So, you’ve just got engaged. Congratulations! Now it’s time to get planning. There is a lot to do and a lot to keep in mind, and you’ll need to make sure that you get organised, but the best advice is not to panic! We’re here to help.
Whatever your timescales, we will do our utmost to help you but if you want to get the best out of wedding dress buying then we suggest you give yourself at least a year.
Working back from that then, it’s good to understand your budget for both the wedding and the honeymoon. Make sure it is a realistic figure that you can afford and make sure to account for unexpected costs that may arise through the planning process.
You will of course then need to set a date for the big day! Have a think about what season you’d like the wedding to be in. Typically, wedding season is between May and late September or early October, but more and more couples are marrying around Easter or later on it the year. In 2019, the most popular date for a wedding was in mid to late October. Winter weddings are becoming increasingly popular, and are more affordable for those on a tighter budget. Some wedding venues can become cheaper in the low season, from November to April. Arranging the wedding in low season may also mean that friends and family won’t have to miss the wedding due to pre-booked summer holidays.
The timing and type of venue is all down to the style of wedding you want to have. Make it personal to you and what you’re about as a couple. With your date and venue sorted we’re going to move on to your all-important outfits but it’s important to flag at this stage that if you’re going to spend lots of effort (& potentially money!) on what you look like, you may want to ensure you snap up a great photographer to capture it all! Don’t forget, photographers can generally only be in one place at one time so getting them booked in early for your date is a must.
Ideally, around the 12-month mark, you can be thinking about what kind of bridal look you want. Whether you’re considering a boho/festival type style or a more traditional classic one, it would be a great time to come and see us. Here at Vow Bridal Gallery, we stock some truly stunning wedding dresses that would suit a range of themes from designers such as Kenneth Winston, THEIA, and Madi Lane Bridal. The important thing when choosing your wedding dress is for it be YOU! We need to be right for your body shape but also right for your personality and appropriate for the type of wedding you’re having. The combination of all these factors will bring about the perfect dress for you – and of course, we will bring our expertise to that whole process when you come for your appointment with us!
It is important to highlight here that we want you to feel comfortable to come and try dresses and know that we have dresses in various sizes in stock. We get a lot of brides that say to us that they haven’t lost the weight they want to yet, but please do not feel like you need to be at your ‘target’ weight (if you have one of course!). Come and try on and we can always do actual measurements a bit closer to the wedding. You run the risk of cutting down your choices and/or having to pay more to get the dress made quickly if you leave it too long before trying on. We should add that most brides don’t know what they were worried about when they actually come over for an appointment!
You now want to look at the bridesmaid’s dresses and the suits for the groom and his groomsmen. It is important that you leave enough time for all people involved to attend fittings and decide on what outfit suits them best. Here at Vow Bridal Gallery, we have a range of bridesmaid dresses from designers such as Eliza and Ethan and Goddess By Nature. Visit our website to find out more about the dresses. These are perfect for bridesmaids with different body shapes and personalities but will still give you a cohesive look across the group.
Our large range of menswear means we’re also a great place for you if you’re requiring suits to complete the overall look. From traditional morning suits to sharper tailored mohair or tweed suits there are lots to chose from for the guys. Again, it’s never too early to start thinking about what the guys are going to wear so we’d encourage you to book an appointment. Decision-makers only should attend at first and that way you can try on without the pressure of lots of guys hanging around! Once you’ve decided on your style of suits and colours we can get the guys in for sizing (there’s a pub across the road so most groups of guys like to combine sizing with a trip there!!). We always offer final fits around 3 weeks before the wedding in case anyone has changed sizes since their initial fitting so no worries about timing.
Make sure you book your makeup artist and hairdresser if you’re having them. Ask your married friends or family if they would recommend the makeup artist or hairdresser that they hired for their wedding day. If you do not find anyone suitable through recommendations, Google is sure to find numerous hairdressers and makeup artists that are in your area.
Following these timescales means you’ll have plenty of time between choosing your dress and wearing it on the wedding day to ensure your accessories are just right! Whether you chose them on the day you find your wedding dress or whether you make separate shopping trips, it’s really up to you. We often run specific Accessories Events so lookout for special offers we may have running. You’ll definitely need to have your wedding shoes by the time you come in again for your final alteration fittings which we usually start around 1 month before your wedding. Again, the type of shoe needs to be right for you – we continue to see such a varied selection of shoes each bride chooses, from Jimmy Choo or Louboutins to Converse trainers or sparkled flip flops!
We’ll start your dress alterations around a month before your wedding. It usually takes 2 sessions, no more than 2 weeks apart, and it just gives us the final 2 weeks spare should we need to do any other finishing touches. The sessions are practical in nature but they mean you get the magic touch from our talented seamstress to ensure your dress fits you just perfectly! You’ll leave the dress with us to do a final press/steam before collecting it at a time to suit you just before the wedding.
You’ll get various dates from each of your different wedding suppliers on when any final checks/important dates are, so take note! Your hired suits from Vow will generally be available the Tuesday before your wedding with the return being the following Monday. Then all you have to do is enjoy your big day and send us lots of photos afterwards!
At Vow Bridal Gallery, we stock a range of bridal gowns, suits, and bridesmaid dresses that will make you look the part on your special day. To book an appointment to view our collections, visit our website. Happy planning!