Sample sale advice?

thegirlonthebike

I'm going to my first sample sale next week -- anyone have any tips and advice? I'm nervous and excited all at once!

It's a bit early, I feel like, but you have to catch a sale when they happen, right?

opalsky007

Buy a dress because you love it, not because it's cheap! You don't want to regret your purchase later. Take a friend along to help carry gowns and give feedback. Wear modest undies, and take along a strapless if you want. Be sure to inspect anything you plan on buying very, very carefully for rips, stains, and damage to beading. Don't buy anything more than two sizes too big--it can be difficult to take in, and don't buy anything too small. Letting dresses out is risky.

thegirlonthebike

Thank you! Beige bra and undies are a must, right? What about shoes -- do I need to bring a pair of shoes similar to what I'll be wearing for the wedding? I don't have *the* shoes yet...

thegirlonthebike

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_sample-sale-advice?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:15Discussion:d166ecc1-741d-420d-b94e-f663c19071a9Post:123e9259-8a2a-42c4-8c02-38e228ab8060">Re: Sample sale advice?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Sample sale advice? : If you go to David's Bridal, the veil, shoes, slip and longline bra is provided for you by bridal consultant, they are the ones who help carry the dresses back/forth to dressing room. Ask how many inches it can be adjusted on sides in case you gain weight and also ask how long alterations normally take.
Posted by loop0406[/QUOTE]

It's at an independent salon, so I don't really know what to expect... This is actually my first experience trying on wedding dresses... Maybe not the best place to start, but hey!

I'm going to try to bring a friend, but I might have to fly solo... :-/

loop0406

You could try David's Bridal too if it's close by, their $99 sale starts today - 27th

Good Luck !

ogrady88

Not all sample sales are the crazy running of the brides type sale.  I bought my dress at a sample sale and you still needed to have an appointment.  It worked out really well.  The only thing that I would advise is that you will need to be willing and ready to commit to a dress if you love it.  They typically won't "hold" the dress for you so if you leave it may not be there if/when you were to go back.  In addition, what PPs said about the sizing, etc.  will be really important, also inspect the dress for any damage prior to paying for it.  The money you may save on the sample may be spent on alterations and repairs otherwise.  Good luck and enjoy the experience!

thegirlonthebike

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_sample-sale-advice?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:15Discussion:d166ecc1-741d-420d-b94e-f663c19071a9Post:9f3e7ec1-7da3-4952-925b-43c2bd4f3242">Re: Sample sale advice?</a>:
[QUOTE]Not all sample sales are the crazy running of the brides type sale.  I bought my dress at a sample sale and you still needed to have an appointment.  It worked out really well.  The only thing that I would advise is that you will need to be willing and ready to commit to a dress if you love it.  They typically won't "hold" the dress for you so if you leave it may not be there if/when you were to go back.  In addition, what PPs said about the sizing, etc.  will be really important, also inspect the dress for any damage prior to paying for it.  The money you may save on the sample may be spent on alterations and repairs otherwise.  Good luck and enjoy the experience!
Posted by ogrady88[/QUOTE]

Great advice, thank you -- I do have an appointment; they are required for this sale. Nor will they hold a dress -- that's what makes me nervous, especially if I have to go alone, because then I can't get a second opinion. *gulp!*

thegirlonthebike

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_sample-sale-advice?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:15Discussion:d166ecc1-741d-420d-b94e-f663c19071a9Post:9472ae86-fe5e-4124-a5f5-cd04a1a1d841">Re: Sample sale advice?</a>:
[QUOTE]Maybe it's just me, but I wouldn't buy a dress without a second opinion of my mom or at least a friend.
Posted by MattsPenguin[/QUOTE]

You know, I'm kind of comfortable with it, and kind of not. On one hand, I'm very independent, but have the tendency to second-guess (a walking contradiction if I've ever heard one! lol). I'd definitely prefer to have a friend there, just for overall moral support, but it just might not happen. :-/

alainn15

Don't let the sales person talk you into a dress. The point of a sample sale is to get rid of old stock. The sales people are there to sell a dress. They will tell you that almost everything you try on is beautiful and has the wow factor (if I heard that one more time I was going to explode, every sales person said it) You shouldn't let their opinions of a dress determine of you buy something or not.

If you go alone you might want to ask another customer for an honest opinion. Maybe someones mom or aunt that is standing nearby waiting for their bride to emerge. Most people won't mind your asking and it might help you to get outsiders opinions.

thegirlonthebike

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_sample-sale-advice?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:15Discussion:d166ecc1-741d-420d-b94e-f663c19071a9Post:374b97a4-e069-4b60-9be4-4ce2d62e3768">Re: Sample sale advice?</a>:
[QUOTE]Don't let the sales person talk you into a dress. The point of a sample sale is to get rid of old stock. The sales people are there to sell a dress. They will tell you that almost everything you try on is beautiful and has the wow factor (if I heard that one more time I was going to explode, every sales person said it) You shouldn't let their opinions of a dress determine of you buy something or not. If you go alone you might want to ask another customer for an honest opinion. Maybe someones mom or aunt that is standing nearby waiting for their bride to emerge. Most people won't mind your asking and it might help you to get outsiders opinions.
Posted by alainn15[/QUOTE]

Good call, thanks for bringing those points up. I really am going to try to get a friend to come if my aunt cannot...This is all already overwhelming!

meganb1977

I bought my dress at a sample sale at an independent salon where you had to have an appointment.  The selection and prices were fabulous so I didn't feel like I had to settle at all.  I ended up deciding between two dresses I really liked and rather than being pushy the salesladies helped me determine which dress would be more appropriate for the type of ceremony I wanted to have.  One was a $350 dress marked down to $99 (which I chose since it was very simple and better for a casual wedding) and the other was an $850 dress marked down to $425.  If you can bring a friend with you one person is all you need but you will do fine by yourself.  Definitely bring a nude color strapless bra and shoes about the height you plan to wear.  The salesgirls will be able to help show you how a dress would look with different accessories and that will help you decide whether you love a dress if you find something that fits you well.  Most of the dresses are street size 4 - 8 but they will be able to do more than you can imagine with alterations in case you fnd something that's a little big or small, and still worth it to save that much on the dress.  The only catches with sample sales are that you can't take the chance of "sleeping on it" and you have to be careful to check for stains, tears, beads missing, etc. and make sure there's nothing a little TLC won't take care of.  Good luck, hope you find a great bargain!

alainn15

"Good call, thanks for bringing those points up. I really am going to try to get a friend to come if my aunt cannot...This is all already overwhelming!
Posted by thegirlonthebike"

Once you get there that stress and fear should melt away. Don't let the first dress overwhelm you. You are allowed to try as many on as you want. If they do try to pressure you into something just tell them to chill out and let you decide. I had to tell a sales lady that it was not her wedding and I didn't care if she liked the hideous dress on me, I didn't. She quit pressuring and let me decide on my own. I decided to walk out with nothing and keep looking. Eventually I found the right one, after two pressure buys trying to please my friends and my mother.