My fiance and I are in disagreement over who a bride should take dress shopping... so, here's a quick question for all of the engaged/married ladies out there: who did you take with you when you went wedding dress shopping? We've agreed to go with majority rules according to PT (which is why, in the interest of being fair, I didn't say who I thought should go with me) Thanks
And am taking my mom, my sister, and my FI's mom. He is an only child and she will never have this experience again, I want to include her. I would love for some of my bridesmaids to come too but I think there will be too many opinions then. I may bring one of them since we spend basically every day together anyway and she will definitely give me an honest opinion. Hope you win!
I wanted to add, my FMIL and I have a really great relationship (they actually let me live with them before I got setup where they live, I went to college over here and got hired here but didn't come from here, about two hours away). She also is probably the nicest person in the world, never offends people, never looks angry, and is always doing things to help me. If we didn't get along the way we did, I wouldn't include her. I do plan to go the first time with just me and my mom near my parent's house, but if I find something and want to go back there before heading into the city, I will definitely bring her to come see it before purchasing.
Last edited by BronxTeacher; 07-09-2009 at 09:29 AM..
Reason: added second paragraph
I took my mom, my sister (matron of honor), and 2 of my 3 bridesmaids. The third couldn't make it b/c she was across the state in classes that day. I didn't take too many, since it was me trying on dresses. I ended up getting the second dress I tried on
my mom only! A few of my bridesmaids cam with me for some of the fittings, but mil never saw the dress until the wedding day.
It also depends on your relationship with other people, if you have a good relationship with his mom, then you might consider it, but this is really a time for you and your mom or sisters or very close friends. You do not want to have too many opinions.
went with me because she was the one who was going to create my dress. We picked out the pattern and material. (You can tell I'm a little old fashioned.)
I took my mom, my meme (grandmother), my 2 sisters and my 2 best friends. They were also bridesmades so we looked at dresses for them while we were there. But you can take who ever you want there with you as you pick out your special dress. It is about you and whoever makes you comfortable and who you want to have around you, I don't think there is a right or wrong answer here.
I took my mom, sisters (who were also bridal party).
My sister is engaged and took mom, sisters, his mom and his sisters plus 2 friends. There were 9 people in the room excluding bride and the woman from the dress shop. In my opinion, it is too many people yelling out their opinion.
The fewer the better!
Please let us know what you decide (so we know who wins the debate).
I took my mom, my aunt, and my best friend (maid of honor). I agree with what someone else said, whoever makes you comfortable and whoever is going to be honest with you about how things look is who you should be with. There is no right or wrong answer.
I only took my mom. I did not want to take too many because I was afraid that everyone would have their own opinion. My 3 sisters and sister in law who were also my bridesmaids got to see the dress after my mom and I picked one.
I went looking for a dress for the first time the other day and I just took my mom. I'm going again to a bigger city and plan to invite my mom, 3 bridesmaids and my future MIL. I set the date for a Saturday - whoever can make it can, and if they can't or don't want to it won't hurt my feelings. Like you, I don't want too many opinions. Take who you feel comfortable with, but the first time just take one or two special people so you don't get overwhelmed. Once you have an idea of what you want or have it narrowed down to a few dresses, then bring the crew.
Since Mom is deceased, I took my 3 sisters with me. They have been my moms for some time now. I also asked my mother-in-law, because not only do I like her a lot, but she has no daughters and I thought she'd love the chance to ooh and ahh.
I took my mom and sister because I choose to. But IMO it should be whoever the bride wants to go with as she is the one who has to stand there and and be commented on. You also want people who will be honest with you and tell you how it really looks.
and my mom & MIL the next time. I think my sisters came for my fitting. My MIL only had boys (3 of them) and I knew the other SIL's would have NEVER included her. I knew that if I only had boys (which so far, I only have one boy ), I would want to be a part of an experience like that. I'm glad that I only took my mom with the first time though. She shouldn't have to share everything.
I am taking my mom and my sister (she is my matron of honor). I will not invite my future MIL because she can be very bossy and demanding. She would try to tell me what to buy and it would make for a very bad experience. My fiance already knows this so I am going to include her in another way. Not sure how yet but I will come up with something we can do that will be a bonding experience...
I took my mom at first but then she had her own vision and our vision was not the same. So the 2nd time, I took my sister and 2 best friends. After I chose the dress, I took my mom to see the dress. Good luck!
A friend went with me. This thread makes me glad I didn't live near family. I can't imagine having wars over who is shopping with me. Yuck!
Assuming this is a MIL thing, there's NO WAY I would have been comfortable taking my MIL with me. My experience with wedding dresses means there are people poking and "rearranging" you, lots of underwear flashing, and discussions about flab, body shape, etc. I have only boys and don't expect to be invited to help choose the bride's dress.
My mom and my MOH went with me. I didn't even think about inviting MIL or step-MIL, probably because one lived out of town and the other didn't seem too interested.
I took three other bridesmaids with me. I would have taken my mom, too, but she couldn't go that day. My other bridesmaids and MIL lived too far away to come along.
I think you should take whoever YOU want. I took my mom, step-mom, and MIL the first time. My husband is an only child and she was so excited to have "daughter" to do girly things with so I knew she'd enjoy going and wouldn't have the opportunity otherwise. I also have a great relationship with her, we are very close. If that weren't the case, I would not have invited her. That day I narrowed it to 3 dresses. Then 4 of my 5 bridesmaids (other lives out of town) came back with me. I will say that all of these people are very kind and truely there to support me not to tell me what to do so it went well. I don't think I'd invite anyone who would be too opinionated. Or at least make up your mind to listen to but ignore what they say if you feel you need to invite them. Don't let them make the decision for you! Good luck!
Wedding dress shopping can be a really stressful experience so I think you need to take who you are comfortable taking. I went first with my best friend. I knew I could rely on her to make sure I heard truth, she had just gotten married a few months before, so her advise was helpful. She also made me try on everything even if I hated it Once we found something I liked, my mom came to visit (she lives 5 hours away) Even though I had already decided she still made me traipse all over town and try on 9 billion other dresses. Like I said...stressful. We went back and bought the very first one I showed her. So if you are worried about crazy family dynamics you could also sneak off with a friend or your mom and scope the situation out. You'll at least have an idea about what styles look good on you and you can narrow it down to a few choices, mull it over and then go back the next week or whenever with a group if you want.
I went with my good friend and my Dh's roommate. And Dh's roommate was a hetero guy, too. But he was a very good friend of mine. And we were really shopping for fun... trying on dresses that were way too expensive
I took my mom and sisters. I'm very close to my family and this is something I wanted to share with them. Everyone else will get to see the dress at the wedding.
I took my mom and mother in law with me. We had a good time together. My sister was invited but my niece was sick the day we went and she couldn't make it.
I took my maid of honor.My mom and I have very different tastes so I didn't think I needed that kind of stress. My maid of honor is a very honest person - she let me know if something didn't look good on me and why she thought that.
Since my mom and sis are deceased, I did not take anyone with me. Also a friend who got married a few years before me rented te most beautiful dress which would have been way out of her budget to purchase.
I should mention I married for the 1st and only time at the age of 45. I knew I would not have a daughter to hand down the dress, and frankle my friends who have paid enormous amounts of cash for dress preservation have dresses with yellowing and holes.
I rented my dress, veil and slip for 99.00, and wass able to keep the stuff for 6 months prior to returning, with requests to return without drycleaning.
I had the dress of my dreams and recommend thid as an option for budget-concious brides.
Have fun shopping for this very special purpose!
I went by myself. I went to some stores and didn't like what I could find. I also didn't have time to shop that much. So I found a dress in a magazine that I liked and found a seamstress to make it for me. I thought it would be easier than shopping. But it turned out that the woman who did the sewing wasn't that good. My dress turned out . So spend some time shopping for one instead. I wouldn't take more than one person with you. Too many makes it too hard to find the one YOU like. So I would vote for taking your maid of honor and that's it.
Just my mom and that's the way I hope my DD does it, many years from now. It was such a special time for us. Been married 25 years and still treasure that time my mom and I shared!
When I went dress shopping I brought my mom and younger sister. My best friend was married a few years ago and she brought two of her bridesmaids and her mom. Too many people = too many opinions!
Do you ever watch Say Yes to the Dress on TLC? I think it will show you that you shouldn't bring a fiance or too many people! It's a great show...very funny and entertaining.
When I went, I liked just being with my mom at first, then when I thought I had found my dress, I invited my future sister in law and mother in law for some additional advice.
I lived out of province from my mom and my bridesmaids, so I went alone (I know that sounds kind of pathetic, but I didn't have to worry about any opinions but mine.) I have been watching "Say Yes to the Dress", and the consultants all say that you should only take a small number of people, like 2 or 3.
I only took my mom with me! I also refused to let anyone see the dress or a picture of it (except immediate family members, my dad & bros) before the big day!
I was walking through the mall, shopping with my best friend when I found the dress of my dreams...hanging in J. Crew's window! (Got married in Vegas). Went in, tried it on, and LOVED it--a perfect fit. We had only been engaged for a couple of weeks and were still finalizing Vegas plans. Once plans were final, I went back, the dress was on sale, and I bought it.
I will say that I feel guilty that my mom didn't get to go with me, but I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.
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07-09-2009, 08:10 AM
), I would want to be a part of an experience like that. I'm glad that I only took my mom with the first time though. She shouldn't have to share everything. 
. So spend some time shopping for one instead. I wouldn't take more than one person with you. Too many makes it too hard to find the one YOU like. So I would vote for taking your maid of honor and that's it.
(Got married in Vegas). Went in, tried it on, and LOVED it--a perfect fit. We had only been engaged for a couple of weeks and were still finalizing Vegas plans. Once plans were final, I went back, the dress was on sale, and I bought it.
