Weddings: they're more expensive than a year at a language school in Canada, more important than any other moment in your life, and more effort to prepare for than a trip to the moon. Getting married should be an exciting time where you get to choose everything from napkin rings to bridesmaid dresses, but many brides become stymied when choosing their own gown. Why? Because it just has to be perfect. Here are some tips in how to find the perfect dress.
Put in the Time
Discard the notion that it's possible to find a wedding dress with minimal effort right now. Accept that you will be driving all over Yorkville, Toronto visiting every bridal boutique and dress store there is (twice), and that you may even need to travel out of town. When you're budgeting time for this effort, think months or weeks, not days. Don't go after work or when you're feeling rushed. Rather, take the whole day and make it an adventure.
Take a Friend
Dress shopping is something you should never do alone. Normal people rarely have a balanced view of themselves. Perhaps you think you look horrible in red, or that you've put on weight in the hips since you've been working for that Toronto caterer. Your friends see you with an outside perspective. Take your best, most grounded friend. Make sure he or she is honest and willing to put in the time, but avoid friends who praise you groundlessly as it won't help you get the perspective you need.
Try it On
When you were shopping for Toronto real estate, your real estate agent told you to at least look at the houses he or she lined up for you before dismissing them. The same is true when you're shopping for a wedding dress. Let the dress expert at the store suggest pieces that you might like. This is her job, and she usually does it well. Even if it doesn't look like your style at first glance, try it on anyway. Clothes often look different on a body than on a rack.
Seamstresses are your Friend
Remember: you don't need to find the absolute perfect fitting dress straight off the rack. Factory sizes are merely estimates. If it's too long or too loose, you can take it to a seamstress to have it altered. In fact, you can even go the route you used when you were looking for Arlington homes and have her create the entire dress from scratch using a pattern you bought or created yourself.
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