For the past three weeks just about every day one news outlet has published an article or video about the Coronavirus and the impact on wedding dresses. The same content keeps on getting circulated with no new information. Last week the questions started pouring in from clients or newly engaged future clients looking to book their bridal appointment. We figured since we are getting asked, now is the time to share advice on how to shop for a wedding dress in 2020. We hope this article can work as a guide when you are feeling stressed about wedding dress shopping.

Let me say this, I was not excited to write this post. I’ve been dragging my feet for days and coming up with every excuse in the book. I’m use to writing about bridal fashion, new accessory arrives, and all the fun happenings in the store. Well, this news is negative and affecting the health and wellbeing of so many. Then, I receive a call from a bride. I could feel how uncomfortable she felt asking about it. Like it was taboo to ask about her dress purchase when so many people are dealing with real deal serious health issues. I immediately thanked her for reaching out and explained she should be asking. She made an important investment into her wedding dress and why sit at home in wonder. The last thing we need is more stress right?

Roberta and I have always believed there are key purchasing questions brides should be asking in any season! Typically brides ask us how long a wedding dress takes, how much is it, how much are alterations, and what color is the dress. Now is the time brides start asking more questions before they purchase a wedding dress. It’s easy to get caught up in the bridal experience, here are five quick questions you can ask to help.

Top Five Questions to Ask Your Wedding dress Boutique About the Coronavirus Before You Purchase Your Wedding Dress:

Where is the wedding dress made?

It is completely normal to ask where your wedding dress is being made. You can ask which country and the boutique should share the correct information with you. Do not assume because the company has a city in their name, that the dresses are made there. Unfortunately this is really common in bridal and we personally find it as misleading. Maybe they have an office in that city, but are the dresses made there? More often than not, the city in their brand name is not where the dresses are made. This is as easy as naming our company “The Bridal Finery London” but we are located in Winter Park and we operate in Winter Park. A bride might think our dresses come from London if that was in our name. Ask the question always! If the bridal stylist is unsure, ask if it’s okay to look at the inside dress tag. You will always find your answer there. This may be necessary as most bridal stylists do not go through proper training. Just because it is made overseas, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t buy it. It’s all about being prepared to reduce stress.

Do you carry special order wedding dresses made in North America?

There are bridal designers who produce exclusively in the U.S or Canada. In fact, more than 75% of our inventory is made in North America. Some of the most established brands are actually produce here. They tend to be higher end designers starting at $4,000 and up. We are happy to share this list with you if you are searching for a designer who produces in North America. Here are a few examples: Ines Di Santo, Carolina Herrera, Sareh Nouri, and Reem Acra. Even with the wedding dress being produced in the North America, it is important to ask how the boutique is being affected by the Coronavirus.

Do you offer off the rack wedding dress sample options?

Off-the-rack means the wedding dress you are trying on is the one you purchase. Often you save 20-60% off retail going this direction. Our off the rack dresses start at $2,000 and up. You don’t have to special order and wait 6-9 months for it to be delivered. The Bridal Finery specializes in off the rack wedding dresses. We do have special order options, but our whole inventory is available to purchase off the rack. The gowns are not pre-worn. They are all new dresses, production dresses, runway dresses, and dress samples. They are available to take home the same day; however, we do offer free cleaning even if the dress has been tried on only once. 

How long will it take for the wedding dress to be altered?

At this point you are aware if the dress is made overseas or in North America. Also, you have decided if you should special order the dress or purchase it off the rack. Find out if the boutique has a seamstress. If they don’t have a seamstress, just know you are on your own at that stage. When you are purchasing a dress off the rack, it is important to work with a boutique with an in-house seamstress. If you are special ordering a dress and there is a delay, you need to know they will have a seamstress available for you to do a quick turnaround. I had a short engagement and special ordered my wedding dress. When my wedding dress arrived I had two weeks before my wedding to alter it. I knew this going in and was okay with it because I already had my alterations appointment set up with my lovely seamstress. She altered my dress in three days. The Bridal Finery does have an in-house seamstress who can alter our clients’ dresses from beginning to end in 3-5 business days

What is the backup plan or refund process if my dress doesn’t arrive in time for alterations? 

With weddings, there are always a lot of “what ifs”. We live in the industry of what if there is a hurricane, what if it rains on my wedding day. We completely understand brides need a plan B. What is the backup plan? What if the wedding dress doesn't arrive? I think it’s important to ask because you learn a lot about the culture of the store and how the owners operate their business. With our boutique having off the rack options we would resort to finding an alternative option that is ready to go.

There is wedding insurance you can purchase through an insurance company. Wedding insurance typically covers vendor issues, property damage, and injuries. It is worth looking into the cost. It’s a temporary cost you won’t have to worry about after the wedding.

We hope you found this article helpful! Here are more details on how the wedding industry as a whole is affected. Or if you need to take a break from the news, check out our latest weddings here.