What are the things to consider when choosing a wedding dress?
We’ll find any excuse to be surrounded by beautiful wedding dresses!
We sat down with OZ Bridal, one of Chattanooga’s newest bridal shops in town, to talk about the crucial things to consider when finding that perfect wedding gown.
Wedding dress shopping is ultimately one of the most important parts of planning a wedding because it sets the tone for the rest of the planning.
We’ve heard so many brides say that wedding dress shopping is the “wait, I’m for real getting married?!?!” moment!
Getting to Know OZ Bridal by Olia Zavozina
OZ Bridal by Olia Zavozina (try saying that 5 times in a row) opened its doors less than a year ago on November 2018.
Although new to Chattanooga, this designer bridal shop is actually a branch off of the flagship store, Olia Zavizona, which is located in Nashville.
The Nashville store opened up 10 years ago and has been happily serving many brides-to-be’s ever since!
Olia Zavozina, founder and designer of OZ Bridal, came to America from Siberia when she was 18 years old.
She obtained a business degree and went on to start her own company at age 21! And at age 25, she opened up her first store! YOU GO GIRL!!
Let’s Talk Wedding Dress Designs
Every gown and garment in the store is designed by Olia Zavozina herself!
To put just how incredible this is into perspective, the store itself is filled with over 100 gowns ( and that’s not including the Nashville store.) All gowns are different and unique from one another.
Moreover, each dress and piece is customizable, which allows brides to really stand out!
We love this feature because each bride can truly be different! With customizable designs, brides are free to fully express their vision to the fullest.
And another perk?
All processes are done in house – from finding your dress, to making your dress, to altering your dress, for instance!
This is sure to give you the best quality dresses and services!
We could go on and on about all the lovely designs, but that’s not why you’re here. So, without further ado…
Wedding Dress Advice: 7 Key Things to Consider When Choosing a Wedding Dress
As fun and exciting as it may seem, dress shopping can be overwhelming. We want to make sure that finding THE ONE (dress) goes as smoothly and bubbly as the champagne you’ll be handed when looking for a dress.
Here are the top things to consider when choosing a wedding dress:
1. Do Your Research
Make sure you’ve narrowed down your top favorite styles. Look up photos and designs similar to what you are looking for.
This process helps to speed up the process of looking through the hundreds of dresses that you’ll run into. This also helps prevent you from getting overwhelmed with all the different types of dresses.
2. What’s Your Budget
Make sure to create a pricing range for your wedding dress. We recommend deciding on a number you feel comfortable with prior to dress shopping.
3. Narrow Down the Stores
This goes hand in hand with the research. Go to the dress shops that carry a lot of the styles you are looking for!
In addition, it’s also good to look at the reviews of the shops! Your in-store experience is key to finding your dress – a bad experience can tint your view of a store’s designs!
4. Who to Bring
This is so important. Bring the people who are most important to you – the ones who know you best, make you feel the most confident and won’t speak over you.
Don’t bring everyone because too many opinions are overwhelming and will get you nowhere.
5. Keep an open mind
Sometimes the gown you least expected might turn out to be your favorite! Be open to listening to suggestions!
6. Don’t Get Discouraged and Stay Positive
If you can’t find your wedding dress after the first store or two, that’s totally okay and normal! Keep in mind that there are plenty of designs out there.
Ask if the dresses are customizable (like OZ Bridal’s)
7. Once You’ve Said “Yes!” STOP Looking
Once you’ve found the gown that you absolutely love, stop looking at more dresses!
This may sound obvious, but it’s actually harder than you think. Comparison is the thief of joy, so do yourself a favor and rest in the feeling you had when you said “yes!” to the dress!
What to Expect When Dress Shopping
Every bridal shop is different and will offer a different experience for guests, so it’s hard to say what to expect.
However, most bridal shops understand that wedding dress shopping is important and exciting to you, so they will most likely try to make it a great experience.
More About OZ Bridal
As Chattanooga wedding planners, we know customer experience is EVERYTHING. At OZ Bridal, they strive to make dress shopping a “champagne experience” from the moment you contact them. That’s why we love them!
Their goal is to form a friendship with you before you meet in order to make the whole process as enjoyable as possible.
The OZ Bridal team strives to make every part of your shopping as smooth as possible.
They walk with you through every step!
Oh, and did we mention champagne and mimosas?!
When you come in to shop the wedding gowns, you can expect to have a glass of champagne handed to you! Cheers to that!
