Research & Preparation: Everything You Need to Know Before Wedding Dress Shopping

Congrats, bride-to-be (and future Kleinfeld bride)! You’re engaged and it’s finally time to begin wedding planning. While exciting, the process may also seem daunting. As always, we’ve got you covered.

Before you book your bridal appointment and step into a showroom to start wedding dress shopping, it’s important to recognize the importance of proper research. We’re here to explain the essential steps, proper timeline, helpful resources, as well as our team’s best tips, so you’re well equipped to find the perfect dress! 

Timeline

First and foremost, understanding and abiding by the industry-recommended timeline is one of the most essential steps in selecting your wedding dress. 

As a general rule of thumb, it is best to order your gown about 9-12 months prior to your wedding day. Be mindful that some bridal designers require more time than others. Also consider that if you’re customizing your dress, it may require more time to be produced. In order to avoid having to select from a limited assortment, encounter rush fees, or worse, experience the stress of having to make a rushed decision, allow for plenty of time to choose your dress, order it, and complete alterations. Remember, more time is always better! 

Here is our team’s suggested timeline for selecting your wedding dress:

18-12 Months Prior: Connect with your personality and your personal style. Consider how you want to look, and most importantly, how you want to feel on your wedding day. Browse bridal inspiration, establish your budget, and book 1-2 bridal appointments.

9-12 Months Prior: The best part… Say “yes!” to your dress (and order it ASAP). Trust us, don’t overthink it and trust your gut. Then, celebrate! 

6-8 Months Prior: Research and solidify your plans regarding alterations and gown preservation. Depending on where you’re completing alterations or gown preservation, you may not be able to schedule the exact dates until your gown arrives in store. As long as that’s what’s advised, that’s okay! If you’re using an off-site alterations service, more notice is usually better. Regardless of whether or not you schedule your appointments, solidify the exact seamstress or services you’ll be using. 

4-6 Months Prior: Schedule your accessory appointment and finalize your veil, accessories, jewelry, and shoes. Remember, you’ll need to have your wedding shoes for your first fitting!

2-3 months prior: Complete your alterations. Typically, you will have about 2-4 fittings in that 2-3 month period leading up to your wedding day. During this process, your seamstress will complete your hem, bustle, mold and sculpt the gown to your shape, steam, and package your gown for wedding day. To ensure an impeccable fit, the last fitting is usually about 1-2 weeks prior to the big day! Account for a pick-up appointment as well.

Research & Discover Your Bridal Style

Before you rush into a bridal salon the minute you get engaged (we know it’s tempting!), be sure to do a little homework and take time to discover your individual bridal style. Ultimately, it makes for a smoother, clearer, and more enjoyable journey once you do step into a bridal showroom. 

And don’t worry… If you’re clueless about bridal designers, fabrics, silhouettes, or necklines, that’s okay! Your bridal stylist will guide you through those details. As for you, it is crucial to connect with your personality and personal style. That’s something only you can know! 

Consider how you want to look and feel on your wedding day. Do you want to look classic and minimalist, sexy and glamorous, or bohemian and romantic? Try your best to come into your bridal appointment with an overall vision. It’s easy to get distracted or confused once you’re physically in a bridal salon, so this vision offers a guiding light and overall compass to follow. Plus, it allows you to maximize your appointment time by only trying on gowns that are true contenders since consultations are usually limited to about an hour to an hour and a half. Remember, it’s okay if you ultimately say “yes!” to a gown that surprises you as long as it connects with your personality, makes you feel beautiful, and feels like an elevated version of yourself.

Helpful Resources:

• Instagram
• Pinterest 
• BRIDES
• The Knot
• Kleinfeld’s online catalogue and bridal blog

Disclaimer: While these resources can offer guidance, education, and direction, they can also result in information overload. Sometimes, they may even spread misinformation. Do your fair share of research, but be careful not to become too consumed by content, especially on social media. You may feel the pressure to do a ton of research or try on an exorbitant number of gowns, but it’s not as necessary as you may think!

Consider Your Wedding Theme & Formality

While saying “yes!” to a dress that feels like the most elevated version of yourself is ultimately the most important consideration, it may also be helpful to consider your wedding theme and formality of the event. 

Popular Wedding Themes:

• Classic and Traditional
• Garden Party
• Modern and Minimalist
• Celestial
• Romantic and Vintage
• Industrial
• Dark and Moody
• Cottagecore
• Dramatic and Maximalist

Popular Wedding Formalities or Dress Codes:

• Casual 
• Cocktail Attire or Semi-Formal
• Black-Tie Optional or Preferred
• Black-Tie 
• White Tie

Being mindful of your wedding’s overall aesthetic, season, venue location, how the florals and decor will be displayed, as well as what guests will be wearing may help solidify a vision for your wedding dress. 

Establish A Budget

Regardless of whether you’re shopping at a luxury bridal shop or a small, local bridal shop, it is incredibly important to establish a budget before you step through any showroom doors. 

Luxury wedding dress shops, like Kleinfeld, often carry high-end bridal designers, so being open and honest about your budget helps your bridal consultant select appropriate options. This also helps our expert team avoid having a bride fall in love with a gown that is not feasible to purchase.

Consider These Factors: 

• Dress Cost (Including Tax)
• Alterations Cost
• Accessories Costs (Veil, Headpiece, Jewelry, Shoes)
• Gown Preservation Cost

Select A Bridal Salon & Shopping Experience

Once you’ve created a budget and overall vision, you’ll be well equipped to research bridal salons and designers that best align with your criteria. Instead of carelessly booking several appointments at various different bridal salons, your research will prepare you to intentionally select 1-2 bridal shops that specifically cater to your individual bridal style and desired price point. This ultimately sets you up to be more successful and lessens the likelihood of having to visit countless showrooms! It even creates the opportunity to save money as most bridal salons charge a non-refundable appointment fee.

Other Factors to Consider: 

• Number of gowns in the showroom’s assortment
• Duration of the appointment time
• Evaluate the bridal salon’s reputation and credentials
• Desired level of privacy
• Read brides’ reviews and testimonials
• Visit during a trunk show that peaks your interest
• Understand showroom policies and fees

Similarly, luxury bridal showrooms, such as Kleinfeld, offer a variety of different appointment types to choose from. This selection grants you the freedom to choose the shopping experience that is best for you and your appointment preferences or expectations.

Kleinfeld’s Appointment Types:

• Standard Bridal Appointment
• The VIP Luxe Experience
• The VIP Platinum Experience
• The VIP Gold Experience
• The VIP Diamond Experience
• The Private Appointment With Pnina Tornai

Book Your Appointment

Once you’ve completed research regarding specific bridal designers and showrooms to visit, book your wedding dress appointment! The vast majority of wedding dress shops require an appointment to try on gowns, so scheduling a bridal appointment well in advance is critical.

Most bridal shops, such as Kleinfeld, allow you to schedule your bridal appointment by booking online, calling the store directly, or emailing a receptionist or customer service team.

Whether you’re scheduling a regular bridal appointment or one of our VIP experiences, please don’t hesitate to book your Kleinfeld wedding dress consultation by calling us at 646-633-4300 or by emailing us at info@kleinfeldbridal.com. 

Prepare for Your Bridal Appointment

It’s almost time! As your bridal appointment approaches, here are our top tips to consider right before you step through the bridal salon’s showroom doors.

Gather Your Bridal Inspiration: First and foremost, gather your bridal inspiration. While you don’t necessarily need to collect pages upon pages of content, having a (physical or electronic) folder, saved links, or mood board consisting of a few of your favorite bridal looks to share with your bridal stylist will set your wedding dress consultation up for success. 

Who and What to Bring: Most importantly, we encourage you to enter any bridal showroom with an open and positive mindset. Invite guests who will bring the same energy! We encourage brides to bring loved ones who will best uplift, support, and celebrate with them throughout their journey. Be mindful of the fact that most bridal salons do limit the number of guests that brides are allowed to bring.

As for items to bring, the only item that is typically required during a bridal appointment is any type of panty or underwear for sanitation purposes. Everything else is optional! Cups and boning within most wedding gowns provide structure and support. For most brides, this eliminates the need for a bra entirely. Of course, you are welcome to wear a strapless bra or any type of adhesive bra during your bridal appointment if it makes you feel the most comfortable. 

Similarly, any variation of shapewear, especially those that are nude and seamless, is optional but sometimes helpful to gain a better understanding of the vision especially if you plan to wear it on your wedding day. When in doubt, bring it with you! Your personal bridal stylist will provide you with advice on what is best. You can always add or remove an undergarment as you try on gowns and learn what you feel best in. 

It is typically best to go barefoot during the majority of your bridal appointment, as it allows you to hop in and out of gowns more easily and quickly. With this being said, socks are highly suggested to protect your feet. Pedestals are often available to provide an additional lift. If you do plan on wearing heels on your wedding day, you’re welcome to bring a pair with you! Regardless of whether or not it is the exact pair you plan on wearing the day of, some brides prefer to slip on their shoes once in their favorite gown. We ultimately encourage you to bring a pair of shoes if it will enhance your confidence and overall vision.

Depending on the specific bridal salon you visit, a store may suggest or require you to bring more or less items than others.

Look and Feel Your Best: Next, arrive at your bridal appointment looking and feeling like the best version of yourself. Start your celebratory day off on the right foot. We encourage you to take extra time and care of yourself. Whether you prefer going on a walk, working out, taking an everything shower, relaxing with your fiancé, or taking a little extra time to sip your morning coffee, do whatever makes you feel your best.

Remember to fuel your body, too. Being well rested, hydrated, and fed will ensure that you make the best decisions, remain present, and are able to fully enjoy the day.

Equally importantly, wear whatever makes you feel the utmost comfort and confidence. Whether it’s a more laid-back bridal ensemble or full glam, slip into whatever makes you feel the most beautiful. Pro-tip: Wear an outfit that you want to be photographed in. If you plan to post photos with an “I Said Yes to the Dress” sign, you won’t want to be wearing the wedding dress you choose!

Similarly, consider booking an appointment with a hair stylist or schedule your hair or makeup trial to create the full bridal vision. 

Say “Yes!”

Finally! Your thorough preparation and research will seamlessly guide you towards this once-in-a-lifetime moment. Once you’ve found the gown that you can imagine yourself walking down the aisle in, say “yes!” and celebrate with your friends and family.