The Cardinal Sins of Wedding Gown Shopping

Shopping for a wedding gown should be one of the most fun experiences of your life. For some brides, though, the whole process can quickly turn into a nightmare. Why? In most cases, because they have committed one of the cardinal sins of wedding gown shopping!

Sin number one is to try on wedding gowns which you would never be able to afford. If your budget is $3000, you simply have no business trying on a $15,000 bridal gown “just for fun”. What happens if you fall in love with that pricey gown? Going back to the dresses within your price range will feel like a major let down, because they simply will not have the same type of details, embellishments, and construction as the higher priced gown – if they did, they would cost just as much! Spare yourself the heartbreak, and only try on gowns which you have a reasonable chance of being able to bring home.

Another cardinal sin of wedding gown shopping is to try on dresses once you have already purchased another gown. Unless you are seriously planning to lose your initial deposit and select a different gown, this is a recipe for disaster. The last thing you want is to discover another gown which you like better than the one which you have bought, only to be stuck wearing the first one. It will greatly diminish your love for the gown you will be wearing on your wedding day, which is just really sad. If you just can’t stand the idea of being done shopping, start looking for your bridal jewelry, veil, and other accessories – but trying on more gowns is off limits!

Many brides unwittingly commit this next sin of wedding gown shopping: bringing too many people along to the appointment. It becomes extremely difficult to hear your own voice when you are being drowned out by a large chorus of opinionated sisters, friends, moms, and aunts. The savvy shopper brings only one or two people to help her. How do you narrow it down? If your mother is paying for your wedding dress, she certainly has a right to help in the selection. Besides that, your sisters or maybe one close friend who shares your taste in fashion is more than enough. Let your extended family and wider circle of friends help with the other shopping decisions, such as what type of bridal jewelry to get, the bridesmaid dresses, and so on.

Questions to Ask Your Bridal Salon

When you find your dream wedding gown, it can be very easy to get swept away by the excitement and emotion of the moment (as well you should be!). But a bridal gown is also a big expense, and a lot rides on getting all of the details right. Before you leave the store on the day you order your wedding gown, be sure to ask these important questions of the bridal salon staff…

One: What is the deposit, what is the balance, and when is it due? A 50% deposit is customary at most bridal salons. This is basically to cover the wholesale cost of the gown, especially for those rare cases when the bride does not come to pick it up. If ordered early enough, your wedding gown might arrive at the bridal salon months before your wedding, but the balance might still need to be paid within a couple weeks of its arrival. Also be sure to find out if alterations will incur an additional fee.

Two: What if you change your mind on the gown or cancel the wedding? At many bridal salons, orders cannot be canceled once they have been sent in to the designer of your gown, because the designer probably does not accept cancellations. So even if you get cold feet the next day, it may be too late to pick a different style. Also be aware that deposits are usually non-refundable (no store wants to get stuck with your custom ordered gown!), so in the unlikely event that the wedding is called off, the bride will have to pay the balance on her dress and take it home, or forfeit the deposit and the store keeps the dress.

Three: Is it possible to try on all of the accessories at the final fitting? Most salons allow plenty of time at the final gown fitting for you to try on your veil, headpiece, bridal jewelry, and any other accessories with your gown. It is a really good idea to take advantage of the opportunity, in case you discover that the bridal jewelry needs to be adjusted to suit the neckline of your gown or that your gloves are the wrong shade of white. Better to find out at a gown fitting than on the day of your wedding when everything should be perfect!

Cute New TV Wedding Show

If you are reading this, you probably enjoy a wedding show on tv as much as I do. Whether you are a bride-to-be or have been married for years, there is something about watching other women plan their weddings that is always a lot of fun. For all of you who think that the best part of wedding planning is bridal gown shopping, there is a cute new television show called “Girl Meets Gown” which is worth checking out.

One thing that sets “Girl Meets Gown” apart from other shows about bridal gown shopping like “Say Yes to the Dress”  is the location. Unlike “Say Yes to the Dress”, which takes place in New York, “Girl Meets Gown” is filmed at a salon in Dallas. As they say, everything is bigger in Texas, and this is definitely true about wedding gowns, veils, and bridal jewelry sets. What qualifies as a simple little dress for a forest wedding in Dallas would be considered a lavish formal gown in New England. It certainly makes for entertaining viewing.

Women who are unfamiliar with the inner workings of a bridal salon will enjoy the behind-the-scenes commentary offered by the owners of the shop and their staff. You can see their secret panic when a bride comes in to shop who has no time to spare, and their palpable relief when they are able to secure a rush delivery on the bride’s favorite gown. Then there is the shock of a consultant who thinks her bride is coming in for a final fitting, only to learn that the young woman has changed her mind and wants to order a new dress.

The human side of the brides on “Girl Meets Gown” is the most interesting part of the program. Many brides-to-be can sympathize with the feelings of the woman who just couldn’t feel pretty in a wedding gown until she reached her goal weight.  Or the woman who got swept up in the moment and ordered a wedding dress that her friends really liked, only to later realize that she did not like it as much as they did. Weddings are endlessly fascinating, and if you are looking for a fun way to spend an hour, you might just want to tune into “Girl Meets Gown”.

Wedding Gowns: Finding “The One”

Shopping for a bridal gown can bring up so many emotions, running from elation (“I am getting married”) to excitement (what could be more gorgeous than a wedding gown) to despair (“What if I don’t find my dream dress?”) to shock (“This dress costs how much?!”). Without a doubt, the pressure to find the perfect wedding dress can feel immense, especially for brides who are working with a short time frame. These are some great tips to help you find the wedding gown that is “the one” with a minimum of stress and a maximum of fun.

First of all, there is the question of cost. It will do you no good to fall in love with a $20,000 wedding gown when your budget is $2000. On the other hand, it helps to have an understanding of what is a reasonable price range for the style of wedding gown that interests you before you begin shopping to avoid any nasty sticker shock in the bridal salon. That way you can adjust your wedding budget accordingly and avoid disappointment.

A lot of brides wonder how they will feel when they find “the one”. If you do not burst into tears of joy the moment you put on a wedding gown, could it still be the right one for you? Absolutely! Absent the flood of tears, what should you expect? Well, you should definitely feel gorgeous, like you have dropped ten pounds instantly, and like you can’t wipe the smile off your face. A very good clue is that you do not want to take the dress off. If you have been standing in front of the mirror in the store for an hour admiring the gown and trying on all sorts of veils, headpieces, and bridal jewelry, the chances are you have found your gown.

Another great tip when it comes to finding the perfect wedding gown is to know yourself. You should definitely be open to styles that your bridal consultant wants to show you, but you can help her by cluing her in to your absolute must have features. Be honest! Give your bridal consultant more of your genuine personality to go on, and you will save a lot of time.

One final piece of advice is to only go wedding gown shopping with those who will be supportive…and honest. If you and your mom have never seen eye to eye on fashion, maybe she is not going to be the best sounding board for you. And only bring a couple of people with you to shop, or you will end up with so many conflicting opinions that your own voice will be lost in the crowd. With these thoughts in mind, it will be much easier to find the perfect wedding gown. And when you do find “the one”, snap it up without hesitation!

Pick the Perfect Wedding Gown Shape for Your Shape

Column or Sheath: This is the most narrow wedding gown silhouette, and accordingly it is best suited to brides who are slender. Column gowns often feature empire waists which hit just under the bustline, with straight skirts which go straight down without a flare. Sheath dresses tend to be made of more clingy fabrics than column gowns and are the sexiest of all the wedding dress silhouettes. Both shapes are very flattering for petite brides, as they are elongating. Brides who are pear shaped or top heavy would be wise to choose a different style.

A-line: The A-line gown is extremely flattering to virtually every figure. The A-line refers to the shape of the skirt, which is of a medium fullness, and has a silhouette which resembles the letter A: nipped in at the waist, gently flared over the hips, and fuller at the hemline. A-line skirts can be paired with natural waists or drop waists, which adds to their versatility. They are a great choice for pear shaped brides, petite brides, tall brides (especially with a drop waist), and any bride who wants a gown which has some fullness, but not too much.

Ballgown: The ballgown is the most traditional and the fullest of the wedding gown shapes. They generally feature very fitted bodices and very full skirts. The skirt will be supported by a petticoat or crinoline and is magnificent for a formal wedding. The full cut of a ballgown skirt may be created by gathering or pleating at the top of the skirt to increase the fullness. Wonderful for a fairy princess style wedding, the ballgown is ideal for brides who love to dress up with lots of crystal bridal jewelry and long veils. On the other hand, if your wedding is less formal, this can simply be too much dress. Petite brides should be careful about ballgowns, as they can end up being swallowed up by too much fabric.

Mermaid or Trumpet: Brides who really want to make a dramatic entrance adore the trumpet shape bridal gown. Very fitted through the bodice and into a very low dropped waist, the skirt then flares out dramatically at the low hip or just above the knee. This shape is very striking and works well with bold accessories like crystal bridal jewelry and long cascade bouquets. Tall brides with well-balanced hourglass figures can really rock a mermaid gown, but petite or pear shaped brides should steer clear of this somewhat challenging shape.

The Best Deals on Designer Wedding Gowns

As with anything else, top quality costs top dollar. If you want a designer wedding gown without the designer price tag, it pays to be a clever shopper. Your first step is to scout out the bridal salons in your area. Talk to the staff and find out when they have their money saving events, like sample sales or end-of-season clearance events. Typically held in January and July, these clearance sales are when stores try to move the samples from previous seasons to make way for incoming merchandise.

What this means for brides is the chance to get a deep discount on a designer sample; markdowns usually start around 30%, with 50% being common. You may even get lucky and find a sample sale bridal gown for as much as 70% off – imagine buying a designer gown for less than wholesale! That will sure clear up some room in the budget for your veil, headpiece, and bridal jewelry. The key is to be one of the first to get to see the dresses when the sale starts, which is why you want to speak with the bridal store staff; either to make the first available appointment, or to find out when to start lining up before the event.

More than one bride-to-be has bought a wedding dress only to later find another one she likes even better, or a style that makes more sense for her event. What does that mean for the bargain hunting bride? A steal on a never-worn designer gown. Since they cannot return the first gown, brides usually try to sell it to make back at least some of what they spent. Sites like Craig’s List or the local newspaper classified ads can be a good place to hunt down these bargains.

If you have a favorite bridal gown designer, attending one of their trunk shows can be a way to get a better price. You won’t find the same kind of deals that are offered at clearance sales, but you can at least save a little and get a brand new bridal gown. A little known bonus is that the designer’s rep is usually authorized to throw in extra perks at no charge during trunk shows. You might be able to get a longer train or other pattern change for free that would normally cost hundreds of dollars. Every little bit helps, after all.

Successful Sample Sale Shopping

Sample sales are events, usually held twice a year, at which bridal salons will sell off their floor samples to make room for new inventory. The discounts are frequently deep – up to half off is not uncommon – so there are definitely some incredible deals to be found. Because they are floor models, though, you will be expected to take the gown “as is”, so it will need to be one that you are confident can be altered to fit you. Gowns purchased at sample sales will almost always be final sales.

When shopping at a sale, a bride  needs to keep an open mind. You are not likely to see the exact same dresses that you have been bookmarking on the internet from the current season of bridal gowns. If you go into a sale with a fixed idea of the exact gown you want, you are going to walk out empty handed. Be open to trying any gown that shows some promise, even if it doesn’t match the picture in your head.

Because you will need to make an instant decision, it is a smart idea to walk into a sample sale as prepared as possible. You will definitely want to be wearing the appropriate undergarments. If you have already picked out some special bridal jewelry or a family veil that you intend to wear for your wedding, it is a good idea to bring it when you go shopping, since once you purchase a sale gown there is no turning back.

Sample sales can be fun, chaotic, and exhilarating. Above all, they can be a great opportunity to save money on a wedding gown or to buy a gown that would have been out of your price range at the regular price. If you go into a sample sale with a well thought out plan of attack, you are very likely to walk out of it with your dream dress in hand.

Signs of a Fine Quality Bridal Gown

Your wedding gown is the most special garment that you will ever own. You want to make sure that you are getting a good one, but it can be difficult at times to know. There are a few things that you can look for to ensure that you are getting a fine quality bridal gown.

The best bridal gowns are created from natural materials, primarily silk. Beware of dresses that are use the word silk in their description, but do not clearly state that they are made of silk. Designers will often use terms like “Italian silk” to make a silk blend or even a synthetic fabric sound more luxurious than it really is. When in doubt, look for the tag inside the gown that lists the contents. The more silk, the better.

On a well made gown, all of the outside seams will also be nicely finished. You should not see any puckering along the bust or side seams. If there is embroidery or beadwork, it should be well aligned over the side seams. Even better, it should be on a ribbon stitched onto the dress, or stop before the side seams so that the dress can be properly altered.

Once you have found a wedding gown that was lovingly made, you will want to finish it off with equally beautiful accessories. Look for quality pieces like handmade wedding jewelry. Just like your gown, it is great to know that a real person took the time to carefully create wedding jewelry handmade just for you. When choosing a veil, make sure that any trim lays flat, and that it is neatly secured to the comb. All of these small details will add up to a perfectly polished bridal ensemble.

When you put on your bridal gown on your wedding day, it should make you feel like a million dollars (even though hopefully you didn’t have to spend that much on it!). A gown that is a fine quality will go a long way towards helping you achieve that feeling. After all, when you know that your gown looks great, you will feel even more beautiful.

Wedding Gown Shopping 101

Congratulations – you’re engaged! Now comes the fun part – picking out your wedding gown. Finding the perfect gown is a lot like finding a man to marry – for some women, it’s love at first sight, while for others, it seems like an endless search. Going into the process of gown shopping prepared will help to make it a much more pleasant experience.

After you have set a date for your wedding, make an appointment to go to a bridal salon to start trying on gowns. When you go, do not bring all eight of your bridesmaids, your mother, your sisters, and your great-aunt Matilda. Pare your invitation down to two people at most. Try to bring only those who understand your taste, and are genuinely happy for you (leave the jealous sister at home!).

Bring pictures to show the consultant what gown styles speak to you, but be open to her suggestions as well. She will know at a glance which dresses will flatter your figure, if if they don’t have much hanger appeal. You might fall in love with a bridal gown that you would otherwise never have considered.

When you find the perfect dress, order it! Don’t risk that a style may become discontinued or go up in price. Besides, after you have your gown, there is still the fun of shopping for your bridal jewelry, headpiece, veil, and other accessories. Be sure to take the time to enjoy the time you spend finding your bridal gown and accessories – being that pampered is a special experience reserved just for brides.