One & Only Bridal Wedding Dress Experience

Last month I went wedding dress shopping at One & Only Bridal Boutique in downtown Orlando. To spoil things right away, I did say YES to my One & Only dress! But we all know I can’t post it. Rest assured, I would imagine I will share pictures from my wedding day eventually so you’ll get to see the dress. I wanted to do walk through my appointment at One & Only bridal. Even with all the Say Yes to the Dress that I’ve watched, I found myself asking my consultant a ton of questions. On top of that, I wanted to share how wonderful my experience was at One & Only. If I hadn’t found the dress already, I’d definitely go back just for the customer service (and because I just love trying on dresses).

Finding Bridal Boutiques in Orlando

There are plenty of bridal boutiques across downtown Orlando. The reason I picked One & Only bridal was because my mom used to work downtown and pass it on her way home from work. Turns out, we were both looking at it before we even told one another about it. What grabbed my attention about them, even before booking an appointment, was their website. It was easy to find what designers were in the boutique and the price ranges they offered. This was a major concern of mine because I didn’t want to end up somewhere that only had a few things in my price range! Once I confirmed that price wouldn’t be a problem, I booked an appointment and anxiously awaited for the day to arrive!

My Experience at One & Only Bridal

The morning of I was so nervous. Would we get there on time? Would I find anything? If I don’t find something now will I find something in the future? And, oh god, what if I DID find something. Then what? Would I cry? What if I didn’t cry? If I don’t cry does that mean it’s not the dress? Guys, SO MANY QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS. But when I got there, all I felt was excitement. One & Only writes your name and wedding date on a chalkboard outside the boutique so even before you walk in you know they are invested in your day. Which was such a beautiful touch and great feeling.

At the beginning of the appointment my stylist, Eunice, walked me through the boutique and showed me how it was organized. We then browsed together and picked out 4 dresses to try on initially. I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted initially but decided to try a little bit of everything (minus a ballgown or full a-line). Turns out, my idea was pretty solid because I did go with something that matched my vision.

Once I found the dress and got “jacked up” (as they say on Say Yes to the Dress) with a veil was when the real excitement and celebrating set in! One & Only even does a champagne toast for you at the end of the appointment if you find your dress! Complete with photo opt and signage.

Paying for your Dress

*Note – I feel like it is important to say this because every place is different. O&O has you put 50% down on your order. The other 50% can be paid off up until your dress (and accessories) arrive or when you pick them up. I feel this is an important thing to know before you go dress shopping so you know how much you’ll need to have in pocket with you (or on credit).

Finding my One & Only Dress

I’ll be honest, I felt like I was supposed to have this huge feeling wash over me when I tried on the first dress. Of course it was beautiful. But I thought it would be like Say Yes to the Dress where you’d just know instantly “Yes, I love it”, or “No, I hate it”. The first couple dresses didn’t really make me feel either of those things. So when we went back to the dressing room I asked Eunice if people really did cry. I felt like something was wrong with me, like I wasn’t excited enough. She told me that about 50% do and 50% don’t. Which made me feel much better as I tried on the rest of the dresses.

Ultimately, the reason I picked the dress that I did was because I felt beautiful and bridal. All the other dresses I tried on were no doubt stunning. But I felt more like I needed to walk down the red carpet in the others. Once I put back on the dress that I picked and got all jacked up with a veil is when it really set in. I am getting married. And it was so special to have my family all there (and best friend on the phone) to witness picking the dress I’d be getting married in. So dress + veil = water works. As my future sister-in-law said “You are the 50%!” Who would have guessed?