Finding your dream wedding dress is something you may have dreamt about since you were a little girl but when your time to start choosing arrives, where do you start? With countless options available, how do you begin to narrow down the decision on one of the most memorable outfits of your life?

Discovering your bridal style

We have put together our ideas and tips on choosing your wedding day style along with expert Bridal Boutique advice from Lisa of fashion forward studio Cicily Bridal.

Get inspired

Magazines, digital blogs and social media platforms can all help to get your creative mind working when researching for your wedding style. Visual social platforms such as Pinterest and Instagram will offer an abundance of real bride images alongside designers new collections.

Start saving images which really stand out to you and once you begin to gather a number together take notice of your trend preferences such as sleeves, veils, lace, fit, necklines.

Keep in mind when collating your inspirational bridal styles;

  • The season & location of your wedding. An indoor traditional winter wedding would suit a very different style to that of an Ibiza beach front wedding. Also, think logistically for example would you fit a giant ballgown on a flight for your destination wedding?
  • Know your body shape. What do you want to show off & what would you rather not?
  • Consider bridal accessories alongside the dress, such as; statement jewellery, floral crowns, lace veils.
  • Research and collate images of your wedding day theme as these offer a great source for bridal store consultants (sometimes an expert can pick out your dream dress before you!)

“We would say doing your research before hand is essential as you need to make sure that you visit the right boutiques that fit with you and your style. Instagram is a great research tool to find designers/boutiques that inspire you.” Lisa

Preparation

Once you have some inspirational ideas on wedding dresses it’s then time to try some on. If you have your heart set on a particular designer or a certain collection really pulls at your heart strings, your dress boutique search can be centralised around this.

Here’s some great ways to prepare:

  • Book just one boutique appointment across a day to reduce the risk of getting overwhelmed and to ensure you get the most out of the experience.
  • Make sure you own some well fitted preferably nude underwear to try dresses on. Black lacy bra’s can make the most gorgeous of wedding dresses look strange.
  • Pick out some of your favourite heels that are of a height you feel you could comfortably wear for the duration of your wedding day, of course they may not be the correct style or colour but trying on dresses with heels can really help you visualise your complete look.
  • Take note of what your wedding dress budget is. If you have an amount for your whole outfit take into consideration; a possible veil, shoes, jewellery and importantly alteration costs.
  • Pay attention to your own thoughts before trying on dresses, how do you want the dress to make you feel, what do you want to represent your personality and bridal style. Listen to others opinions but don’t let them cloud your decision, there is no wrong wedding dress for you but there is the dress that you feel right in.

Your Bridal Boutique experience

Sharing her knowledge on guiding brides-to-be, bridal store owner Lisa gives us her advice on your boutique experience. Cicily Bridal are exclusive stockists to a collection of exquisite designers, their relaxed studio is ideally located alongside the scenic wedding venue Thorpe Garden creating the perfect place to find your dream dress.

When should you start searching for your dream wedding dress?

We would recommend starting your search 12 months in advance of your wedding. This gives plenty of time to do your research and consider the boutiques that you would like to visit.

How many wedding dresses should you try on?

There is no set number, however we always say to avoid trying too many on. Trying on wedding dresses should be an enjoyable part of your wedding journey and in our experience when brides have tried on too many it only brings confusion.

Entourage or no Entourage?

We understand that you want to bring the people you love and trust to your appointment, but bringing too many guests can cause more confusion with all of their opinions. We think its important to listen to their opinions but it’s just as important to stay true to who you are and to remember who’s wearing the dress.

What are your Top tips for a bride-to-be’s first bridal boutique experience?

Consider your budget. There is no point in saying you don’t have one only to fall in love with a dress that is over your budget.

Book appointments that have dresses that fit into your style. There is no point visiting a boutique that offers mainly fitted fishtails when your ideal dress is more laid back and informal.

Trust the stylist. A good stylist will listen, be honest and make suggestions that maybe you hadn’t considered.

What trends are you seeing amongst your bridal gowns chosen for upcoming weddings?

Unstructured and less formal styles are still strong. With more texture starting to emerge. Sleeves are still important and we are seeing this shift into more of a billowy shape.

How can Cicily Bridal help you choose the wedding dress of your dreams?

With 9 years experience in the wedding industry we understand how overwhelming trying dresses on can be. An appointment at Cicily Bridal is always with one of the owners Lisa or Victoria and is always calm, friendly and honest.

Finding your dream dress can be an experience you’ll treasure, begin with focused inspiration boards, prepare and indulge in visiting bridal boutiques, stay true to your own style and eventually you will discover the perfect dress for your big day.