Wedding Dress Shopping Mistakes To Avoid – For Brides & Grooms
Shopping for wedding outfits for both the bride and groom can be exciting, yet daunting. The sheer number of options that to-be-marrieds are presented with can get overwhelming, and just walking into a wedding dress boutique without preparation is not helpful either.
Taking appointments with designers on your wishlist is imperative, but also going with a certain budget, mindset, and certain important objects will make your wedding shopping trip successful. Be sure to set aside lots of time, enlist the right companions on your hunt for the perfect wedding ensembles, and follow our guide of wedding mistakes to avoid, and you’ll be golden.
Taking appointments with designers on your wishlist is imperative, but also going with a certain budget, mindset, and certain important objects will make your wedding shopping trip successful. Be sure to set aside lots of time, enlist the right companions on your hunt for the perfect wedding ensembles, and follow our guide of wedding mistakes to avoid, and you’ll be golden.
Not Setting a Budget
Shopping for wedding outfits is a once in a lifetime opportunity, so brides and grooms are usually ready to spend more moolah on these looks. However, it is important to put a cap on just how much money you can shell out.
Think about all the outfits you will require: The roka, engagement, mehendi, sangeet, cocktail, wedding, and reception will all call for different lehengas, saris, shararas, sherwanis, kurtas, bandhgalas and more. Keep realistic budgets for each outfit, and stick to it so that you have no regrets later on.
Think about all the outfits you will require: The roka, engagement, mehendi, sangeet, cocktail, wedding, and reception will all call for different lehengas, saris, shararas, sherwanis, kurtas, bandhgalas and more. Keep realistic budgets for each outfit, and stick to it so that you have no regrets later on.
Shopping Without a Date
Wedding ensembles are exquisite pieces, and each one takes weeks to months to get made. Designers are often booked up months in advance, so when you’re going shopping, be clear about when you’re marrying so that boutiques and designers can give you options that will fit within your time frame.
Nothing is worse than finding the perfect sherwani, and then getting to know belatedly that it’ll take eight months to get made when you only have four months to go.
Nothing is worse than finding the perfect sherwani, and then getting to know belatedly that it’ll take eight months to get made when you only have four months to go.
Buying For a Future Body Size
Body sizes and weddings share an unfortunately symbiotic relationship in today’s world. Brides are always aspiring to be thinner by the time the wedding rolls around, and grooms want to be more toned. It’s time to shed these notions, especially when it comes to wedding dress shopping.
Get measured, and order clothes that will fit your current size. Wedding planning is enough pressure as it is, and adding more weight-loss stress to fit into a smaller sized dress is not worth it. Should you end up losing some weight, it’s easier to tuck in a larger outfit, than extend a small one.
Get measured, and order clothes that will fit your current size. Wedding planning is enough pressure as it is, and adding more weight-loss stress to fit into a smaller sized dress is not worth it. Should you end up losing some weight, it’s easier to tuck in a larger outfit, than extend a small one.
Not Doing MultipleTrials
Some outfits look great on a hanger, but may not suit a bride or groom’s unique body type. Similarly, a wedding dress may look so-so in the store, but fit you impeccably when you try it. Therefore, trying on every option is imperative. Before you finalize, try the shortlisted outfits multiple times to get a feel of the movement and look of it.
Bodies also change. After you’ve received the final outfits, do a trial or two in the days leading up to the wedding to fit in last minute alterations. A wedding styling service like CLAD can help you with this, and on the day too.
Not Browsing Enough
Being efficient is a good thing, but there is merit to browsing through different boutiques and designers to get acquainted with what is available in the market. Your heart may be set on that achkan from the well-known designer, but you may find something even better by spending some time in other stores.
Options are never a bad thing, so set aside a few days dedicated to shopping for your wedding outfits since it’s not a quick job — Ever.
Options are never a bad thing, so set aside a few days dedicated to shopping for your wedding outfits since it’s not a quick job — Ever.
Not Keeping an Open Mind
Designers love it when a bride walks in, certain of the shape and silhouette she’s looking for. It makes life easier for them, but their years of expertise is worth keeping in mind. Wedding consultants may present you with alternate types of saris or lehengas, so be open to taking their advice too.
Sometimes, you may find the perfect wedding day lehenga or reception gown by freeing yourself of any set notions.
Sometimes, you may find the perfect wedding day lehenga or reception gown by freeing yourself of any set notions.
Taking the Wrong Shopping Buddies
The old adage holds up for wedding shopping too: Too many cooks indeed spoil the broth. What may have been a positive and productive shopping experience can go south quickly if there are too many people accompanying you, and if they’re the type who love forcing their sense of style on you.
It’s your wedding day, so your opinion, choice, and sense of style matters more than anyone else’s. Pick one to two calm people who share a similar fashion taste as yours, and you’ll be set. But always listen to your own heart before anyone else’s views.
It’s your wedding day, so your opinion, choice, and sense of style matters more than anyone else’s. Pick one to two calm people who share a similar fashion taste as yours, and you’ll be set. But always listen to your own heart before anyone else’s views.
Forgetting to Take Your Shoes
If you have bought the shoes already, it’ll do you well to carry them with you. Both brides and grooms should absolutely bring their wedding stilettos or loafers to try on their dresses with them.
If you haven’t bought them yet, try to carry similar looking footwear from your closet so that lengths and looks can be adjusted accordingly. Try buying the footwear as soon as you can so that you’re not left shoe-less on the day of.
If you haven’t bought them yet, try to carry similar looking footwear from your closet so that lengths and looks can be adjusted accordingly. Try buying the footwear as soon as you can so that you’re not left shoe-less on the day of.
Not Mentioning Customisations Early
Bespoke is the best way to make a wedding outfit your own, but these can’t happen last minute. If you want to change the embellishment or buttons on your garments to something more up your alley, they need to be communicated to your wedding dress designers early on so that they can be incorporated well.
Last minute customisations mess up the original outfits, and may not even be able to get accommodated, which could be a damper on the wedding.
Last minute customisations mess up the original outfits, and may not even be able to get accommodated, which could be a damper on the wedding.
Blindly Following Trends
Instagram and Pinterest rule wedding trends, with new silhouettes, embellishments, forms, and novelties. There’s no harm in drawing inspiration from social media, but don’t get stuck on these short-lived fads. Trust your designers when they recommend certain things, as they have years of experience.
Also, things look better on the internet with a bunch of tweaking here and there, and real life may not look as great as those images!
There you have it! The niftiest little guidebook on what to avoid when grooms and brides decide to go wedding shopping. There are many steps to getting this done well, and a wedding styling service like CLAD is your answer to smooth and hurdle-free wedding shopping. Contact CLAD today.
*This article was written by Fawzia Khan, Creative Features Editor at CLAD