It’s that time of
the year to say
That moment you have been waiting for is
here. After months of planning, preparing and researching, it is finally time
to head out to the shop to begin your quest for the perfect Communion dress for your daughter.
Now is the time to put all those plans into
action for this joyous occasion. With communion dress shopping season
perilously short, typically running from December until the end of March for the
best selection, it is important to make a decision on your daughter’s Communion dress
soon.
We know it can be hard to make this final
commitment. After all, it is a big step to say that you are finished looking at
all other Communion dresses and have selected this single Communion dress as your choice.
For some families, fear sets in:
- What if she finds another Communion dress she likes better?
- What if one of her friends has the same Communion dress?
- What if we find a bigger bargain on the same Communion dress next week?
- What if we can’t find any accessories to complement the Communion dress?
In fact, for some mums it is even sad in a
way because it means that that special Communion dress shopping is over and as her little girls First Holy Communion day draws
near, they miss all the planning and time spent together pouring over the
details.
Here are some tips for making a final
decision on a Communion dress and sticking with it:
Check
out all your options. If you are afraid that there
might be something better out there, make sure you investigate all your
choices. Be exhaustive in your search and try on as many Communion dresses as you need
to. However, you still need to be smart about your shopping expeditions.
First, don’t head out without a plan. You
need to first go window shopping or research Communion dress styles on line and make a
list of what qualities you like or don’t like. That way you have narrowed down
your search and have a little bit more of a direction.
Make a Communion dress fitting appointment with a Communion dressprofessional. Once you have narrowed down your preferences, you will likely want guidance and advice from an
expert. So she has enough time to dedicate to you personally, make an
appointment to try on some Communion dresses. As your little girl trys on the Communion dresses, she can give you
feedback and suggestions that you can use there in the store or in the future
as you make your selections.
Finally, once you have about five
favourite Communion dresses, make a list of the pros and cons about each. This will help you feel
confident in your final choice and stop the eternal search for “something
better.”
Check
with the church. Before whipping out the cash or
credit card, double check to make sure it meets all the requirements and
standards of the church. You’ll feel more confident about your decision if you
know that have met the expectations of the priest and church.
See if the church prefers a specific style
of Communion dress, requires girls to wear a veil or has a modesty Communion dress code (no
sleeveless dresses, for example).
If you know what to expect ahead of time,
it will be easier to make that final commitment.
Shop
early in the season. Although many parents choose
to wait until mid- March to begin shopping for a Communion dress and
accessories, March is actually the end of the Communion dress season.
To avoid the crowds and increase your
chances of finding exactly what you’re looking for, many Communion dress shop owners
recommend that parents begin the shopping process no later than six to eight
weeks before the Holy First Communion ceremony. December to February are the optimum months to shop as there will be a greater
variety of Communion dress styles and Communion dress sizes to choose from.
By the end of March, although many Communion dress shops
will still have Communion dresses in stock the most popular Communion dress styles and sizes will be sold out,
the inventory in stock is likely to be much more limited. Avoid disappointment
by shopping as early as possible.
When you know that you have thoroughly
sorted through all your options, you will feel better that the dress you say
yes to is really “the one” and not just “the one you settled for.”
Make
it special. No one wants to show up for the church
ceremony and see another girl in the same Communion dress. Make sure this doesn’t happen
by shopping at a store that guarantees exclusivity. Some Communion dress shops will only
sell one design of a specific Communion dress within a geographical radius. Others
maintain a list and will not sell the same Communion dress to a girl from the same parish.
Ask your favourite Communion dress shop if they can offer this service to you.
Trust
your instincts. When you see your daughter in the Communion dress, you know it’s the one. The
decision to purchase it shouldn’t feel like a burden. It should feel thrilling,
exhilarating and peaceful.
One word of caution, however: Just because
you adore the Communion dress doesn’t mean your daughter will. If you have to convince
her or talk her into the purchase, ultimately neither one of you will be happy
in the end. You both should fall in love with the Communion dress design, fit and style – not
just one of you.
If
all else fails.... Take a small break from
shopping. Go have lunch or sleep on the decision. If it is the right Communion dress, you
and your daughter won’t be able to forget about it – you will have to have it.
Sometimes taking a time out puts things in perspective and ends up making it
crystal clear why the Communion dress spoke to you both in the first place.
www.firstholycommunionday.co.uk or stop in Ceremonial Celebrations of Ascot at 18 Brockenhurst Road, South Ascot Berkshire. The shop can be reached by phone at 01344 291278 or 01344 297160.
www.firstholycommunionday.co.uk or stop in Ceremonial Celebrations of Ascot at 18 Brockenhurst Road, South Ascot Berkshire. The shop can be reached by phone at 01344 291278 or 01344 297160.
Ceremonial Celebrations
is situated in South Ascot 0.5 miles from Ascot High Street and about a 50
minute drive or train journey from London. Near to Surrey, Middlesex, Hampshire, West
London, Hertfordshire, customers travel from afar to visit the largest UK One
Stop Communion shop in South East.
Located close to the M3, M4, M40 &
M25 motorways
