@mariahhaberman Come wedding dress shopping with me 🤍 This was, by far, my favorite part of the wedding planning journey! Here's a little behind-the-scenes of my shopping experience: ✻ I actually went dress shopping by myself. (*gasp!*) Most of my network is still back in Wisconsin, which made rounding up a group difficult, but honestly, I've always been more of a solo shopper. ✻ I visited 4 boutiques and tried on around 40 different dresses. (I had to cut myself off after 40 TBH...😅) ✻ My favorite boutique was @theone_bridal in Lenexa, KS. Their store was so gorgeous, and I loved that each room featured both "ceremony lighting" and "reception lighting" - seeing some of the gowns in reception lighting was a total game-changer. ...and now for the main event: THE DRESSES. Here are 5 gowns I'm still absolutely obsessed with: 𝟙. Monet with Overskirt by @sophiatolli 𝟚. Meghan by @callablanchedress 𝟛. Style M2430 by @mikeallabridal 𝟜. Maya by @galialahav 𝟝. Gia by @galialahav Which one is your favorite? . . . #weddingdress #weddingdressshopping #weddingdresses #kansascity #kcmo #lenexa #lenexaks #sophiatolli #callblanche #mikealla #galialahav #wedding #kcbridalboutique #yestothedress #sayyestothedress #bridalstyle #bridalfashion #weddinginspo #bridal #bridaldress #bridalgown #weddinggown #fyp #foryou #weddingtiktok #foryoupage ♬ Take My Breath Away - EZI
My fiancé and I got engaged in September of 2022 and set our wedding date for May 2023. I’m no math whiz but even I knew that I didn’t have time to waste. So I started my journey right away to find The Dress!
As a former pageant gal, I have a little experience in the formal gowns department. I do remember the experience of finding both my prom dress and my pageant gown for Miss Wisconsin being overwhelming. I assumed this would be no different. In fact, I figured it would be worse. Plot twist: It actually was a pretty stress-free shopping day. I loved the gowns and I’m a little sad it’s all over. Okay, more than a little sad…
I live in Kansas City and so, I scheduled appointments at the following boutiques:
Here are the dresses that made my top 5:
Dress #1: THE MAGIC DRESS
The team at The Gown Gallery introduced this dress to me as “the magic dress” and as soon as I tried it on, I knew why. It fit probably better than any other dress I tried on. This one was very convincing but I ultimately moved it to Honorable Mention due to the somewhat-showy neckline and the fact that I felt a little pageant-y in this.
Dress #2: THE OFF-THE-SHOULDER DRESS
I love all things off the shoulder. Big, big fan. I tried several gowns in this category but none could hold a candle to this gem of a dress from Something White Bridal Boutique in Crossroads. It had the most dramatic train ever and I love me some drama. This one just seemed so romantic to me and it moved beautifully.
Dress #3: THE SOMETHING-DIFFERENT DRESS
Ugh, I loved this dress. A theme that seemed to emerge throughout the day for me, was this desire to find a gown that felt a little unexpected, and this one delivered. It was my favorite in terms of the pattern detail, and of all the dresses I tried on, this one felt the most like me. The thing I couldn’t get over was the fit. I know great alterations can be magic, but I just didn’t think this one fit my body shape as well as some of the others did.
Dress #4: THE MINIMALISM-MEETS-DRAMA DRESS
I’m digging the minimalism trend. I tried on quite a few minimalist gowns and this one at The One Bridal in Lenexa was by far my favorite. Interestingly, while I tried it on at the boutique, it wan’t in my top five. This was one though that I kept returning to. I felt beautiful in it and I thought it was the most chic dress. It was painful for me to move this dress into Honorable Mentions, but at the end of day, I decided this dress wasn’t “me” enough. Said another way: I needed a little more sparkle. 😉
The last gown to make my top 5 is the one I ended up choosing, and I can't wait to share it with you in May! Until then, here are a few tips I hope any of my fellow brides-to-be find helpful:
1. Set a budget
I know this one’s obvious, but it’s crucial. I went in with a $2,000-$2,500 budget and I really didn’t stray from it. Try to stick to your number. Take comfort in knowing that there are thousands of dresses out there, and they’re all designed to look amazing on you. You will find something you love in your price range!
2. Get dolled up
This is not a tip I find on the internet when it comes to this topic, but I strongly advise spending a little extra time on your hair and makeup. I tend to enjoy my shopping experience more when I feel super confident, and I also wanted to get as accurate of an idea as I could as to how I will look and feel on my wedding day.
3. Start early
Because of our somewhat short engagement, I was actually a little late to the shopping game. In fact, some of the boutiques wouldn’t even show me certain designers because their dresses wouldn’t have showed up in time. You should look at least six months in advance, but ideally, one year. Things got a little wacky post-COVID and it seems the industry is still playing catch-up. Oh, and make sure you account for alterations!
4. Do your research
Before heading to your first bridal boutique, do your research and browse through different styles, designs, and fabrics. Create a Pinterest board if you haven’t already. Every boutique asked to see my Pinterest board, which is here!
5. If you're shopping with others, bring supportive friends and family
I actually shopped by myself. And a couple of boutiques reached out to confirm that I was a “serious shopper,” which cracked me up. I know it’s a major tradition in the U.S. to bring your entire entourage, but if you go that route, only bring the supportive ones 🙂 I shopped alone because I’m in Kansas City and most of my network is back in Wisconsin. That said, I did enjoy my calm and quiet day of wedding dress shopping!
6. Be open-minded
This is a big one! You hear it all the time but I think it’s so crucial to keep an open mind. I came in wanting to try on certain dresses that looked amazing online (AKA they looked amazing on that particular model) but they just weren’t it on me. On the contrary, some of the sales gals brought dresses out that I wasn’t initially into – and ended up loving. While it’s good to have an idea of what you’re looking for, embrace different styles and designs. You may be surprised by what looks best on you and what you end up falling in love with.
7. Choose the right undergarments
Wear the right undergarments when trying on wedding dresses. This will give you a better idea of how the dress will fit and look on your wedding day. I wore black underwear. Do not be like me, ha!
8. Remember alterations
Most wedding dresses will require some alterations. Don’t forget to factor in the cost of alterations – as well as the timing of alterations – while shopping.
