The Bridal Finery is quickly approaching our third anniversary. While the boutique is new to the scene, the owners are not. Tali and Roberta have a combined 25 years of experience in styling brides and in bridal fashion. Take a listen or read below on their tips for how to buy a wedding dress. They are seen as experts in the industry and the ‘go to’ for tips and advice on all things wedding fashion related.

Rudy of Rudy and Marta Photography reached out to Tali and Roberta and invited them to speak on their wedding planning YouTube Channel about wedding gown shopping.

Watch the video as Tali and Roberta share their top tips and advice for brides who are shopping for their wedding gown.

You might be at work and can’t turn that volume on, we totally get it. Here is a little cheat sheet to make your life easier! Enjoy our favorite FAQ’s asked in the video!

How do you source your dresses?

We source our dresses for The Bridal Finery and Now by The Bridal Finery from designers and boutiques. The wedding dresses are all hand-selected with quality in mind. We work with designers directly for our made-to-order collections at The Bridal Finery. For our off-the-rack collections at Now by TBF, we partner with couture boutiques throughout the country to offer dresses available to take home the same day.

Will there be other brides trying on dresses at the same time as my appointment?

Our bridal appointment experience is a private setting. We love making it a special experience for you and your guests. When you book an appointment at The Bridal Finery, we open the store just for you! You get to enjoy walking through the collection of dresses and being styled by owners. We reserve two hours so you so there is no rush and plenty of time to celebrate! Intimate and personalized!

Is it ever too early or too late to shop for a wedding dress?

You can never be too early. We offer a lot of custom changes and you’ll need time for alterations. It’s nice to have some extra time to make sure everything is ready for the wedding day.

We all have our reasons for when and how we would like to shop for our wedding dress. It is completely normal to feel nervous. Reach out to us. We are here to help. Ask us questions and you’ll feel less nervous about taking the first step into wedding dress shopping!

How long do alterations take?

We like to start 2-3 months before your wedding date. We love personalizing for the dress. It may be adding a detailed strap, adding a sleeve, or lowering the backline. Some of these changes take time. If you are not personalizing your dress, you will have standard alteration which includes a hem, bustle and taking in the sides which are approximately two months worth of time. Our seamstress does offer rush options for a two week turn around.

Is there a particular silhouette that works for a certain body type?

We do not believe in categorizing people by their body type. We feel your personal style is way more important for us to know. Ask yourself where do you typically like to shop? For everyday clothes do you feel more confident in v-necks or off the shoulders? Do you like to show of the most trendy color or do you wear neutrals? Wedding dresses made from quality designers fit amazing. We have the opportunity in our boutique to focus more on your personal style and worry less on what flatters. Our dresses fit well, so that part is easy. However, there are certain silhouettes that do work well for everyone, a mermaid is one of them. Ballgowns can be hard to pull off but if you have always dreamed of a ballgown, you should try it on. We will find the right dress. We are not into defining your body by different types of fruit… ex. pear-shaped. There will be a silhouette that will surprise you!

When should you look at bridal accessories?

We believe in showing our clients the whole look. When we find the right dress, we will create three looks with accessories. We don’t think you should buy a wedding dress without seeing it with accessories. It’s the whole look that is important for photos! It’s up to you when you decide to purchase the accessories. We know there are 500 other decisions so if you find the right pieces purchase them and get them ordered. If you like to do things piece by piece then we are always happy to provide you with more appointments. We are always here to help!

Do I need to bring anything to the appointment?

There is nothing you need to bring with you. We have Spanx, bras, pedestal, and beverages. Just don’t come hungry. Make sure to get a snack in at least. If your hair is in a ponytail, we will pin your hair in a low bun for you. If you are wearing your hair down for your wedding day, we suggest styling it for your bridal appointment.

Do you have an in-house seamstress?

Yes, we do! The seamstress does all the fittings at the boutique so that way someone from The Bridal Finery can be involved. We want to be involved and walk the seamstress through all the things we discussed at the initial visit. We are second pair of ears and eyes. We work together to make sure you are happy! We coordinate all the alteration fittings for you.

What is something you should expect when you go shopping for a wedding dress?

Expect to find your wedding dress! We worked hard to make this process easier. It will be completely up to you how many you try on. We are always on board for what you would like to do. We work together to find it! Come in with an open mind and expect to find it!

How many people should I bring with me?

We recommend 3-4 guests. Everyone is different. Do what feels right. For some people 3-4 guests are too many and for others it is not enough. Do you normally make big decisions with groups of people or are you more of a solo shopper? Don’t let anyone pressure you into inviting a large group if that is not your style. We can help you find your dress, get it ordered, and then invite people back for a dress reveal at a later date.

Because it’s advice on how to buy a wedding dress and not just shop for one…

Weddings are expensive. It can be stressful. You might be house shopping too. The money is important, it is a factor in buying a wedding dress. We are not saying to go crazy, but sometimes if you only focus on the money you miss everything! You won’t have to buy another wedding dress next year or in five years, it is a one time thing. We respect all price ranges and we will listen to you. Just don’t make it all about the money either because then you take away some of the joy.