How To Know You’ve Found the White Dress
You’ve found your soulmate, pinned down a date, selected the venue, chosen your color scheme, honed in on your honeymoon destination, and strategically assembled the seating arrangement at the reception…but have you found your dress??
One of the most important decisions you will make as a bride is what you will be wearing on your big day. After all, the dress is a statement about you and embodies the vision you have for your entire wedding day. Not to mention that pictures of you will last for generations to come and there is no avoiding the photographic evidence of your epic fashion decision on that day.
Most brides come into salons with the expectation that there will be a tell-tale sign or overwhelming feeling that encompasses them when they’ve found their dream dress. Surely, if tears start to trickle down your cheeks, then you must have found “The One,” right? What if you’re not a crier? What if you don’t feel that tingle? What if you are an analytical decision-maker and not driven by emotion? What if you feel beautiful in this dress, but maybe there is something out there that makes you feel even MORE beautiful?
In this generation of countless Instagram posts and Pinterest boards on every topic under the sun, it’s easy for you to get sucked into the culture of endless swiping and shopping. How do you finally decide you’ve found your dress? After working with many brides over the years, we’ve noticed these common traits when you have found your dream dress.
1. You feel amazing in it. You love the way you look and know that this dress has all others beat. There is absolutely no comparison. If you were to think about the other dresses you’ve tried on, you will always be able to find something that wasn’t quite right with them. This dress makes you feel happy and confident and forget about any flaws you’ve ever thought you had with your figure.
2. You can picture yourself in it. You will be able to picture your father walking you down the aisle in your childhood church towards your soulmate. Perhaps, you can see yourself walking on the white, sandy beach with the breeze blowing through your hair at your destination wedding. Maybe you can imagine yourself dancing the first dance with your groom underneath the subtle twinkle of the stars. When you’ve found your dress, you’ll begin to move and sway in it, picturing all the things you will be doing on your wedding day.
3. It suits your personality. Whether you want a classic silhouette that will never go out of style or a more trendy dress, it should reflect your unique personality and style. Whatever you choose, however, it should make you feel the very best version of yourself.
4. Your body language says it all. We can tell when you’ve found your dress without saying a word. You stand a little taller with an air of poise and confidence, which we’ve never seen in any other dress. You appear confident yet comfortable. Your shoulders are back, your head held high and your posture says that you feel like a million bucks. Oh, and don’t forget that smile that goes from ear to ear.
5. You love it regardless of others’ opinions. Brides are often looking for reassurance from the people in their entourage to let them know they’ve made the right choice in their wedding dress. Mom may have strong feelings about a long train and cathedral-length veil. Grandma may insist that you wear white instead of an ivory dress with a blush underlay. Don’t forget the future mother-in-law who wants the dress to be conservative without a plunging neckline. Although the family is allowed to have their opinions, ultimately, it is your decision and when you are loving your dress, it won’t matter what anyone else has to say about it.
6. You want to see it with a veil. There is something about placing a lightweight, soft piece of tulle that drapes beautifully over your shoulders that makes it all become real. No longer is it just an afternoon of playing dress up and trying on beautiful gowns. Suddenly, you realize you are going to be someone’s wife and it becomes very evident, at that moment, that your life is going to change.
7. You won’t want to take it off. You have found your dress. It checks off all the boxes from your wish list. It suits your personality and the venue. Your mom, grandma and future mother-in-law all approve and it’s even within your budget! You’ve been asked the most important question of the day and you’ve said, “Yes to the Dress!” The only thing left to do is to take it off. After you gaze into the mirror, spin around to watch your dress twirl, pull your hair up to imagine your wedding hairstyle, practice walking with an
imaginary bouquet, you finally let out that unforgettable phrase that says it all….“I don’t want to take it off!”
That, my bride-to-be, is how you know you’ve found “the white dress.”
