While you know not to shop for a wedding dress until you’ve chosen a venue, it’s hard to wait! If anything screams “wedding” more than a dress, we're not sure what it is. Planning a shopping trip, however, can come with it’s own hurdles — and that's before you’ve even slipped on your first gown. One major question: Do you need to bring your future mother-in-law to the bridal salon as part of your entourage? Here’s a little advice from our experts for navigating this tricky situation.

Deciding who to take dress shopping with you is all about assembling a team (or picking a single person, if that’s more your style) that will be supportive, encouraging, maybe a little creative, and above all respectful of what you decide you really love. From family members to friends, narrowing it down can be tough, but know that having the right group of people by your side will make the experience that much more enjoyable.
That being said, inviting your future mother-in-law to join you also throws some politics into the mix. Of course, it would be fantastic if she fit the above criteria to a T. If she gets your style, will constructively ease you out of your comfort zone, and won’t put her wants and needs before yours (and if you get along, of course), then by all means invite her! But if you’re worried about whether she’ll impose her ideas a little too strongly or overstep her boundaries when it comes to this mother-daughter moment, you may want to opt to keep the group a little smaller and either invite her to your fittings or surprise her on your wedding day.
Speaking of mother-daughter moments, if you do decide to invite your mother-in-law along with you, talk to your mom about it first. If she’s been dreaming of this moment for as long as you have, she may not want to share it. But she also might be happy to share the experience. The bottom line, just make sure to have the conversation before any invitations are extended.