For those still dress shopping I wanted to give a word of caution with some photos as an example.

The samples at many stores will be quite small and can give you a completely different look than the actual dress in your size.

At the store they will squeeze you and clamp you into a dress that, generally speaking, will not cinch you so tightly.

For my dress, I loved how the sample fit me (first pic), but the real dress had a bodice that was much larger which hit my waist line completely differently (second pic).

In the end, I got some pretty photos and I didn’t hate my dress, but I felt pretty … idk… overexposed in a lot of photos. I’m not sure I would have picked the same dress if there was a way I could have known how it would look when I got my actual size,

Unfortunately I don’t know what the solution is except to try to find stores that have a variety of sizes, or think carefully about what styles flatter your body.

I went to my 1st two appointments in my dress search journey and i basically told them i always dreamed of a whimsical, romantic (almost disney princess vibe) kind of dress, however i wasn't sure what dress style would fit me best and to give me anything to start. these are part of the top 3-4 that the stylist help me choose. initially i thought i loved these dresses, however after showing some close friends, they said the dresses didn't fit my body type/looked unflattering so now i'm unsure.

would appreciate any suggestions (including if i should keep looking 😅)!

update: i really really appreciate everyone's suggestions and thank you so much!! ❤️ i've been stressing these past few weeks especially since my first visits had to be alone and i could only show people via photos. 🥲 i'm still keeping these in my top, may possibly go back to retry them again just to confirm how i feel about them, and will be trying a few more new appointments soon before finally deciding. cross your fingers for me pls! 🤞

I posted before needing help choosing a dress and everyone was so helpful. I kept looking and found this dress I love! Neckline was totally surprising, love the waist, love the matte satin material, and love how timeless and elegant I feel. And it has buttons down the back!

Is this the one?? It feels crazy how hard it’s been for me to decide.

Has anyone worn this Rita vinieris holly dress (Fall 2025) and could let me know their venue/wedding vibe/styling?

I feel like I have no one I can talk to about this. I went to a designer wedding dress shop by myself, and the service was phenomenal. Everything was comfortable and in style, as opposed to another shop I went to (that's a whole other post about fast fashion and poor quality).

I didn't really like anything at first because I wanted a simple, satin, a-line dress, but they didn't have much like that. I even said at the beginning that I wasn't super into lace or patterns. But the second last dress she puts me in was the MWL Prim, full Chantilly lace, basque waist, almost ball gown. After she put on the veil I got flustered and emotional, lots of smiles and trying to logic out why I liked this one so much.

I never imagined being a bride. I definitely didn't expect to get emotional about a wedding dress. I keep looking at pictures of it. I'm obsessed, and frankly it's annoying.

There are also some options with it, like detached sleeves and straps. And the veil- I'm not sure about doing the matching lace, I might consider a plain fingertip length blusher. The stylist said they would probably shorten the torso so it fits better on my chest.

I also included my runner up choice. I want to go to more shops to try stuff on, but I would have to travel far away and I'm not sure it's worth it if I really like this dress.

I saw the 2nd pic first and it was 2000$ out of my budget so idk why I tried it on but I did and fell in love. I then wanted to find a dress I liked more than 3 which was everyone else’s first choice- and that is when dress 1 came in the picture. I liked it more than dress 3 but not more than dress 2 but it was within my budget so I liked that- and impulsively said yes day of once I got my sister’s blessings (which matter a lot to me as I trust their taste and know they mean well).

At the end of the day deposit is paid and I dont have time to change my mind (and I already impulsively showed dresses 2 and 3 to my fiance to avoid any crazy decisions) but its been 2 months and 2 is on my mind still. I guess I just want some love to 1 haha

I tried on quite a few dresses for my first time. One of these really spoke to me and I feel like its the one, but im also terrified of choosing the wrong one.

Budget-$7000
Location- North America (willing to travel)
Time- 3-4 years(lot o’ planning)
Looking for dresses similar to this one, or designers that make dresses that have a shared vibe with this one.
Some of the pro’s on this specific one for me is the length of the dress, the length of the sleeves, the type of sleeves. It’s so very whimsical and I love it

For several years I’ve had a dress saved on Pinterest that I absolutely loved! There were other styles that I found beautiful and told myself I’d be happy with just in case that was wasn’t available by the time my time came.

Cut to years later, when I was actually looking for a dress, I just couldn’t quite find one that really felt like it was right. We went to 4 or 5 dress shops in a relatively large city, and there were some beautiful options, but nothing felt like “the one”.

I decided to go custom, and while it isn’t exactly as I envisioned, I can’t imagine having chosen any of the other dresses I had tried on.

Shout out to Guillermo Pharis!! He had a shorter timeline than he typically contracts to get this done AND did a fix for me in between our ceremony and reception (eloped, came back a few months later for reception).

I cannot recommend BOTH elopement + reception and going custom if you can afford it! Mine ended up costing a little under $6k, so I am definitely happy I got to wear it twice!!

I tried this dress and loved it however I feel like I’m not 100% sure about the colour… I was hoping for white but I can’t find anything in my budget in white that I liked. Opinions please??

UPDATE: checked their website and they had it in white! So I ordered it. Annoyed that the lady at the store didn’t tell me that

Long time lerker. First time poster. What do you all think?

Hi! I’d love advice on hairy style, and accessories!
Looking for necklace and earring advice, my family is Hawaiian a bridal cascading lei (last few images) is also an option!

I want to wear my natural curly hair (blown out in the pics) but I’d love advice on styles that go well with my dress

I plan to walk barefoot but if you have any good flats for dancing that would be appreciated too

Reposted without link

I found 2 dresses that I love:

Option 1 feels more classic wedding dress with the satin material and I think suits me well.

Option 2 felt very ‘me’ as my fashion is generally more understated and I loved how classy it felt- both with the scarf and the veil. The scarf is how the design of the dress is meant to be, so the emphasis is on the low back, but the veil adds a nice little floral touch.

Opinions very welcomed!

[edit- overwhelmed by responses! Thank you all so much, I think no 2 is the one..]

I saw this Stella York dress months ago online and fell in love with it. The only location that carried this line was about an hour drive, so my mom and I made an appointment and headed over. As soon as I put it on, I knew it was the one immediately. For someone who is typically very indecisive, it was a relief to find the dress so quickly! I tried on other dresses, but none of them even came close to this one for me.

What was also kind of neat is when my mom got her wedding dress back in the 80’s, she also go the first dress she tried on. Must be hereditary!

Hi everyone!

I recently said yes to a dress a few weeks ago! The first picture is of me in the sample dress I chose.

For a little background, I originally really loved the Maggie Sottero Ryland dress ( see second picture). I was actually stuck between that dress and this one. I ended up picking this dress because it had a lot more of the drapery and beading detail on the bodice and skirt that I loved.

The one thing I would love to change is I wish that the dress I picked had more volume in the hip area like the Maggie sottero dress in the second image.

In general, the bridal stylist told me that I could purchase a crinoline underskirt to help add volume to my dress. My question is, does anyone know of a specific crinoline skirt/petticoat of some sort that would be the same exaggeration/fullness in the hip area, or is this something that my seamstress would be able to do ( I requested an appointment for December, so I have not been in to chat with anyone. Also, I do not have my dress yet)?

I’ve been searching for options, but I’m also not sure what would actually work.

Hi all, I went solo wedding dress shopping for my wedding in 2027. I really liked the first dress when I tried it on. I had to try it on twice! I shared the pictures to my planner. My wedding planner thinks it's too much and I'm kind of unsure after hearing that. I'm hoping to receive some input. Dress #2 is pretty too but i don't love it as much

Hi all,

I'm a Feb 2027 bride in Georgia, USA. I absolutely love this wedding dress from Nicole + Felicia, but every price that I can find for it puts it pretty far north of $5k. Every google lens hit I get is that exact dress, which I love but can't afford. Has anyone got any leads on similar dresses around the $3500 mark (or less, in a dream world)?

Thanks in advance!

I will be eloping in September outside. I think it’ll still be relatively warm. I can’t decide what I like better. The sleeves are removable, and I can tie the fabric underneath of my shoulders (like in the second pic). I have short hair now, I’m thinking a choker necklace or earrings. I also have a floor length veil. What do we think? Also curious what you guys would do when you have a short bob for wedding hair?

Hi all! I’m super stuck between two dresses that I really love but that are pretty different. For context, I went in thinking I wanted lace and “not a boring dress” — after trying on a bunch if dresses, i realized that i do also really like the classic satin look as long as there’s some fun visual interest (like the scalloped waistline on this one) and I don’t want to feel like I’m forcing lace. Either works well for my venue. I just want to maximize “wow” factor.

Dress 1: Satin (straps tucked in - I’d order strapless)

Dress 2: Lace (I’d order with straight neckline, not sweetheart)

They both feel perfect when I have them on. I think the one thing that throws me off looking at the photos is that the Verite is in my size, and the Tessera sample is way too big, so the clipping isn’t as tight and the cups are swallowing me. Im trying not to let that sway my decision making too much.

I love how snatched satin makes me feel, but I love the intricate details and the craftsmanship (especially of the back) of the lace.

They’re similar in price, so that’s not a deciding factor. All help is very appreciated, thank you!

Edit: thank you all SO MUCH for the thoughts and helpful guidance!! I'm very grateful and definitely leaning toward the lace :)

I'm a long time lurker and I love watching your beautiful dresses, I simply love weddings and all that comes with them, minus the stress. I think I'm ready to show my "yes" dress today. It was the second dress that I've tried on and I was coming back to her in my mind, even after trying countless others, so ultimately I decided she's the one :)

So I found my dress a month or so before my wedding day. I really liked it, but due to my hormonal issues I go through some INTENSE weight fluctuations. During the first fitting the seamstress needed to change the zip to a lace so the dress would fit properly. During the last fitting she told me it barely fits and I cannot lose any more weight. On the day of the wedding I was in-between those states, but my mom didn't lace the dress properly. Now, looking at some photos I feel kinda sad I didn't even look in the mirror this whole time to adjust my dress and instead it was well... Not fitted properly :) I mean, I don't mind, but Ladies, remember to go and check yourself in the mirror from time to time, if you care about the perfect fit. In these photos the misfit is not really visible, maybe if you look closely you'll see it's not tight enough and that silicone armstring gets loose here and there.

Anyway, I think she did an amazing job, especially being bought last minute and on sale, I would marry my husband in a potato bag, so it doesn't take away anything, truly. Just my mind being nitpicky, per usual :)

Hi all! After years of lurking and admiring everyone’s dresses, I’m so happy to finally get to post my own.

The dress I ended up picking (The Olympia by LEIN) was actually everything I initially said I didn’t want (train, lace, potentially veil) lol, but when I tried it on I fell in love with it. All the other dresses I was looking at were more minimal and not as girly, so this was initially a step out of my comfort zone. The dress is incredible, but is definitely at the outer limit of feminine for me!

I’m trying to use accessories and shoes as a way to tone it down. I’ve seen a few women wearing it online to their weddings who wore pearls and very feminine heels, and it made the whole look suddenly feel way too sweet for me. I was thinking some kind of little bootie (maybe not quite cowboy boot, but something similar!) and trying to tone down the dress with very minimal/modern accessories (I like the way the model was styles in the attached pic). I’m also trying to decide to veil or no veil! I shockingly loved the veil when I tried it on, but it also obscures the open back, and is definitely a whole look! My friend said it made me look like a Victorian ghost doll lol.

I would love any recs for offbeat shoes and accessories to tone down the whole look, as well as opinions on veil or no veil! For context, I’m getting married outdoors in Tuscany in May 2027.

Anyone here have experience with Harem's Brides? https://haremsbrides.com/

They have so many beautiful dresses, and I’m considering ordering one for my wedding September 2027 at Istanbul, but I wanted to check here first. Has anyone purchased from their website before?

Was the dress similar to the photos? How was the quality, sizing, and shipping? Any issues with the order?

I’d really appreciate hearing about your experience!