Shopping for the most important dress for the most important day of your life is thrilling, scary, and nerve racking. There are so many questions. What's the difference between an empire style and a mermaid? Why does beading or embroidery add so much to the cost of a dress? How do you know your dress will arrive on time and fit you? Before you get overwhelmed with all the choices, consider the benefits from a bridal salon's expertise and get your questions answered.

Selecting Styles that Flatter You

When you walk into a bridal salon you are more or less a blank canvas. At least that's one way the bridal consultants look at you. They have no preconceived notions of your likes and dislikes or what you think looks good on you but may not. The styles they select will work with your body type, coloring, height and weight. Keep your options open. Bridal consultants have years of experience in finding the bridal gown that's just right for any type of bride.

Explaining Why Different Dresses are Priced Differently

If you've tried finding a bridal gown online you know the prices range from $99 to $9,999 or more. It's difficult to tell why gowns are priced the way they are and if you're getting your money's worth. A bridal salon consultant can explain why a dress made from a higher quality fabric is worth the cost. She or he can demonstrate that one type of lace is more appropriate for the flounce on your hemline than another. For example: More expensive dresses have dressmaking details such as finished seams that cheaper dresses don't. Those finished seams make the dress more comfortable to wear. That's important since the average wedding ceremony and reception lasts over five hours.

Embellishments such as embroidery are carefully hand finished on quality gowns. Bead work is sewn on as are crystals and sequins rather than glued.

You may not realize that the slip dress you fall in love with costs as much as a ball gown because the fabric for a slip dress has to be a higher quality to drape properly. So even though the ball gown uses more fabric it is less expensive per yard.

Keeping Within Your Budget

You may have set a budget of say $2,000 for your wedding dress. Your bridal consultant will help you stay within that budget showing you dresses within the range and slightly on either side of the range. Don't expect the consultant to second guess what your budget is. And don't be embarrassed to tell. You won't see dresses that are too expensive so you won't be tempted to overspend.

Your bridal consultant will honestly tell you if the dress of your dreams is possible within your budget. You may want a ball gown with lots of lace and sequins on an unrealistic budget of $1200. The consultant will show you dresses that have a touch of lace or a sprinkling of sequins, explaining that if you want more you will have to adjust your budget. Or change the style from ball gown to A line for example.

Objective Viewpoint

Bringing a friend or two with you to try on bridal gowns is reassuring. The problem is that the friends may not feel comfortable telling you that a gown just doesn't do you justice or that it highlights figure flaws you want to hide.

Your mother and mother-in-law have their own ideas of what your dress should be and it may not mesh with yours. Dresses these days are sexier than your mother's day with the strapless necklines and figure hugging styles.

Remember that the dresses in the salon are a standard size 8 or 10. The dress may not zip up the back because the sample is too small for you. Or the hem may be too long, or straps too short. The bridal consultant can make adjustments in the sample to show you what the dress looks like in your size.

Your bridal consultant is your new objective best friend when it comes to wedding dresses. She or he wants you to look stunningly beautiful on your wedding day. A happy pleased bride is the best referral for new business. A bride who was talked into a dress way over budget that isn't her style is bad for business.

Reliability and Accountability

Buying a wedding gown means signing a contract for the dress to be delivered in six months. That's a long six months if you're worried about the salon's ability to deliver. Most bridal salons require the gown to be paid for in full when ordering. Others require at least a substantial down payment. There are a few salons that allow payments to be made on a monthly basis for up to a year from ordering but those are rare.

Your bridal salon should be reliable. There should be no question in your mind that the dress will be there as promised when it was promised.

A bridal salon can provide the expertise that removes a lot of stress from selecting your wedding gown. Many salons have one stop shopping so you can complete your wedding outfit from head to toe and from the inside out. Bridesmaids dresses are available that perfectly compliment your gown. Even shoes and jewelry are found onsite.