Shopping for your wedding attire can take you through a rollercoaster of emotions. From managing expectations (your own and those around you) to opinions, being overwhelmed with choice and considering budget…it’s A LOT.In the 400th episode of the Bridechilla Podcast, I welcome back to the show Cavin Elizabeth, who as a wedding photographer is one of our regular and (most popular) guests. Cavin and her husband David have just bought a bridal boutique, The White Flower Bridal Boutique! She offers some helpful tips for working with a stylist, finding the right fit, and who to take with you when you are shopping.
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Making the most of the shopping experience
You may have seen reality shows on television that follow brides shopping for their wedding dresses. Many times, they will have ten or twelve people with them, giving their input. When you begin shopping for your wedding dress, should you bring along that many people? Who should come with you to help you pick your dress? Cavin encourages brides to carefully consider who they invite, making sure everyone involved will make the experience comfortable and positive. She also suggests keeping the group small so that you don’t have to weigh too many opinions. .
You don’t have to go to multiple stores. If you find something you are totally in love with, don’t feel like you have to keep shopping.
Image by Cavin Elizabeth
Avoiding wedding dress overwhelm
There are so many types and styles of dresses. How do you know where to start shopping so that you can find the best wedding dress? How can you avoid getting overwhelmed or falling victim to over-shopping? Finding the best wedding dress is really all about communication. Cavin suggests that you work with a stylist and communicate clearly what you like and what you don’t like. Share with them what makes you feel comfortable, what you would like to accentuate on your body, and let them help you find the right fit.
Image by Cavin Elizabeth
How can you find “the one”?
Much of the pressure in finding the best wedding dress comes from buying the lie that there is only one right dress. Believing that there is only one right dress could cause you to overthink the decision, unnecessarily overspend, and add to the stress of planning your wedding. However, realizing that there might be many good dresses and just finding one that you love and that makes you feel comfortable will make the buying process much less stressful. There’s no right or wrong dress. It’s all about finding what you want and being secure in your decision.
I totally think that whether it is in love and relationships or buying a wedding dress, that there is no actual ‘the one’, a single entity or person out in the world that is the perfect thing for you. I think there are many ‘the ones.
Comfort is the key
There are several factors to consider when buying a wedding dress. You could find a dress that looks great but that isn’t comfortable. Or the dress could be a great fit, but doesn’t leave any room for you to enjoy the food at the wedding. Brides should also consider how they might pose in the dress for photographs. Because of these and other factors, it is possible that you wind up with a dress that is much different than what you originally planned on. The key to finding the best wedding dress is being sure you are comfortable with the way you look and feel.
That’s one of the things to keep in mind, most experiences in stores are way more chill unless you bring like 6 plus guests with you, in which case it could get really rowdy. So I highly recommend keeping it to a small number of guests.
Show Highlights
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[0:40] Aleisha introduces the 400th episode and guest, Cavin Elizabeth, and talks about her new business venture, The White Flower
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[4:42] Aleisha shares the unique advertising campaign of Snowbird ski resort
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[6:01] This episode is about wedding dress shopping. Where do you start?
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[8:34] If you don’t feel emotionally attached to it, resale your wedding dress
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[9:30] How the wedding dress shopping experience differs from what you see on television
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[12:11] What guests, and how many, should you take with you when you are picking out a wedding dress?
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[15:23] How a negative person can change a bride’s opinion about a dress and how to avoid that experience
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[19:32] Over-shopping and overwhelm can make dress shopping even more difficult
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[21:11] Do you have to have a dream dress in mind and is there just one right dress for you?
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[25:07] The importance of comfort when buying your wedding dress and how to communicate with your stylist to achieve your wants
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[29:08] Aleisha shares a story of how her stylist asked how much weight she intended to lose before her wedding
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[33:32] What are wedding dress samples and how buying one works.
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[38:05] When trying on dresses, sometimes you leave with a different type of dress than you planned on
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[40:55] How to make the most of a different shaped dress when thinking about photography
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[45:22] How you can get in touch with Cavin Elizabeth and where her store is located
Resale of gowns – don’t hold on to the gown if you don’t feel emotionally attached to it. Just get rid of it…
Photo by Charisse Kenion
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Meet Cavin Elizabeth
Cavin Elizabeth is a wedding film photographer based in San Diego. She loves to connect with each and every one of her couples so that they feel truly at-ease and comfortable with her every step of the way. Her style of organic posing and her ability to loosen up anybody in front of her camera gives her images a romantic, authentic, and dreamy look. Her work has been featured by top wedding publications, including Martha Stewart Weddings, Style Me Pretty, and more. Cavin published a book that teaches couples how to make the most out of their wedding photography and have magazine worthy images entitled A Bride’s Guide to a Picture Perfect Wedding.
See Cavin’s new store- https://www.thewhiteflower.com/
Show image by Cavin Elizabeth