Dress Shopping before engaged

[AprilD]

Has anyone done this?

I know that my bf and I will be getting engaged in the near future (before the end of the year if not sooner).

A popular dress shop in town is getting rid of their instock items... discounts are between 45-55% off.

I am so torn on whether to go or not. I CANT pass up a good deal, but also wanted to be engaged when I went dress shopping.

My mom and sisters are rooting for me to go and so excited that this sale has come up, theyre cute

OK back the original question... anyone done this?

Thanks ladies

 

[sunnyd]

I did. Well, not intentionally. Call it peer pressure.

I went to a wedding show with friends (1 of whom is engaged) and tried one on because she didn't want to do it by herself. I wanted to try on one anyway, who am I kidding?!

I kinda consider us unofficially engaged anyway, so it wasn't a big sneaking around thing. But when it's serious I wanna take my mom and have that whole moment. So I say go! Get a deal!

 

[debzy103]

I can understand wanting to get a deal, but depending on where you live/what stores are near you, there are usually bride blow out sales every 3 months. In that case, you really would never miss out on a big sale because there''s always another one around the corner.

Something also to consider - do you know exactly what kind of dress you want? Otherwise, you might want to try on lots of dresses and take a few weeks (or months!) to find "the dress." You don''t want to feel pressured into a good deal on the first day of dress shopping only to turn around a week or two later and think, what if I just looked a little longer?

I personally do not want to start shopping until we''re officially engaged. I''m SO ready to look at venues, try on dresses, etc, but I think it will feel more "real" once I''m wearing my ring...which should hopefully be in the next month or two!!!

 

[AprilD]

Yeah, Im kind at the point where I have an idea what I want, but I also want to try on lots of dresses.

In reality, if I found a dress i LOVED I would probably buy it, if I found one I so-so liked, I wouldnt buy it just because it was a deal.

Thanks for the opinions ladies!!!!

 

[Clairitek]

Funny I come home to see this thread... I just stopped in at a local bridal salon on my way home from running errands. I told myself I sent to look at BM dresses for my friends wedding but I ended up browsing the bridal gowns for my own information. As I was gushing over a

gorgeous

Alfred Sung dress the shop owner was like "You can try it on if you want..." I have to admit I was tempted and the only reason I didn''t was that my mother wasn''t there with me. Had she been there I would have been in that dressing room faster than anything.

So I say- GO FOR IT if your mom and other important dress shopping people are going to be there. I don''t think it matters that much that you aren''t officially engaged yet. Do whatever you''re comfortable with.

 

[Izzy03]

You should definitely go get a gown ESPECIALLY if your mom and sisters are rooting for you!!!! You have all the support that matters!

 

[PearlDahhhling]

Normally I wouldn''t be a huge fan of going dress shopping before getting engaged, but I say if you can get that great of a discount, go for it! You may find something you absolutely love at an amazing price!

But just some food for thought: Have you and FF talked about what kind of wedding you want? If you have, you should definitely keep that in mind. For example, if you have been thinking semi-casual or something on the beach or something, you might not want to look at huge ball gowns. This was something I hadn''t even considered until coming across it in one of my bridal magazines.

 

[dcgator]

Oh, I am soooo chomping at the bit to get into a dress store and try some on, but I have yet to do it. I would say I am in a similar boat. I know the bf has gotten the ring already and we are discussing venues and dates for a summer ''09 wedding, so we are practically already engaged. But, I would kinda feel weird going into the dress store and trying on dresses without a ring.The only temptation I have given into yet, aside from the usual wedding smut like Pricescope and Platinum Weddings, is a couple of bridal magazines. Actually, I was going to hold back on that too, but my FF bought my first one for me, so I guess that made it ok

As for as dress shopping pre-e-ring, I''m sure people do it, so don''t let that get you down, esp since you will have you posse with you.
If you do end up going, have fun and remember to take pics so we can all salivate over pretty dresses!

 

[dreaming of the day]

I also can not wait to try on dresses, but I am not giving in. Would you really buy a dress before you are officially engaged? I don''t see anything wrong with it, but I would think you might change your mind if you buy to quickly! I would really take my time with the process, but that is a personal choice. I would go and look around, but I wouldn''t put any pressure on yourself to purchase something, just my .02

 

[Dreamgirl]

I can see myself doing this. But I never have and I wont allow myself to do that until I actually have the ring. I have to save something exciting for myself after being engaged!!

 

[Italiahaircolor]

You can certainly buy your dress before you''re offically engaged...

but whats the fun in that?

 

[vita*dolce]

i''m kind of superstitious, so i probably wouldn''t buy a wedding dress until i was engaged -- seems too much like tempting fate. maybe you should ask your bf what he thinks about it, if he gives you the green light then go for it!

 

[Haven]

Have you and your future FI discussed what type of wedding you want to have? If so, and if you are quite certain about what you will do, then I see no harm in dress shopping.

HOWEVER, I want to tell you that dress shopping was my absolute favorite part of the entire wedding planning process (other than daydreaming about finally living with my hubby). My sisters and mom and other very close women came with me, and I felt like a princess, and I cherish those memories dearly. If you have support, and your mom and sisters will go with you, then go for it. But if it will be an on-the-sly thing, then I would wait.

 

[AprilD]

Hey ladies,

OK a few updates...... yes FF and I have discussed wedding dates and types of wedding... so that wouldnt be a problem at all....

I DID talk to him about it and his first reaction wasnt overly excited about it.. not totally against it, but not totally for it...
So I dont think that Im going to do it.... he did say he would think about it though and well chat about it...

Although i love a deal, after Ive thought about it, and checked out the advice from you ladies, I think that Ill pass on this sale....

I want to have the TOTAL excitement of having my ring, my date set, all of that fun stuff that goes along with trying on a dress

Thanks as always, i LOVE getting the opinions of others in the same boat!!!

 

[ilovethiswebsite]

I say wait!! Save the excitement for when you get engaged! I never even bought a wedding magazine before I was engaged just so I didn't jinx it!!

 

[INdmbLove]

Wait.... please please please... wait. I think its OK to try on dresses but please do not buy one.



I''m speaking from experience... I told him I was looking- he was ok with it, we had a date set... and promised that I''d have my ring by.... well next week end of Sept. and now I have a BEAUTIFUL dress that I feel like I will never be able to wear.

 

[AprilD]

Yup definitely waited.

Sale is over Saturday. I "forgot" to remind my sisters and mom... hahaha so that hopefully they will forget and "oh no, its too late now"

I decided that for me the best decision is to have all the excitement of being engaged and knowing when the date is,
and trying a million dresses on without a million girls in there trying to get a good deal like I would be.

Now... hopefully I dont have to wait too long to actually be able to try on the dress!!!!

THe waiting game is sometimes the hardest!!!!! (a little torture never hurt anyone )

 

[debzy103]

Honestly, why rush it? Enjoy the time waiting to get engaged (as hard as it is!). And then enjoy your engagement and planning. There''s no reason to rush any of it. We only get to experience any of this once in our lifetime!

 

[Keepingthefaith21]

I am happy to hear you waited and I am sure when the day comes you will be too.

Besides, I figure if you are meant to find the perfect dress at a perfect price nothing is going to stand in the way of that for you.

What''s meant to be will be be!