- Jac Vanek tried on more than 130 dresses to find her dream wedding looks.
- She had a specific dress in mind at first, but quickly realized she wanted something different.
The process of shopping for a wedding dress looks different for everyone. Some brides try on a handful of gowns, while others fall in love with the first one they put on.
For Jac Vanek, finding the dream dress for her September wedding in France wasn't so easy.
In a TikTok video shared on Sunday, which has more than 520,000 views as of Tuesday, Vanek said she tried on more than 130 wedding gowns before finding the one.
"I just counted every single wedding dress that I've tried on until I found the one, and you are not going to believe how many it was," she said in the video before sharing photos of herself in 133 gowns.
@jacvanek I tried on HOW many wedding dresses until I found the one?!?! Let me know if you want me to deep dive into any of these! And check the comments to see ifyou guessed correctly! #weddingdress #2023bride #weddingdressinspo #weddingdressshopping #bridetobe #bridallooks #weddingcountdown #summerwedding #weddingtiktok #wedding #weddingplanning #bride #greenscreen ♬ original sound - Jac Vanek
Vanek also said that number didn't include the four looks she picked for her upcoming nuptials, including a dress she wore to get legally married in a courthouse and other dresses she wore to a welcome dinner, her wedding ceremony, and the after-party — which brought her total to 137.
"I still don't know if I should be impressed or extremely embarrassed," she said in her video.
Vanek had a specific dress in mind when she started shopping
The "LadyGang" podcast cohost told Insider that she started casually looking at wedding dresses when she got engaged to Jared Monaco, the lead guitarist for "The Maine," in the winter of 2021. But she said it wasn't until the winter of the following year, after they booked their venue in France, that she started "going balls to the wall" with shopping.
"At that point, I had nine months until the wedding, and even that was cutting it close because of lead times for production, so I definitely felt the pressure," she added.
Though Vanek went into the shopping process with her mind set on a certain style — she told Insider that she envisioned a fitted dress with a deep-V and bell sleeves, specifically Galia Lahav's Idilliya gown — she quickly realized she wanted something different.
@jacvanek 140 DAYS UNTIL I MARRY JERI and here’s a wedding dress I loved but didn’t pick. I still dream about her. #weddingdress #weddingcountdown #weddingtiktok #weddingtok #weddingdressshopping #weddingdressinspo #2023bride #greenscreen #greenscreenvideo ♬ original sound - Jac Vanek
"I tried it on and LOVED it, but it almost felt too 'me,' like it was something I'd wear to a fancy party, not my wedding," she said of the Galia Lahav dress.
"As I tried on different types of dresses, I found myself drawn to a style that was totally different from what I usually wear and made me feel more like a bride," Vanek said. "Because of that, I'm super glad I tried on a lot of dresses or I would have just gone with the comfortable, familiar option."
But finding a gown was the perfect mix of bridal and edgy to match her style was more difficult than Vanek anticipated.
Vanek tried on everything from colorful gowns to see-through dresses
The options she tried, as seen in her TikTok video, included classic A-line gowns, more daring looks, and even a black wedding dress. Vanek said trying on the black dress was a must because she self-identified as "Elder Emo."
And Vanek estimated that she went to nine bridal salons, where she tried on dresses from designers and brands, including KYHA, Berta, and more.
"I noticed almost immediately that there was a lot of the same when it came to the wedding dresses," she said. "Even when I was looking at couture gowns, I rarely found a style that was daring or really took a risk at all."
"Honestly, a lot of dresses just felt super boring to me," she added. "I was truly trying to find my perfect Goldilocks dress that was super unique, a little edgy, fashion-forward, while still feeling bridal. So any time I saw a gown that looked different, I had to try it on!"
For instance, in another TikTok video posted on Sunday, which has more than 36,000 views as of Tuesday, the bride-to-be shared a closer look at a Hermione de Paula dress that she loved but didn't choose. The completely see-through gown was covered in feathers and floral appliqué, and sheer gloves — which are popular in the bridal world right now — added to the look.
Vanek was also a big fan of Tal Kedem. In another TikTok video, she said the Israel-based designer was creating two of her wedding looks.
@jacvanek Wedding dresses from @Tal Kedem that I love but didn’t choose! #weddingdress #weddingdressshopping #weddingdressinspo #2023bride #bridetobe #greenscreenvideo ♬ original sound - Jac Vanek
Picking multiple wedding dresses felt right for Vanek
"In the beginning, I was trying to find the one dress that had every little thing I was looking for," she said. "But because I have a few looks, I get to fulfill my different bridal desires in each one."
And though Vanek's shopping process was lengthier than the average bride's, she said it was a special experience.
"I know trying on 137 dresses is absolutely mind-numbing, but I truly did enjoy every second of it," she said. "I am an only child and extremely close to my parents, and they came to almost every fitting I had. It was such a fun bonding experience for the three of us, and was so special to have them by my side every step of the way to the altar."