As a newly engaged bride to be, there is a lot of excitement about wedding dress shopping. As you begin your research on where to shop and what styles of wedding dresses you want to try on, there may be questions about how to best prepare for your bridal appointments. If you have never shopped for a wedding dress before, you might not know what to expect at your first wedding dress shopping appointment. In the past, we have shared our tips on what to wear when wedding dress shopping, how to maximize your bridal appointments, and even what to wear under your wedding dress.
One common question we have been getting from brides recently as they prepare for their bridal appointments is if they should wear makeup when coming to try on wedding dresses. Is it recommended to wear makeup to your bridal appointments? Do bridal stores allow brides to wear makeup when wedding dress shopping? Let's discuss all the considerations to keep in mind when preparing for your bridal appointments and if makeup is okay to wear when trying on bridal dresses.
Video: Should You Wear Makeup When Trying On Wedding Dresses?
If you are a bride to be who is getting ready to shop for your wedding dress, you are probably wondering how to best prepare for your bridal appointments. While there are bigger questions like what to wear or who to bring with you when you go wedding dress shopping, you might not have considered if you can or should wear makeup when wedding dress shopping. We are breaking down this important question in our latest wedding dress shopping advice video and discussing if you should wear makeup when trying on wedding dresses.
Why Does Makeup Matter?
We have been hearing from brides lately that they have been told to not wear makeup when wedding dress shopping. Why would it matter if a bride wears makeup to their bridal appointment? Makeup, especially foundation, self-tanner, and lipstick, can easily transfer onto the dresses you are trying on. Why does this matter? Bridal stores have to purchase all of their inventory from the designers. Each of the dresses you see hanging in a bridal store have been purchased from the designer so that brides have something to try on when they go shopping for their wedding dress.
This is a fact that many people outside the bridal fashion world don’t realize. The dresses in a bridal store are not gifted by the dress designers. The bridal store you are shopping at has invested in each dress they carry in store. Since bridal gowns are typically white or ivory, even the smallest stain can be very noticeable and difficult to remove.
Keep It Clean
Imagine going to try on wedding dresses and you are greeted with stained or discolored gowns. While you will be ordering a new version of the sample dresses you are trying on, it can take away from the experience if the dresses you try on appear dirty or not well taken care of.
Since each bridal store is investing time and money into the collections they carry, they want to keep their sample gowns in the best condition possible. A bridal store will go on to sell their inventory as new collections come out, but a stained dress is instantly devalued. Even though sample dresses are usually sold at a discount, if a dress is stained from makeup or self-tanner, it’s value will be significantly lower.
Dry cleaning is not a practical solution for cleaning wedding dress samples. While it doesn’t necessarily damage the dress, it does change the way the fabric feels and looks. A sample gown that has been dry cleaned may not reflect the true condition of the brand new dress you’ll receive. We want every bride to get the most accurate idea of what she’s purchasing.
Makeup Can Be Okay
With all of that being said, we at Lovella Bridal are not completely against wearing makeup when wedding dress shopping. We of course advise you to check with the particular store you will be shopping at in regards to if they have a policy on wearing makeup or not.
Wedding dress shopping is such a visual experience that wearing makeup could actually help you see the full picture. Many brides wear makeup on wedding day, so if you wear even a little makeup when wedding dress shopping, it can help you envision what your overall look will be on wedding day. If you are typically a person who wears makeup daily or makeup makes you feel more beautiful and more confident, it can be helpful to see that look in the mirror when trying on wedding dresses. It will give you a more accurate representation of what your photos will look like on wedding day too.
A Few Guidelines To Keep In Mind
While we at Lovella Bridal are okay with brides wearing makeup to their wedding dress shopping appointments, there are still a few important considerations to keep in mind. While makeup is okay, we highly recommend skipping self-tanner. This is across the board a bad idea for bridal appointments and wedding day itself. Self-tanner will instantly stain a wedding dress so a spray-tan is a better option a couple of days before dress shopping or wedding day.
When you try on wedding dresses, you are going to be stepping into the dresses versus pulling them over your head like a t-shirt. This is why a full face of makeup is less problematic than self-tanner. Your bridal stylist will help you step into each gown you are trying on and then pull it up over your body so there should be minimal chances for makeup to transfer on the sample dresses. That said, be mindful of touching your face and then touching the dress. A pack of baby wipes can be good to have on hand for this.
There may be certain dresses that can’t be stepped into based on your body type. For instance, some of our curvier brides who want to try on more fitted dresses, we might not be able to get the sample pulled up over the hips or butt, so these gowns may have to go over the head. In these cases, we have brides hold their hands up to block their face a bit and kind of “dive” into the gown as the stylist helps guide the dress over their head. This will also minimize the risk of makeup transferring onto the dress.
All of these rules are important to keep in mind for your dress alterations appointment as well. Your final fitting will be a week or two before wedding day, so be mindful of any self-tanner or spray tanning you are doing. You don’t want to risk getting tanner or makeup on your dress that close to wedding day.
More Helpful Wedding Dress Shopping Advice
We hope you have found this advice helpful when it comes to knowing if you should wear makeup when wedding dress shopping. For even more helpful advice when it comes to shopping for your dream wedding dress, be sure to check out our past posts:
- How To Maximize Your Wedding Dress Shopping Experience
- Why Every Bride Needs a Bridal Stylist While Wedding Dress Shopping
- What to Wear When Going Wedding Dress Shopping
- What Should I Expect When Wedding Dress Shopping For The First Time
About Lovella
If you're shopping for your perfect wedding dress, come visit us at Lovella Bridal in Glendale, CA. We carry wedding dresses in all sizes and styles, including plus-size bridal gowns and a full selection of veils and accessories. Lovella Bridal is the premier, luxury bridal wedding dress shopping boutique located in Los Angeles, California. Lovella features couture, feminine, modern and chic bridal gowns in all sizes from the best wedding dress designers. Schedule an appointment to find the wedding dress of your dreams at Lovella Bridal. We can't wait to help you!
About Wedding Fashion Expert
Our wedding dress shopping tips and advice are from Nayri, Lovella's own, in-house wedding fashion expert. Nayri is truly the expert when it comes to bridal fashion and wedding style. As the Wedding Fashion Expert, Nayri is the top bridal fashion stylist and the best-selling author of the book "I'm Getting Married And I Have Nothing To Wear," the ultimate guide to helping brides find their wedding day style and their perfect wedding dress. You can subscribe to her YouTube channel or listen to her podcast for more helpful and practical advice on wedding dress shopping.
