The Bride's Heart

With all of the many beautiful designs of brides dresses and exquisite fabrics to choose from, most brides-to-be have absolutely no idea where to begin when it’s finally time to start shopping for their wedding dress.

While some women have a crystal clear picture in mind of what they’re looking for, others, like myself, find they have a hard time narrowing down their choices when making this ever important decision.


Here’s how I tackled the problem of finding the right dress, and ended up quickly finding the one of my dreams that made me feel just like a princess on my wedding day.

• Bohemian: Think earthy, free spirited, ethereal
• Casual: Think relaxed, pure, breezy
• Classic: Think timeless elegance, ladylike
• Glamorous: Think drama, sophistication
• Modern: Think trendy, simple, chic, minimalistic
• Romantic: Think princess, femininity

Try to choose a dress that fits with the type of wedding you’re having as well as being a reflection of your personal style. If you are having an elaborate affair, you’ll of course want to wear a formal gown, whereas a more relaxed, simple style of dress would obviously be more appropriate for a beach wedding.

Word of mouth is a great way to find wedding gowns. Ask your friends and family for their recommendations and experiences with any bridal salons in your area, or where they may have done business in the past and were happy with the service they received. Also, thanks to the internet, brides-to-be have innumerable choices right at their fingertips. With helpful reviews and customer opinions listed on most sites, it’s easier than ever before to rule out some dresses over others.

Bridal magazines are also a great resource for finding all of the latest styles and current trends in bride’s dresses as well as attire for the whole wedding party. When you head to the shops to try on different gowns, be sure to take some clippings and pictures of any dresses that may have already caught your eye so it’ll be easier to find what you like. And while it may be tempting, don’t make the mistake of taking an entire entourage of people with you when you’re trying on dresses. An extra opinion or two is great, but more than three will likely cause stress and chaos.

I completely bucked the trend and took my then fiancée with me to look at wedding dresses. Since I value his opinion and we usually share the same taste in most things, and we also love spending time together, it made perfect sense for us to go together. After we found a few I really liked, well, that we both liked actually, I headed back to the store the next day with my mother and sister and came home with the perfect dress. My husband was still surprised on our wedding day, but he also got to share in the experience with me.

Take your time when shopping for brides dresses, have patience, keep an open mind, and when you spot the absolute right one for you, you’ll just know it.