Do:
1. Be flexible
It’s easy to get excited about wedding dress shopping! But, don’t let that lead you into tight alleyways which are difficult to get out of once the true buying begins: remain open to different styles, materials and textures. You never know how you will be inspired once you hit the shops!
2. Remember the time and date of your wedding
Don’t get an off-the-shoulder cut if your wedding is in December – you’ll freeze! Likewise, you might want to consider a lighter material if your big day is in the spring or summer. Consider the seasons and the time of day you will walk down the aisle to feel truly comfortable in the gown you’ve selected.
3. Try second hand
We do love our new things here in Malta. But, buying second-hand might not only save you a huge chunk of money, reducing your waste capacity, but also leave you open to styles and designs you might not have considered before – especially if you’re looking at a vintage 1950s/1960s gown. What a dream!
4. Take your time to think about it
It might not seem like it, but there is actually no rush (especially if you’re like most couples on the island who get engaged two years before they get hitched). Have a look around the shops, speak to a couturier and then have a serious think, looking at your budget and the practicalities of the day. This is not an impulse buy.
5. Be selective with your suppliers
You don’t need to go to every single supplier of wedding gowns on the island (though it may be tempting to wallow in the joy of taffeta). Select three you feel reflect your sense of style and strike up a relationship with the salesperson there, giving him/her an idea of who you are and what direction you’d like to go.
Don’t:
1. Go shopping too early…or too late
It’s very tempting to hit the shops as soon as your partner has put that engagement ring on your finger (and we really mean ‘as soon as’), but the reality is that wedding dress shopping has its own schedule. Don’t go too early, or you’ll be fretting over any changes to your weight in the meantime, and don’t go too late or you might not find what you need!
2. Take everyone with you
Absolutely don’t take every.single.member.of your bridal team. The cacophony of opinions will just confuse you to no end. Try to keep it to your mother and your maid of honour, since they are the ones who know you best. But, keep the others informed, so they have a sense of participating in the process!
3. Be too influenced by your mother
So, this is a big one. It’s so easy to do as your mother says – in every aspect of the big day – and very tempting to keep the peace. But you need to feel comfortable in what you’re wearing, even if your small act of rebellion is simply wearing flats rather than high heels. Be your own person!
4. Or listen only to your friends
Don’t give in to peer pressure. Looking at magazines and chatting about your wedding dress is all fine and dandy but don’t let their taste become yours. You will have a lifetime looking back on these memories, so you want to be sure that what you wore is all you.
5. Ignore your budget
The bottom line is…well…the bottom line. Money speaks, and it shouts out loud. If your budget is €1,500, don’t even consider looking at gowns of €3,000. You’ll just get depressed and, really, it’s not the amount of money you spend which is important but the heart which goes into the choosing of both dress and partner.