline won't require adjusting throughout the day.

22. Be 100 Percent Sure Before You Say Yes
"All brides need to know it's their dress before saying 'yes.' When I work with a bride and sense that she is unsure, I encourage her to sleep on it," Hall says.

23. Relax and Stop Looking
Now that you've found your dream gown, stop shopping—it will make you nuts if you keep looking at dresses. Yours is great! Now just look forward to showing everyone on the big day.