Choosing your wedding gown is arguably one of the hardest decisions you’ll have to make during your wedding planning process. Unless you’ve had your dream dress pinned on your “I Do” Pinterest board since middle school, the vast array of dress options might seem a bit overwhelming—do you go ballgown or mermaid, silk or chiffon, embellished with lace or beads? That’s where your local gown experts come in handy. Wedding dress designers—like Watters Designs’ Sydney Watters Dunbar—and bridal consultants—like Neiman Marcus’ Kennedy Cox—are equipped with the tools to help you find the dress of your dreams. And, as a bonus, these two are walking down the aisle themselves and are sharing their experiences, advice, and tips for making your day-of look perfectly you.

Sydney Watters Dunbar

Brand Director, Watters Designs

Most little girls dream about what their wedding gown will look like. Sydney Watters Dunbar was no different—she just had the added benefit of growing up surrounded by dresses. Her mother, Vatana Watters, is the founder of Dallas-based bridal-wear brand Watters Designs, where Sydney has served as brand director since 2017. Now a bride-to-be herself, Sydney is turning her own dress dreams into reality—designing a custom gown with the Watters team. “Since I was raised around all these gowns and gown ingredients, I’ve definitely paid hyper-attention to certain things,” she says. Acknowledging that the custom route can be trepidatious for brides—whether it’s designing a dress from the inside out or requesting changes to an off-the-rack design—Sydney shares her best advice on tailor-making a gown that’s just right for you.

Sydney’s Advice for Customizing a Gown:

Try, Try Again

To assuage that custom-gown fear, Sydney advises trying on as many gowns as possible. “Of course, it’s all new territory as a bride,” she says. “You should take the time to really work through what you want. Try everything on.” Experimenting with dresses that already have the customizations you want will help you visualize the final product.

Consider the Context

Sydney points out that your venue and the time of year in which you’re getting married could help drive your customizations. A summer bride who still wants her arms covered, for instance, could swap out a heavier sleeve in favor of a lighter arm drape.

See You at the Alter(er)

What happens if you go in for your final fitting and you don’t absolutely love your gown? Sydney says trustworthy tailors can seamlessly change a gown’s neckline, build or take away fullness in the skirt, or add on a sleeve or cape.

Kennedy Cox

Bridal consultant, Neiman Marcus

As a Neiman Marcus bridal consultant, Kennedy Cox is no stranger to the latest gown styles and trends. And while this meant her vision was clear when it came time to search for the dress she’d wear to wed Sean Sweeney on March 5, 2022, she was determined to find a gown she hadn’t previously sold to a client. “When it came down to it, I couldn’t unsee the brides who wore those dresses before me,” she says. Enter Monique Lhuillier’s “Secret Garden.” The ball-gown silhouette and abundance of organza ruffles and rosettes perfectly fit Kennedy’s style wish list, while the pink tone made the dress unique to her. “It really let me shine, and that’s exactly what I wanted,” says Kennedy.

Kennedy’s Advice for Finding a Dress:

Keep an Open Mind

Don’t pigeonhole yourself into a specific style or design. “The biggest thing that I see is brides saying they want one thing and then ending up with the polar opposite,” says Kennedy.

Go Back to Your Roots

“Sometimes, I think brides take their wedding gowns a little too seriously,” she says. Kennedy advises that it’s your time to play dress-up and have fun with it. “It’s your girly escape to feel like the little girl you used to be who dreamed of getting married,” she says.

Consult the Professionals

Wherever you go in your quest for the perfect gown, trust the input of your bridal consultants, who are trained and knowledgeable in the various options available.