Thursday, December 6, 2012

Tips on Buying a Wedding Gown without going broke

Dave and I have been super duper sick and quarantine ourselves to separate bedrooms in the evenings.

In the meantime my diet is Gatorade and popsicles to sooth my throat.

It's soo sad!!

Anyhow, a new post...

In this economy, Wedding Dresses can be expensive!  How can you not go financially overboard with a dress?

You can borrow or rent a gown but this post is for those who are BUYING a dress at a STORE.

If you are a bride reading this blog... you will find a gown you will love! You will!  Just keep reading below


BEFORE SHOPPING

Look up on Google or BBB for reviews of the stores you're going to.  Some reviews you can easily tell that they were written by upset divas but you'd be surprised how some bridal shops are run by shady people.  Examples of what they do:

You put your deposit down but the store doesn't use the deposit to order your gown.  They would use the deposit to pay their other bills and order your gown at the very last possible minute.  That's how some brides get their gown late.

Or purposely order your gown in the wrong size so that you have to use their in-house seamstress (this is the cash cow of most bridal shops...especially David's Bridal).

I say this all the time in the my blog USE YOUR CREDIT CARD to avoid losing your money to dishonest and/or unprofessional wedding vendors.

Then go to stores where they're likely to sell gowns in your price range.  You don't want to have a $500 budget and go to a boutique where gowns start at $1500.  If you're not sure, you can always call or email the store ahead of time.


BRIDAL CONSIGNMENT STORES

Did you know bridal shops sell their gowns to other stores to make room for their new gowns??

There are two that I know of in Utah and gowns start at $50-$99.  They usually don't go over $400.

Angell's Originals located off 40th South and Highland Drive in Salt Lake City.  Their flagship store is Fairy Godmother's Bridal.

BX2 located at Union Square on 94th South and 700 East in Sandy.  Their flagship store is Bridal Expressions.

They are worth checking out!!


ALTERATIONS

Get an idea how much alterations cost before purchasing your gown, if possible.

Temple fills are the most expensive alteration ranging $200-$400 alone.  Keep that in mind before buying a strapless gown.

Most bridal gowns need a bustle...but you can learn how to do that on on YouTube!

The more ornate or intricate the gown, alterations will run higher.

If you need to alter your gown, go to an independent seamstress and save at least 40% of alteration costs that you would in-store.  I recommend Jen Jackson. You should also check out her facebook page, she does a great job with temple fills!  http://www.alteredelegance.com


SAMPLE SALES!!

These are the best!

Bridal shops sell their sample gowns before Christmas to make room for the following year.  A sample is the gown you try on at the store, and then the store orders the one like the sample in your size.

Samples are usually in excellent condition because of the fabric.

You should go to this one!!! Next Saturday!!!!  This store carries fancy designers like Anne Barge and Monique Lhullier.

Alta Moda USED to carry Vera Wang and was the only store in Utah that did but not anymore :-( so you'll have to drive down to Las Vegas for your Vera Wang gown.

But anyhow...GO!!!!!!

You can find additional information HERE








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