Purchasing Bridal Off the Rack

In a perfect world you get engaged and then allow yourself maybe a year or so to plan the wedding of your dreams, right?  Well notice I said in a ‘perfect world’ but in reality most brides don’t have that much time. Which is why shopping ‘Off the Rack’ is a great option for brides with a shorter timeline.  Here are some things to keep in mind when in the market for your “Dream Dress”.

Think Smarter Not Harder: Purchasing ‘off the rack’ is probably the smartest option for most brides. You don’t have to wait the 6-8 months it takes to order a dress in your size and color of choice. You simple take the gown you fell in love with home with you the same day of purchase.

Seek Consultation: Just because you aren’t considered a ‘private client’ and won’t be getting a custom dress doesn’t mean you don’t deserve the same shopping experience. Be sure to make an appointment and use that expert to find the dress meant for you. Most consultants know the merchandise in the inventory and can advise best.

Timeline: Remember that just because you are purchasing “Off the Rack” or a Sample you still need to consider alterations. As amazing as it would be to find the dress that fit perfectly head to toe that is impossible in the Bridal World.  Allow yourself enough time to have the alterations done and any custom work you may want such as adding straps or lowering the back of the dress.

Buying a gown too Big: It is important to keep in mind that even though a dress can be altered down multiple sizes it can alter the structure of the gown.  There are some seamstress that can work miracles, however if you alter down to much you might end up with a totally different gown from what you originally fell in love with.  Most seamstress recommend not going bigger than two sizes up from what you measure.  So matter how great of a deal the dress may be or the fact that you have fallen madly in love with the style  it could end up costing you more for alterations in the end.

Lastly, always be sure to thoroughly inspect the gown upon purchasing so that you know what needs to be repaired. After purchasing the gown any imperfections are now that responsibility of the bride. Most often than not those are minor repairs to a seamstress.

Happy Shopping!

-Bobbi