Hello Autumn... Let’s go Wedding Dress shopping!

As I drive to work at 6AM, I notice leaves starting to form on the ground and I need to keep my car headlights on for a much longer time than the previous few weeks. Ah yes, goodbye August, hello September!

The alarm feels more taxing on the dark mornings, but along with autumn comes the little delights I adore indulging in. Switching my coffee order to pumpkin spice, candles all day long and any excuse to dress in cosy clothes both in and out of the house (I am a fluffy pyjama person year round- what an added bonus when it’s actually season appropriate).

September also means the 11-month countdown to myself and Matthew’s wedding day. My first Ulster Tatler Column in July detailed our pretty much nonexistent wedding planning over the last 2 years of being engaged. The timeline since, has went like this:

1. At the one-year countdown, decided doing some wedding planning is probably quite a good idea actually.
2. Realise upon speaking to several vendors that the year in advance mark essentially means 2 years behind in the wedding world and a lot of them are already booked up on our date.
3. PANIC!
4. Spend an intense week creating budget sheets (Matthew) and emailing suppliers with intricate Pinterest inspiration boards attached (Me).

The current update is that most of the big elements are now sorted. In that time frame, I also went wedding dress shopping!

The Northern Ireland fashion and local business scene is ever growing, and in a few short weeks, I felt like I’d completed a crash course in style, shape, locations, time frames and personal experience. If you’re planning on stepping into a Bridal Shop any time soon, allow me to take some of the guess work out of it.

My favorite Bridal Boutiques:
- Verona Bridal (Magherafelt)
- Jill Jones Bridal (Antrim)
- Petticoat Lane (Hillsborough)

Beforehand:
To go in with a style in mind, or totally unbiased? This is the question. When trying on, I found myself loving styles that were totally different from what I had saved on Instagram and Pinterest. Having said that, I knew I had to scratch the itch of trying on the dresses that had been dancing around my head for a week beforehand. Research helped me to feel organised, but an open mind was what really helped me to narrow down my dream dress.

Time Frames:
The boutiques I visited stocked a variety of designers. Some needed to be ordered in months in advance, some of the sample dresses were available to take away on the day. There was also the option to place a ‘rush order’ if tight on time. Speak to the assistant to see what options are available to suit your time frame.

The Appointment:
Avail of the boutique’s website and FAQ’s. Things like coming in fake tan free, wearing seamless underwear and pre determining a budget might seem like common sense, but in the madness of wedding planning, common sense doesn’t always prevail!

Asking the Questions:
The depth of knowledge the assistants provided was an education before so much as trying on a single dress. I didn’t know beforehand that different designers are renowned for different things. Upon the appointments I learned that the signature looks for some brands is their intricate beading and details, for others the focus might be on a boned bodice to enhance your shape.

Finishing thoughts:
Wedding Dress shopping will be as complicated as you make it. Set a budget. Do you research on styles you like and visit the stores that stock those designers. Check reviews of customer service before booking- a warm and welcoming atmosphere really does complete the experience. Don’t make the decision overly difficult by visiting too many stores with similar styles. And finally, go in with an open mind, I really didn’t think I’d be surprised with the dress I ended up choosing, yet here we are.
My experience of wedding dress shopping in Northern Ireland? ...IT GETS AN A+