5 Wedding Dress Myths Debunked

For many brides, the first step of wedding planning is wedding dress shopping. While it’s an exciting and fun time to bring your dream dress into reality, it can also be overwhelming. As a wedding dress professional with Dare and Dazzle, I’ve worked with 100+ brides over the past year, and here are the most common myths brides have when it comes to wedding dresses and wedding dress rental.

Myth 1: I’ll always need to alter my wedding dress

I can’t rent my wedding dress because I can’t alter the dress.

This is the most popular myth and the most common question our brides have before trying on any dresses. And I don’t blame you. For years, the wedding dress industry has trained us that wedding dresses need to be altered to fit our bodies. And guess what, it’s not true! Only 20% of our brides need alterations on their dresses (including rental and purchase brides). That means, 80% of the time, you don’t need to change anything about the dress, and it still fits you beautifully! So, try them on, take note of what you love and don’t love before worrying about alterations. Chances are, you won’t even need Google for that skilled seamstress!

Myth 2: An inexpensive wedding gown can’t make me look good

I’m not sure if an affordable dress looks good on me.

Just as with alterations, we’ve been trained to accept that everything about a wedding is expensive, especially the wedding dress. The average cost for a wedding dress is between $1,500 to $2,000, depending on the region. So, when you find out a beautiful satin dress just like your dream dress costs $900, you decide it’s too good to be true and pass on the appointment to try it on. The truth is you don’t know how the dress looks and feels on you until you try them on, so don’t judge a dress by its price!

Myth 3: A fit and flare dress won’t make me feel like a princess on my wedding day

I know I’m supposed to feel like a princess on my wedding day, but I love a fit and flare dress, not a ball gown.

This doesn’t just apply to the dress’ silhouettes but to many aspects of the wedding. Often, we have a preconceived notion about how we are supposed to feel and act on our wedding day instead of actually allowing ourselves to listen to what we really want. So, brides, choose the dress you feel most beautiful in and shine!

Myth 4: I can’t find my perfect dress if I want to rent

 I don’t have many options when it comes to rental gowns.

Perhaps finding THE perfect dress to rent is harder to come by, and we would never tell you to settle! The idea of THE perfect dress, with every feature you love and reflexes your personality and style, is widely popular. However, the truth is there is more than one perfect dress for you out there!  If you are committed to renting the dress, reach out to the company or boutique you know that offers the rental option and share the vision. You never know what they have in store for you, literally!

Myth 5: This isn’t the dress if I don’t feel emotional about it (even though it looks great on me)?

 I love how this dress looks and feels on me, but I'm not emotional about it.

Shows like “Say Yes to The Dress” have shown us how we SHOULD feel when finding The Dress. And when you don’t feel the same way other brides feel, you start to doubt if the dress is right for you. Shopping for a wedding dress is an emotional step, yet not expressing it when you find the dream dress doesn’t mean it is not the dress for you.


About the Author

Hien Le is the founder of Dare and Dazzle, a Sonoma-based wedding dress boutique that offers wedding gowns, bridesmaids’ dresses, and accessories for rental and purchase. At Dare and Dazzle, we’re driven by dual missions: celebrating bold, strong women like you while also aiming to reduce the wedding industry’s carbon footprint without compromising your bridal experience.

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