We’ve seen 1,000s of beautiful brides come through our doors at The White Dress over the years and while each is completely unique, the same things apply to make sure that you get the most out of your visit. Here are ten things to consider when you’re looking for your ‘one’!

Choose Wisely

Who you take with you to your appointment will make all the difference to your experience – you need your crew to be kind and sensitive but also honest. You don’t want too many pushy opinions, or too many full stop! We recommend four other people at the maximum – any more than that and it’s a bit of a squeeze, and you will have too many people competing to have their say.

Our Airdrie Store

She’s the One

Have a look through the dresses on offer at the boutique you are planning to visit and by all means choose a few that you want to try on, but do go with an open mind – more often than not dresses look and feel different when you see them in the flash as opposed to on a model, and you really don’t know what will suit you. This is where our experience and knowledge of the dresses we have available comes in.

Bridal Appointment in our Airdrie Store

Today’s the Day

If you can visit a boutique during the day, during the week and avoid busier weekends, you are more likely to have the time and space to try on your dresses and really enjoy the experience.

Why not make it a day out, with lunch and a celebratory glass of bubbles afterwards?

It’s all about Timings

It will take up to eight months for your dress to arrive in store – each gown is made to your measurements (and don’t worry about the size on the label or the order we make – sizes in bridal work a little differently!). Trust us when we say we have it all under control, and you are welcome to visit to try on the sample again between choosing and your actual dress arriving in store.

Our Bride Lisa Marie Wearing Allure Style 3460

Our bride, Lisa Marie wore the Allure style 3460, the fit and flare plain satin gown is incredibly classic and is the picture of elegance and sophistication.

Beat the Budget

You should have a good idea of your budget before you stop foot in a shop, and you should vocalise that to the team who greet you. You’re going to have to be fairly tough on yourself about the flexibility of that budget, or not, because if you fall in love with something over the budget… We are highly experienced in handling budgets of all sizes, and we have many beautiful dresses in the lower price range, but we are not a high-street store and you are not going to find something perfect (and that’s what you want, right?) if you only have a couple of hundred quid to spend.

What to Wear

Nude underwear, substantial pants – that might seem on odd thing to say but you are going to be in your underwear for some of your appointment as you slip dresses on and off and might not want to be in a skimpy thong! Makeup is fine, of course, but no self-tan please – self-tan and white dresses don’t mix so well!

You probably won’t already have the shoes you’re going to wear but a similar style would be great because you walk differently, and the dress will move differently, depending on what you’re wearing on your feet. Steer clear of strong perfumes, too, please.

Bride and Bridesmaids

Keep the Focus

This appointment is about you – not your bridesmaids, not your fiancé and not even about your mum! Don’t get distracted from your focus, which should be finding the one.

We can make an appointment for your fiancé and bridesmaids another time, a time when we can show you what we have to offer them, and you can concentrate on them. Your dress appointment is all about YOUR DRESS!

Meeting the One!

When you know, you know! We are confident that you will find The One at The White Dress, and when you do, you will just feel it, breathe it and not want to take it off! Because of our experience, we generally know what’s going to suit you the second we set eyes on you, but we encourage you to try on a range of different styles and labels anyway, because the experience can be overwhelming, and even though you might fall in love with the very first one you try on, it’s really good to discount other styles so that you are 100% sure of your choice, even months later. It’s a big investment in every way and it’s needs to be perfect.

Bridal Corset

Sizing it Up

We always say to brides focus on being healthy, not thin. We are known to be champions of body confidence and love a girl with curves! We have a huge range of sizes available for you to try on at The White Dress and we pride ourselves on being inclusive. We don’t have a ‘plus size’ dress rail and we don’t care what shape or size you are, as long as you have the most amazing experience and leave the boutique happy.

Our Bride Fiona and her Bridesmaids

Keep in Touch

Our Bridal Team

We will keep you well informed about the progress of your dress and invite you to come in and try her on as soon as she arrives in store (how exciting?!). In the meantime, please keep in touch and feel free to pop by for a bridesmaid appointment or with your groom so that he can also find his one (kilt!). We want you to enjoy your experience with us and to spread the word – we can’t wait to meet you and show you the dresses that we fell in love with, too! Book your appointment with our friendly team at one of our four stores: Bathgate, Dunfermline, Bonnyrigg and Airdrie.