Look online or through magazines to get a handle on what type of dress you like. Are you mad for ball gowns or do you see yourself in a slinky sheath? Please, please, please keep in mind to only use this as a tool for ideas for a dress, don't attempt to find THE dress through Maggie Sottero's website. You may never find that dress at any store and you will drive yourself crazy. I don't ever suggest ordering a gown that you have not had on your body. The models for those gowns are 5'10 and weigh 100 pounds so unless you're built identically, the dresses will look completely different on you. Once you have a few ideas swirling in your head, either print them out or tear them out to bring with you as you shop. Pictures are worth a thousand words and will help your sales associate get inside your head.
Have a budget before going in. You don't want to leave your budget open ended, only to fall in love with a gown twice the price of what you can spend. There are lovely dresses found at every price point, so stay true to what fits your price point.
I think it's best to go with only a few people. I have seen way too many brides in tears over all the opinions spewed at them. This is
your wedding dress, people tend to like what they would personally wear. Your mom's advice that a certain detail is making your booty look big is good to know. If she tells you she hates corset backs, and you love them, ignore her.
Wear your hair close to how you think you will wear it on the day. This doesn't mean you need to have it done at a salon, but, if you want a low chignon wear your hair in a pony tail. This way your consultant can put a veil on you where you'll be wearing one, and you can get a better idea of the whole picture.
You should bring undergarments, even though most stores have corset bras to try on with, do you really want to wear a bra put on by hundreds of people before you? Yuck. If you are at all conscious of your weight it's also not a bad idea to bring Spanx. I could practically be a spokes model for this company, so if you don't own a pair, go buy some!
Be open minded. A huge majority of the gowns I've sold have been to brides who at first turned their noses up at the gown. The dresses look so different on, and a good consultant knows how the dresses fit and how it should look on you. Trust the person you are working with and if it were me, I'd ask them to pull a few "wild cards" to try on.
Don't try on too many. The girls who try on 200 dresses are miserable, everything runs together and it's nearly impossible to choose one. There is no end to pretty things in the bridal world, so don't do yourself a disservice and put on every dress at every store in a 100 mile radius. Very few people have a crying "Say Yes to the Dress" moment. For many brides it's a logical choice that requires some thought. Try to leave every store with three favorites, at most, sleep on it, and go back. Many brides come back to try on by themselves, it's just easier to make a decision that way.
Keep your wedding in mind. If you're getting married on the beach, it's not quite appropriate to order a satin ball gown. It's best to be practical and not lose sight of the big picture. While you won't be as comfortable as when you're wearing your favorite sweat pants, you do want to be somewhat at ease.
If you get extremely torn and can't choose, try to picture your wedding day. There is a difference between a beautiful dress and your wedding dress. If one makes you feel a little more "bridal," then it's probably your dress. When that doesn't work, imagine if one of the two or three dresses were discontinued. Would you be more upset about one gown than another? And lastly, not that his opinion matters too much, (obviously he will think you are stunning regardless of what you wear) is there one dress that your fiance would like more than the others?
