Shopping Tips
Purchase at least a year before
Dresses can take anything from 4 to 8 months to be made and you need to also allow enough time for their fittings. Ofcourse, some dresses can be made quicker and also there are off the peg options, but if you have plenty of time, make sure you use it wisely.
Opinions of others
Keep your bridal gown shopping party to close relatives or friends. Have with you people you trust who will think of you and your needs not what they would want for themselves. The smaller the group the less distracting and easier it is for the bride to listen to their own thoughts rather than that of other people!
Work out a budget
Work out a budget and ring shops before booking appointments asking if they do dresses in your price range. We don't advise trying on dresses out of budget as it can be heart breaking to realise you can't afford the one you really want.
Buy a dress that fits now
Even if you're planning on losing weight before your wedding, your body type isn't going to completely change. Besides, it's lot easier (not to mention less expensive) to take a gown in than to try and make a too-small gown work.
Be ready
Be ready to purchase the gown if it's the one. Make sure finances and eveything are in place before shopping as gowns can be discounted at any time and it can lead to disappointment when brides come back to buy to find the gown they want is no longer available.
Booking appointments
Always ring in advance to book an appointment and also should you no longer need the appointment ring the shop to cancel so it can be made available to another bride. Also try to arrive on time if you are running late, let the shop know.
Added costs
Ask about any added costs such as alteration costs, (get an exact figure), how much are hoops to hire or buy? Do the shops charge for storage? If so how much? If they don't store your gown be aware you would need somewhere to store it, and may need separate insurance for it.
RBA (Retail Bridal Assocation )
Ask about assurances on your gown with some shops closing suddenly, brides need to be more aware of insurances and organisations that can provide you with the gown in a worse case scenario, as with the RBA we provide the bride with a leaflet to register their dress and the bride then knows no matter what they will get their dress , we have been a member for 7 years plus and in that time sold hundreds into thousands of gowns all covered by the RBA scheme , we are one of only 4 shops in wales in the organisation and have stringent checks to be and remain a member.
The true you
If you are petite, ensure you see the gown on you, not made taller by being put on a high platform. Ask the shop to pin the gown under for you to see how it will look. And maybe take a pair of shoes in a height you are comfortable in to see the gown as it will be worn on the day.
OFF PEG GOWNS
If purchasing a gown off the peg ask about the cleaning of the gown before storage, lots of brides come into shops with fake tan on or oil based perfumes or body lotions , deodrant or no deodorant all these can mark the gown during storage , some boutiques don't store the gown for you and if you open the bag to find its heavily soiled later you may not get the marks out . with boutiques who are part of a chain the gown could have been passed from store to store so check it carefully inside and out before purchase and also ask about the costs of cleaning the gown .
Underwear
Wear appropriate underwear e.g. strapless bra etc, as some of the dresses may not fit and body parts can be exposed to other shoppers and also members of your bridal party.