Top 10 things you should know about bridal gown shopping...

We found this amazing article in the newest edition of Brides Magazine that we found to be an extremely helpful tool when shopping for your gown. Take a look at the top ten tips before you head out for a fun filled girl’s day out of bridal gown shopping!

1- A wedding gown is rarely made-to-measure, unless its custom made. In most cases, when a salon takes your measurements it’s so they can order the right size for you.

2-The difference between wedding gowns could be that one costs $500 and the other one may cost $1500 that could very well be the fabric, synthetic versus natural. Natural will always be more expensive.

3-The latest gown styles take about a year to get from the runway to you. Big name designers show their designs at New York Fashion Week every April and October, and those dresses are usually for sale in salons about 6 months later. Then it can take approximately 6-8 months to process your personal order.

4-Wear clean underwear, people will be seeing you semi-naked! (we got a laugh at that one!)

5-What is great about a trunk show? Most bridal salons don’t carry a designer’s entire collection, but at a trunk show, the entire collection is usually available to be touched and tried on. Often the designer sends a representative and on occasion the designer will come (which is really a rare treat). There are usually special events or deals when it comes to trunk shows so don’t hesitate to ask.

6-Most brides spend about 8-to10% of their wedding budgets on their total look (gown, shoes, headpiece, etc.) But that average accounts for a variety of real world scenarios, not all brides fit into that scenario it could be anywhere from 1-20% in all actuality.

7-The “deal” with samples. Bridal salons do not carry gowns in each size, instead they have a sample size. Within the gowns and designers that could range anywhere from a size 6 to a size 22. If you are looking for a specific size just ask.

8-Need a dress yesterday? We always have sample gowns that can be sold directly from the rack! You only need to find that one perfect gown and ask if you are able to purchase that particular one.

9-Shop by this rule: Nothing in fashion is out of fashion! Have an irrational fear of looking at your wedding portrait 20 years from now and asking…OMG what was I thinking? There are so many attributes about a wedding gown that are never going to disappear, and there are some silhouettes that are always going to be timeless…so if that is your fear…have no fear there is always something!

10-You should make an appointment! If you are shopping seriously and want proper attention making an appointment is a necessity at almost all salons these days. There are even salons that won’t even let you look around at things if you don’t have one.