Finding your custom wedding dress is perhaps the scariest part of wedding planning! On top of other wedding errands like visiting potential venues, booking a reception hall, and tasting wedding cake samples, you’ve got to find that item that’s the center of your wedding. Your gown.
If you’ve got a favorite online wedding site but don’t want to miss out on the fun of shopping with your bridesmaids and mother, it might be time to throw an online wedding dress shopping party. You can gather together your close friends and shop in a cozy setting and snag that perfect custom gown.
There are so many benefits to having an online wedding dress shopping party rather than traveling to a dozen different bridal shops. You won’t have to elbow your way through crowds or spend time rifling through racks of outfits that are only “so-so.” It’s also easier to compare prices when you’re shopping online, and your friends and family won’t have to split up while searching. Together, you’ll be able to bond and personalize your shopping experiences.
Tell your guests to bring their laptops and choose a place that feels the most comfortable for you. You can use a theme for your party that matches your wedding venue. Use décor that builds up anticipation for your big day, for example, if it’s an outdoor wedding, you can hang out on a porch in lounge chairs and sip mimosas while shopping. Decorate the area with bouquets of flowers, giving a sneak peak of the flora you’ve chosen for your wedding.
If you’re going to have an indoor wedding or it’s cold and rainy outside on the day of your party, sip hot chocolate and hang out in a room with a cozy fireplace and luxurious pillows instead. This gives you and your guests a sense of closeness and is a great way to bond and laugh together.
In addition to having a party that complements your chosen venue, you can also theme your party around the style of dress that you’re looking for. If you’re set on finding a hippie-style gown, you can make or buy wreathes or flowers for you and your guests to wear. Or, if you’re set on finding a trendy princess wedding dress, wear tiaras and have a movie like The Princess Diaries playing in the background.
If one of your BFFs isn’t local, she can still “attend” the party from faraway. Ask her to shop during your party and email you links of dresses she finds, or Skype so that you can all discuss dresses with your long-distance pal.
Make your shopping party as simple or elegant as you like. Make it a sophisticated tea party with finger sandwiches, or something more chill with pizza and music. You’ll create memories and have more time with your friends and family-and find that perfect custom wedding dress. Have fun!
