Expert Tips for Your Dress Shopping Experience

You’ve just said “YES” to the man of your dreams, now it’s time to find the perfect gown. If you've ever seen "Say Yes To The Dress," you've seen some super stressed brides and gown shopping horrors. Here are a few quick tips to keep your day stress-free.

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Real Bustle bride, Trina Cobb Ware. Photo courtesy of Jett Walker Photography.

1. Make an Appointment

Making an appointment with a wedding gown salon is just as important as scheduling an appointment with your doctor - you would never just pop-in on your dermatologist, right?

Making an appointment allows the salon to prepare for you. They’ll be expecting you on the decided date and time and your consultant will be able to focus entirely on you. Without an appointment, there may not be anyone available to show you dresses - yikes! 

Okay, so you’ve made an appointment. Don’t get caught up in the moment and make 3 appointments for the same day. If you don’t find your dress at the first salon, then go ahead and make second appointment. Decision exhaustion is real - your brain can't handle looking at too many dresses in one day!

2. Know Your Budget

Knowing the dress budget before the first appointment will relieve so much stress. I PROMISE.

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If you are paying for the gown, do some research and come up with a number both you and your fiancé are comfortable with.

If someone else is paying, have a conversation before your appointment. This may be uncomfortable initially, but totally worth it in the end. If you know the budget is $2,000, you won't need to wonder if you should try the $3,000 gown in the window!

Consider accessories and alterations. Go ahead and budget for accessories such as a veil or earrings. Most brides need some amount of alterations on their dress, even if it’s just a hem, so make sure your budget has some wiggle room!

3. Limit Your Entourage

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It may be best to leave the big party for the wedding day and other bridal festivities. Too many opinions during your appointment can be overwhelming and confusing.

You’ll be the one wearing the gown when you say “I do,” so it’s important to bring only those whose opinions you trust and who encourage you to find the dress that makes you feel the most beautiful.

4. Have an Open Mind

So, you've probably been adding photos to your wedding dress Pinterest board for years. That's ok! In fact, it’s a great idea to do some research on different styles and fabrics to find what you like before your first appointment. However, it’s equally important that you go into each appointment with an open mind. It's not uncommon to fall in love with a dress that you never even imagined trying on!

5. Don't Be Afraid to Say, "Yes!"

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Most likely you'll be able to find a dress you love at every bridal salon you waltz into. That being said, it’s okay to find "the one" at your very first appointment! Don’t overwhelm yourself by thinking you need to try on every gown in the city before you can decide. It’s actually pretty common for brides to purchase one of the first dresses they try on when working with an experienced bridal consultant.

So, when you find a gown you love, stop looking and say, "YES!"

Real Bustle bride, Emily Brooks Hamby. Photo courtesy of Sweet Julep Photography.

Bustle is a bridal salon nestled in Homewood, Alabama providing a high-end shopping experience to style-savvy brides on a budget. Bustle specializes in designer sample wedding gowns straight off the rack. Visit Bustle's website to learn more!

How to Prepare for Your Dress Appointment

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After you get engaged, searching for the perfect wedding dress is probably pretty high on your to-do list. You might be wondering what your dress appointment will be like and how to prepare. We’ve compiled some helpful tips here so you’ll know what to expect as you get ready for your dress appointment.

Keep an open mind. Be prepared to fall in love with a style you didn’t expect. Some brides come to their appointment knowing exactly what they want in a wedding dress while others need a lot more guidance. Whichever category you fall into, be sure to keep an open mind. You may be surprised by what you end up liking the most!

Capture your style. Since picking your dress is one of the things you do early on in the wedding planning process, no one expects you to have every detail of your wedding figured out. However, it’s a good idea to have some idea of how you want to look and feel on your wedding day. If you’re having trouble, think of 2-3 adjectives such as glamorous, comfortable, romantic, graceful, vintage, classic, etc. You can think back on these adjectives during your appointment to help guide you. You can also save pictures of your favorite styles and share them with your consultant. And if you already know a few details like your venue, colors or a theme, it’s a good idea to mention them to your consultant before you start trying on dresses. Your consultant can help you pick out a dress that fits in with the look you’re going for. Any information you can give her will be helpful in your search.

Know your budget. You’ll want to have a good idea of how much you want to spend on your wedding dress, including your alterations. Most brides need some amount of alterations for their wedding gown, even if it’s just getting the dress hemmed. There’s no way to know exactly how much alterations will cost, but we have several businesses we recommend with varying prices ranges depending on your needs. During your appointment we will stick to the dress budget you tell us, so you don’t need to worry about overspending

Narrow down the group. Instead of bringing your mom, sister, in-laws and all of your bridesmaids to your dress appointment, try to keep the group smaller. It can of course be nice to have support and advice during your appointment, but it can get loud and crowded in the fitting room. Plus, you might run into having to field lots of questions and opinions about your choices which can be distracting. There will be plenty of other exciting events that everyone can be a part of, but we recommend making your dress shopping a more intimate experience.

Bring the right undergarments. Since you’ll be trying on an array of dresses during your appointment, be sure to wear suitable undergarments. Avoid brightly colored or printed undergarments that may show through the wedding dresses. We recommend nude, fitted underwear and a strapless bra if you have them. You can also bring Spanx if you are interested in trying on more fitted gowns and want a smooth look.

Bring your accessories. Along with wedding dresses we also sell an array of accessories such as jewelry, veils and garters, but if you already have some of these items, you are welcome to bring them along. It may be helpful to try on your veil or shoes with your favorite dresses to get the full picture.

When it comes to wedding planning and finding your perfect dress, it helps to be prepared. We hope these tips have helped you get ready for your dress appointment and we wish you the best of luck!

The Experience

Our number one goal is to serve our brides and make shopping for your wedding dress fun and stress-free. From the moment you make an appointment with us, we aim to do whatever we can to make your dreams come true.  We know that your wedding day is one of the biggest days of your life, and we want the experience of selecting your wedding gown to be a special part of the journey.

You’ll get VIP treatment. When you book an appointment with us, we’ll have you fill out an online form with some basic details about yourself and your wedding. This helps us get acquainted with you and prepare for your appointment. When you arrive, you will be paired with one of our knowledgeable consultants who will guide you during your appointment. She will take some time to get to know you better and learn what styles you’re interested in. Choosing a wedding dress is a big decision and sometimes an overwhelming one. Your consultant is there to help you in and out of the dresses and to give you insight and helpful information throughout the appointment. Many brides feel frustrated by pushy sales representatives when shopping, but our consultants are quite different. Whether you know exactly what you’re looking for or you need some guidance, your consultant is there to facilitate your wishes and to use her expertise to help you select the dress of your dreams! 

Your appointment is all about you. At Bustle, we want to celebrate you! You are special and unique, as is your wedding day, and we want to honor that while you search for your wedding gown. It can detract from the experience to share a fitting room or a mirror with other brides. That’s why we strive to make your appointment a more private matter. You will only share a room with those you choose to bring along to your appointment. Your consultant will also give you privacy to share your thoughts about the dresses you try on (though, please feel free to be honest with her, too!). 

We respect your budget. When you fill out our online form, you can select a price range for your dress. That way we know from the start what your budget is, so there’s no need for you to feel uncomfortable discussing it during the appointment if you don’t want to. Your consultant will never pressure you to buy a dress out of your price range. You can try on dresses and feel confident that you’re not going to fall in love with something that’s not in the wedding budget. 

You’ll walk away with a designer gown at a discounted price. At Bustle, we sell sample wedding gowns. This means our dresses have been tried on but never altered or worn by a bride. Everything in our store has been discounted 15-75% off retail prices and most of our dresses are priced between $1,000 and $3,000.

“Going to Bustle is like playing dress up with your closest friends in a charming house. I had the BEST time trying on dresses and finding “the one” at Bustle! There was laughter, sentimental tears and lots of FUN!” — Kristy S. ”

We love being able to offer brides a high-end, personal experience as you shop for the perfect designer gown at an affordable price. From your engagement to your wedding day, we hope each part of the planning process is special and meaningful for you. It’s a huge joy for us to be part of your story!

EXPERT TIPS on how to re-plan, postpone, and salvage your wedding!

Alyssa and Caleb — WhitandReu Photography

Alyssa Hall has been planning and dreaming of her wedding since she was 5 years old. She met her dream guy, Caleb, at Sky Ranch Camp in 2018. On their dating anniversary, Caleb proposed to Alyssa, and they started making what they thought would be concrete plans to celebrate their love.

COVID-19 has certainly caused a lot of disappointment and uncertainty these past few weeks. Like many couples recently, Alyssa and Caleb have had to make changes to their wedding day plans; because of the ongoing social distancing, they have decided to postpone their wedding until the summer.

““It’s about the marriage, and not just the wedding” - Kalee Baker”

Thankfully, Kalee of Kalee Baker Events is here to help them (and us!) navigate these tough times with some expert advice! Kalee is a wonderfully talented wedding planner and coordinator who truly has a heart for serving her brides, and she’s on a mission to help them during this crisis. These expert tips she shared are invaluable, and we want to share them with you:

Utilize Technology

1. You do not have to stick to the usual etiquette of mailing a letter. Different times call for different etiquette! You don’t need to add more stress and expense by ordering new invitations and stamps. Feel free to call your wedding guests to let them know your wedding plans have changed.

2. Because a traditional guestbook can spread germs, consider a virtual guestbook or appoint one person to record the names of all your guests as they arrive.

3. Livestream your wedding! There may still be limitations on the number of guests who can actually attend for a while, so this is a great way to include all your friends and family so they are still able to watch you get married.

Use Your Resources

1. It truly does ‘take a village’ sometimes, so don’t be afraid to ask your friends and family for help as you adapt to the new situation. There are plenty of ways for your loved ones to help out, so let them put their talents and strengths to good use!

2. Consider a phone tree to help pass along information and last minute changes. This can help take some of the pressure off of you and distribute this enormous task among multiple people.

3. Put one of your bridesmaids, groomsmen or a family member in charge of live-streaming the wedding. Having someone managing the livestream will put you at ease and ensure it runs smoothly for your big day!

Think Through Your Dinner Plans

1. For the sake of safety, it’s best to not have a buffet since they can easily spread germs.

2. Consider having a seated dinner or multiple servers to cut down on germ transfer.

3. If you’ve lost your caterer, you might think about contacting local country clubs, since they have all the resources and staff available to meet your needs.

Embrace COVID-19

1. When you think about it, it’s pretty romantic to celebrate your love in the midst of a crisis — so embrace it and have some fun!

2. Give away hand sanitizer as your wedding favors. Give out masks — you could even have them printed or monogramed!

3. Have a car parade receiving line! This is a really fun idea for family members or friends who can’t risk it, but are still wanting to show their love and support. What a unique memory to carry with you!

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““Your choices are basically postponing and canceling, and when you postpone, you are NOT going to lose as much money as canceling.” — Kalee”

Unfortunately, COVID-19 may impact future weddings for some time, so it’s a good idea to go ahead and prepare yourself. We can probably expect lower attendance at weddings for a while, and even as things re-open, they could potentially close again if there’s another outbreak. It’s important to remain hopeful during all of this because it will not last forever. Don’t let this pandemic steal your joy!

For future brides who are planning a wedding down the road, here are some additional tips consider:

1. Make backup plan. As you book your vendors, ask about their backup plan and discuss what may need to happen if there is another COVID-19 outbreak. Knowing you have a contingency plan will put you at ease. “Your choices are basically postponing and cancelling, and when you postpone, you are NOT going to lose as much money as cancelling.” — Kalee

2. Be flexible with your vendors. This is new territory for them too, so try to work with them as best as you can. Make sure you communicate and have realistic expectations about what they are able to do — they may be forced to limit certain services because of the virus. Discuss other options that would work for both of you. Here’s an example: In Kalee’s most recent wedding, the photographer wasn’t able to have a second shooter because of Covid-19 related limitations. The photographer then offered more shooting time and other perks so that the bride and groom still got what they paid for.  Be flexible, and your vendors can really serve you well during this time!

3. Capture your wedding day. If friends and family members are unable to attend (such as grandparents and others at high-risk), consider having your photographer put together a photo album for them; you can even add in descriptions of the day and how you felt to give it a more personal touch. Hiring a videographer would also be a great idea.

4. Spread out the joy. Since having everyone concentrated in one space at the same time may not be an option, think about spreading out time with friends and family throughout the day or weekend. If you’re still going ahead with the wedding now but you’re postponing the reception until later in the year, you may want to host a small brunch the day after the wedding for grandparents and other high-risk loved ones who didn’t feel comfortable attending the ceremony. Keep the celebrations coming!

5. Consider a private property. A privately owned home or backyard can be a beautiful setting for a wedding, and the likelihood of it “closing” or becoming unavailable is much lower.

Always remember: it’s about the marriage and not just the wedding! There are so many special ways you can celebrate your love and union together; it’s just a matter of being flexible and finding creative ways to involve your loved ones. At the end of the day, it’s about you and your fiancé coming together, and nothing can take that away.

Day 7 Bustle's 7-Day Workout Challenge

Thanks for joining our 7 day workout challenge! We are so grateful to Crossfit Mudtown for partnering with us. The coaches at Crossfit Mudtown have worked with us to give you a FREE week of workouts that you can do at home. For our brides out there, these workouts are specifically designed with you and your wedding goals in mind, but they’re great for anyone on any fitness level! You won’t need any equipment for these workouts; just come as you are and get ready to feel great!

For video descriptions of each workout, click the hyperlinked text.

Warm Up:

6 minutes, every minute on the minute:

Even minutes (0, 2, 4) - 5 burpees + 5 air squats

Odd minutes (1, 3, 5) - 6 jumping jacks + 6 reverse lunges 

Every 3 minutes for 7 rounds:

16 reverse lunges* (right leg/left leg = 2 reps)

6 burpees

16 air squats

6 burpees

*Video shows lunges with a dumbbell - no need to use a dumbbell!

Description:

Rounds begin on the 0-3-6-9-12-15-18. Complete all reps, then rest the remainder of time. On the reverse lunges, focus on keeping your core tight and not arching your back. You should feel the reverse lunges in your butt and thigh (aka your glutes and quads). For your burpees, get yourself moving and that heart rate up! On your air squats, really focus on form - drive those hips back and knees out while keeping your heels on the ground. Move fast enough to get through all work in less than three minutes, but pace yourself enough to be able to finish the workout. Your goal should be to finish each round within 10-20 seconds of the time it took you to complete your first round.

Day 6 Bustle's 7-Day Workout Challenge

Thanks for joining our 7 day workout challenge! We are so grateful to Crossfit Mudtown for partnering with us. The coaches at Crossfit Mudtown have worked with us to give you a FREE week of workouts that you can do at home. For our brides out there, these workouts are specifically designed with you and your wedding goals in mind, but they’re great for anyone on any fitness level! You won’t need any equipment for these workouts; just come as you are and get ready to feel great!

For video descriptions of each workout, click the hyperlinked text.

Warm up:

For 8 minutes straight:

10 line hops (forward/backward = 1 rep)

10 reps of sampson stretch (5 on each side)

10 lateral line hops (right/left = 1 rep)

10 reps of spiderman + reach (5 on each side)

Workout:

5 Rounds for Time:

40 lateral line hops (right/left = 1 rep)

30 bicycle crunches

20 jumping squats

Description:

In this 12-15 minute workout, be sure to pace yourself and break movements up with planned rest breaks. On the bicycle crunches, do your best to keep your low back in contact with the ground the whole time (avoid arching your back when you get tired!) and bring your knee all the way to your opposite elbow every rep! On the jumping squats, try to get as high off the ground as possible each jump! Focus more on exploding up off the ground, than on how fast you can get the 20 reps done.

Day 5 Bustle's 7-Day Workout Challenge

Thanks for joining our 7 day workout challenge! We are so grateful to Crossfit Mudtown for partnering with us. The coaches at Crossfit Mudtown have worked with us to give you a FREE week of workouts that you can do at home. For our brides out there, these workouts are specifically designed with you and your wedding goals in mind, but they’re great for anyone on any fitness level! You won’t need any equipment for these workouts; just come as you are and get ready to feel great!

For video descriptions of each workout, click the hyperlinked text.

Warm up:

Tabata*:

1. Push ups

2. Jumping Jacks

3. Straight Leg Raises

4. Burpees

*For the warm up, it’s 20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest for 8 rounds. You will complete 20 second of one movement before moving onto the next movement. In other words, after completing 20 seconds of push ups, you will rest for 10 seconds, then complete 20 seconds of jumping jacks, before resting for 10 seconds, then completing 20 second of straight leg raises (this is different than how the workout will be!)...you will go through those four movements twice and this warm up will take you 4 minutes total.

Workout:

Tabata** This!

Tabata Push Ups

Rest 1 minute

Tabata Jumping Jacks

Rest 1 minute

Tabata Sit Ups

Rest 1 minute

Tabata Mountain Climbers

Description:

**The Tabata interval is 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest for 8 intervals (4 minutes total). You will complete all 8 rounds of a single movement before resting for a minute and then moving on to the next movement. In other words, you will do all 8 rounds of push ups, then rest a full minute before moving on to all 8 rounds of jumping jacks. 

You can use a stopwatch to keep track of time or you can download a tabata app such as SmartWOD Timer.

Day 4 Bustle's 7-Day Workout Challenge

Thanks for joining our 7 day workout challenge! We are so grateful to Crossfit Mudtown for partnering with us. The coaches at Crossfit Mudtown have worked with us to give you a FREE week of workouts that you can do at home. For our brides out there, these workouts are specifically designed with you and your wedding goals in mind, but they’re great for anyone on any fitness level! You won’t need any equipment for these workouts; just come as you are and get ready to feel great!

For video descriptions of each workout, click the hyperlinked text.

Warm up:

3 rounds not for time:

7 burpees

7 russian baby bakers

7 inchworms

Workout:

For time:

150 air squats

*Every minute on the minute, 5 Burpees (start with burpees on the :00)

Description:

At the start of this workout, you will complete 5 burpees before completing as many air squats as possible in the remainder of the minute. At the top of the next minute (1:00), you will perform 5 more burpees before continuing on with as many air squats as possible in the remainder of the minute. You will continue in this fashion until you complete 150 total air squats.

This workout will likely take ~10-15 minutes. Your goal should be to get 10-20 air squats per minute.

Day 3 Bustle's 7-Day Workout Challenge

Thanks for joining our 7 day workout challenge! We are so grateful to Crossfit Mudtown for partnering with us. The coaches at Crossfit Mudtown have worked with us to give you a FREE week of workouts that you can do at home. For our brides out there, these workouts are specifically designed with you and your wedding goals in mind, but they’re great for anyone on any fitness level! You won’t need any equipment for these workouts; just come as you are and get ready to feel great!

For video descriptions of each workout, click the hyperlinked text.

Day 3:

Warm up:

6 minutes straight:

1 minute line hops (forward/backward)

1 minute glute bridges

1 minute lateral line hops (right/left)

1 minute sit ups

1 minute line hops (forward/backward)

1 minute reverse lunges

Workout:

For time:

100 line hops (forward/backward = 1 rep)

50 sit ups 

12 Jumping Lunges (right leg/left leg = 2 reps)

80 Line Hops

40 Sit Ups

12 Jumping Lunges

60 Line Hops

30 Sit Ups

12 Jumping Lunges

40 Line Hops

20 Sit Ups

12 Jumping Lunges

20 Line Hops

10 Sit Ups

12 Jumping Lunges

Description:

This longer workout will challenge your metabolic conditioning (aka cardio!) and will likely take 15-25 minutes. Chip away at the line hops and sit ups in manageable chunks with planned breaks. Your goal should be to complete the second half of the workout at the same speed or FASTER than the first half. Use a line on the floor or lay down a piece of tape to hop over (forward/back = 1 rep). For the jumping lunges, make sure you stay under control and rest as needed (these will get tiring fast)! On the jumping lunges, you are not jumping for height (like you did with yesterday’s jumping squats) - you’re only jumping high enough to switch legs.

Day 2 Bustle's 7-Day Workout Challenge

Thanks for joining our 7 day workout challenge! We are so grateful to Crossfit Mudtown for partnering with us. The coaches at Crossfit Mudtown have worked with us to give you a FREE week of workouts that you can do at home. For our brides out there, these workouts are specifically designed with you and your wedding goals in mind, but they’re great for anyone on any fitness level! You won’t need any equipment for these workouts; just come as you are and get ready to feel great!

For video descriptions of each workout, click the hyperlinked text.

Day 2:

Warm up:

3 rounds not for time:

30 second high plank

20 flutter kicks (right/left = 1 rep)

10 glute bridges

5 jump squats

Workout:

20 minutes

Minute 1 - 12 glute bridges

Minute 2 - 30 mountain climbers

Minute 3 - 6 burpees

Minute 4 - 10 straight leg raises

Minute 5 - 10 jump squats

Description:

You will complete the number of reps each minute and if you have any time remaining, rest until the next minute/movement. If you are unable to complete the set number of reps in the minute, then decrease reps (e.g. If 30 mountain climbers is too many for you to complete in a minute, decrease reps to 20). 

You will perform each movement 4 times over the course of this 20 minute workout. Your goal should be to complete quality reps from start to finish. What this means: 

• On your glute bridges, be sure not to arch your back - instead focus on keeping your core tight, pushing through your heels and squeezing your butt at the top of the movement (when your hips are in the air).

• Mountain climbers are going to drive your heart rate up, so break your 30 reps into 2-3 sets if needed. Try to drive your knee all the way up to your elbow on every rep.

• Get through your burpees as fast as possible and you should have a good chunk of time left in the minute to rest!

• On your straight leg raises, do your best to keep your back flat on the ground as you lift your straight legs up off the ground. Bonus points if you keep your heels off the ground between reps! 

• On your jump squats, try to get as high off the ground as possible each jump! Focus more on exploding up off the ground, than on how fast you can get the 10 reps done.