So you just got engaged? Congratulations! Chances are, this is your first time getting married & you know hardly anything about all this. If it’s not the first time, you probably still have a handful of questions when it comes to dress shopping as it’s likely a whole new era of trends, style, and how dress shopping operates now in general. As experts in the wedding dress industry, we’re here to help you navigate! Here are the top 7 questions asked by brides when wedding dress shopping:
- “What is the best wedding dress style for my body type?”
- “Where can I find affordable wedding dresses?”
- “How far in advance should I start shopping for a wedding dress?”
- “What are the latest wedding dress trends?”
- “What should I consider when shopping for a wedding dress?”
- “Do I need an appointment at bridal boutiques?”
- “Can I customize or personalize my wedding dress?”
“What is the best wedding dress style for my body type?”
Many times, it is best to try on dresses to see what you like, and what feels good to you. Trying to decide what is best for your body from a 2D image and simplified ‘body shape’ chart doesn’t always work, but can provide a good starting point. Almost weekly, we have ladies try on a style that they did not think would look good on them, be stunned at how much they actually like it! If you are unsure about dress shape & style, have your stylist put you in each different shape to start off, and narrow down what you are most comfortable and confident in from there.
Check out one of our recent blog posts for a more in depth answer on this question & the next one!:
https://boulevardbride.com/the-perfect-wedding-dress-tailoring-to-body-type-and-budget/
“Where can I find affordable wedding dresses?”
Start by searching Google for bridal boutiques in your area, or whatever distance you are willing to travel. Many boutiques will list an average price point of the gowns they carry. If it is not listed on the website, you can easily call and get an answer from the shop. You should also ask the shop if they carry an “Off the Rack” selection of gowns. “Off the Rack” dresses are discontinued sample gowns from the designers that the boutique carries in store. Since they are samples that have been used as try-ons, they are often heavily discounted. This can vary depending on what the original price point of the dress was, so make sure to ask what the average price is on these gowns as well! Finding out the answer to these questions will give you a list of boutiques you can go to that fall in the price range you are looking for. This way you aren’t wasting your time & gas to get to a boutique that isn’t affordable for you.
For our boutique (located in the St. Louis, MO area if you want to visit 😉) the average price point of a new gown is $1,500-$1,800. We also have an entire rack of new gowns listed at $1,200 and under. We also carry an “Off the Rack” section, called our La’Ana Collection. The average price point for this collection is $700-$800 with a few finds going as low as $50.
Browse our gowns:
https://boulevardbride.com/designs-we-carry/
“How far in advance should I start shopping for a wedding dress?”
About a year out from your wedding date. We say this is the ideal time if you want the least amount of stress in regards to your gown and all the options available to you! Timelines will vary based on brands that each boutique carries, but most brands will take anywhere from 5-9 months to get a new gown in. The brands we carry at Boulevard Bride take on average 6-9 months. You ideally also want to start the alterations process about 2 months before your wedding. So, if you get a gown a year out from your wedding date that is going to take 9 months to come in, you will only have the gown for about a month before you want to start alterations. Most brands will also have a rush option if you have less time, but it will cost you a little extra to do this. Our store also carries brands that have “stock” on some dresses. If a dress is in stock, we can get it for you within a couple weeks, no rush necessary! However, we say 12 months because if you are on a shorter timeline you may be limited in the dresses that we are able to get for you on that shortened timeline.
“What are the latest wedding dress trends?”
See our blog on the latest wedding trends here:
https://boulevardbride.com/7-wedding-dress-trends-for-2024/
“What should I consider when shopping for a wedding dress?”
We’ve also written a whole blog on this topic as well! Here is how to know & find the right wedding dress for you:
https://boulevardbride.com/how-do-i-know-what-the-right-dress-is-for-me/
“Do I need an appointment at bridal boutiques?”
Yes! We want to be able to give you a great experience & make you feel as special as you are as the bride with a few personal touches. These personal touches come from us knowing your name & a little bit about you before you come in! It also guarantees that we have a consultant available to work with you when you come in. We do take walk-ins but only if we have a consultant available. If all of our consultants & rooms are already assigned and busy with scheduled appointments, they would take precedence. We don’t want you to waste your time & gas to come see us, only to have to turn you away because we don’t have availability.
We would love to meet you! Book your appointment at Boulevard Bride:
https://boulevardbride.com/appointments/
“Can I customize or personalize my wedding dress?”
Absolutely! We love to see brides add their personal touch to dresses to make it truly their own. Some customizations/personalizations are easy for the seamstress you have alter your dress do– like add sleeves, beading draped across an open back, moving lace around, adding lace, etc. Our boutique carries a couple of special brands that will allow us to do things like swap the top of one dress with the bottom of another, swap materials, switch colors, change a back or neckline to be what you like, change the train length– bigger things that would need to be done when ordered. Not every shop carries brands like this though. If you are looking to go a more custom route, research boutiques in your area that can do custom gowns!
There are many more questions asked about wedding dress shopping, but these are just the top 7 questions we hear asked the most! Let us know if there are any other wedding dress shopping questions you are dying to know the answer to, we are always happy to help!
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