From Our Experience: When You're Stuck Between Two Gowns
It happens more often than you think…a bride tries on an adequate number of gowns, eliminating as she goes and returning to the ‘favorites’. Ultimately, much like March Madness, it all comes down to two gowns. The question becomes: what to do when a bride is completely torn between two final gowns.
We know this can be daunting, but with the right mindset and a few helpful tips, we can help you have your triumphant ‘YES’ moment confidence and good vibes. Here’s a few tips for what to do in that situation!
Stay positive.
We always remind brides: the great thing is that you have TWO gowns that you absolutely love! Most brides’ greatest fear is that they’ll never find a gown they love, and you now have two! We remind the bride that this is a solvable problem, it’s a good problem to have, and we CAN get through this together.
Avoid too much input
When it comes down to the final two dresses, you’ve now passed the point for group input. Your shopping squad’s job is to support you as you whittle down the multitude of gown options. But when it comes down to choosing between two favorites, it’s entirely subjective to the individual. Your opinion is all that matters, so resist the urge to put it to a group vote.
Make the decision in the dress
When a bride starts to feel torn between two dresses, she’s often inclined to go home, and pour over photos of the gowns on her iphone, spiraling into a rabbit hole of nitpicking each gown. We caution you, there’s no quicker way to suck all the fun out of gown shopping. Instead, we always recommend deciding on your gown while wearing the gown. Choosing your wedding gown is all about feelings…and it’s hard examine your feelings while looking at side-by-side photos at your kitchen table. It moves the decision from your heart to your head, and diminishes all the joy out of the process.
Do an in-person ‘side-by-side’ comparison
We realize a bride can’t be two places at once, so the best way to get a side by side comparison of two gowns, is to put on one, and look at photos of the other. Make sure you have someone taking good photos of all the favorites (we all have that one bestie who has the latest Iphone and knows all the good angles). While wearing dress #1, look at a photo of yourself in dress #2. And visa versa. It’s not a true side-by-side comparison, but it often does the trick when you’re stuck between two styles.
5. Follow your feelings
Sometimes the tipping point for one gown over another is so incredibly minute, but it’s all it takes. One gown will just make you feel…more. It gives you more butterflies, more comfort, more joy. It doesn’t have to be a lot more, but it’s enough to tell you that one gown is THE gown, while the other is a very strong 1st runner up.
6. When in doubt, find a way to include the runner up dress in your day.
That doesn’t necessarily mean wear both…but if you have the budget to wear one for your reception, then go for it. Otherwise, find out what you love about it and replicate it elsewhere in your day. Did you love its floral lace overlay? Then consider wearing a veil with a similar floral lace. Did it have a unique neckline that made you feel fab? Find a minidress with a similar neckline to wear for dancing at your reception.
Ultimately, only you will ever know that the second dress existed…and your shopping squad. But your wedding guests will never look at you and think “she should have gone with the other dress”. And from our experience, once you say ‘yes’ to your gown, it’s amazing how quickly the other dresses you tried become a foggy memory. Best of luck to you all as you enjoy the journey to your perfect dress!
XO,
Andrea
House of White is an intimate bridal experience in the heart of Historic Newburgh, Indiana, just outside Evansville. For eleven years House of White has been a designer bridal shopping destination for brides from Indianapolis, Bloomington, Louisville, Bowling Green, Owensboro, St. Louis, Nashville, Cincinnati, and everywhere in between :)