Saying Yes to YOUR Dress!

When it comes to picking out the perfect wedding dress your options and possibilities are endless! I mean, truly endless. But there is only one dress for you! Unless of course you decide to have the ceremony dress and a separate dress for the reception/ party, then there are two! Which means double the fun!

There are quite a few things to consider before saying yes to your dream wedding gown. And I am sure you have created and dedicated a Pinterest board to your big day, but here are a few things to think about as you are prepping for and planning your dress search. Because even though I hate to admit it as a photographer, the dresses never look the same in real life, they fit very different from how the models look in them online and they look so different on the hanger from being on you!

1. Are you eloping or having a traditional wedding day?

If you are eloping and down for hiking to your ceremony spot like I was, definitely think about distance and functionality of carrying your dress across roots, rocks, dirt, and puddles. My arms were definitely feeling the burn from hauling my dress through the woods that morning haha. Check out these shots by the talented and wonderful @samanthaharrellphotography from my own wedding day. The weight of the dress is definitely something I wish I had considered a little more, but it was oh so worth it!

2. The venue or ceremony location.

Not only should your venue location play a role in choosing your dress, but your shoe selection, as well. If you will be walking outside for photos or your ceremony space is outside in grass, think about heel choices that will not cause you to sink in the ground while walking down the aisle to and from the altar and standing for photos.

I even highly recommend for any wedding day against putting those high heels on until the last minute before you walk down the aisle. You will likely be standing in them for 30+ minutes at least so try to give those tootsies a little break. I promise you and your feet will thank me later, especially if you want to spend the rest of the night out on the dance floor.

I chose to wear my hiking boots on the hike to our ceremony point and then change into my leather sandals once we reached the overlook. I 10/ 10 recommend having a shoe change even if you are not hiking on your wedding day. Trust me you do not have to sacrifice those soft feet for the sake of style throughout the entire day, no one but you will likely see them under that stunning dress anyway.