What Should You Wear to a Wedding Dress Appointment?

You’ve booked your wedding dress appointment, so what should you show up to the boutique in — and with?

The good news is, you really don’t need to overthink it.

You are coming to try on wedding dresses, and at this stage you don’t really need to have anything organised!

At Accapella Bridal, we would much rather you arrive comfortable, relaxed and ready to have some fun than spend the morning worrying about whether you have bought the “right” underwear or shoes.

There are, however, a couple of things we do ask before you arrive.

No Fake Tan — This One Is a Rule

Please don’t wear fake tan to your wedding dress appointment.

Fake tan, even if you’ve had it on for a couple of days, transfers very easily onto ivory and white fabrics — particularly around necklines, underarms and fitted bodices.

Some of these gowns are delicate and can be extremely difficult to clean, so this one isn’t just a suggestion. It’s a necessity.

No Makeup Is Ideal

We completely understand that you may want to feel nice when you are trying on wedding dresses, but ideally we ask brides to come without makeup.

Foundation, bronzer, fake tan and lipstick can transfer onto gowns very quickly, especially when dresses are being pulled over your head or fitted closely around your face and shoulders.

We do have hoods and gloves we can use if needed, so we can always work it out, but it is definitely faster and easier if you are makeup-free — which means you can make the most of your time with us.

You definitely don’t need a full face of makeup to work out whether a wedding dress looks beautiful on you.

We’re far more interested in what the dress is doing for your body.

What Underwear Should You Wear?

Whatever you feel comfortable being in!

During your appointment, we will be helping you in and out of gowns, so wear underwear you are comfortable being seen in.

Nude or light-coloured underwear is ideal because darker colours can sometimes show through lighter fabrics.

If you turn up in black knickers, though, the appointment is not cancelled. You might just be able to see them through some dresses!

You also don’t need to rush out and buy special bridal shapewear before your appointment.

If you already know you will definitely wear particular shapewear on your wedding day, you are welcome to bring it along, but we don’t need it at this stage.

Do You Need a Strapless Bra?

Nope!

Almost all of our wedding dresses already have cups, boning and internal structure built into the bodice, so a normal bra can actually get in the way when you are trying to see how the gown is designed to fit.

It is better to try our dresses on without a bra so we can see what the bodice itself is doing and what needs to happen.

And if a gown needs more support, that is something we can talk about.

Remember, we aren’t just looking at whether you like the lace or the skirt. We are also looking at how the neckline sits, where the waistline falls, how the bust is supported and whether a little customisation could make the gown work even better for your body.

Do You Need Wedding Shoes?

Nope.

You definitely don’t need to buy your wedding shoes before you have bought your wedding dress.

For your first appointment, you’ll usually be barefoot or in socks to protect the dresses anyway!

If you are a last-minute bride who needs to buy off the rack, feel free to bring your shoes so we can get a better idea of what alterations might be needed, but really, it’s rare that shoes are necessary for a first appointment.

Your final heel height becomes important later when it comes time for alterations and hemming.

What About Your Hair?

There is no special hairstyle required.

Just wear it however you normally feel good, or roughly how you think you’ll wear it on the day — up or down.

The only practical thing we would suggest is avoiding anything extremely elaborate that you don’t want disturbed, because dresses are going on and off and your hair may need to move with them.

And bring a hair clip if you have long hair. It can get in the way when getting in and out of dresses, and we often have brides wishing they had brought one!

But it certainly isn’t essential.

Most Importantly, Come as You Are

You don’t need special wedding shoes, expensive shapewear or a perfectly planned bridal look.

And you certainly don’t need to already know what style of wedding dress you want.

That is what the appointment is for.

Come comfortable, bring the people who make you feel good — or come on your own — and let us help with the rest.

We will get you into the dresses, talk through what is working, suggest different shapes and customisations where needed and help you work out what feels right for you.

The best thing you can bring to a wedding dress appointment is an open mind.

And some underwear.

Definitely the underwear. 😂