We receive questions from brides who ask us anything from “how do I choose the right veil” to “what dress color would look best with my skin tone”. Soon-to-be-brides, if you have any questions or doubts about design, style or etiquette make sure to send them to live@justinalexander.co. Justin Alexander will be answering one question per week and we'll post his response on our blog.

 

Question: My fiance proposed two months ago and I'm planning on going wedding dress shopping soon. Can you give me advice on how to make sure I have the best wedding dress shopping experience?

 

Answer: Congratulations on your engagement! The second most important question after “will you marry me?” is “what dress will you wear?” Whether you choose a glittery ball gown or a lace mermaid wedding dress you need to prepare yourself for the wedding dress shopping experience. I'm sure you've heard horror stories, but finding the perfect dress can be a breeze if you follow these 5 foolproof rules:

 

Choose your friends wisely: We understand that you want to share this moment with your family and friends, but beware of how many you invite to go wedding dress shopping with you. To avoid feeling overwhelmed by everyone's opinion, stick to a group of 3-5 guests. You've heard the saying “too many cooks will spoil the broth”, well it's especially true here!

 

Listen to your gut:The wedding dress you choose is what you'll be standing in when you say “I do” to the love of your life, so make sure it's one you're completely head over heels for. It doesn't matter if your mom or friends don't agree on the style you've chosen. Stand up for yourself and listen to your gut. If you feel beautiful in it, you'll exude confidence and beauty on your wedding day and everyone will see that.

 

Trust your consultant: The key to finding your dream wedding dress is to go to a well trusted full service bridal salon. They will have experienced consultants that will guide and help you find your dress. During your appointment tell the consultant what your budget is, whether you have any body concerns, and tell her exactly how you want to feel on your wedding day. She'll then take all of this information and will scour the bridal salon to find one that fits all of your needs. Keep in mind that your consultant has been dressing brides in all shapes, sizes, and budgets for years and is the most qualified person that can help you make your decision.

 

Tears don't mean you've found “the one”: Don't expect your mom or bridesmaids to tear up once you've found the one. Not everyone will be overly emotional and even though their cheeks are dry believe them when they say you look beautiful in it.

 

Stop looking: One of the worse things you can do is to continue to look for wedding dresses after you've found the one. It's normal to have doubts about your wedding dress, but when you do start to have these doubts remind yourself of the reasons you chose it. Remember that you stood in the bridal salon with it on and pictured yourself saying “I do”, cutting the cake in it, and twirling the night away on the dance floor. This was the dress that gave you that unexplainable feeling. Don't forget that!

 

Remember these five rules when you're ready to go wedding dress shopping and I'm positive you'll find your dream dress.