How to Pick the Perfect Wedding Dress

It's your special day and you want to look extra special for it too - your wedding day!

Many people only have one wedding in their lifetime, and even if you do have more than one, it's not as though getting married is something you do every day, so you want to look your very best for this very special day and memory. Picking the perfect wedding dress is one of the most important decisions a woman can make after planning the actual wedding itself - so how do you pick the perfect wedding dress?

The first thing you really want to consider when picking the perfect wedding dress for your wedding is to think about the date you have set for your wedding. If you have a summer wedding, you will likely want a lighter, cooler dress and for a winter wedding, you would likely choose a heavier or warmer dress - sleeveless versus long sleeves, or gloves verses bare hands.

The location of your wedding can be important too. An indoor wedding can have different selections for a wedding dress than an outdoor wedding. You may also want to consider how much you have in your budget for your wedding as well as whether or not you are having a formal or casual wedding.

Once you have all these choices made, you can then focus on finding the perfect wedding dress for your special day.

The first thing you need to do in order to find the perfect wedding dress is to find a good store or catalogue that carries wedding dresses you like. Finding a good wedding dress supplier can help you a lot with making your final wedding dress decision. The store should do more than just stock and sell wedding dresses. They should be informed on what looks good, what's in style, how to alter and adjust the wedding dress for each individual woman. Finding the perfect supplier or store for your wedding dress is the first decision you make when picking your perfect wedding dress.

To help you find your perfect wedding dress supplier or store, you need to ask a few questions:

** Does the store provide wedding dress alterations?

** Do the gowns in the store or catalogue come in a variety of styles, such as: sleeveless, long-sleeved, or with different neckline varieties or skirt lengths?

** Are there matching accessories available for your wedding dress, such as veils, trains, headpieces, etc.?

** Can you order your bridesmaid's dresses to compliment the wedding dress from the same store?

** Can you receive a discount on the dress if you order your entire wedding party outfits from the same store?

** Can the store handle all your alterations for bridesmaids and the wedding dress and do it in a timely manner?

** Does the store offer written estimates on alterations so you can budget for your wedding and not be hit with hidden charges?

** Do they do rush jobs on wedding dress alterations if you have to have a last minute bridesmaid changes or if someone gains or looses weight significant enough to need alterations before the wedding?

** And lastly, what are the return/refund policies for your wedding dress and the other gowns?

** Can you check out your gown prior to the wedding for photo opportunities?

Once you know these things, you are ready to begin actually picking the perfect wedding dress for you. This is an important decision for your wedding, so it's not one that should be made quickly. If you see a dress you absolutely love, you need to be sure to try the wedding dress on before you make a final decision. As beautiful as the gown may be, wedding dresses can look completely different once you are wearing one.

After you have made your decision, don't place your order right away. Give yourself something I like to call 'the 24-hour rule'. This is a rule in which I will not any major life decisions without waiting 24 hours before I make it firm. A wedding dress is an important decision for your wedding, so giving yourself 24 hours to think about it and let it sit with you is not really asking too much. Plus, you can use the 24 hours to explore other wedding dress suppliers and see if something else doesn't just jump out at you that might be a better choice.

Some women have opted for choosing a wedding dress that can be used for other occasions after the wedding. You can choose a gown that is able to be altered for other formal occasions, dyed to be a different color, or have parts removed to make it a completely different formal gown or dress to be used for anniversary celebrations or special formal gatherings in the future while retaining the sentimental value. If this is something that interests you, be sure to ask the salesperson you'd like to see gowns like this before you choose your wedding dress.

Your wedding dress should compliment your best features and downplay those that are not your favorite. If you have a nice chest and attractive cleavage area, a low neckline can bring about a very alluring look. A woman with many curves and a full body can look very beautiful in a bodice-fitted V cut waistline, which will also help larger hips look slimmer.

The salesperson at the store where you purchase your wedding dress or the seamstress on staff there can help you pick selected dresses to accentuate your positive features and downplay your negative ones.

Ultimately, the wedding dress you choose should compliment you, make you feel absolutely beautiful, and make you really stand out on your special day - so it's not an easy decision to make, but if you follow these tips, you will find the perfect wedding dress for yourself at a reasonable price.