Have you asked any of these questions:
“Do brides say yes on the first time out?’
“Do brides really buy the first dress they tried on?”
“Do brides ever buy without going to other stores?”
“Do brides buy without asking all their friends what they think?”
The answer to all of these is yes. In this blog we will discuss the bride who can’t say yes and if it resonates with you, hopefully our advice will help you through saying yes with confidence.
The most challenging bride is the one who cannot stop looking. She brings with her a group of eight on a Saturday morning, tries on 15 dresses, finds one she loves. She cries, everyone loves it… and then the question: “Are you saying yes to this dress?” She looks completely confused and says, “No, I can’t buy yet/at the first store/until I sleep on it/without my grandmother/without looking elsewhere.”
Aren’t you looking to say yes? Why did you bring this group to give so much attention and love to you and then say no when you are crying and they are so supportive?
Bride continues to shop all day, ending exhausted and confused with a list of maybes and one she really loves. She makes more appointments at other stores.
This bride refuses to say yes for months.
She finally makes a return appointment to retry the dress on that she loves, the one that made her cry, the one she can’t stop thinking about. She obsesses over photos, looks at it online, gets opinions of strangers on wedding websites.
She brings her group back again, although fewer attend. She still loves the dress.
“I really think maybe this is it, but did you get any new ones in that I haven’t tried?”
I ask, “How many stores have you been to? How many dresses have you tried on?”
Some brides tell me they’ve gone to 10-12 stores, even some in different states. That is at least 100 dresses tried on. One hundred wedding dresses and a bride still can’t pull the trigger. Not only that, her group is tired (“Just get it already!”) and the bride is stressed out (“Don’t push me into making this decision!”) It has become a chore. Instead of that first perfect moment to say yes with the emotion and the hugs and the support, it is now a frustrating disappointment because you are over a month into looking and still can’t say yes to the dress you came back to.
Why?
“I’m not getting the reaction I want.” – But you did the first time and ignored it…
“I don’t know if my fiance will like it.” – Your fiance loves you, and will love you in whatever dress you choose…
“What if I don’t like it later?” – You loved it the first time and you still do…
“I’m worried I might find something I like better.” – After 100 dresses, you think #105 will be the one when you’re back in the original dress?
“I don’t make decisions quickly.” – You immediately knew the venue, your bridal party, and you immediately said yes to the marriage proposal…
At some point, you need to be confident in your dress decision and move on with the planning. It’s your day and you will be radiant in the dress you choose!
The dress should make you feel gorgeous, you never want to take it off. You want to wear it to work, out to lunch, everywhere. When you find that dress, SAY YES. Stop looking because you won’t find one to beat it. If there is a dress you compare all others to, that’s the one. It doesn’t matter if your to-be sister in law didn’t react the way you wanted, it’s not her wedding or her dress.
You now must also consider the health implications of going to so many stores.
Our advice is always the same to brides who call themselves “indecisive” but made many decisions already with no problem:
1. Don’t bring a large group. If you want to show them, bring them to your try on, or plan a reveal to show them what YOU chose. They will cry when they see you in it! Many stores now limit the number of guests due to social distancing so that decision could be made for you.
2. Limit the choices. It’s like going to a restaurant with a 10-page menu… you went in wanting the steak but now you might want something else, because it might taste better, even though you really want the steak…
3. Be your unique self. Don’t buy a dress that others love on you but you don’t, one that reminds you of everyone else’s, or because it’s trendy now. Find unique designers or ones you can customize if needed.
4. Trust yourself. The dress you love is the right one and everyone will love you in it.
5. Buy from a reputable store. Read reviews! Are they known for great customer service, responsiveness, and truthfulness? Do they adhere to new laws and regulations? (WE ARE, AND WE DO!)
Yes, brides do say yes on the first day out, at the first store, to the first dress, without dozens of opinions from the people with them. You can, too! Let us help you enjoy the bridal appointment process and trust yourself!