How to Know You’ve Found Your Wedding Dress (And Why It’s Okay to Stop Looking)
When searching for your wedding dress, you’re going to feel ALL of the emotions, and that’s totally normal! You’re balancing excitement with internal and external pressure—one minute you’re thriving and the next you’re simply trying to survive. We get it, and we’re here for you which is why we’re sharing some of our top tips to help this be a memorable and stress-free ticking of a box rather than a prolonged and anxiety-induced to-do.
With what’s circulating on social media, it’s easy to think that you have to visit multiple bridal stores over multiple weeks to explore all of your options; however, this isn’t true, in fact, it can be quite the opposite. Comparison culture has recently taken over social media and tv shows which only backs this myth. Think about who is creating this narrative—most times, they aren’t experts in bridal nor have experience shopping for a wedding dress in this day and age. Why do we trust them over our own needs and desires?
More appointments don’t always equal better results, truthfully, they can put you in a state of overwhelm. As professionals in the industry, we know that most brides find their dress early in their journey, often at their first or second appointment.
Signs You’ve Found the One
You Feel Like Yourself…Just Elevated
Your partner is marrying you for a reason, don’t walk down the aisle as a stranger! Once, you’ve found the dress that makes you feel confident, comfortable, and aligns with your vision, that’s it.
You Keep Thinking About the Dress
Whether this occurs during your appointment or after your appointment, when all you want to do is put that dress back on, it’s the one.
The Dress Matches Both Your Style and Your Vibe
While your dress doesn’t have to match your venue, it should match your personality. If it feels right for the day you’re planning, you’ve found it.
You Can Picture Walking Down the Aisle in It
Visualization is a strong indicator of certainty. If you can see it, feel it, and can’t imagine anything better, it’s the one.
Your Stylist is Affirming What You Already Feel
Expert trained stylists recognize when it just clicks. If she points out your body language and expressions (likely things you don’t even know you’re doing!), then you’ve found it.
Trusting Your Yes
Your First Yes is Usually Your Truest Yes
You may have heard this saying before, and it couldn’t be more applicable when shopping for your wedding dress. Confidence comes from connection, not quantity.
You Don’t Need to Cry or Have a Movie Moment
Everyone is different, comparison culture once again has created a myth around this. With all of the emotions you’re feeling during this time, sometimes the balance sticks and tears don’t magically fall. Just because you don’t have a random bawling sesh doesn’t mean it’s not the one.
Choosing Your Dress is an Emotional Decision, Not a Logical One
If you’re a T-chart or Venn Diagram lover, you’re likely going to be challenged by this one, but overthinking steals joy. Don’t let yourself get so wrapped up in the small details that you lose your spark. Lean into your feelings and go with your gut!
Why It’s Okay (and Smart!) to Only Go to One or Two Appointments
Here’s the thing, you’re looking for quality over quantity. There are thousands of wedding dresses out there that would look beautiful on you and that you could see yourself walking down the aisle in which is why continuing to shop usually creates confusion.
Decision Fatigue is Real
Although it’s hard to conceptualize, trying on beautiful dress after beautiful dress is exhausting. There is such a thing as too many choices, and that can quickly lead you into analysis paralysis.
Dresses Start to Blur Together
Bridal designers don’t reinvent the wheel each time they design a new gown. If you try on too many similar dresses in search of that one unique gown, you could end up losing sight of what you truly love.
You Stop Comparing Dresses…and Start Comparing Stores
Believe it or not, this does happen mainly because of dress blurring. The experience becomes about shops, not gowns. Again, you risk losing sight of what you really love.
The Emotional High Diminishes with Each Appointment
Your “yes” moment can feel diluted if you try to recreate it. When your emotions are flowing and you have your people there, there’s no better time to say yes to the dress. Let yourself have this moment, you deserve it!
Because of all of this, we do things differently at Adore (and guess what, it’s all for you!). We are a closed-stock store, meaning the majority of our dresses are in what we call the “gown vault”, and your stylist is the only one with keys. You won’t walk in and see racks upon racks of dresses. Trust us to do the pulling for you; our stylists know what these dresses look like on bodies rather than hangers.
Plus, our stylists aren’t just randomly pulling dresses for you—we do our homework! You’ll chat with your stylist beforehand, send inspo pics, create a wishlist, and even receive sneak peeks of gowns if you so choose. We’re all about creating a stress-free and personalized experience from beginning to end. It’s no surprise that many of our brides say yes to the first dress they try on, just one perk of having a one-on-one stylist!
How to Stop Second-Guessing After You’ve Said Yes
This is a big fear of many brides—they procrastinate saying yes to avoid the potential of regret. Whether it’s FOMO, pressure from your crew, anxiety around big purchases, or perfection pressure, the truth is you said yes to that dress for a reason, and you shouldn’t doubt yourself.
Doubting yourself afterward doesn’t mean the dress was wrong—it usually means you’ve had time to overthink. Plus, the emotional high naturally settles. That calmness can feel like doubt, but it’s actually your brain adjusting, not warning you.
Once the dress is ordered, fitted to your body through alterations, and accessorized for your big day, everything clicks into place. Owning your yes is empowering, and you’re going to shine on your wedding day because of that confidence.
So stop looking at gowns, focus on accessories, share the excitement with your bridal party, and trust the version of yourself who confidently said yes!
Remember, the goal is joy, not perfection. Your wedding dress doesn’t have to check every imaginary box—it just has to feel like you. When you’ve found that, it’s okay to stop looking. Choosing your gown early isn’t rushing, it’s clarity.
Looking for a personalized experience and want to hand over the heavy lifting? Book an appointment with our expert stylists! We’d love to help you find your dream dress without the stress!
