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If you are going to a retailer that has the dresses online (like Davids Bridal), I would HIGHLY recommend looking through there website & writing down all the dresses you like. This way, once you get into the store, they can pull those dresses for you to try on right away without having to hassle looking through the store.
As far as dress sizes, many stores only carry a few sizes in each dress. Otherwise, the stores would be PACKED with dresses! They have therse clamps they use if the dress is too big so that you can see what it would look like tighter. I would also wear appropriate undergarments (strapless bra, sheer underwear, etc.)
Happy Searching :)
I don't know about you, but I am kind of a modest person, so I was nervous about stripping down to my skivvies in front of a virtual stranger. I addressed this issue by wearing Spanx to my appointment. For me, it made everything a lot less awkward knowing I was at least semi-covered up!
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Eeeohhhh... do they like watch/help you undress? I am also quite modest around strangers, so that part doesn't appeal to me either. Is it like that at all appointments, or just trunk shows?
I guess I kind of knew that they only keep a few sizes in the store--I have read about people being the "sample size" and getting a good deal on it. My sister even did that, in fact. What I am wondering about specifically is if one of the sample sizes will be at least big enough (even if too big and we need to use the clamps) for me to try on?
when i went, i wore nude colored boy shorts and a strapless nude colored bra. i went on a saturday and my sales consultant had another client there at the time, so she was going back and forth. about half the time I would be able to pull the dress on myself and then she would fasten everything. some of them are just so cumbersome and difficult that you don't care. i am a size 8 dress/pant size, and i was able to try on all the dreses i wanted, except for one that was a mermaid style and just would not fit over my hips! they will be able to clip them for you if they don't close all the way, or are too large. just have fun, try on everything, even if you know you don't like it! The dress i ended up choosing was the first one i took off the rack, the first one i tried on, and then after trying on 15 more, i went back to the first one. :) have fun!!!!
I would not worry about the size issue at all! These dress shops help girls in all shapes and sizes! It sounds like you are exactly the same size as my sister, and she did not have any trouble at all trying on dresses. If the dress does not exactly fit, the person helping you can rig the dress so that you can still get a good idea of what it will look like!
I went to a few local dress shops, and each one assigned me a "consultant" who helped me pick out dresses and try them on. I asked one of the consultants if she ever felt awkward helping people change all day, and she just laughed and said she had seen everything. Her words of wisdom were, "so long as you keep up with your hygiene, I don't care if you have on granny panties or a thong!" 
oh and eat a good meal before you go. it is hard work! take a bottle of water and a little snack in your purse. they will tell yoo no food or drink, but if you take your purse into the fitting room with you, then you can sneak it in! where are you going dress shopping? don't be afraid to go to smaller stores (instead of chain stores like DB or Alfred Angelo -0 they are great, but really the boutiques can carry affordable gowns too. my Maggie Sottero was only $589! and it's beautiful!)
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The first place I am going is Marcella's in Seattle, mostly because they carry Vera Wang (that's who is having the trunk show). And then I am probably going to try another shop that carries Melissa Sweet, which I love from the website!
Does anyone have any experience trying on these dresses? Do you think they'll have dresses in my size?
I bought my dress at a Vera Wang trunk show in Houston. They only kept the VW out during the trunk show but will keep other designers in the back so if you want to see something in particular by someone else they carry, they should be able to bring it out to you. I am a standard dress size 10/12 and I fit most of the samples (a tight squeeze in a few but mostly the samples were a couture size 8 or 10 and if they have been tried on a few times before then they have streched some and will fit just fine). I brought a bustier and heeled shoes with me (upscale salons should have this available on site for you but I am a difficult size to fit so I brought my own). Don't be afraid to wear granny panties or like other have suggested, wear spanx, I would recommend the strapless full slip (covers everything from above the bustier to just above your knees). You can also ask the consultant to get the dress ready for you and then step out of the room until you are ready to be zipped in. Or bring a robe if they don't already have them available. Most places carrying VW and Melissa Sweet should have water available and usually will have cake or something from a (wedding industry) local bakery if it's a trunk show. And sometimes they will have representatives from the designer there to let you know of options to change, alter, etc on the dresses. Don't be afraid if you find the dress of your dreams to ask them to thow in the veil or some other accent piece with the price. I bought my dress with the trunk show discount and my veil and two sashes were thrown in pro bono. Enjoy the experience, it's actually a lot of fun. Be sure and try on every style, you'll be amazed what you love on yourself.
Just wanted to add that a trunk shows usually offer a discount since the designer is showcasing their new season. The discount ranges from 10-15% usually.
Vera Wang's trunk shows are 10% at boutiques and 15% at her own store. They are throwing in free veils right now so if your consultant doesn't bring it up make sure you ask if its a possibility. My sales person wanted to close the sale with me at VW's flagship store so on top of the 15% discount she threw in a $400 veil for free if I placed my order that day.(I was also offered a free veil at the Saks Vera trunk show but I wasnt ready to place my order then)
One peice of advice - b/c of the discount you might feel pressued to buy at a trunk show so my suggestion would be to make an appointment to try on dresses a week or two before that way you can at least start narrowing down style/fabric etc.
Good luck and Have Fun!
Don't worry too much about the sample size dresses. I was really worried about this too, but it turned out not to be a big deal. I was about a street size 12 in pants when I tried on dresses, but a 14 in most dresses and tops in order fit "the girls." While the samples didn't always zip up all the way, my consultant just used clips to secure the dress to my bra or to the slip they provided. I was able to get a good sense of how the dresses would look when in my size and fitted to me. They also provided a little robe, so in between rounds of dresses, I was able to cover up without getting redressed. The consultant did help me into and out of every dress--apparently this was store policy to help keep the dresses in good condition. However, if you're like me, you'll soon be so caught up in the fun of trying on dresses that you'll forget you're standing around in your bra and panties!
Ah, you're a Seattle bride. I went to Marcella's and found a Vera Wang that I loved! Of course for me, Vera was out of the question with respect to my budget. I also went to La Belle Elaine's, I Do Bridal, Princess Bride (which I can tell you more about if you pm me--suffice it to say, it is not on my recommend list), Luly Yang, Belltown Bride, and I'm sure I'm forgetting a few.
Eventually, I took the trek down to Charlotte's Bridal in Portland and bought my dress there tax free and with a coupon recommended to me by another Bee. I saved about $300, and my dress came in in three weeks!
If you have any other Seattle salon questions, please feel free to PM. And most of all, have a blast! Hopefully, there will be lots of stuff that you love!
Lots of good suggestions here. Like you, I had no idea what to expect when I went dress shopping, and due to some timing issues I showed up at my first appointment alone (my sister was able to come just as I was wrapping up). In my experience, the consultants varied a lot, but generally they are very knowledgable (this will be esp. true at a higher end store that carries VW I'm guessing). They also tend to have good eyes for different body types, so even if you have a dress in mind it's a good idea to also try on their suggestions. It might surprise you.
Before I went, I was a little surprised by how few questions they asked about my wedding (though they did ask budge up front, it doesn't help them to put you in a dress you can't afford). They gradually narrowed it down by my preferences...but for the good consultants, this worked out pretty well.
Most of all, have fun! It can be pretty exhausting. Also, since you're in Seattle, if you're not completely set on VW, you might check out Luly Yang (downtown) and La Belle Reve (Bellevue). Luly Yang is a couture designer, and she carries her own stuff as well as other designers. I didn't find my dress there, but there were some that I didn't see elsewhere.
Thank you for all the great tips, ladies!
FizicsGirl, I will definitely check out the dresses at Luly Yang... I walk by there several times a week and just LOVE everything I have seen from her shop. I have heard good things about La Belle Reve and La Belle Elaine's--I can't wait to get started! Where did you end up finding your dress?
Oh, btw FizicsGirl and Doctorgirl--did either of you try The Bridal Garden in Kirkland? I would like to try some dresses by Melissa Sweet, and I guess that's the only place to find them. Is it worth the trek over? I guess it's not that far, but since it's on the East Side, I always think of it as like a huge road trip or something.
Kara- it's really not that far, and 2 of my girlfriends got their dress there, so all in all, I think it might be worth the trip.
Oh, I also forgot that I took a trip down to Tacoma. I think the place was called the Elegant Bride. They had a really nice selection and took care of their samples very lovingly. They were extremely sweet and accomodating, so I have a warm spot in my heart for them. I was desperately trying to locate the three Sophia Tolli gowns that i wanted to try on and they had one of them. I tried on a couple of other really nice dresses there as well. If you are going to Tacoma for some reason, it might be worth a stop-in!
I can definitely do Tacoma... my sis and BIL and my baby niece live down there! I will make sure to hit The Bridal Garden and Elegant Bride.
Thank you so much for the great tips!!
Kara321, I actually ended up buying my dress in SF (close to where I live now). I had a very multi-city (and state) shopping experience:) We moved from Seattle last spring and my FILs are still there. Over Thanksgiving I went to La Belle Reve b/c I wanted to try on some Atelier Aimee dresses (they also carry pronovias which not everyone does, but Luly Yang does have San Patrick), and I saw an amazing red (traditional Indian color) dress in the Luly Yang window so I went back a few weeks later (when my parents came into town to meet his). I ended up deciding on white though.
I went dress shopping with a friend in Seattle a few years ago. She ended up buying her dress from what was then the Bon Marche, now Macy's. I'm not sure if they still have a bridal salon. There was also a nice salon in Shoreline that we went to, but I can't remember the name. If I think of it or come across it I'll let you know. I remember thinking that they had a great selection.
I just thought I would give you all a review and recap of my trunk show experience, for anyone who is interested!
Upon arrival, my sister and I looked through a huge rack of VW dresses (all the others had been put away during the trunk show) and picked 8-10 for me to try on. Mostly I was looking for sheath-style or A-line dresses, nothing too big or poofy, and nothing without straps. I did grab one strapless poofy princess dress to try on though, just for fun. That was the first one I tried on, in fact.
Anyway, I went to the dressing room and stripped down to my spanx and the bra they gave me to try dresses on with. When I was ready, my consultant came in (Katie) and helped me to get into the dresses. Now I totally get why they help you--not only would it be disastrous to their samples to allow people to try them on without assistance, but it's also far easier to get in and out with a little help. And, with the spanx on, I felt much more covered up, so that was no big deal. However, at one point, I started going bra-less because of the style of the dress, but even that was okay. I only mention this for the benefit of anyone more modest than me, so that you know that this could happen!
While we were there, there was only one other bride there at the same time as me (while I was there, there were two different ones, back-to-back). There were three sales associates from the store (including the owner) and two representatives from VW. It was actually perfect in that regard--there were enough people there to give me lots of good feedback and suggest different dresses, but since there was always another bride there with me, I felt like I wasn't always the center of attention, so if I wanted to talk candidly with my sister, I had an opportunity to do so without everyone listening in or watching us.
Anyway, this was my very first dress-shopping trip, and on my second dress, I fell in LOVE!!! I just felt so comfortable, elegant, and even sexy, and when I looked in the mirror, I really saw ME, not just a beautiful bride. It's really amazing when you find a dress that represents your personality and your style--it makes you feel so confident and comfortable. It was really an extraordinary experience, and I rarely fall in "love" with clothing or other things, but this really want a match made in heaven. For anyone who is interested in the exact style, it's Vera Wang 2G144:
http://www.verawangonweddings.com/fashion/gown.aspx?Category=Vera+Wang&ProductID=J00927103
Anyway, I knew that this was the dress for me, but I felt so overwhelmed. Was it really possible that the second dress I tried on was THE dress? I tried on several more, and then tried on mine again. I love it so much--not only is it gorgeous hanging on the hanger, but it's also so beautiful on me (even in one size too small!), and it's comfortable, and I can sit down in it and walk around in it without feeling self-conscious--it was so awesome.
We decided to sleep on it, and I called my mom and talked to her about it (we were both sad that she had not been there, as she lives in another state... but who could have predicted that I would find success on the first try!?). She was really excited but cautious, and after a while she said that if I go back the next day and still love it just as much, I should go ahead and order it. The next day I returned with a friend (one of my BMs and a long-time friend), and she loved it too, so I was totally sold. I signed the contract, gave Katie my CC, and ordered it, with suprising ease.
Of course, I think my experience and the actual purchase would have been totally different if I had not been shopping at a trunk show. By ordering at the show, I received 10% off, plus the VW rep said she would not charge me for adding extra length (which is normally $300). In the end, it was less than I thought it would be (for VW), and right in line with my budget. The extra length and discount just made me feel a little better, like I got a good deal.
Anyway, I share all of this so that other interested brides can get an idea of what the experience was like! If you have any questions, I am happy to answer them!
Oh, and a comment on the sample sizes. I am a size 12, so I was worried I would have trouble finding samples big enough to try on. There were a few dresses that I just could not fit over my hips, but I was able to try on all the ones I really cared about. At the same time that I was there, another bride came back for a second try--she had fallen in love with a dress the day before but could not get into the sample. They overnighted a larger sample from LA because she knew it was probably the dress for her. The larger sample fit her perfectly, and she bought the dress.
So, if you're about my size or bigger, you might just note that there will be a few samples that just won't work (even with all the clamps and extenders and all that), but if you see one that you just have to try on, there are ways to get one in for you.
Congratulations. Your dress is stunning and I'm glad you had a positive experience.
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Hello everyone! I have my first appointment to try on wedding dresses coming up in a few weeks. I have no idea how this works, though! What do I bring? What will happen?
Also, I am thinking about going to a Vera Wang trunk show in a couple of weeks. What happens at a trunk show???
And, last question--I am normally a dress size of 10 on a good day, but usually a 12. Obviously, I have more motivation to lose weight right now than ever before in my life, and I have already lost 8 pounds (yay!)... but until I drop a size or two (fingers crossed), will the shops have a variety of dresses that I can try on?