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There can be a lot of pitfalls that brides fall into when shopping for that perfect wedding dress for their special day. To help you make a more informed purchase here are 12 tips to make your shopping experience smoother and more enjoyable.
1. Set a price limit on how much you're willing to spend
on a dress.
Gowns range from a few hundred pounds to several thousand pounds.
You need to have a good idea on what you're willing to spend. Then
when you visit bridal shops, fib and give them a figure 10% to 20%
less than what you've decided on. The reason behind this is because
the assistant will often trying to up sell you by bringing out dresses
that are slightly over your budget range hoping you'll fall in love
with the dress and buy it anyway.
2. Know your figure shape.
When looking through magazines, please remember these are super
thin models that make all the wedding dresses look beautiful. In
the real world, we all come in different sizes and shapes, so what
looks good in a magazine may look horrendous on your figure. You
need to focus on styles that will flatter your figure type.
3. Ask for bridal shop recommendations.
Talk with everyone you know who has just recently been married to
find out what their experiences have been with various bridal shops.
Remember, customer service is just as important as the gown you
choose.
4. Shop during the week.
Don't shop on Saturdays. Weekends are when brides are out in full
force shopping for their wedding dresses and wedding accessories.
Instead, choose to go during the week when it's quieter and you
can receive undivided attention. Many bridal shops stay open during
the evening hours.
5. Fib about your wedding date.
You will be asked when your "big day" is...and it's best
to fib by "moving" your date up by about 4 weeks. This
will help ensure that your wedding dress actually arrives in time
for your wedding and gives you some breathing room to get any alterations
done. Too often brides have been near tears because their wedding
dress hasn't arrived or has arrived so close to the wedding date
that they've become nervous wrecks. You don't want to be rushed
or thrown into a panic just before your wedding day.
6. Bring a friend with you.
Always bring a friend or family member with you when shopping. Obviously,
it's good to have an unbiased second opinion when trying on dresses.
Also, you're excited and maybe be coerced by a sales clerk into
buying something on the spur of the moment that you will later regret.
Be sure you have someone with you who is cool-headed and practical
to keep you grounded.
7. Take your time when choosing a wedding dress.
Don't allow yourself to be rushed in to purchasing anything. Your
first shopping excursion should help you get an idea on what styles
look good on you and to find a bridal shop that you're happy with.
Take notes on various dresses you really like (make a quick sketch
of the gown too). Narrow down your dress choices to 2 or 3 dresses...then
go home! Take a few days to review your notes, perhaps compare wedding
dresses online, and generally get a clearer perspective on what
you saw. Then go back and re-try the dresses you had decided on.
8. Ask the store lots of questions.
There are many hidden fees and policies that you may not be aware
of when purchasing a bridal dress. Here are some of the more important
points you should ask about:
a) Who is the manufacturer of the dress?
b) How long will it take to get the dress in?
c) What kind of payment policies does the shop have?
d) How much of a deposit is required? Can you pay by credit card?
e) What is the store's refund and cancellation policy? (Get it in
writing!)
f) What are the costs of alterations? (Get a written estimate)
g) Are there shipping fees? Size fees for extra large sizes or petites?
h) Are their rush fees? (If you have to have your gown sooner)
9. Bring a vinyl tape measure with you.
Make sure the shop takes your measurements with a vinyl tape measure,
not cloth. The cloth tape measures get stretched and will give inaccurate
measurements (larger than expected). This, not surprisingly, will
result in "required alterations" when the dress arrives.
Bring your own vinyl tape with you, so that if the store doesn't
have one, you can provide your own and get an accurate measurement
done. Make sure they measure your bust, waist, hips and from the
hollow of your throat to hemline (for length).
10. Don't base your choice on dress size.
You may be a size 8, but manufacturer sizes vary widely when it
comes to wedding dresses. A size 8 from one manufacturer may be
a size 12 from another. Ask the assistant to see the listed manufacturer's
dress size chart when choosing a dress, so you have a better idea
on what size you'll need, once you're measurements are taken.
11. Don't put your wedding dress on a ‘layaway plan’.
While you're busy paying down your dress (that you don't yet have),
the manufacturer may discontinue the line or go out of business.
Now you're left without a wedding dress and often no refund policy
either. End result? You'll have to start all over and find a new
dress to purchase from the same bridal store.
12. Make your own headpiece.
Most bridal shops charge £100 to £300 (or more) for
headpieces that cost less than £40 to make by yourself. They
aren't hard to make and there are several good books and patterns
available to help you out. If you aren't crafty, find someone who
is that would make it for you for a small fee. Another option is
to rent a headpiece or buy one from a resale/consignment store.
Author: Rose Smith
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