In the years I've spent in the bridal business, I've seen and heard alot. Often, a few key topics seem to circulate, perpetrated mainly by internet message boards and how-to wedding books. Education is the key to dispelling many of the common myths you may have heard while you've been planning your wedding.
Please remember that I can only speak for myself, and my own store. Certainly there are others who run their businesses differently.
1. "ALL BRIDAL SALONS DELIBERATELY ORDER YOUR GOWN TOO BIG TO MAKE YOU SPEND BIG MONEY ON ALTERATIONS". This is downright false. In fact, the seamstresses we reccommend are not employed by us, and we gain nothing from them financially. They are referred as a courtesy. At The Silver Lining, we make our best effort to order your gown to fit as closely as possible to minimize alterations. Because no one has a "cookie cutter" body, alterations here and there should be expected and budgeted for.
2. "ALL BRIDAL SALONS TELL YOU THE DRESSES TAKE SEVERAL MONTHS TO COME IN BECAUSE THEY JUST WANT YOUR MONEY." Not true. Depending on the designer, your gown could be delivered in 10 days or upward of six months. A few designers have inventory available, and those gowns can be delivered quickly. Custom couture gowns can take awhile, as well as gowns imported from Europe.
3. "ALL THE DRESSES IN THE BRIDAL SALON WERE GIVEN TO THEM BY THE DESIGNER". If this were true, everyone would own a bridal salon. The truth is, each and every gown, veil, accessory, etc was paid for by the store. Seasonally, inventories can cost in the several hundred thousands.
4. "YOU CAN'T GET AN HONEST OPINION OUT OF YOUR CONSULTANT BECAUSE THEY ARE ON COMMISSION". Some stores operate on commission, ours does not. In fact, very few modern salons operate solely on commission. There have been many, many times where I've honestly thought a $400 dress looked better on one of my brides than a $4000 dress, and I am quick to point it out.
5. "I WENT TO A STORE THAT SAID THEY CAN GET ME *ANY* DRESS, AND AT A DISCOUNT!". This is playing with fire. Stores and internet sites that claim they can get you "any" designer's dress are called trans-shippers. They very often do not have legitimate access to the designer's collection, so they use a "friend" in the business to order it for them. Now what if this "friend" goes out of business, or forgets to place your order? The store/site you bought it from has no recourse whatsoever. They can't ring up the designer and ask about your dress, because they aren't authorized retailers. Your money (and precious months pre-wedding) are gone.
There are many bridal lines that are "exclusive" to certain stores. This means that they have a contract with the designer that the designer will only offer the gowns for sale in their store, within a certain mile radius. If you have any concerns about a store's authority to sell a particular designer's gown, please call the designer directly. It will save you alot of time, hassle, and heartache in the long run!
