One of the best things to look forward to when it comes to getting married is choosing the dress you’ll wear when you walk down the aisle. It’s a garment you’ll treasure forever and it’s one in which you’ll take your first steps of married life.

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There are so many factors to think about when it comes to picking your perfect wedding dress. From wedding style to budget, here’s a guide on how to pick the wedding dress of your dreams.

RESEARCH

When it comes to picking your wedding dress, first thing’s first: research. It’s something that every aspect of a wedding needs, and the gown is no exception. You’ll definitely thank yourself down the road for the research you do.

Social media and the internet is an incredible way to conduct research for your wedding dress. When it comes to social media platforms, Instagram is probably best. While the explore page is a handy tool to utilize, it’s worth also bookmarking photos of celebrities from their own wedding day.

You can garner inspiration from such posts and see if their gowns spark any interest. It’s definitely something worth saving for when you do visit a gown store in the future. Additionally, you can look at designers’ and brands’ pages for inspiration.

Of course, the go-to website for thousands of brides is Pinterest. This is also a great resource to find inspiration. There’s a plethora of businesses sharing their products and a number of brides sharing their big day, too.

It’s important to keep these images of gowns you might like together in a mood board that you can use for future reference. It’s one thing to keep things straight and tidy, but another pro about Pinterest is that you’ll know there are multiple options if one doesn’t work out.

READ MORE: Create A mood board | Wedding style

STYLE

When you’re doing your research you’ll probably start feeling like the possibilities are endless. Something that’ll help you narrow down your search is knowing your wedding style. With every wedding style comes a number of appropriate wedding gowns.

If you’re thinking about having a classic-style wedding, the classic princess-style gown might be for you. It’s what you see most of the time in film and TV and it’s the kind of style the royals don for their own ceremonies.

These kinds of gowns are more traditional and feature common wedding material like lace and silk. If you’re opting for a full gown like this, there’s no way it can go wrong with a traditional style- ceremony. However, try to pair it with a more modern or rustic theme, and it might look out of place.

You might have more flexibility when choosing your big day attire if you’re hosting a modern wedding. With a modern style, you can take a more experimental route. For your wedding attire, you can add metals, unique fabrics, and patterns or splashes of color.

For your modern wedding, it’s worth remembering that your perfect dress might not even be a dress. You can opt for a chic power suit or a jumpsuit, all of which can add that contemporary element you’re looking for. Additionally, it’s easier to party in these options, more than a gown.

If you’re going down the rustic route, you can opt for a more casual option. Given that rustic weddings have a more outdoor and natural feel, it would be practical to choose a lighter option than lug around a full-on gown.

SILHOUETTE

Once you’ve got a good idea of what you’re looking for in terms of style and have a number of images and sources to draw inspiration from, now you can start narrowing down even further by silhouette.

There are a number of silhouettes that’ll get the job done, but it’s a matter of knowing which gown will give you the effect you’d like.

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If you’re going for the regal look at your classic style wedding, the ball gown might work for you. It gives you a bell-shaped skirt with the dreamy flow with a form-fitting bodice that should pair easily with any kind of accessory you choose to wear.

The mermaid silhouette, on the other hand, is a much more glamorous approach to the wedding gown. Typically a strapless gown, the mermaid gives off a more sultry effect with an elongated, hourglass body with a skirt that flares out at or just above the knees.

Another common silhouette for wedding dresses is the A-line. It’s a wedding silhouette that flatters all body types, from the slimmer to curvier. It accentuates the brides’ narrowest point with a bodice that stops right at the ribs continued with a skirt that flows down.

When you get to a bridal shop, you’ll see that there’s a wide variety of silhouettes beyond even Pinterest’s own imagination. However, it’s best to have a silhouette in mind as a point of reference, then you can ask staff for suggestions and their thoughts.

PATIENCE

Once you’ve considered the above categories, you feel that you should be set to find the dress of your dreams right off the bat. But it’s worth remembering that every good thing takes time, including your dream gown.

That said, it’s important to be patient throughout the process. While finding and trying on your dresses can be an exciting time, try not to rush things as that might bring about more difficulties. If you’re feeling just lukewarm on the first dress you try on, maybe it would be best to take note of it incase you’re unable to find exactly what you’re looking for.

When you get to the shop, be decisive with what you want, but also be open to suggestions. The staff at bridal shops are only trying to help you make your big day one worth remembering.

BUDGET

Finally, the most important aspect of finding the perfect dress: budget. Unless you’re waving around a blank check or made of money, your budget will most likely be the deciding factor in your wedding gown decisions.

You might have to say no to the high-budget dress to save your own means, but there’s a high probability that there’s a similar dress on the market for less money. If that’s the case, which it often is, you just have to put even more elbow grease into research and contacting stores.

If you’re not into spending thousands on a dress that you’ll wear only once, then there are many other options for you that won’t break the bank. Especially if you’re not the superstitious type, you can wear a relative’s dress, thrift one, or browse wedding gown rental sites.

Your wedding dress is the last thing family will see you wear as a single woman and the first thing you’ll sport as a married one. So given its prominence during that transition, your wedding dress is a pretty big deal.

We hope that we’ve provided you a cohesive guide to find that perfect, or near-perfect, dress for all you brides out there. Remember, there are multiple options and your dream wedding dress might be the opposite of what you envisioned. Just stay open-minded and patient, as you would in married life.