Shopping for that perfect dress

Shopping for your once in a lifetime wedding gown and ultimately saying ‘Yes to The Dress’ is one of the most exciting shopping experiences a Girl could ever have! … Abi Neill Bridal industry influencer and owner of Colchester based, multi award winning wedding dress and menswear boutique shares a few insights: What are the key trends for 2023?

Fabric wise lace and tulle is still a really popular and beautiful choice for the ethereal and whimsical look but we’ve also seen a return to plainer fabrics including crepe and silk. Satin is really strong this year with sharply cut gowns and simple, clean statement shapes especially fabulous for the vintage glamour look. Dresses with sleeves (straight, puff or bell) are still big as are additional overskirts for a ‘two looks in one’ option plus bridal trouser suits will be more readily available too.

When to start shopping for a dress?

As soon as the venue is booked a bride can start shopping for her gorgeous gown! The choice of venue and the time of year is always a consideration. It’s never really too early to start once date and venue is set! We suggest brides do some research before stepping foot in their chosen wedding shops; wishlists and saved pics of fave dresses on the phone really helps Bridal Stylists who will guide you each step of the way. Be assured that many gowns can be bought off the peg (where time is limited and for last minute weddings) and ex sample sale dresses are also a quick turnaround from bridal shops too but generally speaking circa 8-10 months before the big day is enough time to allow for a gown to be produced, delivered and altered.

How does a bride know when it’s the one?

I think that a bride, in her heart, deep down usually knows! We find that brides react in different ways when it’s the one. Sometimes there’s quite an emotional reaction but also on the flip side, it can be a simple process of elimination to find the gown that ticks every single bridal box! Finding ‘the one’ is a quest to find a dress that makes a bride feel utterly amazing - often she doesn’t want to take it off, sometimes she’ll swish and sway, some brides will literally jump for joy and often there’s hugs, cheers and whoops of an absolute privilege for us at Abigail’s Collection to be a part of.

Top Wedding Dress Shopping Tip?

Lots of brides find wedding dress shopping daunting so please know that if you’re feeling anxious that is quite common and perfectly understandable. Minimise overwhelm and maximise on your chance of a gorgeous appointment by inviting 1,2 or 3 VIP guests instead of a huge group. We see that it’s really hard for Brides when there are so many varied opinions.

• Check out www.abigailscollection.co.uk for wedding dress inspo and to book your very special wedding dress shopping experience and follow us over on insta accounts @abineill @abigailscollection and @thegroomsroomessex.co.uk