Let's Shop! You’ve probably spent at least one after- noon binge-watching a marathon of "Say Yes to the Dress" and feel fully prepared for your dress shopping appointment. Howev- er, your scheduled appointment time will fly by quickly, and the last thing you want is to leave the store disappointed, discour- aged, and empty handed. We have a few tips to prepare you for this experience and ensure you find the dress f your dreams! Start looking 12+ months before your wedding day. It generally takes six months to receive your gown and you should allow for at least two fittings to ensure a perfect fit. However, allowing too much time between falling in love with your gown and walking down the aisle in it can lead to ques- tioning your decision, FOMO, and nerves about it fitting properly. Twelve months will allow for enough time to find the gown, have it ordered, shipped, and fit ed. Limit your store selection to two or three. If you try to stop by every bridal shop in the area, you’ll end up forgetting what dresses you tried on, which dresses you loved, where you want to return, etc. Research beforehand to choose shops that offer different designers. This will make it easier to remember which store had the dress you loved and will allow you to see differ- ent styles rather than the same dress again and again. Bring heels similar in height to your wedding shoes. If you find the dress, the Consultant and altera- tions staff will take your measurements to order your custom gown. It’s important to wear shoes similar in height to your wedding shoes so there are minimal alteration changes to be made when the dress arrives. Wear nude underwear and a strapless bra. Remember, you will have a Consultant who will help you get dressed and undressed. If you don’t want to be completely exposed, we recommend not wearing a thong and wearing a strapless bra to the salon. Strapless or sticky bras are the best, as you’ll be trying on countless strapless gowns. They also have the least amount of padding, and since some of the dresses come with built- in padding, it will give you the best idea of how the dress will look and feel on your wedding day. Avoid wearing any bright colored underwear. It may show through the gown, ruining the impres- sion of a dress you may have otherwise loved. Allure Bridal - 9511 available at Henri's Cloud Nine Sophia Tolli - Y11875 available at The Winner Mikaella - 2200 available at The Dress Bridal Boutique Lillian West - 6512 available at Doreen Leaf Designs BRIDAL ATTIRE +12 MONTHS UNTIL "I DO" TODAY’S BRIDE | 17