GOWN SHOPPING primer

Shopping for your dress is a unique experience. Here's how to decide where to shop, and what to expect when you get there.
No Regrets: Smart Wedding Gown Shopping
- Don't get burned by unexpected charges, or seduced by promises (such as free accessories) that never materialize. Get the terms of your agreement in writing on the bridal salon抯 letterhead, including any added fees for alterations and accessories. Also include the salon抯 policy on when it has fulfilled its tailoring obligation (when the hem is right, after three fittings, when you抮e satisfied with the total fit, etc.).
- Do pay by credit card (or, if you absolutely have to, by check) so you have a record of the payment in case problems arise.
The wedding gown you select will probably be the most meaningful ?and expensive ?piece of clothing you抣l ever own. Therefore, shopping for your gown can be not only a highly charged emotional experience but also a serious financial commitment. It's also likely to be an entirely different kind of shopping experience than any you've ever had (unless you're lucky enough to order couture or custom-made clothes regularly). Here's our advice on how to make the gown shopping process enjoyable and successful.
More than 3,000 different bridal gown styles are created by more than 250 nationally recognized designers each year. These gowns are available through about 7,500 bridal shops, salons, and department stores across the country. In addition, hundreds of regional and local designers and dressmakers contribute at least 2,000 more styles to the bridal gown design pool. While this proliferation of gown styles and retail resources means you'll almost certainly be able to find your ideal dress, it also can cause tremendous confusion about where and when to shop.
Finding the one store where you can purchase the perfect gown can be like searching for a needle in a haystack. It can lead to a shopping experience that's frustrating and stressful, or it can lead to the kind of pampered, exciting, and fulfilling experience you抳e dreamed of. For the most part, the difference depends upon the time you invest in obtaining information and evaluating your options before you cross the threshold of even one bridal store.