The Little Bridal Shop of Horrors - How to Avoid It

1. Formulate a mental blueprint Envision yourself on your big day. What do you see yourself wearing? Take into account the circumstances. Are you going to have a beach wedding or a garden wedding. Or are you going to have a traditional church wedding. Consider the season. It would be unsightly for you shiver your way up the aisle with a thin sheath dress in the dead of winder. Nor would it be appealing for you to don tons of fur to make a statement, in the middle of summer.

Decide on your budget. Formulate a general price range so you can be flexible enough in choosing from the wide variety of designs.

2. Do your homework Internet, books, magazines -- leaf through them and figure out which styles flatter you and which ones don't. Narrow down your options and find the designs which suit your personality best.

3. Research Location, customer reviews and price range -- these are the vital issues you have to deal with. Learn to balance them, as well. Why, on God's green earth would you buy a $200 wedding dress from a bridal store across the country?! Look for shops near your area. Ask friends and relatives for reviews on the shops within your radius. Read reviews and research on each shop's price range.

4. Give 'em a ring Call the shops you've selected. Find out more about the store and the kind of goods it offers. Learn about their staff through these phone conversations, as well. After all, you would not want to deal with sales staff from hell in choosing your wedding essentials, right?

5. Going deeper: The Price Range Let's be practical here. You may want to look like a princess on your wedding day, but surely, unless you smacked your head on a wall, you do not want to spend like a princess. Set a budget, set a design and find a dress that fits into both. You do not need to stick to one bridal shop. Go explore until you find the perfect one -- something that won't leave you bankrupt at the end of the day.

6. The Bridal Shop Be extremely cautious in choosing a bridal shop. Know well their line -- their wedding dresses, wedding favors and such. Learn more about the bridal shop's stability and make sure that they have indeed established their name well on the market.

Careful planning is essential for your wedding preparations to go smoothly. Headaches and stress does not exactly make a blushing, beaming bride. Know what you want, go for what you want. It is your wedding after all.