How To Shop For A Wedding Dress
because we want your shopping experience at white traditions bridal house to be all that you hoped for...here are a few pointers before visiting our store! your wedding dress buying experience perfect and memorable. if there is anything we can do to assist with this...just let us know!
do i need a bridal appointment?
Short answer…Yes. Our door are always open to browse, but if you are planning to try on wedding gowns, you need to schedule an appointment. You will have a dedicated sales consultant that will work with you throughout your entire appointment time. Without a bridal appointment there is a good chance you will not be able to try on any gowns.
You can schedule your bridal appointment by calling our store or emailing us. We will be more than happy to accommodate you. Please note that Saturday bridal appointments are typically booked out for a few weeks, even more so during our busy time. So please plan ahead when scheduling. We will also always post our last minute Saturday openings on our Instagram story on Thursday of the current week.
when should i order my wedding dress?
When should I order my dress? You can never order your wedding dress too early, just a bit too late!
Bridal gowns are almost always made to order, meaning the designer starts making your gown, once you order it! Please allow 4-6 months for the designer to make your gown. You should order your wedding dress about 8-12 months out from your wedding date. That allows time for the dress to arrive and any alterations to be completed.
Don't have this much time? Don't stress! We will try our best to get you a gown as soon as possible! The designers often have dresses that are already in progress to help facilitate close wedding dates. There is also always the option to buy off the rack. When you buy off the rack, you get a great deal, and you get to leave the store with your bridal gown that day!
how long do bridal appointments last?
Your bridal appointment will be scheduled for an hour and a half, so be prepared to try on some bridal gowns! It is sometimes helpful to have somewhat of an idea of what style bridal gown you are looking for. Please try to arrive on time for your appointment. We likely have brides before and after you, and we want to give everyone the appropriate amount of time and attention.
You might also want to bring any undergarments you plan on wearing for your wedding day. It helps to get the whole feel of how you will look in your gown.
who should i bring to my bridal appointment?
This is a tough question. Remember a wedding dress is very personal and the decision can be harder than you anticipate. Plan to bring everyone with you that you feel you would need to choose the perfect wedding dress. That list is different for everyone. Some brides prefer to shop alone, some prefer to bring mom and grandma, some choose to bring some bridesmaids. The decision is personal, but impactful.
We are a cozy boutique, so it is hard for us to accommodate large parties on weekends. If you have a large party (5 or more guests), and can come on a weeknight that is the best option. Please note that on a Saturday we will likely not have seating for more than 5 guests.
Also always remember, the decision of choosing a bridal gown is all yours, with a large group sometimes it is very hard to formulate your own opinion on a very important choice.
what is the price range of your bridal gowns?
The gowns in our store range from about $1400 to about $4000, with the average price falling right around $2000. We have a great selection of gown in all prices in this range. We also have sale dresses that would fall below the average prices in our store. If your budget is lower than our average we also offer our sister store in O’Fallon, MO called Cleo Bridal. Their price range falls below the price range of White Traditions Bridal House.
If you have specific price inquiries, feel free to give us a call, we will be happy to help.
how do i order my WEDDING dress?
So you have found the perfect gown, and now it's time to order...very exciting!
We will measure you in our store, and order your wedding dress as close to those measurements as we possibly can. Keep in mind most gowns need alterations after they arrive in our store. These alterations are to customize the fit to your body perfectly, and are not included in the cost of the dress.
A 50% deposit is required at the time of ordering your gown, and the other 50% is due when the gown arrives in our store. We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, cash, and personal checks with proper identification.
Since bridal gowns are special order, we unfortunately cannot return any goods at our store. Please make sure you are 100% certain on your purchase.
Waiting for your dress to arrive is like waiting for Christmas! Since it takes a few months for the dress to arrive, it's the perfect time to think about finalizing any wedding accessories you may want, such as shoes, veils, and hair accessories.
We will be in touch just as soon as your beautiful wedding gown arrives in our store!
how do bridal alterations work?
We do not offer in store tailoring. We have a list of preferred seamstresses around St Charles and St Louis, and we think that you will love them. They all have many years of bridal alteration experience and can't wait to help you with your wedding gown or bridesmaids dress. We like to refer to them as our personal magicians!
WHITE TRADITIONS BRIDAL HOUSE OR Cleo Bridal?
Which store should I shop at? It is a question we answer often, so here is the lowdown! The stores have completely different bridal gown designers, the styles are not duplicated at both locations. The main difference is mainly the price point of the gowns. White Traditions Bridal House averages $1700 where Cleo Bridal averages $1400. Cleo Bridal also offers more of our off-the-rack bridal gowns.
Both locations require appointments and have excellent service, just a different little twist at each location!
