While girls often dream of their perfect wedding day, shopping for a dress can become a nightmare of an experience.

Whether or not a wedding dress is the most significant purchase of a woman’s life, it can be among the most expensive—dresses in the Birmingham area run anywhere from a couple hundred dollars to over $8,000. Add the price to the plethora of designs, and even browsing can be overwhelming. However, with a little insight on this season’s trends, it’s nothing the informed bride-to-be can’t handle.

Bella Couture’s Colleen Hopwood has been in the business now for eight years and said that “Alabama produces a traditional, classic bride, and—more often than not—that Southern bride wants a timeless gown.”

Founder and owner of The White Room, Carolyn Kelley has more than 45 years of experience in the wedding industry. She goes to a bridal market in New York twice a year to keep up with the newest looks.

Read more about current bridal trends in the January Bride Guide issue of Shelby Living. Find your copy here.