Is wedding dress shopping filling you with anxiety?

 
 

You’re not alone!

Does the thought of trying on wedding dresses fill you with stress, or bring about feelings of body image anxiety?

First up; that’s completely OK! And you’re not alone. Many brides-to-be feel panic at the thought of stepping into a bridal boutique and undressing in front of someone you barely know.

We’ve met many brides over the years who have felt this way, and here we’ll chat through tips and advice to hopefully alleviate your worries. Our aim is to make the dress search a wonderful experience to really enjoy. 

Finding your wedding dress is a big thing and we’ll make that personal and special for you.

So grab a cuppa and read on,

Jess & Jenny x

 
 

Chat to us!

Please chat to us about how you’re feeling - if we know how you feel about the search for a wedding dress we’ll be best placed to make the experience as comfortable and perfect for you as we possibly can. 

For some, this might be having a natter with us on the phone/Facetime where we can simply talk through your concerns. For others, it might be the first appointment being focussed on having a browse and understanding the dresses without any pressure to try them on. 

Get in touch with us via email at hello@alexandra-anne.co.uksocial, or pick up the phone on 01246 582925.

 
 

Suss out your guest list

Think about who, if anyone, you’d like to bring with you. Sometimes, coming on your own for an appointment and leaving others’ opinions out of the equation for the time-being might be what’s right for you. It might help narrow down focus on what YOU like and how you feel in each dress, without being swayed by the ‘ooohs’, ‘ahhs’ and ‘ummms’ of an audience. 

On the flip side, you might need your [insert relevant person] there to put you at ease and give you an honest opinion that you really want. 

Basically, go with your gut! Only you know what’s going to make you feel most comfortable.

 
 

Avoid endless scrolling

If you’re worrying about what kind of wedding dress will suit you, try to hold back from endless Pinterest boards and Insta hashtags. Experienced bridal stylists will be able to select dresses that will work with your body and, most importantly, your personality.

They’ll get to know you before even picking out dresses to try on. Having said this, do go to boutiques that hold brands you like - it’s worth doing your research before you go so you don’t feel underwhelmed or like there is nothing out there for you if you are just in the ‘wrong’ shop for you. 

 
 

Throw out the style ‘rulebook’

Know that there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to what dress styles will suit what body shape. We are all unique and different; we all have lumps and bumps in places and we should celebrate that diversity.

So try to forget those body type tick lists and walk in with the knowledge that we’ll celebrate you with the best bridal style out there. 

 
 

Highlight those features

Each year we meet hundreds of brides to be; every one different, and every one amazing. When we see you without clothes on we’re not judging, or analysing. Normally, we’re too busy chatting or getting excited about seeing you in the next dress in the line up! 

We see women in all shapes and sizes; our image of a woman isn’t what you see in the magazines or runways, it’s a diverse spectrum of ‘normal’ people. And the one thing that’s the same for every bride? Every single bride will have features that need highlighting and showing off! 

They might not see it just yet but they are all stunning and we simply enhance those natural highlights and ‘wow’ features with the right dress. 

 
 

We hope this has helped a little in calming any nagging thoughts or fears you might have about shopping for the dress. If we’ve missed anything out or you have questions then please get in touch with us whenever you’re ready. We’re here for you and ready to cheer you on through the experience. 

All you need to know at the end of the day is that we will make it wonderful, and we’ll make you feel completely incredible.