How did you choose your wedding dress?

[greenlizard]

Did you know what you wanted before you started looking? Did you get what you wanted? How much did you spend? What would your advice be?

I have just started looking for my wedding dress - I am in my late 40's with two young children and two teenage step children. I have seen a couple of dresses I really like and am going to a few more shops yet but can decide if I want to get a really nice one and sod the expense or try and be a bit more economical....seems like I have expensive tastes even though I am looking for something quite simple!

I had an idea of what I wanted. Found one very similar on eBay, bought it, tried it, loved it. Job done.

I had an idea of what I wanted, ordered online and felt amazing when I tried it on. Job done :o

It was an H&R London 50's style prom dress from Tigermilly costing £24.99.

Spend what you can afford and find something you love!

Planned a small wedding lots of outdoor stuff in the venue gardens. Decided I wanted something simple, elegant and easy to move in. Worried it might be hot so didn't want corsetting or layers of petticoats.

Spotted a none wedding dress when browsing the web that might do. Bookmarked it. Decided to order it to try and the bloody thing was now out of season. Found it for half the price on eBay, brand new with tags and hung it in the house for six months as I'd bought so far ahead (but actually late in wedding terms).

I do wonder if I missed out on the bridal shopping experience, and wish I could have nipped back to do the big experience with my sister (live abroad now) but I had a great day at the wedding and I still think it's a huge amount of money for a dress for one day.

My sister looked amazing though.

I looked in magazines found one I loved, tried it on in a shop and it looked stupid on me. It was only once I tried dresses on that I got a feel for what worked for me.

I looked through lots of magazines and websites and found ideas and designers I loved, then searched for stockists. A bridal shop nearby in Henley stocked an Elie Saab gown I fell in love with so I booked in to have a trial. The Elie Saab gown was stunning but didn't suit me at all; it was a 20's style thing that just wasn't right, but the ladies there knew their stuff, pulled out a few they thought I'd suit and the first one I tried was 'the one'. As soon as I put it on it made me glow; I walked into the room where the mothers and bridesmaids were waiting and every one of them lit up and cried. I thought "he's the one if he makes folk cry" and that was that.

Search for as many as you love but don't go in with your heart set on something; the owner of that shop had so much experience and knowledge. I set myself a rough budget and the dress I ended up with was over it, but it was the absolute best part of my day (aside from marrying Himself, of course). I still wear it when I go up in the loft each Christmas; DH stands at the bottom of the loft ladders and shouts "take that bloody dress off you lunatic" as the DCs and I prance about wearing the veil and Louboutins. My advice would be to buy a dress you've fallen in love with. Every photo, every memory, every image of your day will involve it. Don't worry about other people's hopes or budgets, just fall in love and be frivolous.

I looked through lots of wedding mags and cut out dresses I liked and noted designers I liked. I then found out where the dresses were stocked and went to try them on. I think I went to 4 shops in total. Some of the dresses/ colours I liked didn't suit me and so I eliminated any more like that. When a sales assistant saw what I was looking at and trying on she then urged me to try on a 2 piece bodice and skirt by Rita Westenius and I was instantly smitten. This was 18 years ago and they were not so expensive then.

I was on a tight budget and so didn't intend to buy a wedding dress - in all the wedding dress shops they seemed to be a minimum of £500 without being totally gorgeous. To get gorgeous it seemed I would have to pay a lot more and I just didn't have it. I went shopping intending to buy a lovely evening dress.
Then I went to Monsoon and saw a gorgeous raw silk, ivory, halterneck wedding dress. It fit like it was made for me and only cost £165, so I ended up with a proper wedding dress after all.

I tried in a gorgeous dress that made me feel so beautiful I cried. It was £1000 and I just couldn't justify that on a dress for one day. I ended up getting a lovely one from EBay instead and don't regret it at all

I had an idea of what I liked/didn't like then went to a bridal shop, the lady asked my preferences and budget, picked some out then I tried on and left with a dress for £200 as it was in the sale, I had no idea of the price (knew it wasn't over budget) until I'd chosen it.

I had an idea of the dress I wanted but it didn't suit me, so choose a dress from the high street. Showed couple of friends and family but they all felt that not going into bridal stores, I would be missing out on part of the wedding experience. So I did the bridal store and bought a beautiful dress, but blimey it was so uncomfortable I hated the dress and wished I had gone with my heart and bought from the high street!

I had an idea of what I wanted but took the wedding dress shop assistant's advice of trying on lots of different styles. The fishtail style that I had in mind looked shit on me, and I found something that suited me much better.

I was looking through bridal magazines so saw hundreds. When I saw my dress in a magazine, my heart skipped a beat so I knew it was mine! I tracked down a local stockist, went to try it, loved it and ordered it!

I had an idea of what I wanted and tried on loads and loads of dresses that were lovely apart from one thing in each one. Eventually found one I liked and just went for it, it was strapless though which I hadn't wanted so still had to change one thing about it. In hindsight I wish I'd tried on a wider variety of styles, if not just for the fact it's probably a one time experience.

I had a vague idea what shape would suit me, found it in the first shop I went to, 5th dress I tried on, posted pics on mn to help with the decision between 2... Spent €1800, 13 weeks til I get to wear it, I can't wait!!

I went on a city break with a friend and just shopped the ready to wear until we found it. Totally open minded, tried upscale stores, funky boutiques, everything. Wasn't looking for a white dress in particular. Saw a lot of stuff clearly being marketed towards bridesmaids that seemed suitable. It was eventually located in the 'Up and coming designers ' (i. e. Cheap) section of a department store.

I saw a gorgeous one in a magazine, & tried it on in a posh department store. It was beautiful but I just couldn't afford it.

In the end my DM & I went to a local bridal shop & I bought the first one I tried on, it was perfect for me and about a quarter of the price of the first one.

Had been eyeing up a Monsoon one on their website and dragged my mum in when we passed one day thinking id try it on. Very disappointed that I couldnt see it anywhere. Eventually found a small sale rail with some wedding dresses on and lo and behold, that dress in my size was one of the few there.

Tried it on, loved it, bought it. Would have happily paid the 250 full price, luckily got it for 57!

NapQueen - mine is also a Monsoon bargain. Grand total of £40. Cheaper than some other dresses in my wardrobe ;-)

I only had a morning to buy a dress and ended up buying the first one I tried on. Wish I had tried a few more!