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They don't want you to look for the dress elsewhere. It's also why some places cut out the tags, too.
I haven't figured out the reason yet. All the stores I went in told me straight-up what designer and style number the dress was, yet wouldn't let me take a picture ofme in it.
It is illegal for stores to cut out tags, see this thread: http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/bridal-shops-who-cut-out-tags
I was lucky. Both places I went to allowed pictures and told me the designers and style. It surprised me, because I expected them to say no picures.
I understand not wanting brides to shop around and go somewhere else. But I know that when I went in, I had a list of gowns I wanted to try and I knew what they looked like. Heck, I even brought in pictures of the gowns I wanted to try!
Yeah - I've never really understood that policy. Most brides are looking at multiple dresses that may not all be in the same shop and they want to compare. Or they want to show family and friends who were unable to come shopping with them.
Personally, I think the stores who won't let you take pictures are just on a power trip.
Definitely on a power trip. I just don't think it's right.
I never could have made a decision without pictures! Actually, I'm a multi-dress bride so I would have made even worse decisions:)
Luckily, most of places I went to had no policy against it. If I am making a purchase of hundreds or even thousands of dollars, I'll take whatever pictures I want! If that's a problem, I would just take my money elsewhere.
The dress shop that I ordered from told me that they signed something with the designer stating that they would'nt allow pictures. She told me that she would "look away" if we wanted to snap some, but I didn't have my camera. lol
The stores that let me take pictures just seemed more helpful and friendlier. When I got to a store that didn't let me take pictures, it didn't make me want to consider any of their dresses. I think it hurts their business in the long run.
I don't think I would have considered buying a dress from a shop that wouldn't let me take pictures.
I also don't think I'd buy one from a shop that expected me to make a dicision on my first visit like they do on SYTTD.
I really have a hard time believing a store that says they signed an agreement with the designer not to allow pictures. What would the designer have to gain by not allowing pictures? And why would they make some shops sign an agreement and not others? It just doesn't make sense to me.
it because people take photos of the dress details and take them to 3rd party designers to have a knock off made of the designer dress instead of buying the real dress.
its simply the designers protecting their assets.
@atomic: If that were true, then why would the designers post pictures of all their designs on their websites? If someone wanted to take it to a third-party to get a knock off, it's simple enough to get a picture which shows the front, back and usually a close-up of the bodice right on the designer's site.
if they dont allow u to take pics or they cut the tags out, just walk out and go somewhere else. i dont trust bridal salons that do this. they do it either because they know they arent giving the best price and u might find it else where for less or because its not even an authentic dress. if they were the last bridal salon in the world i would just get married in jeans
Some shops I went to said they dont' allow pictures but took them for me anyway. I find that the big chains are strict but the smaller boutiques will let you take pictures
@Loribeth:i agree it has nothing to do with protecting designers interests.. the designers post pictures of all their gowns anyway..
I just found this site that tells all about the scams that bridal shops pull...including cutting the labels out of the dresses. Yes..I know it's legal, but it doesn't seem ethical. What do they have to hide?
@bells I completely agree. If they cut out labels, then they know they are charging too much and don't want to get found out.
The couture shop I went to that didn't allow pictures explained that the designer didn't want brides posting photos of their dresses in unflattering lights, or not fitted correctly, etc. Basically, they didn't want normal people in their dress on the internet. All because it would "tarnish their image". Absolutely ridiculous, but at least it was a straight answer. Didn't buy from them thankfully! I found that its really only the higher end shops that do it.
they are not photographing just the exterior. they are taking pictures of the interior construction and the details.
this was not a "guess" it is actually quite factual. i am an editorial photographer and work closely with many designers. so this is strait from the designers mouths.
its one thing to make a similar dress from a picture online and its completely different to blatantly steal someone"s ideas and hard word detail for detail.
I think that they don't want you to shop around for the price/designer of the gown and get it elsewhere. I think that's ridiculous! Although it is a valid concern, since I definitely shopped the price.
One shop owner told me that she didn't allow pictures because it wouldnt do the dress justice...it was about 4 sizes too big on me so she said she didn't want me to take pictures because it wouldn't be an accurate representation of what the dress would really look like on me. Hmmmmmmmmmmm! Not like any store carries sample size 0/2 so basically nothing is going to look right on me, but that didn't stop the other shops from letting me take pictures :)
I think they have their policy to prevent you from shopping prices and then they just make up reasons why you can't take pictures.
@futuremrskelsey: Did you end up buying your gown from the shop that didn't let you take pictures?
I agree not wanting you to shop around is most likely why they don't want you to take pictures. Poor customer service though. I mean, I'd be more likely to buy from a store that encouraged shopping around so I could see they actually ahve the best price.
When I bought my gown, I bought from the store that gave me the best service. Not necessarily from the store that had the lowest price.
I bought my gown at a place that doesn't allow photos. I had finally found my dress and was wanting to take a picture so I said, "what if I don't buy it unless I can take a photo of it?" and I waited.....
Eventually they let me! I just held my ground. I think its important to take a photo of yourself in the dress; sometimes dresses can look better or worse in photos!
@atomic: I guess that's possible.
However, I really have a hard time believing that huge percentage of brides are taking pictures of the construction of the gowns. I believe most brides just want a picture of the gowns they try on so they can show them to friends and family or so they can make a decision between several dresses.
And if that really is happening, then why couldn't the designers make it clear that pictures can be taken of the bride in a the dress for comparison purposes only.
@arenyth: Now that explanation actually kind of makes sense.
Maggie Sottero has pictures of real brides on their site, so it can't be true of all designers.
It may be the higher end shops that insist on the no pictures thing, but it still seems odd.
@messybride: Love it!!! Good for you for holding your ground! I guess there is a way to turn it around on them.
I bought from a store that wouldn't let me take photos, but the designer, Robin Jillian, doesn't post photos of her dresses on her website, either. I read about it, and she says that she doesn't want girls choosing their dress based on what it looks like on a tall, skinny model since that probably isn't their body type anyway. So at least that's kind of a cool reason.
They did let me take a photo of it once I purchased it, though. :).
It has everything to do with designers protecting their work and insuring that no 3rd party knock-offs are made. They post their work on websites because they do need to advertise like everyone else. The same is true for designers of other things too. In some professional theatre companies you are not allowed to photograph anything up close backstage, but you can see the professionally photographed stuff all over their websites and advertising. If you were a designer, you would understand. They have to make it as a blanket rule for everyone just to be safe.
I went to a bridal salon that had a policy against taking pictures, but our consultant let us take pictures in our private room anyway (I won't say where or who cause I don't want to get her in trouble!) It meant so much because my grandmother, who was not well enough to come shopping with us, was able to see the pictures later - and it made her feel so much better! Plus, every time I look at the pictures I remember how much I love one of the dresses I tried on there - I am actually more likely to buy it!
A bridal salon I went to said they have lost business when they allow people to take pictures. And they have some unique dresses so people would take pictures and then have a dressmaker make a copy or buy a "fake" online.
It only takes 1 person to create a problem for a store to make a blanket policy, which is sad IMO.
I can completely understand why designers might not want pictures of their gowns all over the internet of girls trying on samples. They invest so much time and money into the fit and styling of a dress so to have someone see their work on someone else with clips holding it up and not fitting correctly...not the ideal marketing.
And we all know how many designer "replicas" there are out there- dresses, purses, shoes, etc. That's major, major business lost each year for designers.
I do think it's very shady for a store to cut out tags or try hide what the designer/style # is though.
@emtheartist: But it isn't a blanket rule.
Some stores allow photos and others don't that carry the same designers. It seems to depend on which store you go to as to whether you are allowed to take pictures, which makes me wonder if it really is the designers who are making the "no pictures" a requirement or if it's the store trying to protect their own business.
Plus it hasn't prevented 3rd party knock offs. Once the dress is out there for sale, there isn't anything anyone can do to prevent knock offs. All the 3rd party vendors have to do is buy one and recreate it. When you consider how much they would make, the expense of buying one is nominal.
No pictures before it is out there for sale makes perfect sense. That does protect the designer. Once the designer sells the dress on the mass market, it is impossible to prevent pictures from being taken to protect their design.
here's a sneaky solution to pictures (haven't tried it, but it sounds good, lol).
Take several people with you. Have one person who's more interested in texting/playing on their phone (yet looks up and gives an opinion before going back to phone). Have the flash off and let that person snap photos :P If you do it right, no one will really notice the one "along for the ride". (In fact, have a teenaged friend or someone who can pass off as a teen do it; makes it WAY more believable! LOL!)
honestly? If it's in a store, and considering the technology out there, I don't see what the big deal is. OTHER than a power play. People can take cameras ANYWHERE if they have the right kind (there's a store either in NY or DC that sells "spy" type stuff... including itty bitty cameras).
And of COURSE they're gonna let you take photos after you've bought it. Once it's paid for, you OWN it and they cannot stop you!
@emtheartist: Off topic, my aunt, a friend of hers, and I were in NYC seeing a show on broadway and she wanted to take a picture of her friend and me in the seats and she totally got yelled at. I laughed inside b/c sometimes my aunt can be a beotch.
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Why do some bridal shops allow pictures to be taken and other shops don't? I'm trying to figure out what reason they would have for not letting a bride have picture taken of her in a dress she was considering.
I know some shops say they have agreements with the designers, but come on...who believes that? The designers have pictures on their sites of the dresses, so what harm could it cause to let a picture be taken?
And then there are shops that will let you take all the pictures you want. Why would the designers have agreements with some shops and not others?
What am I missing here? Does anyone have a clue?