You’re engaged, you’ve asked your best girls to be your bridesmaids, you’re on the hunt for the perfect wedding venue and now you’re ready for the moment you’ve always dreamed of, choosing your wedding dress!

This article has been designed to give you a guide on how to find the right shop or dressmaker for you, and what to expect in your dress appointments. The most fundamental things to consider when trying on dresses (especially if it is for the first time) are to feel confident, comfortable and calm. Everyone knows shopping for an important occasion can be stressful at the best of times, let alone for a once in a lifetime event, but with the right company and atmosphere it will be a memorable occasion.

This exciting experience comes in a number of different stages; browsing designs, calculating your affordability, trying on numerous styles and eventually falling in love, again!

• Ask your married friends for recommendations
• Flick through Magazines
• Browse online wedding directories and narrow your search down by postcode, town or county
• Check out your local high street
• Look through social media tags and Pinterest boards
• Attend wedding showcases in your area
• Search the internet and read through articles about designers

When arriving, your consultant will show you around and make you feel at home; talking you through the different designers they stock and getting to know what look you’re envisaging for your day. You may be asked about budgets you’re (hoping) to stick within and what styles and designers you generally like, but this will be an informal chat to enable them to start picking dresses you will love.

Every bride wants to feel beautiful and special in their dress, so make sure your chosen entourage are supportive and sensitive to your feelings. Remember, this day is about you – don’t let anyone steal the limelight. Honesty is great, but if you love the style that’s all that counts!

It’s normal for a bridalwear shop to see you by appointment only, to ensure that there is a dedicated member of staff there to help and guide you – and so that you feel a sense of privacy when it comes to searching for your dream gown. Roughly an hour is given to allow brides to try on several different dresses but not get too overwhelmed by everything and feel rushed; this can be a confusing process! One hour keeps the bride and the consultant focused on finding ‘the dress’.

Your bridalwear consultant is there to advise and help you around the shop, making a note of what you like and what you don’t. They will be in the changing room with you to make the dress fit to your body. Pins, clips and ribbon will be used to make you feel secure in the dress, so you can strut your stuff out of the changing room onto the boutique floor and WOW your awaiting admirers.

The bride should feel under no pressure to commit to a dress, when you know, you know. Everyone needs that ‘this is the dress’ moment. If your appointment is unsuccessful, relax, take a deep breath and continue the search, there is a dress out there for everyone.

Your weight may fluctuate in the run up to your wedding day – completely normal and nothing to stress about but this may mean that your wedding dress might need some adjusting. To avoid any undue stress on your special day, make sure you try your dress on a few times before the wedding to see if any more alterations need to be made. If this is the case, be sure to have a seamstress ready to help!