RMW Real Bride Diary {Emma & Dean: The Dress}

Hello fabulous RMW lot! Today I am stopping by to chat about THE dress. Because that’s what you are meant to find for your wedding day, right? The one. Well I was lucky enough to find the person that was my one, but that didn’t seamlessly translate to my wedding dress experience. I didn’t know when I had found my one because I found several ‘ones’ that I loved that were so completely different it became impossible to pick between them. Particularly for Miss Indecisive over here.

The Boutiques

I wanted to tell you a bit about my shopping experiences first though. I went to a total of seven lovely boutiques. To some that might sound like a lot... Well, I mentioned briefly last time that I used to be a wedding blogger. I should perhaps come clean that the reason for this foray was because I had (and kind of still have) a dream of owning a wedding dress shop. So visiting the beautiful shops was an experience I adored. These were my favourite boutiques (all around the Northamptonshire / Warwickshire area): Fairytale Weddings – this List supplier was my absolute favourite wedding boutique! I live close by and have visited before but they recently moved to a new location and it is just absolute perfection. The dresses are spread across two rooms and you get your own private dressing room to try them on with your bride tribe. Coco and Kate – another List-er I tracked this beautiful boutique down for one reason alone. I had to try on an Anna Campbell dress before I could rest. But the instant I arrived I fell in love with so much more than the dresses. The boutique was beautiful, and the owner Sophie was kind, helpful and made me completely at ease. Courtyard Bridal – I didn’t feel that my search would be complete without ticking off the Justin Alexander box, and this beautiful Kettering boutique seemed to have all of the ones I loved from my research. My friend got her wedding dress here a few years ago, and it was equally as friendly and welcoming when I returned. Serendipity Brides – the widest range of designers that I saw, this is actually where I picked up my (eventual) one. The service from Jacqui in particular was incredible; she picked out my one and helped navigate me through my indecision. A true saint!

The Dress

So why was the dress hunting itself so tense? My extreme indecision. I had an idea of what I wanted: not strapless, some sparkle somewhere, floaty shape. Pretty straightforward, right? I thought so. Except I just loved all the dresses (this is why I need my own boutique). Every boutique I left, I had a list of at least two dresses that I loved. Some met my description, or elements of it; some were completely different to anything I imagined I would choose. I ended up narrowing it down to two very different dresses, luckily in the same shop. One evening after a particularly tough day at work I was trying them both on again and I absolutely could not decide between them. I loved the both. I just wanted to cry because all I needed was Dean to walk in and tell me what he thought, and then I knew it would have been decision made. But this was the one decision he couldn’t help me with. In the end I had a moment of clarity seconds before the appointment ended. Phew! I won’t give away which way I went in the end; or how close or how far away my dress is from my initial thoughts, but I will say that it isn’t quite an off-the-peg dress. With the help of the fabulous ladies at Serendipity Brides, we have adapted my chosen dress to make it the perfect one for me.

The Advice

So for those of you that are yet to hit the wedding dress shopping hard, here’s some of my words of advice: Know yourself when trying on – I only took my Mum and sister-in-law along to my dress appointments. Partly because most shops couldn’t fit my whole entourage. But also because I am so indecisive I knew I would need some input, but 7 different opinions would have put me in a spin. Try on styles that are completely outside of the style you think you will go for...often they can end up being the dress of your dreams, and if not at least it helps you definitively rule things out – and that can be as helpful to the process. Always get input from the shop – some of the dresses that the assistants suggested ended up being at the top of my wish list. You might not have a 'the one' moment, and that's ok. Think about how you want to look and feel on the day and go with your gut instinct. If your gut instinct isn’t that clear then ask for an opinion that you trust. Don't be afraid to customise and make your bridal look your own. If you find the perfect dress for you off the peg – fantastic – but if not think about what would make the dress you like perfect for you. Most of all, everyone’s experience is different. But embrace it and enjoy it - you will find the perfect dress for you for your big day. Whatever that may be. So lovely readers, have your found your dress yet? I would love to know how many of you had a ‘the one’ moment! Lots of wedding love, Emma {Year of the Yes}

Catch up with Emma's Real Bride Diary here on Rock My Wedding