Let'sShop! 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 without a dress. We have a few tips to prepare you for this experience and ensure you find the dress of your dreams! Start looking 12+ months before your wedding day. It generally takes six months to produce your gown and you should allow for at least two fit- tings to ensure a perfect fit. Therefore, we suggest you start shopping before the six month mark. However, allowing too much time between fall- ing in love with your gown and walking down the aisle in it can lead to questioning your deci- sion, FOMO, and nerves about it fitting properly. Twelve months will allow for enough time to find the gown, have it ordered, shipped, and fitted. 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 different 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. You may see it through the dress, and not get a true feel of what the gown will actually look like. BRIDAL ATTIRE David's Bridal - MS251173 available at David's Bridal Allure Bridal - 9103 available at The Flawless Bride Lillian West - 6478 available at CLE Bride by Expressions Sincerity by Justin Alexander - 44047 available at Liliana Bridal House TODAY’S BRIDE | 19