Two weeks ago… I said “YES” to the dress.

I had such an awesome experience that I felt like I needed to write a few helpful tips so that other brides could have the same amazing experience that I had.

Go to a boutique with experienced consultants

I can’t stress this enough. You’ll be able to tell who’s experienced and who isn’t as soon as you walk into a store. Your consultant should be able to help bring your vision to life. In some stores they have girls working there who aren’t really consultants, they are just regular retail associates. You want to avoid stores like that. Read the reviews on bridal boutiques before you visit any.

Make a weekday appointment

You’ll get more attention and probably extra time. On the weekends and Fridays, everything is going to be way more rushed and crowded. You’ll get a better experience if you choose an off-day. I chose a Tuesday and ended up get two and a half hours of time, when the standard appointment length is one and half hours.

Make one appointment at a time

Don’t make appointments at three different stores. The more dresses you try on, the more confused you will be, and the harder it will be to make a decision. I made ONE appointment with the thought that if I don’t find a dress here, then I will make another appointment somewhere else later. I chose a boutique based on the fact that TheKnot.com was showing that most of the dresses I had in my “favorites” were sold at that particular store.

After you find (and pay for) the dress… DO NOT TRY ON ANYMORE DRESSES! You wouldn’t say “yes” when your fiancé proposes and then keep dating other men. So don’t do that when it comes to your dress.