You found it.
After the dresses, the mirrors, the opinions, the narrowing down and maybe even a few surprises along the way, you looked at yourself and realized:
This is my wedding dress.
First of all, celebrate that.
Finding your wedding dress is one of those moments during wedding planning when everything can suddenly feel a little more real.
You're not just planning a wedding anymore.
You can actually picture yourself walking down the aisle.
But somewhere between the hugs, photos and excitement, you may also find yourself wondering:
Okay...what happens now?
At Blush Bridal Studio, saying yes isn't where your experience with us ends.
There are still a few steps between finding your dress and wearing it on your wedding day-and we're here to help you understand what comes next.
First, Enjoy the Moment
Before we talk about ordering, sizing, alterations and timelines, can we just say this?
You found your wedding dress.
That's a big deal.
There are plenty of logistical things we'll need to take care of, but there is also something to be said for simply letting yourself enjoy the moment.
Take the pictures.
Give your people a hug.
Look at yourself in the mirror one more time.
And let it sink in.
You just said yes to the dress you're going to get married in.
That's pretty special.
Are We Ordering Your Dress or Are You Taking This One Home?
What happens next depends partly on how you're purchasing your gown.
At Blush, brides may purchase their wedding dress through a special order or directly from our collection.
With a special order, we'll take your measurements and use the designer's size chart to determine the size we'll order for you.
If you're purchasing a gown from our collection, you're purchasing the actual dress you tried on in the studio.
That means your dress may be going home with you much sooner.
Neither option is more “official” than the other.
The important thing is that you've found your dress, and your stylist will explain exactly what happens next based on the gown you've chosen.
Let's Talk About Bridal Sizing
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This deserves its own conversation because bridal sizing can catch brides by surprise.
The size we recommend ordering may not be the same size you normally wear in everyday clothing.
Please don't give that number more power than it deserves.
Wedding dress designers use their own size charts, and sizing can vary from one designer to another.
Your stylist will take your measurements and compare them with the specific designer's size chart. From there, we'll talk with you about the recommended size for your gown.
The number on the tag isn't a grade.
It isn't a judgment.
And it doesn't change anything about your body.
It's simply the sizing system the designer uses to make sure we're ordering the best starting point for alterations.
That's it.
Then Comes the Waiting
If we're special ordering your gown, there will be a stretch of time when something very exciting is happening...
but you can't see any of it.
Your dress is being made and making its way to us.
This can take several months depending on the designer, gown and time of year.
And yes, we know waiting can feel like forever.
You've spent all this time searching for the dress, finally found it and then had to leave without it.
But don't worry.
We'll be keeping track of your order, and when your gown arrives at Blush, we'll let you know.
And that is a very fun message to receive.
What Happens When My Wedding Dress Arrives?
She's here!
Once your special-order gown arrives at Blush, we'll contact you with the next steps for your particular order.
Seeing your dress again can feel completely different from the day you chose it.
This time, it isn't a sample gown you're considering.
It's your wedding dress.
Your wedding is closer.
Your plans have come together.
And suddenly, the dress you chose months ago is here waiting for you.
It's one of our favorite parts of the process.
What About Alterations?
Alterations are what take a wedding gown from a designer's standard size and make it fit you.
Wedding dresses are not made to your exact measurements, so most brides should expect that their gown will need some alterations.
Maybe the hem needs to be shortened.
Maybe the bodice needs to be taken in.
Straps may need to be adjusted.
You may want cups added or changed.
And if your gown has a train, you'll probably want to talk about adding a bustle so you can move-and dance-more easily after the ceremony.
Alterations are completed separately from the purchase of your gown, and your alterations professional will help determine exactly what your dress needs.
This is also why we talk so much about giving yourself enough time when wedding dress shopping.
Finding the dress is step one.
Getting it wedding-day ready is another important part of the journey.
When Should I Choose My Veil and Accessories?
Some brides find their veil the same day they find their dress.
Others want to wait.
Both are completely fine.
Once you've chosen your gown, though, accessories become much easier to envision.
Now we can look at the actual neckline, fabric, details and train of your dress.
Does the dress call for a cathedral veil?
Something simple and barely there?
Pearls?
Sparkle?
A beautiful pair of earrings and nothing else?
Sometimes a bride puts on a veil and immediately says:
“Oh. NOW I feel like a bride.”
And sometimes she decides she doesn't want one at all.
Your bridal look should feel just as personal as your dress did.
What If I Wake Up Tomorrow and Start Second-Guessing My Dress?
Can we talk about this?
Because it happens.
You made a big decision.
You spent a significant amount of money.
You probably had a lot of emotions happening at once.
And then you wake up the next morning, open Instagram and suddenly there are 47 wedding dresses in your feed.
So you start wondering:
Should I have tried one more?
What about that other dress?
Did I decide too quickly?
Before you let yourself spiral, remember how you felt when you chose your dress.
There was a reason you said yes.
One of the kindest things you can do for yourself after finding your wedding dress is to stop shopping for wedding dresses.
Close the Pinterest board.
Stop saving gowns.
You don't need to keep looking for something you've already found.
There will always be another beautiful wedding dress.
But there is only one that you chose to be yours.
Let yourself love it.
What If My Body Changes Before My Wedding?
Bodies change.
That's normal.
Your weight may fluctuate. Your measurements may change. Life happens.
This is another reason alterations are an important part of the wedding dress process.
If you know your body has changed significantly after ordering your gown, talk with us and with your alterations professional rather than worrying about it on your own.
Most importantly, don't spend the months between saying yes and your wedding day feeling like you need to change your body for your dress.
The dress is supposed to work for you.
Not the other way around.
Don't Forget About Your Dress After the Wedding
We spend so much time talking about getting the dress ready for the wedding that it's easy to forget about what happens afterward.
After the dancing, celebrating and probably a little dirt around the hem, you'll need to decide what you'd like to do with your gown.
Some brides plan to sell or donate their dress.
Others want to keep it.
And for brides who want to preserve their gown, professional wedding dress cleaning and preservation can help protect it for years to come.
At Blush, we offer wedding gown cleaning and preservation services, so when the celebration is over, you can bring your dress back to us and we'll help you with the next step.
We love getting to see our brides again after the wedding.
Especially when they bring pictures.
Hint, hint.
Saying Yes Isn't Goodbye
When you purchase your wedding dress at Blush, we don't want you to feel like the relationship ends when the receipt prints.
You've become one of our brides.
And we take that pretty seriously.
We'll celebrate when you find your dress.
We'll help you navigate what comes next.
We'll be excited when your gown arrives.
We'll help you complete your bridal look.
And we'll probably be stalking your wedding photos on Instagram when the big day finally comes.
Because somewhere along the way, this becomes about more than a dress to us, too.
From “I Think This Is It” to “I Do”
When you first walk into Blush, you're looking for a wedding dress.
And then one day, you're standing in front of the mirror wearing your wedding dress.
There's something pretty wonderful about that transformation.
The gown that started on a hanger becomes part of your story.
It will be in the photographs you keep forever.
It will be what you're wearing when the people you love see you walk down the aisle.
It will dance with you.
Celebrate with you.
And probably collect a little evidence of a very good night along the hem.
We feel incredibly lucky that we get to be part of the beginning of that story.
So yes, saying yes is a pretty big moment.
But it isn't the end of your Blush experience.
It's simply the moment your dress officially becomes part of your wedding story.
And we can't wait to see where you take her.