The "Cardinal Rules" of wedding dress shopping

On a recent episode of Say Yes to the Dress on TLC, Kleinfeld Fashion Director Randy Fenoli offered “The Cardinal Rules of Wedding Dress Shopping.” As simple as these rules may sound, following them can help any bride find her perfect wedding dress with out all the stress.

1) “Don’t try on a dress that is outside of your budget”
A bride will inevitably fall in love with one she cannot afford and will be very disappointed when she can't have it.

2) “Don’t keep secrets from the bridal consultant”
If the bride has already seen something somewhere else that she likes, she should let the store consultant know so she can work with her.

3) “Leave the entourage at home”
It’s ok to bring a friend or family member but the more people a bride brings, the more opinions she will hear and the more confused she might be.

4) “Once you find a dress, stop shopping”
Some brides keep shopping because they are afraid they will miss their “perfect dress.” According to Kleinfeld’s, 90% of the brides who keep shopping actually stick to their original choice.

5) “Don’t get your heart set on a dress you saw in a magazine”
The bride should keep an open mind and try on a few dresses. The one she saw in a magazine might not suit her when she tries it on.

and finally.........

6) “Always wear underwear (when trying on wedding dresses)”

Wedding Gown Preservation - why it is so important right after the wedding!

The other day we had one of our beautiful brides bring her gown in for preservation. It has been almost a year since the wedding and due to her school schedule, she had just now found the time to bring her gown to us for cleaning and preservation. It had been a while since she had looked at the gown so we opened the bag and she was astonished at what she saw! There were stains on the gown, both in the front and back that she could not explain. After discussing the wedding with her and telling her that some of the sneakiest things at a wedding that can stain a gown are champagne and sugar she realized what had happened!
During the cake cutting, she and her groom had smashed each other with cake therefore some had fallen down the front of her skirt. Unknowingly, she brushed it away with her hand and created a larger problem. After looking at the back of her gown, you can also see where her groom rested his hand for pictures and where someone had placed their thumb to adjust her zipper.


Even though you may not see any stains with your eyes, trust us, there are invisible stains lurking around. Make sure you have someone designated to take your gown to be preserved immediately after the wedding while you are away enjoying your honeymoon. The preservation process costs less than taking it to a local cleaners and includes cleaning, pressing, preservation and three nested boxes to protect your gown for years to come! For more information or to schedule a time to bring your gown for preservation, feel free to contact us at any time!

Your wedding gown! When is it really time to start shopping?

Over the past few weeks, it has become apparent that some of our brides are unaware of the "gown time-line" so we thought we'd take a moment and break it down. This is a rough time-line and will vary by month as well as by designer. However, be concerned about any major deviation from this time-line as this may forewarn you of a store's stability. (IE. an overall exaggeration of the time-line for all dresses - not specific designs or designers).

 

Typically, it takes 12-16 weeks for a gown to ship (not arrive) from the designer. It can take less time but a well planned bride always works off of worst case scenarios.

Once your gown arrives in the salon, you will need to schedule an appointment to pick up your gown or begin alterations. (add 7-20 days here).

Alterations can take anywhere from 6-8 weeks depending on your schedule, their schedule and the amount of work to be done. This includes multiple visits to the alterations specialist.

Add all this up and you are looking at approximately (6.75) 7 months - just to get the dress ready to wear!

Now, factor in bridal portraits since this is the first time you will wear your gown (assuming you are taking bridal portraits). Then, factor in climate. Climate - why climate? Well, we do live in Texas. July-September equals HOT! (read: glistening bride and not in a good way) December - March equals all things dead. (plants) so, if you want outdoor portraits, this could drastically change your time-line.

Example: You are getting married in October. You are taking bridal portraits and want them outdoors so you probably want to take them April - June. To have your gown ready in time, you need to have it purchased by November. Amazing how quickly time gets away from you!

From December until the end of February, the time-line gets longer as you have to factor in the holidays. Gown production teams typically take three weeks off during this time which means that your time-line needs to expand by three weeks during these months.

Now, this time-line is "worst case scenario" but a well planned bride will work off this to alleviate as much stress as possible. It can be done in a shorter time frame with some creative bridal consultants behind you that know their stock and their designers but why take a chance

Start early, be prepared to buy at your first appointment (we didn't say you had to - just be prepared to) and the gown shopping experience will be Blissful!

So, what should you really spend on a bridal gown? Part 4

Here is the fourth and final installment of your guide to getting the dress of your dreams and a memorable experience at the same time. Make sure you don't miss out! Visit parts one, two, and three.

There are several scenarios brides go through when shopping for a gown. Of course, there are the hundreds of bridal magazines, websites, blogs and television shows but you will never know it’s the one till you put it on! From there, the bride progresses to choosing which salons or stores she would like to visit. Advertising is great but the real determinate should be word of mouth and reviews. Please girls, read the reviews before making an appointment. It can save you a lot of time!

So you choose a store, one of those chain stores, and schedule an appointment. They greet you, take your information and assign you a “consultant”. She hands you some undergarments (how many people have worn these?) and shows you to a room. More than likely you have looked at some pictures and she brings you these gowns and you and whomever you are with start trying them on. Did she train you in how to get into the gown or better yet, offer to assist you? You get the first gown on, head out to the mirrors and see what you think. The process repeats till you find a gown or leave frustrated and confused. Perhaps you have determined what silhouette you do or do not like and subconsciously been trained that you need multiple undergarments and move on to the next store.

The next store on your list is a boutique that your mom or friends have shopped at. Surely this must be better. When you arrive for your appointment you are greeted, they get your information; show you to your dressing room and where the gowns are located. What’s with all the plastic bags? How do you know what’s in your price range? You choose some gowns, your friends/family choose some gowns and you start the process over again, undergarments and all. They may or may not help you, bring you some suggestions or be there to answer any questions you may have. There are other brides and families close by to offer their opinions and you watch as they try on gowns, just as they are watching you. The store has some nice gowns, ones that are seen in all the magazines and some others. A better selection than the last place for sure. Perhaps you find the one, perhaps you don’t. If not, you move on to the next appointment.

The third store looks a little different. They have a strict policy on appointments so you are a little daunted that they might be a bit stuffy, but you go anyway. When you walk in, it looks nothing like a bridal store. They greet you and start asking you about your wedding. (note: they did not ask for your information). They ask that your friends/family sit and relax, look at magazines and albums while you are off to gown selection! Then, your consultant walks you through each gown in the store (within budget, of course), one by one, and gets to know you and your style. You are taken into a spacious dressing room and helped into each and every gown. There is not mention of additional undergarments and come to find out, you don’t need them! These gowns have all of that built in! (read: savings) During the appointment, your consultant has not left your side and helped you to narrow down your initial selections to the overall front runner. This is how an appointment should be! No pomp and circumstance. Who really needs to be paraded in front of people you don’t know? An intimate setting and customer service makes this so much easier! You are so relieved, you found the one and gained a friend to boot!

The above scenarios are merely representations of how different appointments can be and in no way depict any particular store. Emphasis should always be on customer service and the bride. Just because your budget is not ten thousand dollars does not mean that you should have to forgo attention to detail. This goes for size too! Just because you are not a runway model does not mean that you should only have one option for trying on gowns! (don’t worry – a full blog on this coming soon!) This experience should be fun and memorable! Don’t settle for anything less!

So, what should you really spend on a bridal gown? Part 3

The third installment of a four part series. Be sure to catch up on Part 1 and Part 2!

Customer service can make or break the gown. You may love the gown but if you don’t love the person helping you, the entire experience will be an uphill battle. Look for someone that pays attention to you and your thoughts, not what they want to put on you or worse, sell you. Your consultant is hopefully going to be there from day one until your wedding day. They should be someone you can trust to help you along in this unchartered territory.

A good consultant will ask you questions about your wedding, timeline, what you are drawn to or away from as far as styles and details. They will want to get to know your personality in an intimate, one on one, setting to ensure that your gown reflects your style. During the appointment, they should pay attention to what you like and what you dislike and offer guidance and suggestions based on this information. They should know their stock, what changes (if any) can be made to the gown or be able to pull a dress that has everything you are looking for. Once you have found the gown, stop looking! In the words of Randy Fenoli “you found the guy, are you still looking for something better? No. Commit and stop looking”. Once you do this, the rest of the wedding will fall into place.

Another key thing is to look for stores that have been in business for a while and have great reviews online. Remember that they cannot make everyone happy but overall, the feeling should be a good one. Ask your friends and family for suggestions as this is not paid advertisement and will speak more about the store than a fancy ad. Bridal Shows are a great way to meet with stores for a face to face “mini interview” before making an appointment. If they mesh well with your personality, book an appointment. If you do not get the feeling that they know what they are doing or that you are on the same page, you have just saved yourself valuable time and avoided an uncomfortable appointment.

Location, Location, Location! The location of a store can be just as telling as the reviews. If a store is in an area that is “fading” or not central to the heart of the city, they may not have an ear on the newest trends and fashion. Although you may have to drive to find the gown of your dreams, pay attention to where you are driving to. With most bridal salons, they are destination places in lieu of feeding off of “walk in” traffic. They do not have to be in the most expensive location or the most popular area but they should be somewhere you are comfortable. Overall, gown shopping is an experience. One that you want to remember for all the right reasons. Do some homework, visit bridal shows and ask for suggestions.

So, what should you really spend on a bridal gown? (part 1)

Ah, the age old question of how much should a bridal gown really cost. We can’t tell you what to spend but we can tell you what to look for in a gown that will help you determine if the price is worth the gown. Over the next few weeks, we will discuss the important aspects to look for when looking for “The One”. There are many factors to consider when purchasing a gown including fabric, construction, details and customer service. Each installment will focus on one of these topics………..

Fabric in bridal gowns can range from Chiffon, Organza, Taffeta, Satin, Silk and Lace with variations on each. Look for fabrics that feel good on you and give you the feeling of being a bride, not of being in a costume. Fabrics with Lace or Silk components will cost more than those without. The higher quality fabrics will hold the gown’s design and shape better along with creating a more elegant look on the day as well as in pictures.


Each fabric has its own merits and cautions. Silk gowns being made of a natural fabric will “breathe” better than a man made fabric however, depending on the type of silk, may wrinkle easier. Organza, lace and chiffon are more delicate fabrics and need careful consideration for outdoor settings yet give off a look of movement and grace. Taffeta and Satin are common fabrics for bridal gowns and can endure any type of wedding you may choose to have as well as travel well and deter major snags, wrinkles and other mishaps. Again, there is not a “set in stone” rule for the type of gown that must be worn, just some simple considerations to make you the most beautiful bride!

Also keep in mind the setting of the wedding as well as the season. We love glowing brides, not glistening ones! If you are getting married outside in the middle of summer, you probably do not want to wear a satin ball gown. On the flip side, if you are getting married in a large cathedral with a formal ceremony, you will probably not want to wear a light and airy sheath dress to where you look underdressed or could be mistaken as one of the guests. Bridal gowns do not typically have seasons beyond the formality of the wedding. Although some dresses might speak more to summer or winter, there is not a true “season” for a wedding gown. Choose a gown that reflects your personality. If you are more modern and trendy, look for fun and whimsical gowns. If you are more classic and conservative, search for a more traditional gown. The major determining factors of what type of gown to wear will be the time of year and the overall feeling of the wedding!

Photo Credit: Bella Pop Photography (top)