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The Ultimate Guide to Buying a Wedding Dress Online
If the Coronavirus pandemic has taught us anything— it is that shopping online is a breeze. Not being able to purchase products in-store for a while has forced us to become more open-minded and willing to learn about how to shop online. Whether you’re not much of a shopper or you are on a tight budget, buying your wedding dress online is just a few buttons away. You can have your dream dress shipped right to your door at a reasonable price, without a pesky salesperson, and without the limitations of what a bridal boutique has in store. Our friends at Martin Thornburg have curated the Ultimate Guide to Buying a Wedding Dress Online to help you find your dream gown from the comfort of your home.
Wedding dress shopping doesn’t have to be stressful, here are some tips!
Tips For Buying A Wedding Dress Online
Decide Your Budget
Determining what your budget will be will make the process of filtering dresses online a breeze. When figuring out your budget, you must factor in shipping, tax, alterations, and accessories (your veil, jewelry, shoes). Your budget will give you a better idea of the designers you can afford and realistically where you can shop.
Choose a Silhouette
Almost all wedding dresses will look great on the model online, but in reality, specific dress shapes flatter certain body types. Wedding dresses are in so many silhouettes; you can go with a ball gown, A-line, column/sheath, trumpet, fit and flare, or mermaid. Having a shape in mind will help you filter your online search. Think— if you are petite, a ballgown will swallow you, but a sheath dress would be extremely flattering.
How To Find The Perfect Wedding Dress From Home
Understand Fabrics
Wedding dresses come in an variety of silhouettes and endless amounts of fabrics. Being able to understand materials will make the process of choosing the perfect gown easier. Knowing the fabric will help you ensure it will be the quality and flow of dress you want. When you read product descriptions, you will get a better sense of who the dress will fit. For the bride who embraces comfort, look for fabrics such as jerseys, crepe, chiffon, or silk. If you are a bride who wants structure, look for mikado, satin, or a gown with a corset.
Purchase the Right Size
Finding your dream dress is stressful, but making sure it is the correct size amplifies your stress. To make sure you choose the right size, go to the tailor to get your measurements taken. These measurements would be your bust, waist, and hip. The retailer that you purchase your dress from will always have a size chart to follow. If you fall in between sizes, go bigger because you can always get the dress taken in and fit perfectly to you and your body.
Determine a Designer
A massive part of dress shopping is finding a designer whom you resonate with, so amidst your hours on Pinterest looking for inspiration— pay attention to who designs the dress. You have already determined your budget, so this will help you decide on a designer. Our favorite designer with a reasonable price range is Martin Thornburg.
Martin Thornburg designs with high-quality fabrics, hand-beaded Swarovski crystals, and impeccable fits at an affordable price.
Check out his incredible Fall 2021 wedding dress collection here! And check back soon to see Martin Thornburg’s 2022 wedding dress collection, we can’t wait!
Be Mindful of the Timeframe
Each bridal boutique is slightly different, but typically a wedding dress takes 6-8 months to arrive. When you are on the bridal site, be sure to read up on how long it will take for the dress to come (and remember to save some time for alterations). The last thing you would want is to struggle to find a tailor to alter your dress in time.
Finalize your Decision
Now the time has come to purchase the dress. If you have found the dress you want but are scared to commit, it may help to search for pictures of real brides in the dress. Seeing another bride in the gown will help you solidify your decision. Remember to reach out to your chosen retailer with any questions before purchasing. They can provide you with information and advice that will make you feel confident in saying YES to the dress!
Many modern brides are opting out of the traditional wedding dress shopping experience and are going for the convenience of online shopping. Shopping online for your dress is not as scary or as hard as you might think. If you follow most (or them all) of these steps, you will have a fantastic time finding the ‘one.’