While you want the dress to be perfect, it is a mistake to bring a large entourage, as too many voices can only serve to offer contradictory opinions and turn the day into a stressful one. As a rule, bring two to three trusted people with you on your wedding dress expedition; but who are the best people to take?

Mom

Taking your mother can make it a fun day out, as she can calm you down and point out certain considerations you may not take into account due to your enthusiasm; for example, she may point out that a long train is not a good idea for an outdoor wedding. Mom can also keep you in line when it comes to your budget, especially if Dad is paying! However, there is a chance she may have completely different tastes than you and get caught up in the nostalgia of her own wedding, so bear that in mind.

Mother-In-Law

As your mother-in-law is now going to play a significant role in your life, it is good to allow her to tag along in order to improve relations. Allowing her to come with you to choose the dress may well feel like an honor and help thaw out any existing icy relationship you may have. Or you could get along famously, and in that case she would be more like a friend on a day out. However, if you really don’t get along, she could ruin the whole day with her negative attitude.

Sister

The obvious advantage is that you will be of a similar age and may have the same tastes. It is especially helpful if she is already married, as she’ll know the stresses and strains that come with shopping for a wedding dress and can conjure up ways to make the experience more pleasant. On the other hand, if your sister happens to be unmarried and is not supportive, there is no reason to take her with you just because she is your sister. Ultimately, you only need to bring people who are filled with positive energy, so leave “sis” at home if she does not fall into that category.

Maid of Honor

On the face of it, your maid of honor is probably the ideal person to bring with you when looking for your wedding dress. It is part of her duties anyway, and you chose her for a very good reason. Assuming she is not your sister, the maid of honor is likely to be a very close friend and probably has the same fashion sense as you do. Her job is to be by your side through every step, and if she is your best friend, the dress shopping day will fly by rather than dragging.

You can, of course, choose from an assortment of friends, but we recommend keeping your wedding dress shopping party relatively small to reduce the potential for arguments and drama!