What Should You Wear to a Wedding Dress Appointment?

1 day ago

5 min read

Booking your first wedding dress appointment is such an exciting step, but it can also come with a surprising number of little questions. What underwear should you wear? Do you need to bring heels? Does your hair and makeup matter?

The good news is that you really don’t need to overthink it. The most important thing is that you feel comfortable, but there are a few things you can wear or bring that may help you get a better idea of how each dress could look and feel on your wedding day.

Here’s our guide to what to wear to a wedding dress appointment.

Wear comfortable, neutral underwear

Simple, comfortable underwear is usually the best choice for wedding dress shopping. Nude or light underwear tends to work well underneath lighter fabrics, particularly when trying on fitted or more delicate dresses.

Try not to worry too much about finding the 'perfect' bridal underwear before your appointment. Most wedding dresses have plenty of structure built into them, and you may find that the underwear you eventually wear on your wedding day depends entirely on the dress you choose.

Do you need to wear a bra?

We recommend wearing a nude strapless bra to your wedding dress appointment. It gives you a versatile option that works well underneath lots of different necklines and makes it easier to get a good idea of how each dress will look. It’s also worth remembering that you’ll be getting dressed and undressed in front of your bridal stylist throughout the appointment, as they’ll be helping you in and out of the gowns. Wear underwear that you feel completely comfortable and confident in.

Many wedding dresses have built-in support, cups or structured bodices, so you may find that you don’t actually need to wear a bra with your chosen dress on your wedding day. Your stylist can talk you through the support each gown offers as you try them on.

Should you wear shapewear to a bridal appointment?

Only if you usually feel comfortable wearing it. Shapewear definitely isn’t essential for trying on wedding dresses. In fact, we’d usually recommend seeing how a dress fits and feels naturally before deciding whether you’d like to wear anything underneath it.

Some brides love shapewear because it makes them feel more secure, while others find they’re much more comfortable without it. There’s no right answer. Your wedding dress should work for you, rather than you feeling like you need to change your body to suit the dress.

What shoes should you wear?

You don’t need to buy your wedding shoes before your dress appointment. Most brides won’t have decided on shoes yet, and that’s completely normal. If you already know you’d like to wear heels on your wedding day, you could bring a pair with a similar heel height. We also have a range of heels available in our boutique that you can pop on as you try on your dresses. This can help you see how different silhouettes fall and give you a better idea of proportions.

Otherwise, simply arrive in shoes that are easy to take on and off. The final length of your wedding dress can be adjusted during alterations once you’ve chosen your actual wedding shoes.

Think about your hair

You definitely don’t need to arrive with your wedding hairstyle done, but it can sometimes help to loosely recreate the kind of look you’re imagining. If you think you’ll wear your hair up, bring a hair tie or clip so you can quickly put it up when trying dresses.

This is particularly helpful if you’re considering dresses with detailed backs, statement straps or beautiful necklines that you want to see properly. Likewise, if you imagine yourself wearing your hair down, you can keep it loose. There’s no need for anything elaborate, it’s simply about helping you picture the overall bridal look.

Keep your makeup fairly light

You absolutely can wear makeup to your wedding dress appointment, but lighter makeup can make trying dresses a little easier.

Wedding dresses tend to involve lots of delicate fabrics, high necklines and carefully structured bodices, so avoiding heavy foundation, fake tan or strong lipstick can help prevent accidental marks. That said, if wearing makeup makes you feel more like yourself, wear it. Feeling confident during your appointment is far more important than following a strict set of rules.

Avoid fresh fake tan

If you regularly wear fake tan and know you’ll probably have one for your wedding, you might like to wear your usual tan to your appointment so you can see how different shades of ivory look against your skin.

However, we’d recommend avoiding a very fresh tan just before your appointment. Allowing it time to fully develop, rinse and settle can help reduce the chance of transfer onto the dresses.

Bring any accessories you already know you want to wear

You definitely don’t need to buy accessories before your dress. In fact, choosing your dress first often makes finding the right accessories much easier. However, if there’s something meaningful you already know you’ll be wearing, bring it along.

That might be a veil, a piece of jewellery, a hair accessory or even a pair of shoes you’ve already fallen in love with. Seeing everything together can help you picture the full look.

Wear something easy to change out of

This might sound obvious, but you’ll be getting changed several times during your appointment.

An outfit that’s comfortable and easy to take on and off will make the whole experience feel much more relaxed. A simple dress, leggings and a top or anything else you feel comfortable in is perfect. There really is no need to dress up for a bridal appointment, unless you want to!

What else should you bring to your wedding dress appointment?

Alongside what you wear, there are a few things that can be useful to bring with you. If you’ve saved dresses you love on Pinterest or Instagram, have them ready on your phone. They can help your Veil & Bloom stylist understand the styles, fabrics and details you’ve been drawn to. You can also bring photographs of your venue if you have them, particularly if the setting is influencing the style of wedding you’re planning.

Most importantly, arrive with an open mind. It’s incredibly common for brides to fall in love with a completely different style from the one they originally imagined.

You don't need to look “bridal” before you arrive

One of the biggest things we’d love brides to know is that you don’t need to arrive looking wedding-day ready. You don’t need professional makeup, styled hair, expensive bridal lingerie or your wedding shoes. Your appointment is about discovering what makes you feel amazing.

At Veil & Bloom, our private bridal appointments are relaxed, supportive and completely pressure-free. We’ll help you explore different silhouettes, fabrics and details, talk you through how each dress can be styled and give you honest guidance along the way. Whether you arrive with a Pinterest board full of ideas or absolutely no idea where to start, both are completely normal! All you really need to bring is yourself.