So, the time has come to start wedding dress shopping! How exciting! At this point in your bridal era, it is one of the most exciting milestones of wedding planning. If you’re preparing for your first wedding dress shopping experience, it’s completely normal to feel a mix of excitement and nerves. Not knowing what to expect, who to bring with you or even what kind of dress you want.
That’s why we’re here to guide you through every step of the way, from the moment you step into the shop, to the moment you step down the aisle we’re here for you.
In this blog I’m going to walk you through everything you need to know before beginning your Bridal Era.
BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT
Before you arrive, it can be helpful to gather some inspiration, just so you can get a feel of what you might like. We say to brides to not let this fully get in the way of other styles or ideas that you may feel you won’t like but it’s a great way for us to get a feel of what you're drawn to.
Having a budget in mind from the beginning will help make the experience more focused and enjoyable. This allows us to make sure that we know that we won’t pull a dress that is completely out of budget for you, as we don’t want you to fall in love with it and then it be far too expensive.
Remember, you don’t need to know exactly what you’re looking for before your appointment. Don’t put yourself under that stress of needing to know before you walk through the door. That’s what we’re here for, to help you find the one.
WHO SHOULD I BRING?
Choosing your bridal party is an important part of your experience. While it’s super tempting to invite everyone, a smaller group often leads to a more relaxed appointment.
The best people to bring are those who know you well and will support YOUR vision. Too many opinions can sometimes make the decision-making process more difficult.
We recommend bringing two people who you value their opinion the most, that you want there to make that choice. You can always bring the rest of your party back to show them at a Second Bridal Appointment.
WHAT HAPPENS DURING THE APPOINTMENT?
When you arrive, you’ll be greeted within our Nora Eve Social bar and café area where one of the stylists will seat you and you can choose a drink from our menu. You can choose anything from a coffee to a cocktail which are all covered in your £30 appointment fee.
We will then take you up to our Bridal Lounge which you and your party will have all to yourselves. This is when your stylist will get to know a bit more about you, your wedding and the ideas you might already have in mind. With all this in mind your stylist will pick a dress and that’s where you’ll start your bridal journey.
Throughout your appointment, your stylist will be there to guide you through different styles and help you figure out what you love. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself loving a dress you never expected to choose.
For your favourite dresses your stylist will accessories them with a veil, sleeves or anything else you feel like you might want to add to finish your look! This is the time when you can see your vision all come together and really focus on what you love about the dresses. This is when you can choose your one!
Once you’ve chosen the one and had your moment, your stylist will then take your measurements and decide what size works best for you! Don’t worry we will always advise on what we think will be perfect for you, whether you’re wanting to stay the same, lose weight or wanting to gain muscle/weight.
Now we’ve done your measurements and agreed on a size it is then time to celebrate, enjoy a drink downstairs in the bar and take in the moment with your bridal party!
Many brides ask whether they’ll find their wedding dress during their first appointment. The truth is that every bridal journey is unique. Some brides know instantly when they’ve found their dress, while others take a little more time. There’s no right or wrong way to find your dream gown.
That’s also why we offer a Second Bridal Appointment for the brides who might need to go away and think about it. A Second Appointment is a shorter appointment where you can come and retry your favourites.
THE NEXT STEPS
Once you’ve found the dress, the excitement really begins!
As soon as you leave your appointment you will receive an email all about what to do next! The most important thing to do is contact the seamstresses, we have two seamstresses that are self-employed and work from our store! You need to ring them as soon as you leave your appointment as they get very busy and booked up!
Depending on the designer, wedding dresses usually take around 6 months to arrive, which is why shopping early is so important. We will give you an update of an estimated shipping date once we receive it from the designer.
Once your gown has been shipped, we will send you an email to let you know! We will then email you once it has arrived and this is when you can book your collection appointment.
Please make sure that you have collected your dress and had a collection appointment before your seamstress appointment. At your collection appointment we can also look at any accessories you might not have bought yet. The finishing touches can help bring your bridal vision together.
After you’ve seen the seamstresses and your dress now fits like a glove, you take your dress away and wait for your big day!
Once it comes around, take it all in, enjoy the moment and most of all feel incredible.
Once it is all over and you’ve enjoyed your married bubble, we would absolutely love to see your wedding photos! Please send them over to bride@noraevebridal.co.uk with a suppliers list and if you don’t mind, we’d love to feature you on our social media.
IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU
Your first bridal appointment is about more than finding a dress - it’s about creating memories you’ll treasure forever.
Whether you say yes to the dress on your first visit, or need to go away and think about it, your journey should be fun and exciting.
We can’t wait to help you find the dress that makes you feel confident and beautiful, and completely yourself.
But most importantly, remember to enjoy the experience.
