Navigating Bridal Dress Shopping Should Be Fun. Some Lessons Learned From Our Brides Over The Past Two Years

Bridal dress shopping is often painted as a magical, fairy-tale experience. While it can be, it's also a journey full of surprises, unexpected moments, and plenty of learning curves. Over the past two years, working closely with brides-to-be, we’ve gathered plenty of stories, insights, and lessons that make this adventure both fun and memorable. Whether you’re just starting your search or helping a friend find the perfect gown, this post shares what we’ve learned as a bridal retailer, highlighting the highs, the challenges, and the laughs along the way.

Olive & Rose Bridal Boutique - offering spacious, private appointments with a range of elegant wedding dresses

The Reality of Bridal Dress Shopping

Many brides come in with a clear vision of their dream dress, inspired by Instagram, Pinterest boards, celebrity weddings, or weddings they've attended. But reality often has a way of shaking things up. One of the biggest surprises is how different a dress can look on the hanger compared to on you. Fabric, fit, and movement all play a huge role.

We’ve seen brides fall in love with a dress they never expected to like, and others who had to say goodbye to their “perfect” gown after trying it on. This is normal and part of the process. The key is to stay open-minded and enjoy the experience rather than stress over finding the “one” immediately.

What Brides Love About Dress Shopping

We listen and understand you

Brides appreciate when consultants listen carefully to their style preferences and concerns. It’s not just about selling a dress but about creating a connection and making the bride feel her absolute best. Many brides tell us that the best moments come from honest conversations and feeling supported. We won't tell you every dress is the one in order to make a sale, we'll listen to your likes and dislikes to narrow down to find your perfect dress. We want you to leave having had a brilliant time, feeling confident and exciting to walk down the aisle.

Trying on Different Styles

Even if you think you know what you want, trying on a variety of styles can be eye-opening. Ball gowns, mermaids, A-lines, and sheath dresses all have unique charms. Brides often discover new favourites by stepping outside their comfort zones. We love to throw in a wildcard as do the bridal party, so have some fun and be open, you never know the wildcard could end up being the one.

The Moment of “Yes”

There’s nothing quite like the moment a bride finds the dress. The sparkle in her eyes, the smile that won’t fade, and sometimes even happy tears. It’s a reminder of why we love this job.

Common Challenges Brides Face

Overwhelming Choices

With so many designers and styles, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Brides sometimes come in with a list of must-haves that can be hard to fulfill all at once. We encourage brides to go by how they feel in the dress and focus on their vision. Some shops will chose all the dresses for the bride to try on, whilst we love to help and select some for you, we always start with your picks, what draws your eye and what do you like. Nobody knows what you like better than you after all.

Budget Surprises

Many brides are surprised by the cost of wedding dresses, especially when alterations and accessories are added. We always recommend setting a clear budget upfront and discussing it openly with your consultant. This helps narrow down options and avoid disappointment. Pressure Selling We have a lot of brides come to us having faced the hard sell or having been scared about the time left to make a decision. Yes its true that you should start shopping a year in advance and ideally be buying 9 months before, but if you have less time than this it's fine. We will talk you through rush options, sample sales dress and those available for immediate dispatch. Most importantly you need to be sure about your choice.

Emotional Rollercoaster

Dress shopping can bring up a lot of emotions. Excitement, anxiety, and even self-doubt can appear. We remind brides that it’s okay to take breaks, bring trusted friends or family for support, and trust their instincts. If its all a bit overwhelming or you find yourself torn between two completely different styles (this happens a lot!). We recommend sleeping on it and coming back for a retry of those two favourites back to back. We offer this second retry free of charge and find our brides come back sure about their decision and ready to say yes.

Lessons We’ve Learned as a Bridal Retailer

Listening is Everything

Every bride is unique, and their story shapes what they want in a dress. Taking the time to listen carefully helps us guide them better and create a positive experience. Have a look at our 5 star bridal reviews, you can be confident in the O&R shopping experience, this is why we started the shop after all.

Multiple Appointments

At O&R our appointments give you and your guests exclusive use of the shop, so you aren't shopping alongside another bride waiting to try the same dress. Our brides tell us they love this and feel relaxed and comfortable.

Celebrate Every Moment

From the first appointment to the final fitting, every step deserves celebration. We’ve learned that small gestures—like a picture of your yes moment, our goodie bags or a celebratory toast—make a big difference. It could be as simple as a video call to that bridesmaid who couldn't make the appointment today but has been there for the whole journey.

Educate Brides Gently

Many brides don’t know about the alteration process, fabric care, or how to choose accessories. Sharing this information in a friendly, non-overwhelming way empowers brides to make informed decisions.

Tips for Brides-to-Be

• Start Early but Not Too Early

Begin dress shopping about 9 to 12 months before your wedding. This allows enough time for ordering and alterations without rushing.

• Bring a Small Trusted Group

Limit your shopping party to two or three people whose opinions you value. Too many voices can create confusion.

• Be Open to Surprises

Try on dresses you wouldn’t normally pick. You might be surprised by what looks amazing on you.

• Set a Realistic Budget

Include dress price, alterations, veil, shoes, and accessories in your budget.

• Trust Your Consultant

They have experience and want you to feel beautiful and confident.

Moments That Keep Us Smiling

Over the years, we’ve lovely sharing in so many yes moments that remind us bridal shopping isn’t just about dresses—it’s about joy and connection.

• A bride who's mum was at a bottomless brunch and needed to give the dress a final and somewhat drunk seal of approval.

  
  

• Brides who burst into laughter when they see themselves in a dramatic ball gown for the first time, realizing how different they look from their everyday selves.

  
  

• We have had a call to a sister who is in the middle of a marathon before, its all about your people and your moment.

  
  

These moments make the job rewarding and keep the atmosphere light and fun.

What’s Changed in the Last Two Years?

The bridal industry has seen some shifts recently, and we’ve adapted along the way.

• Budget

If you are planning your wedding you'll be getting used to everything wedding related coming with £££ attached. We have worked really hard to set our dress budget with this in mind. We have avoided those with eyewatering prices, so we can offer you your dream dress and service at a reasonable price, carrying a range for differing budgets.

• Increased Focus on Comfort

We are all about the feel of the fabric. There is nothing worse then loving the look of a dress but its itchy. This is part of the reason you'll see us trying the dresses on our social. We want to know how they feel and we chose our designers with this in mind. Stretch fabrics, a structured snatched bodice, lighter layers, delicate lace and versatile designs are trending.

• Going dress blind

We are constantly adding to out collections and parting with old favourites to keep our collection fresh and to carry the absolute best collection. We had so much feedback about the amount of dresses we stock feeling just right. Our brides have found bigger stores with 100s of dresses completely overwhelming. This is part of why our sample sale has such gorgeous dresses at a fraction on the original price.

• Customization is Key

Personalized details like detachable sleeves, custom embroidery, and mix-and-match separates are popular. And lets not forget our favourite bit, adding the perfect veil!