Shipping Dress

kellytyler

I am planning to schedule my dress steaming services with Debi at Fit for a Bride before March 1 (thanks to Gribbles for that savings offer she posted awhile back!).

I am pretty decided that I am going to ship my dress ahead of time and just have it delivered to my hotel.  However, I keep getting nervous about shipping my dress.  I know several of you have done this before, using Debi or someone else.  Just looking for some peace of mind I guess.  How was your experience?  How did you package the dress?  Preference in shipping company - UPS/FedEx/etc?  Did you get insurance or anything on the package? 

Anything else that I might need to know before I make the decision....I appreciate it!

vegasgroom

I think I've heard of other brides shipping directly to her, and I'd personally think that would have a lot less liklihood of problems than shipping it to the hotel since once it's out of the shipper's hands who knows what hotel staff have to be involved in dealing with the box; plus they'll charge you to receive the box and your insurance for shipping it only lasts as long as it's in the shipper's possession, the hotel will not take any responsibility for damage.

I'd recommend FedEx to ship it since their 'air' folks are seperate from the ground shipping; I think that results in less liklihood of someone's 80 pound television shipment falling on your dress box, etc.

Depending on the price of your dress, you may find it's less expensive to buy a second airplane seat and take it with you as opposed to the cost of air shipping plus insurance; my FI is doing that for her dress, the price of a ticket on Southwest was less than the shipping would have been after insurance.

aegrish

I was too nervous to ship my dress to her (despite all the great reviews for  her) but instead for $60 total Debi's picking up the wedding party dresses (6) and my gown at our hotel the day before the wedding, and bringing them back the next morning.  I know a lot of people prefer to ship their dress and not travel with it, but just FYI she does offer to pick it up for you for a fee.

kellytyler

Thanks vegasgroom.  It did not dawn on me that an airline ticket might be cheaper than the cost to ship and insure!  I will definitely have to look in to that.

We flew Southwest to Vegas for our scout trip, and discussed with the Flight Attendants who said they dont have a closet or anywhere to put my dress, so we would be risking simply laying it across some luggage in an overhead bin.  But it never dawned on me to get its own seat.  I will look in to that for cost effectiveness.....

I should clarify, I meant ship it directly to Debi (not the hotel)....and then have Debi deliver it to me at my hotel once it has been steamed. 

aegrish

The pilots let my friend hang her gown in their closet on SWA when we flew to Vegas.  They'll go out of their way for their customers usually and make a big deal of you getting married if you just let them know.

Sara191431

Here's my question - If Debi is going to totally steam our dresses anyways, why not just bring it on the plane as they'll either hang it up or you can lay it across the luggage up top, because even if you have to lay it up there it won't matter if it gets wrinkled as you are steaming it anyways. 

So why not save the shipping and just bring it on the plane?  Do people not like to if they have a really big/heavy dress or something? 

kellytyler

Yeah, I know what you mean.  I'm not too worried about it getting wrinkled on the plane or anything - because it will be steamed regardless.  I was more thinking about the hassle of carrying it around the airport, etc.  Plus, the coordination of having Debi pick it up from the hotel, making sure we are there, that kind of stuff.   I know it sounds funny, but I thought it would be one less thing to worry about for travel purposes if it was already in vegas.  But I suppose it is more to worry about ahead of time this way....

I just can't decide what to do I guess....!  

Sara191431

Yeah I hear you, those are some good points to think about!  I don't know what I'll do yet either.  Decisons decisions!