How was your gown shopping experience?

I really appreciate a knowledgeable staff. Bridal consultants that really knew their merchandise and could make some suggestions were awesome. I do not like consultants that are overly (fake) chipper or ones that want to go in the fitting room with you! Like girl, I have been dressing myself since I was a child… I do not need you in here helping me!

View Quoted Comment Lol!!! Love your honesty! Thank you! 😉

I didn't want to be pushed to try on things I don't like (it didn't happen, but it does to some people) - I knew I wanted something really simple, no lace, no beading, etc. and my biggest fear before I went was the consultant trying to push me (note - I don't push well, but I didn't want a bad experience).

I only went to Davids Bridal and they were super helpful. They asked me to look at the different dresses I wanted to wear instead of giving me a bunch of dresses to try on. Which I liked. I told them my vision and the executed. Both times I went they asked me questions to understand what I was looking for. If I didn’t like the way they looked when I tried them on they tried to find something else. I don’t think I had any cons with my experiences. Surprisingly.

I really appreciated being listened to on my budget. There was a dress that I saw on a mannequin and before they even pulled it when I said I wanted to try it on they told me it was way over budget. I REALLY appreciated that because even though I tried it on still, I went in knowing that it was not what I wanted to pay so it kept me from falling in love. I also appreciated the knowledgable staff- everything from cut to fabric to how the beading was done they knew and took into account. They also took a look at my venue and pulled dresses that they thought fit the overall vibe of the space.

I liked the ability to look at the dresses myself. I like shopping and it was nice to try things on that appealed to me on the hanger. It was also nice that they offered some other suggestions. I didn’t like the pressure of discussing my relationship though, about how we met and why were in love etc. I understand it’s important to understand where I’m getting married but we don’t need to become best friends. But that’s just me! I also think there needs to be a cap on how many you try on because it can get really overwhelming. I also wish people offered me some water or a piece of candy. It’s a lot of work trying on all those dresses!

I actually liked that my consultant brought in dresses for me to try vs having to look through racks of dresses myself. I showed the consultant a few pictures of dresses I was interested in, rattled off the things that were non-negotiable, things that I was interested/ curious about trying, and things I didn't want, and she pulled a handful of gowns that fit the description. She also let me see how the dress would look in different colors since the one I liked had a handful of combos, and she showed me the dress in natural light vs the warmer-colored spotlight they had in the store.

My expectation: I don't like being followed around, I don't like being told what to try on. I like clean, aesthetic atmospheres.

Reality: my bridal consultant followed me around, got me dressed, suggested what I should try on. I loved every freaking second of the bridal style attention! And, the dress I didn't even want to try on ended up being the one I chose!

I had so much fun at my dress trial. I did it at David’s bridal. The first thing they did was let us walk around and look for anything I liked. I already had a dress I saw online that I wanted to try on, but I still looked through what they had. The lady gave me her opinions on what she thought I might like. The lady assured me that if I needed help I could ask. It was nice she didn’t assume to stay in there and watch me undress. So I was happy she made it a point to let me know she would help if I asked. I tried on 4 dresses including the one I saw online. The online dress ended up being the one!

A few stores let me look around and clip indicators on dresses I wanted to try, which I liked. Then the stylist brought more based on feedback after I’d tried those. I don’t really like the girl helping me into the dress the whole time but thats just me. I also wished some of them would have been a little more honest in what actually looked good on me when I was not sure. Yes, I had a group with me, but stylists see tons of brides and body shapes and can probably have a better read on what actually looks good then just my family and friends. I also didn’t like the modern aesthetic of some shops, but that’s just me again. I like classic and vintage styled atmospheres, not boho or overly trendy. I think this depends on who you think or want your main clientele to be (younger brides, or any age, or super trendy, etc.).

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It is great when the consultant actually suggests the perfect gown. Glad it happened that way for you.

My 1st time out was awful. It was a mom and pop shop but there were no manners. The 2nd one was amazing. Thought I found my dress, but we decided to still and look to see if there was anything better. The 3rd one sucked completely The 4th one we waited forever, but our consultant was really sweet and we found THE dress so it was worth it.