Austin Bridal Extravaganza – Palmer Events Center
900 Barton Springs Road
Austin, Texas 78704

Saturday January 5th Noon – 5:00pm
Sunday January 6th Noon – 5:00pm

Misconception #1: Bridal Boutiques are expensive:

When I was out shopping for my wedding gown five years ago and before I worked in the industry, the only places I knew to shop were places like David’s Bridal. I had no idea about bridal boutiques and when I did start looking I figured they were far too expensive. Boutiques are a bit smaller and don’t carry as much stock as big franchises, but the benefits of these boutiques is you get that personal one on one time with the very knowledgeable staff, the staff gets to know you personally, they are invested in your wedding and want to help you find the perfect dress, and often we find life long friends with our brides. Most boutiques have the same price ranges as the large franchises and the quality is always top notch. Our dresses range from $600-$5000 on average, and often you can hit up local salons for a sample sale with top couture designers ranging from $200-$3000.

Misconception # 2: I can’t wear this style because of my figure.

Ok, so there are some styles that look better with certain figures, but don’t rule out anything just because you read that it won’t look good on you in some magazine. I can’t tell you how many times I had a bride afraid to try something on because they were told or had heard that particular style wouldn’t look good on them, and guess what…it looked fabulous! I always encourage brides to try on a variety of different shapes and styles, because you never know what the dress will look like on YOUR body, don’t rule anything out. I’ve had some brides say to me that they didn’t want lace, and well they ended up with a lace gown. You just never know, and things look so different on the hanger. So just try it on, no harm no foul.

Misconception #3: I don’t want strapless.

I do understand that most dresses these days are strapless, and you want something different. I hear you ladies! I also hear that you don’t want to be tugging on your dress all night. Here’s what some brides don’t understand..there should be no reason your tugging on your dress all night. Bridal gowns are not like your normal everyday wear. They are built with construction to keep it up and on your body as you dance the night away. This is also where a good tailor comes into play. With the proper tailoring, your gown should fit your body perfectly and flawlessly. Also, strapless dresses can help elongate a short frame, so don’t rule it out.

Misconception #4: Bridal consultants are just out to make a sale.

There are some people out there just wanting to make a sale, yes, but I wouldn’t put that label on everyone. We aren’t dirty car salesmen (sorry to the honest car salesmen out there). We are here to help you, to share this experience with you. I have cried with my brides, I have gone to their weddings, I have even seen their family members come back in over the years. We have made lifelong friends. We are a family. We hire staff that are knowledgeable and helpful, and who really want to be here with you through every step. As cheesy as it sounds we aren’t just selling a dress, we are wanting to help your dream come true.

I read this great article in the parade and I want to attach it, because it’s exactly what we do here, and what we are here for.

http://www.parade.com/news/2012/01/lessons-in-love-from-a-bridal-shop.html

Now for some things we would like you to consider when walking into a bridal salon:

1.) We are working with some pretty pricey, and some delicate merchandise, so we ask that you please consider this when trying on gowns. Samples can be abused and we try hard to keep them in great shape so that more and more brides appreciate the true look of the gown. We don’t keep the dresses in garment bags so that you can actually see them, and touch them. I have had some women spill coffee on dresses, rip holes in the trains with their shoes, lipstick stains on the inside of the gown, little children running around touching dresses with chocolate hands, brides unfolding pleats, scrunching fabric with their hands, leaving dresses laying on the floor ect… We know they are accidents, but we ask you to try and keep these things in mind.

2.) Sometimes more opinions can only confuse you more:

We know this is a very important day for you, and you would like to include all your best friends and family members, but often more opinions can really confuse you, and make you stressed and frustrated. This is your day and should be about YOU and what YOU like.

3.) Speak up!

We are hear to help you, but if you do or don’t like something, or don’t feel comfortable please speak up. Bridal consultants will often try and help you pick out a few dresses, but that doesn’t mean you have to like them. We didn’t make the dresses so I promise you won’t offend us. We also want to hear what you don’t like so we can better assist you. On the other end if you really like something, let us know and we can try and make it work!

4.) Please call to reschedule

It’s busy time of the year and appointments do book up very fast. We normally have a waiting list this time of year, so if you are not going to make it to your appointment or if you find a dress, don’t be afraid to call us and let us know. If we have you down for an appointment and you don’t show up, that takes away an appointment for another potential bride. So please give us a call and let us know.

Now i’m going to leave you with a little piece of advice I think most ladies forget: