Illustration: Pietari Posti
Before you even step foot inside a bridal salon, you need to prepare. You'll want to have a vision (or, at the very least, an idea of what styles and shapes you like), wear the proper underpinnings (you're basically going to be naked in front of a stranger!), and, of course, gather up the troops (your most supportive friends and family). Besides those essentials, David's Bridal Fashion Director (and wedding dress shopping guru) Catalina Maddox-Wagers says the most important item to bring to your appointment is... an open mind!
"I've seen it over and over again—a bride comes in and imagines herself in an incredibly tight mermaid gown, and then she tries it on and is tremendously disappointed," Maddox-Wagers says. "If you're working with a really good, experienced consultant, you could come in with one look in mind and leave with something completely different." Bear this in mind—and grab your besties—and you're ready to make the most out of your bridal appointment!
See five more things you must bring wedding dress shopping in the complete slideshow.
The winner of Brides Live Wedding will win an incredible wedding gown from David's Bridal! While the deadline to enter Brides Live Wedding has passed, you can still enter to win amazing prizes every week like a Microsoft Surface tablet, an iPad mini, and more! Enter now on Facebook.
You Might Also Like:
Browse Hundreds of Wedding Dresses
How to Buy a Wedding Gown
17 Things You Didn't Know About Your Wedding Dress