After months of waiting, your dress has arrived! The most meaningful and important dress you will ever wear. She’s waiting for you in the store to do your official try on! How exciting! But wait, why are you so nervous?
You’re nervous because:
1) you’re not going to like it anymore, and
2) it’s not going to fit
Every bride says the same thing. Some come in looking like they are going to be sick from nerves. It is completely understandable because you have waited many months for this day, looked at your photos the whole time with clips all over it, and probably kept looking at new/different dresses online. You have now convinced yourself that you aren’t going to like it anymore. Not only that, but for whatever reason you have told yourself it won’t fit either.
And our response is always, “Your dress is gorgeous. Let’s go try her on and we will see.”
The reaction is overwhelmingly this: “IT’S GORGEOUS AND IT FITS AND OMG I STILL LOVE IT SO MUCH!”
That’s the best for us! We never say, “We told you so…” but we do think it 😉
It’s amazing for several reasons:
– New dresses are NEW. The lace, beading, shimmer… so much lovelier than the sample you tried on. It’s your dress, but way BETTER.
– New dresses are in your size. No clips on the back, no holding the front to see the detailing on the back. You see it from every angle and it’s breathtaking!
– This new dress is YOUR dress. This is the dress you’re going to walk down the aisle in. In this dress, it’s going to hit you: Holy sh*t, you’re getting married!!
The overwhelming excitement and joy is a feeling you will never forget!
Our bride Kaitlin, trying on her dress (appropriately named “Daria”) with the designer herself, Kitty Chen!
But remember – there are normal alterations that will be required and they are:
* Hem: which is shortening to floor length based on the shoes you will be wearing.
* Bustle: pulling the train up in the back to floor length. You will usually bustle your dress prior to entering the reception for your first dance. The bustle allows you to move freely about your evening without your train dragging behind.
Other adjustments that may be required:
* Straps (if your dress has them): adjusting to your shoulders for comfortable fit
* Bust: different cups or slight adjustments to provide a more secure fit and/or prevent gapping
* Take In/Let Out: some brides (most women in general!) are between sizes. This means that while one part of the dress could fit perfectly, another part may not.
These adjustments are easily made by a qualified bridal seamstress!
Do NOT be upset if part of your dress doesn’t fit perfectly at your try on, they rarely do. Your dress will be adjusted to YOUR body.
If you have had a significant weight loss or gain, let your bridal store know prior to trying on. There are always options.
Our advice is to have your first fitting done 4-5 weeks before your wedding date. At that time, you are closest to your wedding size and should not require multiple fittings.
If you need more custom work done – such as the bride in the featured photo above who had sleeves detached – then ask your bridal consultant/seamstress for the best timeline.