10 Insider secrets from a Bridal Stylist for Stress-Free Wedding Dress Shopping in Orlando

10 Wedding Dress Shopping Tips for Orlando area

by Melissa Lewis, Bridal Stylist at The Bridal Finery

Photos by Kristen Weaver Photography.

Hi gorgeous! First and foremost, if you’re reading this it’s probably because you just got engaged and are about to start your journey of finding the perfect dress to get married in. Congratulations! You are entering the most fun, stressful, exciting, nerve-wracking era of your life. It’s going to be great! 

One of the most common things I hear as a bridal stylist when I sit down with my bride before their appointments start is some rendition of “I’m so nervous”, “I’ve never tried on dresses before, I don’t know what I like”, “what if I don’t like anything”, “what if I like everything!”. You name it, I’ve heard it. So trust me when I say, I’ve got you. I’ve curated 10 insider secrets for a stress-free wedding dress shopping experience in Orlando. Let’s dive in!  

Ines Di Santo wedding dress. Featuring soft beaded details and a removable sleeve. Available by request for your wedding dress shopping in Orlando

Ines Di Santo Valence lace wedding dress available at our Orlando boutique during your bridal shopping experience.

1. Budget accordingly 

First and foremost, it’s important to figure out what you are comfortable spending on your dress, and if you are the primary buyer. If you are having someone help with payment, include them in this conversation. The worst thing you can do is not know how much you want to spend, and then you are in a dress that is way more expensive than you are willing to pay and you are in love with it. Ask yourself, does your budget include alterations, a veil, jewelry, and your shoes? Alterations typically start around $850, and can go up to $2,000 depending on your dress and any customization you are doing. It’s so important to keep alteration costs in mind because no dress will fit you absolutely perfectly. That is just the way bridal gowns go! When you figure out what that number is, share it with your stylist. We need to know all the details so we can get you in that sweet spot of finding a dress you love, while not breaking the bank. 

2. Do your bridal shop research

Now that you have your price range, do your research! Every bridal shop is different and starts at different price points with different designers. You will see on their Instagram, TikTok, website, wherever you do your search, what range of prices their dresses start with. If you see a bridal store that starts at $5,000 and your budget is $3,000, reach out to them and see if they are able to sell wedding dresses off the rack. Off-the-rack dresses are dresses that are sold directly from the bridal salon. It is not ordered in your size, and it is the salon’s sample. A lot of times, these dresses can be more in your price point. If they can sell you dresses off the rack, send them photos of dresses that you are interested in, and see if there’s anything they have similar to it that they are able to sell you closer to your price point. It never hurts to ask, and we would much rather know ahead of time that your price range doesn’t necessarily align with a new order dress and potentially not have any off-the-rack options for you. Preparation is key! 

3. Find some wedding dress inspiration 

Like I said a little earlier in this blog, as a bridal stylist we always get the bride who says “I’ve never tried on dresses before so I’m not sure what I like”. That is A-Okay!! We are here to help you do exactly that, BUT finding some photos of dresses that catch your eye before your appointment is so helpful, not only for you but to your stylist. A lot of times, brides know more of what they DON’T like, than what they DO like. That is still super helpful! Keep in mind, this is your starting point. No bridal stylist is going to hold you to the first dress inspiration you send them and expect you to pick a dress exactly like that. It just sets a good baseline of what you may like and what we can pull ahead of your appointment. This also ties back to doing your research. Do the dresses you like line up with the dresses the bridal salon you are looking at has? If you don’t know, you can always send your photos to the bridal salon and they will be able to tell you if they have what you are looking for. This is an important step because the goal is to find your dress. Going to a bridal salon that doesn’t have styles you like is going to be discouraging to you and can stress you out more than necessary. Let them guide you on if they have that style, and if not, ask for recommendations of bridal salons in the area that might. 

Strapless sweetheart tulle ballgown wedding dress available by request at our bridal store in Orlando, Florida.

Ines Di Santo beaded organza ballgown dress with a draped bodice.

Fully beaded Ines Di Santo wedding dress from the Spring 2026 collection. Available by request at our Orlando bridal shop.

4. Book your bridal appointment and pick your party! 

Okay! You’ve decided on a price range, done your research on bridal salons, and found some inspiration photos you like. It’s time to book your appointment and choose carefully who you are bringing! In this case, the more is not the merrier. Not only do you want your dress to be a surprise to your guests on your wedding day, but the more people you bring to your appointment, the more opinions and voices that can (and most likely will at least a little bit) get to your head. I know you may think you want your 17 friends, 5 aunts, 2 grandmas and your dog (to be honest I want my dog there too, so I get it) with you but I promise… it can get overwhelming really quickly. I once had a bride tell me in the fitting room that she loved the dress she had on, we went out to show her party and instantly they started pulling it apart. I had to jump in and let them know the bride actually loved the dress, and they all got quiet real quick, and the rest of the appointment felt heavy and uncomfortable. My recommendation is to pick no more than 5 people, one of which being the potential purchaser. If you are not making the decision on price, bring them! If they can’t come, we can set your phone to facetime them so they can still be part of the conversation. Don’t delay on saying yes to your dress because one person isn’t there. Once you decide who is coming with you, let your bridal salon know so they have the correct amount of seats for everyone. 

5. Don’t spread yourself too thin

You’ve picked your party, and everyone has scheduled you into their hectic schedules to be able to make it to your appointment. I know what you’re thinking now, “I need to make as many appointments as I can on this day so that I can utilize everyone's time properly”. Say it with me, this is your day, not theirs! You may not think it now, but trying on dresses is physically and mentally exhausting. You are really working the part of your brain that makes decisions. You’re thinking about your venue and how your dress will work with it. You’re thinking about your hair, how you want to wear it on your wedding day and how it’s going to look with the dress. And most importantly, you are picking apart every single dress you put on your body, what you love, what you hate, what you want to try on next, and of course, that thought of “oh my gosh, I think I found my dress!” Now do that for 6 hours straight… That being said, as a bridal stylist I hear all the time “I have to try on others at a different store just to be sure”. I get it, there are so many dresses out there. If you need to do that, book one other appointment. Not the same day, but one other appointment period. You do not need to go to 6 bridal salons just for fun. We are bridal stylists, and spend a lot of time focusing on finding your dress. If you’re going to multiple salons knowing you found your dress already, you’re wasting your time, your bridal stylist time, and pushing back actually saying yes to your dress. Again, decision-making fatigue is real. Say yes and check it off your list! 

6. Find out what your bridal store offers

Every bridal store is different! When it comes to undressing, do they provide nippies and Spanx? Do they offer snacks? Can they serve champagne throughout the appointment? A lot of bridal stores actually can’t continuously serve alcohol throughout the appointment, but can provide glasses for you. If you want some bubbly throughout your appointment, make sure this is something you ask so you can bring your own if you’d like. Same with snacks! Depending on the store, some may ask to not bring anything at all, some can provide plates. Setting yourself up for success to have the most fun during your appointment is just as important as finding your dress. Experience is everything! 

Dropped waist ballgown wedding dress by Ines Di Santo available while wedding dress shopping in Orlando.

Soft tulle ballgown with a tiered skirt and a plunging neckline. All Ines Di Santo dresses are available by request at our Orlando bridal shop.

7. Showing up feeling your best 

We have finally reached your appointment! Yay! Now here is where the real fun starts. Have you ever gone to the mall and tried on so many outfits and hated everything because your hair is in a messy bun and you feel like you haven’t slept in a week? Same. Maybe you don’t do your hair and makeup to go shopping, but feeling your best when you shop helps you find outfits that you like. It’s no different with finding your wedding dress. On your wedding day you most likely will look a little bit more done up than your regular day-to-day, so coming in with a good night's sleep, maybe your favorite way to wear your hair, and a little extra mascara can help you envision how you will look on your wedding day in the dress you choose. Eat something light before you come in so you’re not hungry, but not feeling uncomfortably full while trying on dresses, and hydrate! If you’re not feeling yourself, you won’t be feeling any of the dresses. 

8. Prepare to be super honest (even if it feels uncomfortable) 

This may be the most important thing for me. If you aren’t open and honest with your stylist, we are not going to be able to find your dress. Help me help you! We can’t read your mind. If you are trying on dresses and you say that you really like something but in your head you are screaming that you hate it and want to get it off, the stylist will keep pulling things in that direction and before you know it you’re at the end of your appointment, you’ve tried on 10 wedding dresses, didn’t like any of them, and wasted the day. This also accounts for your price range. If you aren’t honest with us about your price range, you over estimate what you’re willing to spend and we pull dresses for you that you aren’t comfortable with, you end up loving a dress but don’t tell us that you don’t want to spend the money, you leave and we are here thinking we found your dress and you just need to sleep on it. If we tell you the prices of the dress, especially at the end, and you say everything looks good, we will think everything looks good. You may go home and never reach back out and leave us wondering where we went wrong. Also, you never know, it could be a dress that we can sell off the rack at a discounted price OR we can help in other ways with payment plans or finding dresses that are more in your price range that you will still love. 

Jewel box collection dress featuring the art of designer Ines Di Santo. Delicate hand-sewn detailing throughout the lace ballgown.

Featuring the Ines Di Santo bridal presentation at New York Bridal Fashion Week. This collection represents the 2026 Spring line.

9. Listen to your heart, not your entourage

No matter what, your guests will have opinions. What you need to decide is if it’s your dress or your entourage’s dress. Spoiler alert, it’s definitely your dress. If it is super important to have the “yes” from your party, let your stylist know. If there is a specific person that you want a yes from, let your stylist know. We can work our magic but only if you are open about what you and your yes person wants. On the other hand, if you don’t care what your party has to say, they are there for fun, and you are confident in liking what you like, we will have your back. Again, let your stylist know! Do you see a common theme here? There is a fine line between having your back and making your guests feel unimportant and left out. We want to hit that sweet spot. This also goes for saying yes to your dress. Without fail, there is always someone trying to push you to wait. You can say 1,000 times that you love a dress and it’s your dress and there is always someone pushing you in the other direction. If it’s your dress there is no need to sleep on it. Sleeping on it is not going to change the direction of your heart. And saying yes to your dress is one of the biggest check marks on your to do list. The weight you feel lifted once you secure your dress is heavy. Don’t hold it longer than you need to because someone has a different feeling than you do. Remember, it’s your feelings that are important. 

10. It’s okay not to cry!

If I had a dollar for every bride who hesitates because “they didn’t cry” I would have many…many… MANY dollars. Social media and wedding shows and entourages and society as a whole has built up finding your wedding dress as this monumental break down in happy tears moment. Don’t get me wrong, there are some criers, but in my experience I would say 1 maybe 2 out of every 10 brides cry when they find their dress. So many times brides look at me and say “should I be crying right now…?” And my answer to that is a resounding no. Not everyone is a) a crier (happy or sad) or b) that emotionally invested in a dress. Your tears will come on your wedding day, I promise. Not crying when you find your wedding dress absolutely does not mean that it’s not your wedding dress. Here are some things to ask yourself: 

• Do you feel beautiful? 

• Can you see yourself walking down the aisle wearing this dress?

• Do you feel at peace?

Feeling beautiful and at peace with your dress is the special feeling you’re looking for. Now if you are a crier and you’re ugly crying in your dress and that’s who you are, do you boo! Let your tears shine and live your moment. But if that’s not you, don’t force it and don’t let others make you question your choices because you didn’t let go of a tear or two. 

Do the wedding gown preservation

If you’ve made it to this point it’s because you trust what I have to say and we’re friends now. So because we’re friends and I want what’s best for you, I’m going to give you an extra little tip. Do the wedding gown preservation. You just spent so much time and effort wedding dress shopping, why are you putting it in some bag and shoving it in your closet for it to be ruined over time? You will never regret taking care of something that you put so much effort into. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, their dress is probably yellow and crusty. Ew. 

When all is said and done, you are going to look beautiful on your wedding day no matter what. Let wedding dress shopping be FUN, not stressful like society can make it seem. When I was getting married everyone said it goes by so fast, take it all in. I’m sure you’ve heard it a million times already, so I’ll spare you from saying it again. What’s important to me is that you feel better about starting this whirlwind of a journey and if this helped you in any way, I’ve done my job. Have the best time dress shopping, it really is so special!