Real talk: Dress picking

Gown fitting should be a fun/magical process of discovering your likes and dislikes. Although many couples (us, included) are experiencing a lot of uncertainty during this period with regards to weddings, I wanted to pen this post down to recall all the good times I've had during my gown picking process, and share what I've learnt to brides-to-be who might be planning for their weddings towards the end of 2020 or 2021.

[Scroll all the way to the end of the post for some fireside pointers on picking the right dress]

I battled with indecision because the options are endless. Whenever I found the perfect dress, I would continue to be on the lookout for another perfect one that could top the previous (#realtalk). 

Let me break it to you ladies, unless you have a clear cut design on exactly how you want the dress to look like (of which, @ this point, you should probably be thinking about customisation), you looked beautiful in that previous perfect dress you tried and you should stick to it/stop looking.

I’ve read one too many articles about choosing the right dress for your big day. The to-do’s and what not-to-do’s during fittings, etc. Two things that I found most valuable were:

1. Go into gown fitting with an opinion
Your opinion is what matters. Make a mental note/score on each gown you’ve tried. And say no immediately to the ones that you don’t speak to you. It was hard for me because all the gowns were dazzling so I kept KIVing pieces that I had already tried. It also really helps when you are allowed to take photos of the gowns — if you need a quiet moment to process it.

2. Know your body type
And this chart really helped me along the way. Disclaimer - this is just a general guide! Revert back to point 1 if irrelevant.
(photo credit to Lyra Vega bridal)

Many a time, the person who helps you with your gown would ask you a couple of things — where is your wedding and lunch/wedding. This is not to size up how much cash you can burn, but it’s to really see how:

1. How the space looks

For example, I’m getting married in Cappella and the ballroom is pretty sizable. Some questions to consider is how grand you want your entrance to look. relative to the space.

2. Lunch or dinner

It’s sometimes all about the lighting and time of day. From what I've gathered, people usually see dinner weddings as a little more formal and might expect something more jazzed up.

3. Any designers you like (sometimes)

And don’t worry if you don’t have any in mind! Always come prepared with 2-3 photos of gowns that you absolutely love. It helps to narrow down the search real quick.

So far, I’ve been in and out of The Ivory so often in the past few months because they keep bringing in such amazing styles. This last fitting that I did with Jinyuan, the amazing team from Antelope studios and Cynderella came down to do a shoot with some of my literal favourites of all time.

Some quick tips if we have similar body shape:

• Question: Low v-necks or high?
• Answer: If you have broad shoulders, go for low-v necklines.

• Question: Lace or minimalist?
• Answer: It really depends. However, I do really feel that lace is best for day weddings - it looks amazing when the details catch the light.

• Question: Veil or no veil?
• Answer: Again, subjective. There are so many different kinds of veils these days but my personal preference is YES (especially with a minimalist dress to add texture)

• Question: How long should the train be?
• Answer: I realised the train, even though sometimes cumbersome and (occasionally extra), creates the necessary impact when you’re getting married in spacious venues. I’m 172cm so I found that my train could go up to 2m long (almost proportionate to my height) if I wanted to make a grand entrance.

Hope that these thoughts helped you in some way! If they do or if you have any questions, hit me up on Instagram at @manda.olivia and I would love to chat!

Photos by Antelope Studios

Location and gowns by The Ivory

Make up by Cynderella