When a bride-to-be is planning her wedding, no detail is more important than finding the perfect bridal gown. Unfortunately, shopping for one can end up being a stressful experience and a source of great anxiety when it takes too long. The following expert tips can take some of the stress out of shopping for designer bridal gowns in Pittsburgh PA.

First of all, it’s a good idea to schedule an appointment with a bridal shop as early in the day as possible. Not only will the bride-to-be have more energy early in the day, so will the shop employees. By late afternoon, they will have spent the day with anxious brides, and their patience may be wearing thin. It’s also more enjoyable to look at dresses that haven’t already been rummaged through.

Another helpful tip is to decide on a dress shape early in the process. That will help narrow down the options. Every dress has certain details that make it unique, but there are only a handful of common shapes, or silhouettes. A bride should choose the shape that is the most flattering to her figure rather than what is most fashionable at the moment. For example, the ballgown silhouette is perfect for most body types, as is an A-line, but a trumpet or mermaid-style dress is less flattering to more curvaceous women.

Taking a camera to the bridal boutique can be a great help in the decision-making process. The bride should be photographed from all possible angles, bearing in mind that the dress needs to look perfect in the wedding photos. Most boutiques allow photography in the dressing room, but some do not, so it’s worth calling ahead to make sure.

When shopping for Designer Bridal Gowns in Pittsburgh PA, be aware that it can take anywhere from several months to a year to order a dress, have it made, and complete final alterations. Therefore, it’s important to start shopping as early as possible. Many boutiques recommend that brides start looking at least eight months in advance of the wedding.