Indian Wedding Gift Ideas
August 16, 2020
By Team WSG
She walked down the aisle in a gold, chiffon dress; her statement jewellery striking against the subtle embroidery. The entire venue, although filled with a burst of colours, sounds and smells, pales in comparison to the glory of her attire.
Picking “the perfect” outfit for the big day is certainly a dream for many brides. In a world where we are spoilt for choice – be it the types of material (from chiffon to silk), or the variety of outfits (such as lehengas or sarees) – it can actually be difficult to narrow it down to that one dress. But we feel it’s important to stress here: you managed to find your one, true love out of 7 billion people. So please do not despair!! There’s hope for finding the perfect outfit, and you’ve come to the perfect place to start.
With the world slowly reviving back from the impact of Covid-19, bridal boutiques have started to re-open across the UK with strict safety measures in place. Just like you, we had countless questions about how to shop for bridalwear (or groomswear or bridesmaids wear) during the coronavirus pandemic. So we’ve done all the investigating for you. Here are the top tips we have found to hopefully brighten your day a little.
Shopping for a wedding dress usually starts 6 – 9 months before your wedding (so you better get cracking – no pressure). Pre-pandemic, we loved to start the process by getting lost in the Wed·Set·Go Photo Stream or Pinterest looking for bridalwear inspiration. This step is no different during the pandemic. In fact, it has only become more essential. As you browse through the magical world of inspiration, have a think about the following:
Create a ‘Vision Book’ for Bridalwear within your Wed·Set·Go account (free for all brides and grooms to sign up!) and save your favourite styles there to begin with.
Take the time to paint a concrete picture in your mind of the expectations of your wedding dress.
Once you have an idea, look through Wed·Set·Go’s professionals to make a list of the boutiques that match your style.
Browse through the websites and online stores of these different boutiques.
Do not forget to look at their social media accounts including Instagram and TikTok.
When the day comes to visit a bridal boutique, print out some of your favourite pictures so that you can avoid handing over your phone to the sales consultant.
In light of Covid-19, you may want to prevent simply travelling from store-to-store for hours on end to find the right dress. Therefore, it is essential that you shortlist 1 or 2 bridal boutiques that you really want to visit.
Although retail stores have opened, we are still living in a world governed by coronavirus. We all know we cannot simply walk into any store at any time – most stores work on an appointment-only basis. This limits the number of people inside the store to make it safe for customers and staff. However, luckily for you, this gives you one-on-one time with the staff in the store – make the most of this time!
It’s ALL ABOUT YOU.
Picking the perfect outfit is not to be rushed. We can tell that stores are trying to ensure they allow enough time for each customer, whilst also maintaining the hygiene of their store by deep cleaning the high-contact areas in the showroom between appointments. In some cases, their clothes are also steamed before welcoming the next customer. Ultimately, bridal boutiques are working longer hours to keep up with our spirits for bridal shopping. Under such tough circumstances, shouldn’t we support each other? Here is how you can support our bridal boutiques and make your experience better at the same time:
E-mail or call the store to ask for a quick consultation
If possible, request a walk-through of their outfit rails
Find out if they match your style expectations, timeline and price range before entertaining them as a possibility
Describe what you are looking for briefly so that the stores will be prepared to welcome you
So now you know what to do…. Book that appointment and play it right.
So… after days and days of dreaming, vision books and booking appointments… the time has finally come where you’ve reached the bridal boutique looking like a “heart-eyes” emoji. Perhaps you will find “the dress” here, or perhaps not… We recommend never having your hopes too high but instead being cool, calm and open-minded when you walk into any boutique. Even with all the curiosity and excitement, you still have to follow these precautionary measures for the safety of everyone involved.
Stores might provide face masks and disposable gloves, but it is better to carry one yourselves.
A temperature check might be made at the entrance by the store, so be prepared for that.
Welcomed by your personal consultant, you will most likely be taken directly to your seat. No looking around through the rails (yet).
You can still take one guest with you, but not the entire clan. But no need for panic and tears just yet! We have a plan for your bride tribe.
Many bridal stores are allowing live streaming while you decide on that wedding dress. So do not forget to schedule a Zoom meeting appointment with all the friends and family with whom you wish to share these moments. We even suggest confirming this facility is possible with the store to avoid last minute confusions.
The one person who accompanies you might have to help you in the fitting room instead of the sales consultant to limit contact. So probably best to go with someone you are comfortable with in close proximity (yes, they will see you with your clothes off!).
We have to forget those amazing refreshments provided in-store (yes, this was sad news for us too! We always loved that overly sweet Indian Chai). So make sure to take your own beverage of choice (we recommend good old-fashioned water).
After all that, if you do not find your wedding dress, it isn’t the end of the world. Talk to the consultant and they may be able to direct you to another nearby store that may have what you are looking for.
Start now, if you haven’t already. The Covid-19 pandemic has also affected the production line, and so it might take longer than normal for you to get that fully finished bridal dress. Trust us, you want to give the tailors enough time to work on your dream wedding dress. Follow all the steps above and find out all your options to be on the safe side. It’s all in the research!
Yes, we know Covid-19 seems to have taken the fun out of almost everything to do with weddings. But all is not lost! Bridal shopping is what you make of it. So please don’t forget to savour these moments and share cute stories while shopping. Most importantly, be positive that you will find your dream dress… and ALWAYS laugh out loud.
With love,
Team Wed·Set·Go
~ His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj ~