The Wedding Gown

A lady friend of mine recently got married. And typically, like most men, I never realized the amount of planning and synchronization that goes into a wedding. It’s a production process equivalent to a major Hollywood blockbuster movie. And, from what my friend told me, the most stressful part for her was picking out a wedding gown. This surprised me, because I thought it was just like going shopping for a dress. Find one and buy it, right? But that’s not the way it works with wedding gowns, which operate in a different dimension. The whole thing intrigued me, so I decided to rectify my ignorance.

To find out more about the wedding industry, especially the bridal gown part, I did a little research. One of the best sites I found was www.AnyaBridal.com, a bridal warehouse in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s owned and operated by Emily Smith and Nicole Vaden, who maintain they can work within any budget because they have their own line of gowns, along with discounted prices on designer accessories.

Anya Bridal Warehouse has a few suggestions for brides-to-be shopping for their wedding gowns. First, know what your budget is and stick to it. Most bridal salons don’t reveal the price of a gown until you’ve tried it on and fallen in love with it. Then they stomp on your dream with the retail details. Before you visit any salon, call them and ask them what their price range is. For example, Anya’s price range is $99 to $750 for most gowns. They do have some very expensive gowns, too.

Second, if you’re bashful and inhibited, forget about going to a salon, and just order your dress online. Why? Because in a salon the salesperson is going to be in the changing room with you, helping you put the gown on correctly and then removing it. She wants it to look right. And to do that, she’s going to be your new BFWYN (best friend while you’re naked).

Capable salon personnel are like car mechanics: they’re hard to find. A talented salesperson will guide the bride-to-be away from unflattering gowns and into a dress that accentuates the bride’s positive physical characteristics, skin coloring, hair color, and personality. In other words, it’s not like visiting the local mall and shopping at Gap for Truck Drivers. You don’t stroll in and come back out 10 minutes later with some new duds.

Finally, there is strength in numbers. Bring along some friends to help you select the perfect gown. Make sure they are true friends, the kind that won’t pander to you, not sniveling sycophants who’ll say “gorgeous” just to make you feel good.

Follow the above simple rules and you’ll have a much better chance of making your wedding the once-in-a-life-time experience you want it to be.