Who Goes Wedding Dress Shopping with the Bride? - Harmony Loves (2024)

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The people you choose to bring to bridal gown shopping can make or break your wedding dress hunting experience. Everyone involved will have an opinion on what looks good on you – and what doesn’t. One wrong move and you could easily get back to square one.

For a better, special wedding dress shopping experience, learn more about who goes wedding dress shopping with the bride and why they’re important.

Who Goes Wedding Dress Shopping with the Bride?

Here are people you might want to consider inviting to help you with wedding dress shopping:

Invite Your Mom

Ask your mom to spare some time to go wedding dress shopping with you in preparation for your big day.

Your mother is a big part of your life. She has watched you grow and develop from a child into the adult that you’re now. Because she knows you better than anyone else in your family and friends’ circle, she can help you to determine whether a garment truly reflects your personality.

While it’s good to involve your relatives in wedding preparation, it’s not a good idea to involve them in bridal gown shopping. Cousins can invite aunties and aunties can invite their other cousins, and that will eventually result in overwhelming shopping ideas and opinions that you just can’t deal with.

If your extended family is truly interested in being a part of your wedding dress buying experience, assign someone to give them gown images to ensure that they feel included.

Invite Some Members of the Wedding Party

You may feel compelled to invite members of your bridal party to wedding dress shopping, and that’s completely fine. However, how many people you invite matters. We strongly recommend inviting at most four people only. Remember, the last thing you want to deal with is too many divergent opinions, as it can make it difficult for you to find the right dress for your big day.

Identify individuals who understand your style and attitude towards life and fashion. These individuals will do their best to provide you with a candid response, which can help you to make an informed decision when shopping for a wedding dress.

If you’re unsure who to invite or fear upsetting someone by failing to extend an invitation, just consult your bridesmaid. Depending on your wedding party, this individual may turn out to be your sibling. Additionally, you may engage certain people at various stages of the process, such as dress fittings that have their own etiquette, to ensure they take part in the wedding dress shopping process.

Invite Your Close Friends

We’re certain you’ve made many friends from the time you joined the junior high school to the very moment you said “Yes” to a marriage proposal. So, bringing two or three close friends to wedding dress shopping can add a unique thrill to the occasion.

If you’re a little unsure about the type of bridal gown to choose and have a friend who provides excellent counsel, invite her along. Whether they enjoy contemporary fashions and trends or not, your bestie can provide some impartial input that will help you to make the right purchase decision.

If one of your friends is famously judgmental and pessimistic, she may be better off staying at home. The most important point to remember is that you’re inviting individuals who can assist you in making a decision and feeling good about it.

Go Wedding Dress Shopping Alone

Some people prefer to shop for clothing alone, and bridal gowns are no exception. While you adore your family and friends, you’re the one who will be wearing the wedding gown, not them. So, it’s completely fine if you decide to go shopping alone.

Shopping alone provides a judgment-free environment in which to consider how you feel in a dress without relying on other people’s reviews or opinions.

You may certainly start shopping alone and then invite family and friends to accompany you once you’ve narrowed down your options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do dads go wedding dress shopping?

Unfortunately, the answer isn’t in black and white.
Based on etiquette, there doesn’t seem to be a problem if your dad goes wedding dress shopping with you. But according to some superstitions and traditions, only the bride should see the wedding dress before the big day.
Regardless of the existing beliefs, it’s up to the bride to decide whether they would like their dad to go wedding dress shopping and see the gown before the ceremony.

Should the mother-in-law see the wedding dress?

Tradition dictates that it’s the bride’s mom’s role to take the lead on wedding dress shopping. However, many women nowadays use this as a guideline rather than a strict rule.
To be clear, there isn’t any rule suggesting that you should bring your mother-in-law to be for wedding dress shopping. So, they don’t have the right, on any ground, to feel offended if you don’t want them to see the bridal gown before the wedding day.
You might consider letting them see the dress, provided the fiancé’s mom is respectful and supportive.

Can a groom go wedding dress shopping?

A groom can go wedding dress shopping with the bride, but they don’t necessarily have to. Many grooms prefer to see their brides’ dresses on the wedding day. So, they won’t participate in the shopping rendezvous.

Do bridesmaids go dress shopping with the bride?

They attend the engagement party, the wedding rehearsal, and the rehearsal dinner. They give a wedding gift and help to get the party started on the dance floor at the wedding reception.They also buy and wear whatever bridesmaid dress the bride wants for her big day. They can go wedding dress shopping with the bride but that’s up to her.

Does the groom’s mother go wedding dress shopping?

It’s not too unusual to invite the groom’s mother for wedding gown shopping when you have very strong and friendly relations. It’s however not the most common arrangement so you could always explain not inviting her if you want a more intimate experience.

Who goes to the bride’s dress fitting?

Fitting a dress can be laborious so better have someone to help the bride out. It would most often be the mom or the maid of honor but could be both of them. It’s not as fun as choosing a dress so just ask someone you can rely on to keep you company and help out during a dress fitting.

Conclusion

It’s easy to fall into the temptation of inviting as many people as you can to bridal gown shopping. However, when it comes to deciding who does wedding dressing shopping with the bride, we strongly recommend keeping the group small.

If you think about it, you’ll get too many points of view. Your friends will tell you what they want, your mom will say what she thinks you should do, and you’ll probably have a differing opinion. In the end, shopping can be much more difficult than you anticipated it to be.

To get the wedding dress selection right, it’s best to limit the number of people you bring to gown shopping to one to four.

Who Goes Wedding Dress Shopping with the Bride? - Harmony Loves (2024)

FAQs

Who usually goes wedding dress shopping with the bride? ›

Traditionally, the mother of the bride, sisters, and the closest friend (or friends) are involved in the dress hunt. Your future mother-in-law can be invited, too, if you're tight with her and you want her to take part.

Does the mother of the groom go wedding dress shopping with the bride? ›

So do you have to invite her along on your wedding dress search? The choice is really up to you. If you'd rather share this time with just your mom and, say, your sister, then do it. You can have a private moment with your fiancé's mom at the wedding if you want, before the ceremony begins.

Who is supposed to buy the wedding dress for the bride? ›

Who traditionally pays for the wedding dress? One of the most closely stuck-to traditions is that the bride's family will pay for the wedding dress. This also includes any accessories the bride may wear, such as a veil, a bag and shoes. For modern weddings, the bride may want to pay for her own dress.

Who buys the dress for the bride? ›

While this responsibility can vary from culture to culture, historically the bride's family will pay for her wedding dress and accessories. This includes everything from the dress itself to the veil and shoes.

Do husbands go wedding dress shopping? ›

Bottom Line: It's Your Choice. At the end of the day, the choice is yours. There are no hard rules when it comes to who can accompany you on your dress expedition.

Do all bridesmaids go wedding dress shopping? ›

While it's tempting to bring all of your bridesmaids, too many opinions can make the decision-making process overwhelming. To ensure everyone feels included, you can plan a fun appointment for them when your chosen dress arrives at the store for a grand reveal.

How do I make wedding dress shopping special for my daughter? ›

To make for a more fun and efficient shopping experience, discuss a budget with your daughter ahead of time so you're both on the same page. Also, make sure to eat a little something before the appointment, so everyone is focused on finding the perfect dress for your daughter and not feeling hangry!

Is the mother in law supposed to go wedding dress shopping? ›

If your mother-in-law is already like a mother to you or will be a positive addition to the day, it is a nice gesture to include them in this special shopping trip.

Who pays for the mother of the bride's dress? ›

The mother of the bride traditionally buys her own dress before the mother of the groom, and then contacts the mother of the groom to describe her dress.

What do brides' parents pay for? ›

The bride's family traditionally pays for the majority of the wedding-related expenses, from the engagement party to the newlyweds' getaway car. According to Christin Gomes and Ida Gibson, PhD, of Common Courtesy, these costs have typically included: Engagement party.

Who pays for the daughter's wedding dress? ›

Consider who traditionally pays for the wedding

Traditionally, the bride's family assumed most of the financial costs associated with a wedding, including the wedding planner, invitations, dress, ceremony, reception, flowers, photography, and music.

Who pays for an engagement dinner? ›

Whoever hosts the engagement party is usually responsible for covering the costs. Historically, it's been the bride's parents. However, as celebrations for engagements have evolved, Mae notes that she often sees both parents paying a portion of the total bill. Some couples even chip in.

Who goes bride dress shopping? ›

Parents or Close Family – Chances are your mom has been dreaming of your wedding for a while –maybe even longer than you have. So there is no doubt that she is an obvious choice to bring with you to go wedding dress shopping. Or maybe your Aunt who has been an important part in your upbringing.

Who usually buys the brides garter? ›

Who Buys the Wedding Garter? Anyone can buy the wedding garter; there's no set person. A bride may pick it out for herself to match her wedding dress, her spouse-to-be may purchase it as a gift, or her bridesmaids might make one as a custom design.

What do grooms' parents pay for? ›

According to traditional etiquette, the groom's family is responsible for paying for the bride's rings, the groom's and groomsmen's attire, the rehearsal dinner, gifts for the groomsmen, some personal flowers, the officiant's fee, the marriage license fee, certain aspects of transportation, and the honeymoon.

How long before the wedding should you go dress shopping? ›

Typically, we suggest making your bridal dress appointments 9-12 months prior to your wedding date. This date is suggested with the goal of picking out and ordering a dress 8-9 months before the wedding. This gives you plenty of time to shop around and find the dress of your dreams.

Does the husband buy the wedding dress? ›

Dresses and Suits

Oftentimes the bride's mom will help pay for her dress and accessories. The groom should handle any costs associated with their suit. When you are planning for these costs, remember to include shoes, jewelry, and a veil if you plan on wearing one.

Does the bride normally buy the bridesmaid dresses? ›

In the US, the tradition is for the bridesmaids to each pay for their own dress, regardless of who is making the final call on what the dresses will look like. The bride should try to be flexible about the kind of dresses she chooses for her girls.

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