How to choose what looks best

how to choose wedding dress that looks best on you

Figuring out what style will compliment you best takes some patience. Do you envision a certain style? Is there a style you find you’re drawn to in photos? That’s a great start but be open in your thinking.

Be Openminded
What you might think would look great, sometimes doesn’t. And something you might think you’d never be able to pull off, will show you off in a way you never imagined!

Often our plus-size brides clients think they should go with a traditional ball gown or A-line but try on a mermaid style for fun. Often the way it hugs those curvy curves gives you a beautiful look you never thought you’d like if you didn’t see it for yourself.

Try a few different styles to see if they don't compliment your body. You might be surprised. And be sure to listen to suggestions from your stylist. She has experience and can help you find what looks amazing on you.

Think Critically
And take a good look at your body. What do you like? What are you not excited about? If you’ve got great arms, for example, be sure to bring that up with your stylist. She can direct you to wedding dresses that show off your arms. Love your back? We have lots of dresses that have deep dips in the back to allow your back to show.

When you’re trying on dresses, think critically about them. Dissect what you like and what you don’t like about it. That way your stylist can build on what you like. Also, it’s possible to make changes to a wedding dress in alterations. Don’t like where the beading is under the arm? We can remove that beading in alterations – no problem.

And don’t assume what can be done in alterations. Be sure to ask your stylist or a manager to be sure that something you want done to the dress can be done reasonably and for a price you’re willing to pay. Not everything is changeable. Sometimes changing a neckline, for example, will change the structure of the dress. It’s a matter of whether it’s an easy alteration and worth the cost. If too much needs to be changed, look for another dress.

Staying Within Your Budget
The dress that looks the best on you is the one that you’re comfortable in, the one you love. If you’ve been talked into a dress that more expensive than you can or want to afford, that’ll affect how you see or feel about the dress. Resentment is not something you want to deal with at your wedding or when looking at bills after.

Wedding dresses come in all different prices. We offer a wide selection starting under $1000. Keep in mind that the average price of a dress in our shop is $1500. You can get all different silhouettes and wear a designer gown and still stay within your budget.

Now there is the old saying of having champagne tastes on a beer budget. So, with a lower budget, you have to be more flexible in your expectations. But being flexible does not mean you won’t look and feel like the bride you are.

That’s why when you make an appointment at Uptown Bride, we ask what your budget is. We aren’t doing that to size you up before you come in, it’s out of respect. We don’t want to show you things that are more than you’re comfortable seeing. That would just be cruel to have you fall in love with a dress than is more than you can afford.

Even if you can afford it, it’s not respectful to show you dresses outside of what you said your limits are for it. We don’t like dealing with pushy people. And we really don’t like dealing with people who don’t listen to us or show us respect for our opinion. If someone is showing you dresses that are too high, ask that they stop that and see what you can get in your price.

And don’t be misled by the amount of the discount. Look just at what the dress will actually cost you. It doesn’t matter if it’s a huge discount, but still above your set price. Apples to apples is a good way to look at dress prices too.

Again, you won’t love your dress if you have regret for having paid too much for it.

Getting a Deal Online
Be careful of buying your dress online. Sometimes there’s a big difference between what you love in a photo and what looks good on you. You might be able to return it but will you really have chosen the best look possible for yourself. Photos last a long time and if you find yourself wondering whether you could do better, they could tarnish your love of those photos.

Another note on buying a dress online, often times the great deal online means that it’s cheaply made. Well, you’re only wearing it for one day, so who cares, right? Not so fast because first of all it’ll be hard to find someone who will alter the dress for you. Seamstresses have been blamed too many times for a dress not looking the way the bride thought it should look and not because of their fault, but because of the poor construction of the dress. The other thing to watch out for is that with that inexpensive price tag can come inexpensive materials and those can make you sweat throughout the day. How good does that look in photos?

One more cautionary note about buying a dress online, often brides go to find their dresses there because they think they’re getting a more inexpensive price – a deal. But is it really? Look at the average price of dresses at Uptown Bride. The average price of dresses sold in our shop is $1100. The most expensive is $3000. So, is the online price really a deal? What about supporting a local business and having a team there to help you with all the issues that might come up from alterations to steaming to accessories.

Have more questions about buying your wedding gown? Give us a call at 505-318-0411 or email us at info@UptownBrideABQ.com