10 Questions to Ask When Shopping for Your Wedding Dress

Questions to Ask When Wedding Dress Shopping – Bridal Musings – Moonlight Bridal – Val Stefani 9

So it’s time to start shopping for a wedding dress, but where to begin? With endless designers online it can quickly start to feel like an overwhelming task. Maybe you’ve already scheduled your first appointment to begin trying on wedding gowns, but you still feel a little out of the loop.

No worries here! We’ve teamed up with Moonlight Bridal and Val Stefani to bring you a list of our top questions to ask while buying your dream dress. We’re sprinkling in stunning looks from Val Stefani and Moonlight Bridal to lighten up your dress search as you read through our advice from a real-life bridal stylist (that’s me, Christina!).

Gowns from both of these design houses offer you gorgeous and detailed inspiration and serve as a beautiful reminder that buying your wedding dress should be stress-free and a little bit magical. Their signature statements of hand-beading, cascading ruffles, and exquisite laces transcend generations and time – you’re bound to fall for some of these gowns!

After reading our advice, you can download & print our question checklist to bring to your wedding dress appointment at the end of the post. Happy shopping!

What to Ask Before Your Appointment

How does the appointment work?

Give the shop a quick call a week or so before your scheduled appointment. This not only will help you feel excited about shopping, but it will help you have a good idea of what to expect when you visit. Every shop runs things differently – from appointment time, to how many guests you can bring, to how many styles you can try on. I promise calling ahead will help calm some nerves!

Do you have any promotions?

Whether it’s a trunk show, a visiting designer, or a purchase incentive (like freebies or discounts) it’s nice to know your options for what’s going on in the shop! You might score an amazing deal or even have a chance to meet the designer of your dress!

Can I bring this?

Some brides have a special item they want to wear on their wedding day. It will help your stylist know if you are planning anything specific so they can make sure to incorporate any heirlooms or accessories into your appointment and make sure that great-grandmother’s veil gets its chance to shine.

Also, every shop has different food & beverage rules, and it’s polite to know what you are allowed to have in tow before you show up with a bottle of champagne (they may be treating you to some bubbly already anyway!).

Questions to Ask at Your Appointment

What do you think would work for my style?

I’m a fan of showing brides something that might be a little different than what they originally set out to try on. It helps answer the “what if I missed anything?” feeling that some brides experience, and gives a little peek at something slightly out of the box.

Sometimes people fall in love with the total opposite of what they set out to buy, so if that happens to you, that’s okay. A stylist’s recommendation is a great way to see if there’s something that might still feel like “you” that you wouldn’t normally be drawn to.

How would you style this dress?

Sometimes dress designs will come with matching sashes, removable overskirts, or detachable bows or sleeve details. These cool counterparts are not always displayed right next to their corresponding gowns, and you could be missing a cool matching cape option that happens to be hanging someplace else in the shop. Sometimes there’s a veil that pairs so perfectly with a gown that it’s a match made in stylist heaven.

I love being asked about accessories because I can combine a bride’s particular style with my knowledge of our stock, and create a look catered to them.

Can I customize this dress in any way?

A great way to make your gown more unique is by customizing certain details. Sometimes that means changing the lining color (think, champagne versus ivory!) or sometimes that means raising or lowering a neckline.

Plenty of designers will offer custom changes, including Moonlight Bridal & Val Stefani! So ask your stylist, especially if you are looking for something more specific, it will help keep your options open. Keep in mind the these changes will incur additional costs for the changes.

Will I need alterations?

Yes. The answer is almost always yes. Each bridal shop works differently on how they manage brides and alterations. Knowing what to expect will help you budget for additional charges beyond the purchase of the dress, as well as the time needed for alteration appointments.

What’s a bustle? How does this dress bustle?

Depending on the fabric of your dress, the style of the gown, or the length of the train, you’ll probably need to get a bustle added to your dress. This means that you can tie up the train after the wedding so you can move more freely throughout the night. For all your bustle questions, you can also check out this article to help you decide what works best for you!

What’s my timeline?

Ask about when you should order in relation to your wedding date. Some designers have longer lead times and can fall anywhere between 6-9 months for your dress to be made – and many offer expedited services for additional costs. If you make any changes or customizations to your gown that might add to the timeline. This can help you understand if you should be ready to purchase sooner, or if you have time to keep shopping around.

What if I need anything after I buy my dress?

I’ve had plenty of brides have questions after purchasing their dress. So if that means you are curious about what undergarments would work best with this dress or are wondering where is the best location to shop for bridesmaid gowns, your stylist can help guide you in the right direction.

Essential Info

Head over to the Val Stefani and Moonlight Bridal websites to find your dream princess ball gown and find a stockist or trunk show near you.

Follow Val Stefani on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest for romantic ball gown inspiration, a-plenty. You can also find even more inspiration Moonlight Bridal on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

This post is made in partnership with Moonlight Bridal and Val Stefani.