I've seen lots of sites advertising the dress I want at a rock bottom price. Should I buy it?
Probably not. There are a few legitimate wholesalers who sell gowns at up to 40% off. If you find a designer gown discounted by more than this, and it is not a sample or preowned gown, IT IS FAKE. Gowns like these are made in Chinese factories using substandard materials. They often do not in any way resemble the photos used to advertise them, and are in many cases totally unwearable. It is nearly impossible to get a refund on a gown you're unhappy with.
Sites that we know make knockoff gowns:
annaprom.com
eweddingdressshops.com
dressilyme.com
milanoo.com
dressdo.com
inweddingdress.com
topbridaldress.com
weddingdressmart.com
weddingdressesgood.com
jenjenhouse.com
tiffanybridals.com
zarabridal.com
elegantpark.com
udreamybridal.com
helenebridal.com
ybridal.com
lightinthebox.com
fishinthesky.com
Designer Mori Lee has done a great job compiling a list of sites that are selling knock-offs of Mori Lee dresses. These sites are more than likely selling knock-offs of other designer gowns as well. www.morilee.com/beware
Ways to know a site is selling counterfeit gowns:
-The gowns are selling for less than the cost of the materials needed to make a new authentic gown.
-The site offers custom sizing or other customization (this is not done by most designers)
-They offer discounts on Maggie Sottero gowns. Maggie Sottero tightly controls the prices on its gowns, yanking licenses from discounters. Legal? No, but it's a good way to tell whether you're about to get ripped off.
Ways to save on the gown you love:
-Negotiate with your local bridal shop. If money's really tight, offer to buy the sample.
-Buy a preowned or sample gown from bravobride, bridepower, preownedweddingdresses, oncewed, or our Classifieds board.
-Find a similar gown in a more affordable price range. Post about your gown on the board, and we'll help you out!
-Use an authorized wholesaler--but keep in mind that they won't provide you the service that a salon can. Treat your local salon like a partner in the process, rather than a fitting room on the way to buying wholesale.
Recent feedback on knockoff gown sites:
http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_firstweddingdressnetcom-warning
http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_topbridaldress-not-good-experience_.0
http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_weddingdressmartcom-reviews
http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_not-order-tiffanybridals
http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_udreamy-difficulties_.0
http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_yes-bridal-ybridalcom-knock-off
Will my neutrals clash?
You might be wondering whether your ivory gown will look okay next to your fiance's white shirt, or whether your bridesmaids can wear chocolate brown when the guys are in black tuxes. You're not alone! A good 15-20% of the posts on this board ask about issues like these, so we're using this thread to share our collective advice and experience.
Shirts and gowns don't need to match perfectly, or even closely, for that matter. To borrow a phrase from another poster, "no one is going to grab your train, hold it up next to your new husband's shirt, and make a big deal about them not matching." White, diamond white, ivory, ecru, eggshell, and so many others are very similar shades of the same color. When photographed, they often look identical.
As chocolate brown bridesmaid dresses have become more and more popular, we've started getting lots of questions about whether it's okay for grooms and groomsmen to wear black tuxes with them. It is, and the same goes for other neutrals. While you normally wouldn't pair these colors on a single person, they don't clash when they're on two different people. In fact, the guys and gals in the wedding party aren't even together for that much of the day, or in that many of the photos. When they are, the bride is often in the middle, breaking things up.
How should I store my gown before the wedding?
Keep the dress in a fabric garment bag so it can breathe. It should be kept away from direct sunlight and it's best if the room it's stored in is temp controlled. (Meaning it's heated or air conditioned when necessary).
if your dress is heavy, it's best to lay it flat. Heavy satin dresses, or those with a lot of beading, can stretch if hung for too long.
I keep seeing $$ next to dresses on The Knot. What do they mean?
Here's the breakdown:
Bridesmaids Dresses:
$ Under 150
$$ 151 to 250
$$$ 251 to 350
$$$$ 351 to 450
$$$$$ 451 and up
Bridal Dresses:
$ 600 or less
$$ 601 to 1500
$$$ 1501 to 3000
$$$$ 3001 to 5000
$$$$$ 5001 and up
Vote for Me Posts
Many couples pay for 100% of their own wedding, postpone until they can have the event they want or scale back to fit the budget they do have. For this reason, "vote for me" posts for wedding contests are not well received on the boards. It's best to ask your own friends/family to vote for you and help spread the word to their friends/family.
“For Sale/Want To Buy” Posts
Please post all "For Sale" and "Want to buy" posts on the Wedding Classifieds board. The link is to the left under "wedding boards."
If you post an item for sale on the Attire board, it will be moved to the Wedding Classifieds board.
Thanks for keeping our board clutter free!