What Service Can I Expect From My Bridal Store?
by: Georgina Clatworthy
When it comes to buying your wedding dress you should make sure your bridal store is giving you’re the very best service & attention it can muster. Here is some good advice when it comes to choosing your bridal store.
Make sure you get on with the assistants from day one, after all you will probably be spending most of the next 12 months in your uderwear with her! When you enter the store for the first time make sure you get a friendly welcome & that you are offered a courteous service with help & information when you ask for it. If you get none of these or the assistants are totally disinterested in you - leave!
Do I need to make an appointment?
Sometimes you can walk into a store midweek & you will not need an appointment but for most bridal stores a weekend appointment is necessary.
If you want to visit a specific store it is always advisable to ring & book an appointment. Many bridal showrooms will only work on an ‘appointment only’ basis anyway so it si best to ring first to avoid disappointment. Once you have an appointment make sure you are fully prepared before you go. Try & have some ideas of what you want & any other information the assistant will need to advise you.
Can I look through sample dresses myself, or am I restricted to dresses the salesperson selects for me?
If you have booked an appointment the assistant will prepare some dresses for you. However, a good store should let you look through the samples for yourself. Your wedding dress is your own personal choice & you should never feel pressured to try on dresses chosen by the store assistant. That said, always have an open mind & consider the options presented to you, you never know, the perfect dress could be a million miles from the one you envisaged when you walked in.
When should I start looking?
The usual advice is to start looking about eight to nine months before the wedding. This is so the manufacturers have time to make your dress & apply any alterations needed from subsequent fittings. Many manufacturers will off a rush service if you need it in a hurry but this can add a considerable amount to the price.
What should I expect from a bridal shop?
A good bridal store should be well laid out, with dresses easily accesible on the rails & not packed together tightly. The fitting rooms should be spacious & include large mirrors so you can see the dress from all angles & full length. The staff should be friendly & knowledgeable, they should in no way be pushy or rush you to make a decision. Good staff should be able to assist & advise you, not just with you dress but with the complete look aswell.
Ask around for recommendations or do some research online. Check to see if a store is a member of any national bridal associations, even if they are not, they may still be a very good store, but you may want to do some further research.
What should I wear?
It is a good idea to wear comfortable clothes & there is no need to get all glammed up. Usually within the first five minutes you will be changing, so the assistant really won’t notice what you are wearing when you walk in.
Who should I take with me?
It is always a good idea to take someone with you, for support, advice & to make sure you don’t loose you head or a huge chunk of you wedding budget! Take a close friend or family member, such as your mom or sister. Leave any small children or babies at home, a bridal store is no place for them & they will get bored very quickly. Stick to just one or two people to avoid overcrowding in the fitting rooms.
What should I bring with me?
Although it doesn’t matter what you wear, it is a good idea to wear good, well fitting lingerie. Some stores will have a selection of bras available for your to use with certain styles of gowns but is always a good idea to bring your own, just in case. Another tip is to wear or bring with a pair of shoes with roughly the same heel height as the ones you want to wear on your wedding day. Bring some hair bands & grips aswell so you can try out each dress with your hair up & down.
How many fittings are usual?
When it comes to fittings, two or three are usual. After the initial fitting you will require another one to make sure the alterations from the first fitting are correct & after that you may need another one for any further adjustments to be made.
Will alterations be included in the price?
When you visit a bridal store you will try on dresses in the size they have on the rail, these are known as samples. When you have made a decision the store will then order that style in your size from the manufacturer. When it arrives you will be called in for a fitting to see what adjustment/alterations are needed (if any). Some retailers will include the cost of alterations in the price on the ticket. Others will charge for alterations on top & they should dicuss this with you first.
Make sure you get on with the assistants from day one, after all you will probably be spending most of the next 12 months in your uderwear with her! When you enter the store for the first time make sure you get a friendly welcome & that you are offered a courteous service with help & information when you ask for it. If you get none of these or the assistants are totally disinterested in you - leave!
Do I need to make an appointment?
Sometimes you can walk into a store midweek & you will not need an appointment but for most bridal stores a weekend appointment is necessary.
If you want to visit a specific store it is always advisable to ring & book an appointment. Many bridal showrooms will only work on an ‘appointment only’ basis anyway so it si best to ring first to avoid disappointment. Once you have an appointment make sure you are fully prepared before you go. Try & have some ideas of what you want & any other information the assistant will need to advise you.
Can I look through sample dresses myself, or am I restricted to dresses the salesperson selects for me?
If you have booked an appointment the assistant will prepare some dresses for you. However, a good store should let you look through the samples for yourself. Your wedding dress is your own personal choice & you should never feel pressured to try on dresses chosen by the store assistant. That said, always have an open mind & consider the options presented to you, you never know, the perfect dress could be a million miles from the one you envisaged when you walked in.
When should I start looking?
The usual advice is to start looking about eight to nine months before the wedding. This is so the manufacturers have time to make your dress & apply any alterations needed from subsequent fittings. Many manufacturers will off a rush service if you need it in a hurry but this can add a considerable amount to the price.
What should I expect from a bridal shop?
A good bridal store should be well laid out, with dresses easily accesible on the rails & not packed together tightly. The fitting rooms should be spacious & include large mirrors so you can see the dress from all angles & full length. The staff should be friendly & knowledgeable, they should in no way be pushy or rush you to make a decision. Good staff should be able to assist & advise you, not just with you dress but with the complete look aswell.
Ask around for recommendations or do some research online. Check to see if a store is a member of any national bridal associations, even if they are not, they may still be a very good store, but you may want to do some further research.
What should I wear?
It is a good idea to wear comfortable clothes & there is no need to get all glammed up. Usually within the first five minutes you will be changing, so the assistant really won’t notice what you are wearing when you walk in.
Who should I take with me?
It is always a good idea to take someone with you, for support, advice & to make sure you don’t loose you head or a huge chunk of you wedding budget! Take a close friend or family member, such as your mom or sister. Leave any small children or babies at home, a bridal store is no place for them & they will get bored very quickly. Stick to just one or two people to avoid overcrowding in the fitting rooms.
What should I bring with me?
Although it doesn’t matter what you wear, it is a good idea to wear good, well fitting lingerie. Some stores will have a selection of bras available for your to use with certain styles of gowns but is always a good idea to bring your own, just in case. Another tip is to wear or bring with a pair of shoes with roughly the same heel height as the ones you want to wear on your wedding day. Bring some hair bands & grips aswell so you can try out each dress with your hair up & down.
How many fittings are usual?
When it comes to fittings, two or three are usual. After the initial fitting you will require another one to make sure the alterations from the first fitting are correct & after that you may need another one for any further adjustments to be made.
Will alterations be included in the price?
When you visit a bridal store you will try on dresses in the size they have on the rail, these are known as samples. When you have made a decision the store will then order that style in your size from the manufacturer. When it arrives you will be called in for a fitting to see what adjustment/alterations are needed (if any). Some retailers will include the cost of alterations in the price on the ticket. Others will charge for alterations on top & they should dicuss this with you first.
Again it is important to wear good underwear & bring shoes to the fittings. If you buy a dress online or from a home trader you are unlikely to get alterations included, in which case you will need to find someone locally who can do them for you.
How will my dress be delivered?
It is usual to collect your dress from the bridal store where you ordered it from although some may deliver it to you for a fee. If you are getting married abroad the shop may also offer to pack it for you.
How should I store my dress?
When you get your dress home, take it out of it’s bag or box & hang it up, covered with a long sheet to protect it & alow it to breathe. This is good practice for before & after the wedding.
Can I change my mind and get the deposit back?
Check the terms & conditions of the bridal store. You will usually have paid a deposit of around 50% when you ordered. You may have period of up to 14 days to change your mind & return it, but you could find yourself having to pay a penalty.
How will my dress be delivered?
It is usual to collect your dress from the bridal store where you ordered it from although some may deliver it to you for a fee. If you are getting married abroad the shop may also offer to pack it for you.
How should I store my dress?
When you get your dress home, take it out of it’s bag or box & hang it up, covered with a long sheet to protect it & alow it to breathe. This is good practice for before & after the wedding.
Can I change my mind and get the deposit back?
Check the terms & conditions of the bridal store. You will usually have paid a deposit of around 50% when you ordered. You may have period of up to 14 days to change your mind & return it, but you could find yourself having to pay a penalty.
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