Dear Brides,
Alright, ladies. We’re about to get real with you. We’ve been at this thing for a few years now, and figured it was time to share some thoughts about this whole shopping process from a new perspective. Here’s a few things we’ve been wanting to tell you:
We’re here to help you.
We’ve definitely had that moment before: you walk into a store only to be immediately ambushed by an overly pushy salesman. Believe us, it’s an unpleasant feeling for everyone. That’s why it’s important for you to know: we are here to help you, not to make a sale. We work hard to educate ourselves on style trends, designers, and general wedding knowledge because we truly want to help you in your search for that perfect gown. It’s not about closing sales or pushy tactics; it’s all about giving you the best experience we can give.
We understand the process can be frustrating.
There’s a lot of expectations built into what your wedding gown shopping will look like. You may picture a “Say Yes to the Dress” moment with everyone in tears as you fit perfectly into the most magical dresses, feeling gorgeous in every gown. The truth of it is, it may not always be that way. Tears aren’t always the automatic response, and what you started out thinking you wanted may not be the style you end up liking! We get that from sample sizes that don’t fit perfectly, to the awkwardness of having to undress in front of a stranger, it can be an uncomfortable experience. We want to make it as care-free as possible for you. Because you’ve got plenty of other things to worry about while you’re wedding planning! That being said, here’s a few ideas about the process that we would love to tell you:
Sample sizes will rarely fit.
And, even if they do, it may not be perfect. We are experts at clipping and pinning to give you the best possible idea. However, it will probably take a little imagination to envision it on your day. Then, once we are ready to order it in your size, don’t worry about the numbers. Bridal sizing runs really small, and it can be frustrating.
There’s this strange idea that we may intentionally order you a wrong size in order to make you pay for more alterations or make you feel bad, and it’s simply not true. When we look at your sizing, all we care about is getting you a size that will be comfortable and can be fitted without having to do the delicate (and sometimes impossible) work of letting something out. We’ve had lots of experience with all body types, and really want to get something that will fit well to make you feel confident and beautiful on your day!
Second: Don’t get frustrated if you don’t find “the one” right away!
While we’d love to have the perfect gown for every bride, it’s impossible for every store to carry every gown. It can take time to find your likes and dislikes and to define your style, and that’s okay. That being said, if you’re one of those girls that knows what she wants when she finds it, don’t feel obligated to visit lots of places when you’re already ready to be done shopping! Everyone finds the gown differently, and we want to guide you through this process no matter if you’re a one stop kinda gal, or if you need to visit every store in town.
Please communicate with us.
We know it can feel a little awkward when a stranger helps you get dressed. However, we don’t want to stay a stranger to you! There’s two reasons we need you to talk with us.
To help you find the gown.
We need to know the details of your wedding planning to help you find the gown! Gown details you like, your venue, budget, and even how many places you’ve shopped at can factor into how your appointment will go. When we talk with you about those things, we’re not trying to be nosy; we genuinely want to understand where you are in the process! Not to mention, it’s lots of fun for us to get to be excited about your wedding with you!
To be your friend.
While it may be a new experience for you, we do this all day, every day! That means we love getting a chance to find out what makes you, you! From your unique love story, to your job and your family. One of the reasons we do this is because we like meeting people and making friends! We love love, and this is the perfect time to share your wonderful love story with people who are genuinely excited to hear about it.
We totally understand the pressure.
Those expectations we mentioned earlier on? We totally get it. There’s a lot of pressure in this process! Mom doesn’t love the dress, or your fiance wishes the budget were a little smaller, or your sweet but opinionated maid of honor insists on coming to all the appointments. It all adds up to a lot of stress and that can be overwhelming. We want you to know: it’s going to be beautiful. You’re going to be an amazing bride. Your fiance is going to think you look perfect. And, this day is for the two of you to celebrate your marriage. So, it’s okay in those moments of pressure to just take a second to breathe. We get it.
While shopping for your dress, make an effort not to stress about it. Find a gown that makes you feel great and that you can see walking down the aisle on your wedding day, and then call it good. There’s not a magical signal that will show you what dress you should get. It’s all up to you and how you choose to shop. Whether you’re going to one store or five stores, don’t get locked into a feeling that you have to do this any certain way. Because ultimately, it’s your day and you are the only one who can know when you’ve found the gown.
We do this because we love it.
At the end of the day, there is nothing we love more than seeing the end result of our hard work. You’re walking down the aisle towards the person you can’t wait to spend the rest of your life with. You look beautiful and you feel beautiful. And we are so beyond honored to get to help make that moment real for you. We love weddings, we love wedding gowns, but most of all, we love you. So we really just want to say,
Thanks for letting us be a part of this special time in your lives.
From,
Your Bridal Consultants
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