Shopping for your wedding gown can be a very exciting and fun, but it can also be stressful. It is a time that you will see which bridal look you want to go for, and show off on your wedding day. So you want it to be perfect. Setting your bridal gown appointment is one of the first things to do for the wedding. So now that your bridal gown appointment is set, see how you can best prepare for your appointment.

• Who to Bring : Who you choose to bring with you to your appointment can make or break the appointment. Many brides choose to bring a large entourage with them to their appointment. This can be good and bad. The more people you bring, the more opinions you will have, and this can be confusing and more stressful. The idea is that you choose a small group of people who can support you, be honest in a good way, and be happy when you find the dress.When I was getting married, I brought just my mom. We have always gone shopping together, and we just work well together when we do. You know what? We found my dress the first day of wedding gown shopping! Amazing day and experience!  So you do not want to bring that jealous sister or friend who is upset and bitter that you are getting married before them. They may share negative thoughts and feelings with you when you try on the dresses. Some examples of who you want to bring are: maid of honor, sister, cousin, mother of groom,your mother, grandmother, best friend, bridesmaids, or sister of groom.  Whoever you choose to bring, the person that is paying for your dress should be present,if you are not paying for it yourself. First because they will need to pay for it that day, and second because their opinion should be respected. You may not choose the dress they choose for you, however still need to be respectful of their wishes too. So if they want you to try on a dress which you do not, try it on just to please them, and it is okay to say you do not like it. Remember, this is your day, and you will be wearing the dress all day!
• What to Bring: So, if you are shopping for the first time for your wedding gown, you will want to bring examples from magazines or online sites of dresses which you like. This will be very helpful to the wedding gown consultant you will work with that day. It will give the consultant a better idea of what you are looking for in a bridal gown. The more they know about what you like and do not like, the easier it will be to find your bridal gown.
• Be Open-Minded: For everyday clothing, you have a pretty good idea of what you look good in and what your style is. However, a bridal gown is very different than everyday wear. You do not wear a bridal gown every day, you wear it one day. The ideas that you have and bring to your appointment is great of course.  However, if the consultant shows you a dress that you did not think you will like, try it! You never know until you try it on. You will be surprised. Sometimes, the dress styles you like to try on may look good in the magazine photo or on the hanger, however it may look totally different on you. The opposite is also true. If a bridal consultant shows you a dress which you do not think looks good on the hanger, but may look amazing once you try it on.  This happened to me when I was looking for my bridal gown. I brought in a photo of a dress the bridal gown shop carried, and had fell in love with this dress. I did not even want to try anything else before I tried this one on first. I was totally confidant that it would look good on me and it was going to be the one. Well,I was totally wrong. I tried it on, and hated it! I hated how it looked on me, and was very unflattering. I did not feel pretty or amazing. So I then I tried on a very different style dress, and fell in love with it! So you never know. When you go into your appointment be open minded and allow the professional bridal consultant help you find that perfect dress for you!
• Set a Budget: Setting your budget must be done. So whoever is paying for the dress, if it is you, your fiancé, or other family member, you need to set a budget. So once you set the budget, you will share this with your consultant, so they will pull dresses which are only within your budget.  If you choose to try a dress dress on that is above your budget, you may fall in love with it, and then will be saddened because you can not afford it. So do not even go there! It will be stressful for you and the person who is buying it. Be cautious of your budget and you will find a dress which you love within your budget.
• Have fun!: Most importantly, make the bridal gown shopping experience a good one! Using the tips above will help you have a successful and fun time. Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, and finding your bridal gown is a big part of that. So grab your friends, family or whoever you like to bring to your appointment, and make a day of it! Smile, and enjoy the shopping experience.

Good luck in finding your perfect bridal gown. Remember feeling fabulous and amazing is most important!