How many dresses did you try? And shops did you visit?

I went to 2 shops and tried on about 7 - 8 dresses in each (although took me about 3 hours). In one of the shops I found a dress that I really liked and tried it on about 3 times but it wasn't perfect and lets be honest your wedding dress should be one thing that is perfect and that you just think 'wow' about.

So if you aren't happy then dont settle for something. Continue to look if you can motivate yourself, I'm not a shopping person either so I completely understand!

Maybe go in a couple of months (definitely before the 6 months mark at least though).

Could it be a possibility to get your dress made? That is what I am doing and that way I can get all the bits of the dresses that I liked put into one perfect dress just for me!

I only visited one shop and spent an hour trying on 5 dresses.

The dress I have bought was the second I tried on and I knew it was 'the one' because I didn't want to take it off, even though I had more to try.

I suppose everyone is different, but I agree with NB that you should maybe give yourself a break from looking (if you have the time) and make sure that you try on every style of dress available, even the ones you wouldnt dare try on. I was determined that I was having a specific style of dress and when I tried it on it wasn't as wow as I thought it would be. I have ended up with something very different.

HTH Nic x

Yeh I agree with that as well about trying on styles that you didn't think you would like. I had a style in mind that I really liked but I just didn't like the way it looked on me so definitely try everything in the shop! You might be surprised!

Oh i know exactly how you feel. I really dont like shopping and it takes me ages to buy something if i need it. I am indesisive, and i get fed up quickly.

I tried on 7-8 dresses in a shop, and i had a particular favorite - but it didnt make me go wow. I then went to a family friends shop, and tried on the same amount. I had 2 favorites there.

It was then that i made the decision not to go to anymore shops. I went back to the first one, and tried on the dress i liked, then went back to the other and tried the 2 i liked again. I used comon sense to wittle my choice down, by decideing that although i loved the other dress i would kick myself if i didnt have a fuller skirt, so then i just kept swapping between the 2 dresses in the family friends shop. The more i swapped and stood in them, a better feel i got. Eventually i chose the one with the fab back - as that was important to me. It wasnt until i uttered the words 'this one' that i could relax - and now i love it!!! I am so thrilled with my choice! After i had decided, the lady in the shop said to me 'i knew you would choose that one eventually' i asked why and she said it had everything i specified when i first came in - and then she told me that i said wow when i first put it on - its only a vague memory to me, but it all kind of fell in to place when she said that. I asked her why she didnt steer me towards it, and she just said she never gives an oppinion.

I just have shoes to get now - i think i might wear trainers......

as for timing, in both the shops i went to they wanted around 8 months before the wedding to have it ordered - so that there was pleanty of time for fittings etc etc. Personally i wouldnt leave it too long x

Hi Ladies,

This thread is really helpful for me too as I am going to start looking for dresses soon.

Hope you all found/find your perfect dresses :-)

x

I tried on a handful of 'proper wedding' dresses in a 'proper' shop and had settled on one I liked. Then I was walking through BHS with my mum and she pointed out a bridesmaid dress saying how nice it was. Half an hour later we left the shop with it and I LOVE it!! I can move some much better than in a normal wedding dress (The one I was going to get stood up on its own when I took it off. I'm not really a girly girl so the bridesmaid dress suited my personality much better!

What I'm getting at is persevere and keep an open mind! If you aren't 100% happy with what you get, you'll only be on here with dress wobbles a month before the wedding so make sure its right!

I had 4 shopping trips.

The first was to one shop and I tried on practically every dress they had.

The second was to 4 shops and I tried on over 30 dresses that day, I did really get to grips on the type of dress I wanted that day. This meant I then rang around local shops to find places that had a sample of the type of dress I wanted.

Trip number 3 - was approx 4 shops trying on 1-2 dresses in each (I could now look along the rail and pick out exactly what I may like).

Trip 4 was a designer day to try on a dress I'd seen on trip 3 but they were doing 10% off, I bought a different dress though, but by the same designer and very very simiar (Basically a dress version of the top and skirt I went in to try on).

I'd say keep at it, you will be disappointed if you don't and you don't have any time pressure at the moment so that's better than waiting 3 months when all the shops will stress you out saying you need to order that week.

I didn't have a this is the one feelinng though, or cry etc... but then I'm not that type of person. I just knew it had all the elements I was looking for, well except a bit more sparkle but as it was a UK designer they were happy to add that on for me.

So keep going, try and work out what you do and don't like then you can easily narrow down your search.

I ordered my dress on saturday which was my second day of looking. The week before I went to one shop with my mum and didnt have a clue what I wanted as I wasnt sure what would suit. The girl in the shop was great and made a few suggestions as to what would suit me. I tried 4-5 on and liked two of them. i had three appointments on Saturday, again trying on mostly same styles, although two of the shops were awful! In total on Saturday I think I tried on about 15 dresses. The one i ordered was one I tried on in the first shop, I went back after all my appointments. I didn't have "the one" feeling, although didn't think I would, although I am very happy with the dress I've ordered. So all in all I think i looked in five shops and tried on close to twenty dresses!

Very boring here I'm afraid! 1 shop 1 dress!

I knew what I wanted, didn't think I would find it thought I would have to have it made, went to a local shop that advertises bespoke gowns & there it was?

Just had second fitting & still love it, although I had a minor wobble a couple of months ago, looking back I think I was looking for things to worry about!! Just can't wait to wear it now?

The first wedding dresses I tried on were in an Oxfam bridal store - I probably tried on about 10 but none of them were 'right' although that did confirm that the style I thought I wanted was indeed what I should go for. On the same day I went to Debenhams and tried on around another 20 dresses...basically all the bridal dresses they had there! There was one dress I quite liked and we ordered it in my size (because the one in the shop was too big) but that was more to see what it was like when it fitted properly than anything else. I went to those 2 shops with my mum.

About 2 weeks later I went to a proper bridal shop - a huge one that has around 300 dresses in stock so loads of choice. I took my mum and my nan with me. I probably tried on about 15 - 20 dresses and the last but one was 'my' dress...I felt lovely in it and when I came out both mum and nan cried, so I knew it was the right one! I'm obviously really quick at trying on dresses cos we must have only been there for an hour and a half max...I don't get how you could only try 8ish dresses in that time!

(I also tried on about another 5 dresses a month or so after my actual dress came in, because I was having wobbles and decided I wanted something different - fortunately it helped me realise my dress was lovely really!)

Actually, compared to the shop I got my dress from, that one was awful - it really didn't feel like a fun experience and took the girl ages to get each dress, put it on, put it away etc. Perhaps try another shop cos it might just be the experience in the shop that's putting you off? But try not to put pressure on yourself, that will probably make it harder for you to decide...maybe take a couple of weeks off and then look again?

Where are you from Milna?

Mine was the first one i tried on! I popped into monsoon to see what was in the sale, saw it and loved it, but thought I was probably just getting a bit carried away. Tried on a few other styles, but liked first one the best. Left it, thinking at least I knew for sure what style I wanted. Couldn't stop thinking about it, and knew I would end up kicking myself if I didn't get it, as being in sale meant I had to get it now or never. Went back 4 days later and thankfully it was still there, had my children with me(!) tried it again, still loved it so bought it.

Clare xxx

Three shops , six dresses.

I really didn't like the dress shopping experience , the first two shops were not helpful , the second left me in my underwear with the curtain open looking out into the shop , so wouldn't have ordered from there anyway.

The third shop , i felt really relaxed when i walked in , the assisstants were lovely , not too much , not too little which made me want to spend more time in there.

I ordered mine & bm's dresses the next day & stopped looking at that point except for on here , at everyone's lovely dresses.

I completely understand how you feel - I am still looking for a dress to this day. This Saturday will be my 5th day of looking and I will be on my 12th shop by the end!

1st week - 3 shops

2nd week - 2 shops

3rd Week - 2 shops

4th week - 3 shops

Saturday - 3-4 shops

I have also been back to 3 of the shops more than once to try on favourites again!

I have tried on about 10 dresses in each shop. I found the 1st two weeks quite exciting - but have now got quite fed up with it all - I want my weekends back but I dont want to make a rush decision.

I have liked a lot of dresses, the main thing that has made me take a long time is that I am quite an indecisive person anyway (have chatted to my mum and BM loads for advice) but also I have needed to get a feel for what sort of style dress I could see myself in on the day. Now I do think I know which dress I am going to pick but I have become quite obsessive and want to make sure for definite that there isn't a better one out there so am going to other shops to make sure

I am not the type of person to have a wow reaction but I do smile a lot more when I like one. I have also found typically that the shops and staff that I like aren't necessarily the ones where I like the dress and vice versa. But throughout my experience I have just learnt to focus beyone the shops that arent so good interms of service because it is the dress that matters the most!

It's nice to hear someone else feels the same way because I have begun to feel weird because most people have said "I found mine in the 1st or 2nd shop I went to" but then I realised I am not that type of shopper anyway, I will always make sure I go around all shops before making a final decision on a purchase so I assume that shopping for my dress is actually no different to how I normally shop...

I went to 6-7 shops and tried on at least 50-60 dresses.

All these shops/dresses that everyone has been to/tried on!?!

I haven't set foot in a bridal shop and I got my dress 7 months ago?

I didn't go in any bridal shops or try any dresses on apart from the one I got.

Hey Sarah im not sure if you remember me telling you your dress was lovley but i couldnt have it because it was pink !

well i have now bought my dress its lovley and its a bit like yours by Ronald Joyce but it is light gold so will go really well with my brown and creme colours .

Just thought id let you know

kelly x x

Yes I remember! Sounds lovely any pics?

Im Afraid i didnt take the camera and i cant get a pic off website you cant copy them

but if you wanna have a look go to RJ website click book then page 20 .

That's lovely!! (But then I am biased ?) Is that colour you are having too?

Yes im having it in Ivory/gold , the pic doesnt do it justice its alot nicer IRL and its a bit darker .

It should be in the shop november i will take camera get some piccis then

x x

I tried on one....the one I wore on my wedding day!?

I tried only one too, i knew it was the one for me straight away!

I am probably not the person you want to respond, I went to one shop and had a two hour appointment. I must have tried on around 30 dresses, but the one I bought was the second one I tried on. It's funny, the dress I wound up wearing was not my choice, the bridal assistant picked it out and I hated it, totally not what I was looking for, but it looked amazing once it was on.

Be as fussy as you like, firstly, it's a lot of money for something you will only wear once, secondly, I wasn't happy with my dress on the day (woman took it up too much and it showed my shoes) It made such a difference to my confidence on the day and I don't like a lot of our wedding photos because of the dress. I never thought it was that important and I hate shopping at the best of times, but, keep trying and you will learn the style you like, which will narrow it down.

Good luck