Ensure you read our essential advice before shopping for your wedding gown.
- Your Budget – Don’t set your heart on a lavish designer dress before you’ve worked out your budget. Once you know how much you can afford to spend, remember to add your shoes and any other accessories to the cost. At The White Room all alterations are included within the cost of our dresses, however this is not common practice at all bridal boutiques – some offer a fixed price, others charge per alteration, so confirm this at the beginning of your appointment.
- The style of your wedding – Try and choose a dress that is appropriate for your venue. A large church or grand ballroom with hundreds of guests requires a big, dramatic gown, while a country marquee wedding might suit a laid back, pretty design. A chic, minimalist dress is ideal for a funky city wedding.
- The weather – If you’re getting married during high summer, avoid heavy weight fabrics such as duchess satin and layers of petticoats. In contrast, don’t opt for a silk gown if you plan to marry in a church in the winter! Jackets and shrugs are always a clever addition and create two different looks for your dress.
- Your Timescales – Make dress shopping your priority. Twelve to nine months before your wedding is a good time to start, but don’t worry if you’ve allowed less. Made-to-measure dresses need several months to be created, while ready to wear options can have minor adjustments and be with you in 3 months. All our gowns are made to order
- Your body shape – Be honest with yourself. You might lust after a vintage fishtail dress, but your body shape may look better in a strapless ballgown. Petite frames can be swamped in heavy detailing, but embellishment in the right places, such as ruching at the hips can add curves to a boyish figure. Sweetheart necklines create the illusion of a cleavage, while crossover and plunging necklines will flatter a larger bust and stop it looking squashed. A-line styles always flatter a pear shape more than a clingy column dress
- Your colouring – Its worthy trying on lots of different dresses to see which shades lift your skin tone, make your eyes stand out and complement your hair colour. Ivory and champagne hues flatter English Rose complexions, while olive and dark skin can look fantastic against purer, brighter shades of white.
- Your preconceptions – Don’t dismiss a dress style or shape until you’ve put it on. You will need to try on a few different designs until you find one that makes you look and feel fantastic. Some gowns have very little hanger appeal but can look amazing on, so be open-minded when visiting bridal boutiques.
- Your props – When trying on dresses make sure you take along a pair of shoes with the same heel height that you plan to wear on the day. This will help the boutique staff judge the right length for the gown and plan any adjustments. Also bring the lingerie you plan to wear plus any hair accessories you’ve already bought.
- Have fun! – Book time off work, take along your mum or close pal, have a glass of champagne and relax. Make sure your hair and make-up looks nice, and remember, this is a once in a lifetime experience so enjoy yourself!
- Your Personality – Your best friend may have looked amazing in her retro wedding dress, but that might be down to her personal style and kooky personality. Your dress not only needs to flatter your body shape, but should also complement who you are as a person. You’ll know you’ve found ‘The One’ when you discover a gown that’s not only beautiful in its own right, but lets your personality shine through too.