Should You Buy Your Wedding Dress Online or In-Store?

Should I Buy My Wedding Dress Online or In-Store?

With so many wedding dresses available online at just the click of a button, it’s completely natural to wonder whether you should buy your wedding dress online, or bother to visit a bridal boutique in person. Don’t let this decision be persuaded by your usual online buying habits, as buying a wedding dress is in fact very different to ordering your regular day-to-day clothes! While online shopping may seem convenient at first glance, there are many important reasons why here at Love Spell, we always recommend coming into our London showroom to try on your wedding dress. So read on as we detail below the very important reasons why you should always try on your dress in person, below. 

Why Buying Your Wedding Dress In-Store Makes a Difference:

At Love Spell Design, we believe the experience of finding your dress should feel personal, calm, and confident, and that’s something best achieved in-store. Here’s why…

You Can See How the Dress Truly Fits Your Body:

No two bodies are the same, and wedding dresses often look very different in real life compared to photos online. The photos you see online can have specific lighting, and usually models are much taller than the average UK bride. Therefore, trying a gown on in-person allows you to:

• See how the silhouette truly works on your body shape
• Understand where the dress hugs, flows, or structures you
• Feel how comfortable and wearable it is

Many of our brides realise they love a dress far more, or sometimes far less, once it’s on their body, rather than on a model. This is completely normal, and explains why most brides fall in love with a completely different dress or material that they had envisioned on their moodboard. 

Expert Advice From Professional Bridal Stylists:

When you shop in the showroom, you’re guided by experienced stylists who understand:

• Bridal sizing (which differs from high street sizing)
• Construction, structure, and fit
• How styles can be adapted for your timeline and budget

Our stylists will help you to make informed decisions, ensuring you don’t order the wrong size, fabric, or silhouette for your wedding plans. These are all factors that may be overlooked if you order your dress online.

You Can Feel and Compare The Fabrics:

Fabric plays a huge role in how your wedding dress moves, photographs, and feels throughout the day. In the showroom, you can:

• Touch and compare our lace, satin, mikado, chiffon, and organza samples
• See how our fabrics behave in natural lighting
• Understand the weight, structure, and breathability of the fabrics 

These factors are something photos simply can’t replicate.

We Are Happy to Work With Your Budget and Timeline:

Choosing to shop in our London showroom allows us to guide you realistically based on:

• Your wedding date
• Whether made-to-order or sample sale is best for your circumstances
• Alteration timeframes and costs

Rather than guessing online and being left with little-to-no answers, you’ll leave knowing exactly what’s achievable,  and what will keep your wedding planning a stress-free journey.

You’ll Know If You Truly Love the Dress:

One of the biggest risks of buying a wedding dress online is loving the idea of a dress, not the dress itself. Trying it on in the showroom allows you to: see the dress from every angle, move, sit, and walk in it, and feel confident in your decision. Most importantly, that emotional “this is it” moment becomes much clearer when you try the dress on in person, and you can fully envision yourself on your big day.

Our General Shipping Policy:

At Love Spell Design, we generally do not ship wedding dresses, as we believe fitting and guidance are essential to a positive bridal experience. In some cases, sample sale gowns may be purchased off-the-rack and shipped over, but we always advise that even our sample sale gowns are viewed and tried on in the showroom first.

The Added Perks of Shopping In-Store at Love Spell Design:

Beyond the all exciting concept of finding the wedding dress itself, your appointment is designed to feel special and unrushed, this includes: 

• A private appointment in our exquisite London showroom
• Complimentary tea and coffee at your request
• A calm, supportive environment
• Time to think, reflect, and decide without pressure in your one hour slot

We proudly stand by the fact that at Love Spell, we will never rush to make a decision,  whether you say yes on the day or need a little extra time to think. We offer our brides to stay in contact with us via email or mobile after their appointment, so that they can inform us if they do decide to go for the dress, or if they have any burning questions. 

 Our Final Thoughts:

While buying a wedding dress online may seem convenient, shopping in-store offers clarity, confidence, and peace of mind. Seeing how a dress fits your body in person, receiving expert guidance from our team, and experiencing the gown in real life can make all the difference when it comes to making possibly the biggest decision of your wedding planning.

At Love Spell Design, we’re here to make your bridal journey joyful, informed, and genuinely memorable, and we truly believe the best place to find your wedding dress is with us, in person.