Bridal gown online shopping.

Have you considered it?

If you’re like most brides, you’ve envisioned shopping for your wedding gown at one point or another in your lifetime. To some, the ritual of gathering your best friends and closest family members to sip champagne while you search for the perfect dress to “say yes” to, is one of the first to-do’s on the wedding planning checklist. But, have you considered shopping for your bridal gown online?

“According to The Knot 2020 Wedding Attire Study, nearly half of females (45 percent) said COVID impacted how they searched for attire,” says Shelley Brown, The Knot’s senior fashion and beauty editor. “The main change being they did more research online.”

Shopping online can inspire numerous opportunities.

Here are a couple of the pros of shopping for your bridal gown online:

1. When you walk into a store, you’re often limited to what’s inside those four walls, but the internet opens the door to unlimited possibilities. You are suddenly able to have access to any designer, style, trend or variation, whether it’s local to your or states away.
2. You can be much more efficient with your time. Let’s face it, we’re all busy, and time is not a luxury that most of us have at our disposal. Using the internet to locate or narrow down your top wedding gown options, can be much more efficient than visiting multiple boutiques and trying on dresses that may not fit what you’ve been daydreaming about.

With any large purchase, you may be hesitant to press the order button, so it’s important to remember a few key factors before making your purchase:

1. REAL REVIEWS
   Look for “real-life” reviews. What can be more valuable than hearing the words of other shoppers who were in your same boat not long ago? Be sure to look at the reviews every company posts to ensure that they are a reputable source for one of the most important dresses you’ll be in your lifetime. (Hint: Diane’s Bridal Boutique posts real reviews, from real brides who have shopped with us. You can visit our reviews page, as well as submit your own if you’ve shopped with us before).
2. IF IT’S TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT’S PROBABLY NOT TRUE
   A good rule of thumb is if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. We recommend brides be wary of stores promising high-end designer gowns for unbelievably low prices. Pay attention to the URL and the overall look and feel of the online store.
3. DON’T FORGET TO LOOK AT THE FINE PRINT
   Understand the fine print before making your purchase. From the return policy to the shipping costs and the length of time between order and delivery, it’s essential to understand what you are purchasing and what the expectations will be.
4. SIZING
   Sizing for bridal gowns can be different than any other clothing that you’ve purchased before. It’s important to take your measurements and compare them to a size chart or talk to the boutique staff to ensure that you are ordering what will work best for you.

What to look for:

When shopping in person at a bridal boutique, you can likely rely on the staff to point you in the right direction as to what dress styles are trending or may work best for your body type. When shopping online, you’ll find endless inspiration but a little less hand-holding through the purchase process. At Diane’s Bridal Boutique, we want to provide you with as much direction and inspiration as we can, to help you make the gown purchase that’s right for you. We are in agreement with Brides.com about a few of the top trending gown styles this year.

Sexy Cutouts:

A trend we continuously saw throughout Bridal Fashion Week was cutouts. Designers dared to be bold and used this design element to turn traditional gowns into modern masterpieces. These cutouts truly embodied this sexy silhouette with both tasteful and contemporary pieces.

Example: Lihi Hod

Colorful Hues

Break the rules, it doesn’t have to be white anymore! Designers fully understood the assignment this season, creating showstopping looks that break the all white tradition, embrace individuality, and push the boundaries within bridalwear.

Example: Andrew Kwon

Square Necklines

A dress’s neckline is one of the most noticeable components of an ensemble, though oftentimes, within bridal fashion it becomes an afterthought. Thankfully, this season’s collections brought the attention back to this design detail. While sweetheart necklines had their moment to shine, square necklines also made a huge debut down the runways.

Example: Dana Harel

Voluminous Ruffles

Nothing says bridal quite like ruffles, and we couldn’t be more excited to see this trend within the majority of the Fall 2022 collections. From full voluminous skirts to ruffled hemlines and tiered tulle, this cascading style is quintessential for those who want to feel like the belle of their ball.

Example: Marchesa

Bell Sleeves

These beautifully flared sleeves emerged during the Medieval Era, made their way through the 70s, and are now back as a top trend today.

Example: WONA Concept

Corset Bodices

Back and better than ever is the re-emergence of corset bodices. This structural element allows brides to accentuate their figures, while still paying homage to the traditional silhouette of a wedding gown.

Example: Nadia Manjarrez Studio Bridal

More than just a gown:

At Diane’s Bridal Boutique, we offer more than just the gown. With any gorgeous wedding look, there are other items to consider. From hairstyle and shoes to veils and accessories, a bridal look involves more than the gown. As with gowns, in 2022 bridal accessories and styles are no longer following traditional rules. From chic birdcage veils and unexpected gloves to multiple dress changes, splashes of color, and unconventional accessories like sunglasses, chokers, and tights, nothing is off limits to a modern bride. Today’s bride should feel comfortable expressing her personality and style, without having to follow “old school” bridal rules.

Are you interested in shopping our online gown collection? Click here. 

Interested in discussing your wedding day look and wishlist? Contact us today to set up a time to chat.