We’re right in the middle of the busy selling season so we’ve popped together a few little suggestions to make choosing your gown a pleasant experience.
Research the shops you’re considering visiting…….
Look at their websites & especially their Facebook pages – this is a great way to see other customers independent reviews on different retailers. Even more importantly ask around. Everyone will have friends, family members & work colleagues who have bought wedding dresses over the years. Recommendations from these people on the customer service they received from various shops is by far the best way to find out about how different shops work and which are the ones too visit and to avoid!
It’s a good idea to book an appointment…..
Bridal shops are totally different to other clothing shops. – You can’t normally just turn up, grab a few dresses off the rail and pop into the dressing room for a quick try on as you would in NEXT, GAP or New Look. Bridal shops have limited space, and if you try to get in and out of gowns on your own, you’ll probably get stuck (you certainly can’t lace a corset up on your own) besides which, other Brides will have booked appointments too. What’s more, if you want a Saturday, certainly with us, it’s by far the best way to ensure that you’re not disappointed if you just turn up and we’re too busy to give you the time you need and deserve.
If you don’t need your appointment…..
If you find your perfect gown and no longer need your appointment, it really is just common courtesy to cancel any other appointments you may have made. We often have a waiting list for Saturday appointments and by not letting a shop know that you don’t need your appointment you’re making other Brides wait longer than necessary.
Consider carefully the people you take gown shopping with you……..
Taking too many people, especially those with strong opinions can often lead to you becoming overwhelmed and confused at trying to please everyone, when the only one who really matters is you. We’ve covered this in depth in another of our blogs, Have a quick look at it here.
Think about personal hygiene……..
You’d have thought this was obvious wouldn’t you, but unfortunately good personal hygiene is not always the case. As we said earlier, you’ll need help getting in and out of your choice of gowns, so please don’t find yourself embarrassed when you’re in an enclosed space with a Bridal Consultant who, by the very nature of her job, is having to get up close and personal with you.
Pants, pants, pants…….
Can’t stress this enough! We all have the same bits and bobs ‘down below’, but we’re not going to show your ours, and we don’t particularly want to see yours! Your Bridal Consultant is going to see you in your skimpies (or otherwise) so please make sure you’re wearing some. Some Brides do turn up for appointments going commando believe it or not and not only is it un-hygenic to be slipping in and out of dresses without undies, it’s also embarressing for all concerned! Oh, and have a quick bikini line check too……… please.
Before you drive a hard bargain…
We all know that bridal shops make a profit out of every dress they sell – they have to – they’re running a business. However, before you put on your Hard Bargaining Hat please bear this in mind; in addition to paying the designer for the dress that you’ve just ordered the shop owners also have to pay for every single one of the sample dresses that you’ll be trying on and these dresses regularly require dry cleaning to keep them looking good. In addition, there’s rent, rates, utilities, VAT, Tax, wages, Employers Tax, PAYE, advertising, window cleaning, loo roll, and the Coffee & Tea that we serve you. The margins that are made on each dress, cover these costs and if they’re lucky, really really lucky, there might be a bit left over for them to take a wage!
Above all, enjoy yourself……..
Choosing your gown should be a treat, not a trial. You’re going to spend quite a lot of time in the bridal shop you buy your dress from, especially in the run up to the wedding, with fittings, styling appointments etc., so make sure you’re comfortable and at ease not only in the dress you choose, but also in the surroundings you choose it from.