By Amanda Van Der Sluys with Sealed with a Kiss

You dream of your wedding day for years – keeping scrapbooks, magazines, and Pinterest boards full of your favorite gowns and ideas. Once it is finally time to create your vision it becomes very personal. After all, you’ve waited for this moment your whole life! But planning the dream wedding can sometimes become stressful, especially if something does not go as you perfectly planned.

Bridal stylists often find that brides will become very attached to their initial vision. So much so that it becomes difficult to branch out and try new gown styles. You may get frustrated that the style and shape you originally dreamed of isn’t working after seeing it in person. You might try on every dress that fits the original plan and find that you’re still unable to fall in love. This is where the bridal stylists step in!

Nicole Adele Photography

A seasoned stylist can see the dissatisfaction overpowering the joy and excitement of what the appointment should be. He or she will talk through what isn’t working for you to help find a solution. Most of the time the best thing to do is to try something completely new and start a clean slate. The stylist may pick out gowns you wouldn’t normally think to try on and encourage an open mind. This is when a lot of the magic happens! You may go in looking for a specific style or shape and leave the store completely in love with something you would never have imagined. A bridal stylist loves it when this happens. They get to watch you not only fall in love but also form a completely new dream.

Nicole Vance Photography

Try to keep an open heart when the process becomes difficult. Don’t become discouraged. This experience that you have with a bridal salon is so important, and stylists do their best to see that brides leave happy and in love. Your dream dress is out there, and experts are here to help you find it!

Amanda Van Der Sluys is a Bridal Stylist with Sealed with a Kiss in Charlottesville. With a background in theatre and costume design, Amanda’s attention to detail is always helpful when pairing brides with their perfect gown! You can see her posts on Sealed with a Kiss’ Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!