Vendor Spotlight Blog from The Bridal Finery
The Bridal Finery owners Roberta & Tali spent years in bridal fashion working with the most prestigious designers. They joined together and opened The Bridal Finery in 2017. Personalization is what they know best! Whether you want to add some lace or part of your dress you want to replace, The Bridal Finery helps you find and create your dream dress.
“Prior to wedding dress shopping, I had a pretty good idea of what I liked. I had a simple, yet elegant, vision and I knew the dress I wanted was not going to be hard to find… or so I thought! I went to three boutiques, tried on various dresses, and felt as though the dress I had in mind may not exist. That’s where The Bridal Finery came along!” – Mariette
Here are five tips for shopping for your wedding dress! Wedding dress shopping is one of the most exciting moments of wedding planning. You will find a beautiful wedding dress to wear down the aisle and these tips will make it all the more enjoyable so you know what to expect before visiting your local bridal boutique.
1) Schedule a Bridal Appointment (Virtually or in-person)
The Bridal Finery even offers virtual bridal appointments if you are an out of town bride! They created this option also for family members who are not being able to attend a bridal appointment. We know how beneficial it is for brides to be able to preview inventory…it’s like taking a sneak peek! While brides are certainly able to buy during a virtual appointment, it is simply designed for a pre-shopping experience. It’s a great time to connect with the boutique and learn more about the in-store process. Even if you feel ready to shop for a wedding dress in person, why not take advantage of this complimentry service? If you’re eyeing a local bridal boutique, be sure to find out if they offer this virtual option too!
2) Shop for Your Wedding Dress Early
There has always been a debate on whether you should shop for a wedding dress or a wedding venue first. In the past, most clients would shop for their wedding venue first. If you are getting married on a certain date, then shop for your venue. If you are flexible on your date, we highly encourage you to shop and purchase your wedding dress first. Typically, wedding dresses are specially ordered and can take 6-8 months to be made. Keep in mind, you will need two months for alterations as well. During the wedding planning process, you’ll have several boxes to check off your list, why not give yourself the peace of mind by finding your dress first?! Off the rack options are available for a quicker turnaround, however, to keep more options available, the wedding dress purchase should be first!
3) Research the boutique
We recommend researching your local boutiques to find the right boutique for you. Every boutique offers something a little different in price, sizing, style, and overall experience. While we make it easy for our brides to book their bridal appointments online, we find that our clients who book over the phone are one step ahead of finding their dream gown- the conversation is everything! We collect wedding dress inspiration prior to the appointment to make sure we have your style covered. Each boutique is operates differently and may only take a certain amount of appointments per day. It’s better to ask questions ahead of time than be surprised!
4) Ask questions before buying the dress
We love it when our brides have questions. It gives us the opportunity to discover their concerns. Now more than ever is the time to speak up and make sure your concerns about buying a wedding dress. Here is a cheat sheet on questions to ask:
- Where is the dress made?
- Do you have an in-house seamstress?
- When is it expected to arrive?
- Has the designer run behind schedule in the past and how was it handled?
5) Find Ways to Involve Your Family & Friends
Virtual appointments, not your thing? Another way to involve your friends and family is through Facetime! When you find the dress, it’s fun to Facetime with your besties! We love to see people celebrating at home with champagne. To make them feel extra special, you could send them a little care package with all the celebration necessities prior to your bridal appointment. Who doesn’t love champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries?! Between dress reveals and alteration fittings, there will be plenty of other future in-store experiences to involve them in as well. The celebration will continue and we are here to help you along the way!
Written by: TALI GALLO
Owner & Stylist at The Bridal Finery
“Her love of all designer gowns, attracted her to create a new concept bridal boutique; where gowns are sourced from couture designers, as well as other boutiques.”
