Finding "The One"
No, not that “One”! By the time you have reached us, we presume you have found your soulmate and you have the Ever After side of things well in hand.
But what comes next is perhaps the more confusing question for our newly engaged brides-to-be: What kind of bride am I? Do I want classic strapless, or do I want beautiful shoulder details? Should I go royal with long lace sleeves, a la HRH Princess Kate? Or am I a boho goddess who wants a flowing silk skirt that will trail after me as I run barefoot along the sand? Do brides wear veils these days, or do I just want a headpiece? Or should I wear a veil because I will regret not taking the opportunity later?
We could go on!
As the world of bridal fashion continues to grow and your Instagram feed shows you a new dress every day, how is a girl to know when she has found The One? We know how stressful it can be (some of us have even been there ourselves), so we’ve put together our top 6 tips for finding your dream Anna Campbell gown, stress-free!
1. Do your research.
Your first bridal appointment at Anna Campbell will last for one hour. Even if you don't know exactly which styles will suit you, knowing the kind of dresses you like can help you to get more out of your initial meeting with your stylist. This way, you can explain whether you definitely need a capped sleeve, or if you want strapless all the way, meaning you can go straight for the dresses that fit your requirements.
Designer, Anna Campbell, said “We love working with each bride individually to get to know her intimately, so that we can create a piece that will flatter her shape and style perfectly! To do this, we need our brides to be open and honest with us about what parts of the dress they are loving, and what parts they aren’t so sure about! For example, sometimes a bride will adore the beading and neckline on one of our pieces, but feel that she would love a flowing, more relaxed skirt, and with her feedback, we can work with her to create this, so make sure you are as honest with our stylists as possible!”
Similarly, if you have a strict investment limit - tell your stylist! Setting clear guidelines at the beginning can save you time - and heart break! So jump on Pinterest or Instagram and start saving those inspiration images!
2. Three's a party... four's a crowd.
Of course you love your Mum, two sisters, sister-in-law-to-be and four bridesmaids, but usually we recommend only bringing a maximum of three friends or family to your appointments.
Not only is there rarely enough space for such a crowd and your dress (which should be centre stage, after all!), but having so many opinions can be confusing at the best of times, let alone when you're trying to have your bridal moment! (You know, that moment, when you step in front of the mirror and you just know that you will get married wearing this dress.)
“Having a dress custom made for you locally, from scratch, from the most incredible of silks, and embellishments is really a once in a life time experience! My advice would be to make sure you're having fun, and treasure this incredible journey with us as much as you can!”, said Anna.
We can always take plenty of photos of you looking incredible to show your lovely ladies over a celebratory champagne later that night! So, our advice? Enjoy the peacefulness of our Armadale boutique while selecting your favourite dresses to try, and invite only those whose opinions you value the most.
3. Yes, try the veil!
We might be biased, but really, when else will you ever get to wear such a beautifully romantic accessory!
Whether or not you decide to wear the blusher over your face (we have options with or without), there is something about adding this most classic of bridal touches that always brings a tear to your bridesmaids' eyes!
Our Armadale Boutique Manager, Renee, agrees: "Even if you are unsure about the veil, definitely try one, especially when you are trying on a dress you love! You will be surprised how much the veil just completes the look, it really gives you that 'Oh my gosh, I'm really getting married' moment!"
We style ours with a hand-embellished comb or headpiece, meaning you can simply remove the veil after the ceremony for another decadently sparkly reception look.
Find your favourite sheer, tulle veil now.
4. Keep it all together.
Bridal shopping can get busy, and it absolutely makes sense to do all your initial appointments first so you can narrow down the options! Keeping a wedding diary (no, not a "Dear Diary, today I...) but a planner built to handle the complexities of modern wedding planning, is essential for any bride who values her sanity!
Our tip? Head over to visit the lovely team at Ivory Tribe who have created exactly the thing with their "Bride Business" book! It's full of tips and tricks, and wedding-survival-how-to, but the best bit?
Anna Campbell brides are exclusively offered $10 off with code ANNAC10. Trust us, this one's a no brainer!
5. The finer details.
A unique bridal accessory or two can transform your look, and can be the perfect solution for brides who love a simple, classic bridal look (such as a beautiful strapless lace gown) but want to add a touch of creativity and sparkle!
The good news is, no matter where you find your dream dress, our range of sparkling, vintage-inspired hand-beaded bridal hair combs, headpieces, cuffs and earrings are available to all brides.
Whether you try your accessories on during your Anna Campbell appointment, find them via our online boutique, or make an exclusive Accessories Styling appointment at our Armadale Boutique, we always suggest doing your hair and makeup in a style similar to your wedding day plans, so you can get a true sense for what will make you sparkle best!
6. Start early.
All of our dresses are hand-made in our Melbourne studio. After you have worked with your stylist to choose your favourite dress, discuss any customisations (such as whether you want a fitted or flowing skirt, need additional bust coverage using our collection of hand-beaded Custom Sparkle pieces, or want to add extra beaded shoulder loops) and place your order, it will usually take 16 weeks for our team to create your dress by hand, which is similar to many bridal designers. You will also need to leave time for minor alterations (such as hemming, or sewing the straps of your dress to the perfect length).
Of course, this is the ideal situation, but if this isn't possible (or you have a last minute disaster on your hands!) remember we have an incredible rush service in place. This means our studio team can stop what they’re working on to focus 100% on your dress, creating it by hand to be ready in as little as 2 weeks! So no matter what happens, remember, we've got this!