Dress shopping, what to expect?

Starfish0116

I'm getting ready to go dress shopping for the first time and would love to know what to expect. Aside from making an appointment, and taking in some photos of dresses I like, what else should I make sure to do? I know people mention to bring the undergarments that you plan to wear, but how will you know what you need without having the dress? I'm assuming they just mean like spanx and a strapless bra? So when you find "the one", and you're ready to order, what's the common down payment you usually pay? 50%?

jagore08

Just wear light colored, full coverage underwear (because you will most likely having the sales associate helping you in and out of dresses).  Bring your own strapless bra becasue the one they give you has been worn by countless other brides.  

Unless you're positive you foind the gown you will wear on your wedding day and you're not going to look at any other dresses between now and your wedding you shouldn't purchase.  There are so many brides on here with buyers remorse who have now found the dress they really love and have no idea what to do with the dress they already purchased.  If you're unsure, there's nothing wrong with sleeping on it.

Every salon has a different way they handle purchasing of the dress.  Some require a deposit (usually half) while other require the full payment of the dress.

Also remember that some salons won't let you take pictures of the dresses.  If this is the case look at the tag and see if you can find the style number (that is if they leave the tag on, some places take them off so you don't try to find the same dress somewhere else cheaper).

Starfish0116

Thanks for the reply!

Did you feel pressure to purchase a dress from the salon before you leave or are they used to people waiting? I'm going on this first trip with my BFF and sister (mom lives in another state) because I really want my first trip to be low-key without a lot of opinions until I find what style I like. I just don't want to offend my sales associate if I decide not to buy a dress on my first trip out.

B&K10+13+12

When I went dress shopping I arrived a few minutes early before my appointment and had some time to browse the store and look at different dresses I would like to try on.  The sales associate that was helping me was not pushy at all and she was very helpful.  Remember that sometimes you may not like the way a dress looks on the hanger, but that doesn't mean it won't look amazing on you!  Something that I personally found helpful was not to look at dresses online or in magazines.  I just didn't want to be disapointed if a dress I really liked in the picture looked awful on me.  The most important thing is to keep an open mind and positive attitude.  Have fun! I loved shopping for my dress!

cebrady89

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_dress-shopping-expect-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:15Discussion:239e177c-3642-4c07-a774-794eceaa1913Post:b17d1246-2d32-4b64-89b0-8a9d2338e20b">Re: Dress shopping, what to expect?</a>:
[QUOTE]Thanks for the reply! Did you feel pressure to purchase a dress from the salon before you leave or are they used to people waiting? I'm going on this first trip with my BFF and sister (mom lives in another state) because I really want my first trip to be low-key without a lot of opinions until I find what style I like. I just don't want to offend my sales associate if I decide not to buy a dress on my first trip out.
Posted by Starfish0116[/QUOTE]

I didn't feel pressure, per se, but the salon I went to (Vera Wang Chicago) gives you a huge discount for purchasing on your first visit. So it wasn't as if they pressured me to buy, but they will definitely give you incentive to buy right away.

LittleMissCutiePie

Here's what I did:

Wore a nude coloured strapless bra and spanx. I don't recommend wearing a bra with underwire, because your dress may have boning or sewn in cups, and the two together can be pretty uncomfortable. I had some style numbers based on the collections the salon said they had. I told the consultant what I liked and didn't like, and my budget. When all was said and done, I picked out a veil and paid half of my total amount due. Most places charge 30-50 percent of the total for a deposit.

jagore08

I felt pressure from some stores like David's Bridal but I told all of my sales associates (I went to several salons) that I cannot commit to purchasing a gown the same day because I always need time to think about big purchases (heck, it took me three days to commit to my newest handbag!).  

Avion22

Some consultants are pushy, and some are not.   I think it's reasonable to explain that you have a few salons that you want to look at, so will most likely not be purchasing that day.  However, they will want to know that you are serious about looking (and not just trying to play dress-up in expensive bridal gowns).  

I wore full coverage nude panties (spanx-type) and a strapless bra, but took the bra off about half-way through because most of the dresses had sewn-in cups and it was just awkward.   

The places I went did not allow photos unless you had already purchased the dress, and the place I ended up buying from wanted full payment at the time of purchase.

I would also recommend bringing some bottled water with you.  It gets hot under dressing room lights, and getting in and out of heavy dresses can get pretty hot also.  

meganb1977

Most places won't be pushy, especially if you say you've just started shopping and you need to narrow it down to a few favorites that you will want to take a second look at.  However, if you do feel strongly about a dress it can't hurt to ask if they can give you some kind of incentive to stop looking and purchase something that day.  They will be helpful showing you ideas for different accessories you can add and it's good to be open to that because it might give you some ideas you didn't think of.

K Byte

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_dress-shopping-expect-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:15Discussion:239e177c-3642-4c07-a774-794eceaa1913Post:b17d1246-2d32-4b64-89b0-8a9d2338e20b">Re: Dress shopping, what to expect?</a>:
[QUOTE]Thanks for the reply! Did you feel pressure to purchase a dress from the salon before you leave or are they used to people waiting? I'm going on this first trip with my BFF and sister (mom lives in another state) because I really want my first trip to be low-key without a lot of opinions until I find what style I like. I just don't want to offend my sales associate if I decide not to buy a dress on my first trip out.
Posted by Starfish0116[/QUOTE]
Well, I mean, the sales associates at most bridal shops make commission so of course they want you to buy :) But they also know that a lot of girls want to "sleep on it" especially when purchasing something as major as a wedding dress. I wouldn't worry about offending your sales associate if you don't buy right then and there because they see all types including people who just come in to play dressup.

Like others have said, wear or bring a strapless bra and neutral, full-coverage undies. The suggestion to bring a water bottle is a good one because it can get hot in dress shops and you'll get hot trying on a bunch of heavy gowns. In terms of payment, the store I bought my dress from wanted 50% down and 50% when your dress actually arrives. As for incentives to get you to purchase, some stores will throw in something like a free veil or a voucher/gift card for accessories, some places offer a discount on bridesmaid dresses if you purchase your wedding dress at the store too, stuff like that. If you buy a dress off the rack (one of the samples or something at a sample sale) you can usually get a discount on it as well.

achiduck

Bring a bottle of water and a small snack. It gets REALLY hot trying on all those dresses and you'll probably get hungry. 

Cortney1982

Nude undies is good.  Pictures of the style of dress you like is good.  I had to pay 60% down.  I was also given a discount if I purchased my dress that day.  I was also given coupons to puchase shoes, accessories, bridesmaid dresses.  Also was given a gift bag with little things in it.