Wedding dress shopping- you either can’t wait, or you’re outwardly excited but also internally sort of dreading it because of all the pressure to find “the one.” Maybe I’m exaggerating, but I feel like there’s a lot of societal pressure to have the perfect wedding dress shopping experience. So with my anxiety, that meant I was outwardly excited but also internally super freaked out. I also wasn’t sure what to say when a consultant asked you what you’re looking for- I knew what I didn’t want (strapless, embellishments, form-fitting), but had no clue what I did want. All of this together meant that I was pretty nervous to shop. Anyway, I want to start out by reassuring you that if you’re nervous or anxious about wedding dress shopping, it’s ok! Read my post with advice about how to combat the nerves and just enjoy the process.

I thought it might be fun to share about my experiences at the four bridal boutiques I visited, as well as some of my top dress contenders. You can also see photos of the dress I chose and read more about wedding planning during a pandemic, what it’s like to postpone a wedding (twice), why Zola is the best wedding website service, and what we did for our honeymoon.

New York Bride & Groom (Garner, NC): We went here first because they had the biggest selection by far. The staff was AMAZING and we were so impressed with the selection and range of prices. I would highly recommend starting at this boutique to at least get a feel for what you like because of the wide variety. Also loved their selection of veils!

Coastal Knot Bridal (Raleigh, NC): Such a great store in a great location! They had a pretty good selection with reasonably priced dresses from lots of well-known designers. Good lighting, warm and welcoming staff, and lots of nice sitting areas for family and friends.

Gilded Bridal (Raleigh, NC): This is a beautiful boutique! The price points were generally a little higher than what we were looking for, and the lighting wasn’t the best (there are only windows on one side of the store, and the mirrors face to the side instead of to the front). Staff were friendly and patient with us. My favorite aspect of the store was the AMAZING veils!

Nitsa’s Apparel (Winston-Salem, NC): We almost didn’t go to Nitsa’s because it’s about 1.5 hours away from Raleigh (one way), but when I wasn’t fully sold on a dress after day one my mom booked us a last-minute session here. I am SO very glad we did, because Nitsa’s is where I found my perfect dress! They recently renovated their bridal salon so now it’s flooded with natural light, decorated beautifully, and has great seating for loved ones. The staff is also incredible and they have a great selection of high-quality dresses. Some of their dresses were definitely out of budget, but we were also pleasantly surprised by the number of dresses that were reasonably priced. Overall, I absolutely loved the experience- and because they have other clothing sections, my grandmother also found an amazing jacket to wear to the wedding!