Shop Early

Think ahead and shop well in advance. Most designers require four to six months to produce a gown so you should be shopping at least nine months in advance. Some brides purchase their gowns as much as 18 months before the big day. Shopping early will give you the most choices. Even when you buy your dress through us, it is best to allow four to six months for your dress to be delivered to you. Don't forget all bridal gowns will need to be altered. You'll also need to allow time to have your Bridal Portrait.

For your convenience, we have noted approximate delivery or the dresses we showcase. We do our out most best to have a turn around of 3-4 months. Please understand, you and we are at the mercy of the dress manufacturer. 99.9% of the time the manufacturers are able to meet our shipping deadline. We continually follow-up with the manufacturer to monitor status and head off any potential delays. 


Magazines--A Great Place to Start


Buy 2 to 3 bridal magazines. You really don't need more (they are expensive). More than 3 and you'll just keep seeing the same styles over and over. Tear out pictures of the dresses you like and write on the picture the magazine name and page number it came from! As an authorized retailer of many lines, we can tell you exactly which dress is in their ad. You'll start to notice you are drawn to certain skirt or bodice styles. Maybe you're drawn to beadwork or sweetheart necklines.

Go it alone

Go shopping by yourself, or with one or two trusted friends at most. This is YOUR decision, and you need to be able to listen to your own instincts about what dress makes you feel great. It's easier to hear what your heart says if you don't have a crowd with you.

Style

Always choose wisely. Choose a style that you believe will suit or compliment your figure and choose a colour that will also suit your complexion and figure. Returns are not always possible and add to the cost for all buyers therefore thinking about what is a good style for you and perhaps discussing it with someone can save a lot of heartache. A suitable style can be ruined with a poor colour choice.

Size

Check your size carefully. Even standard sizes can be different from different manufacturers. Look at any size chart on the website so that you know their standard sizes and if a made to measure service is available take advantage of it and have your dress made to your measurements.

Ask questions

If you are not sure about something ask a question. A good website will respond to all questions within a reasonable time scale and in understandable language be it about a product or the websites integrity. (usually within 24 hours)

Charges

Check out any hidden charges. Most websites will charge delivery costs and what might seem to be a bargain may become much more expensive with expensive delivery charges and if from an overseas website (non UK registered) you may have additional duties and VAT added when you receive it.

Online Freedom

Buying on-line usually allows you a much greater choice than your local High Street and can be a rewarding experience saving time and money and giving you access to services and products that are just not available locally. If you pay attention to the details and information available on a website you can pick out the sites that are not quite what they seem and shop with confidence.

Accessories

Choose your accessories when your actual dress has arrived. It is better for you to decide on your accessories when you are actually standing in your dress and understand better the theme of your wedding.

Designer Names

Don't be too dazzled by a big designer name. You can expect top quality from a top designer, but judge the dress, not the label. Your mission is to find the dress that will take the groom's breath away and make him say a prayer of thanks as he sees you come down the aisle. The right dress will make your friends and family think, 'What a beautiful woman!' first, and 'What a beautiful dress!' sometime later.

Some brides can find what they are looking for in their first visit to a boutique and others like to try four or five different places before they start to narrow down their search. If you have the time and energy to visit many places then do so, you will soon get a good feeling as to what you like and what you don't like.

Bridal Store Staff

The bridal store staff will wait on you more closely than you're used to when shopping for other clothes. It's their job to help you find the dress of your dreams; it's also their responsibility to be protective about the store's expensive, delicate merchandise. So don't feel crowded if a staff member comes right into the dressing room to assist you. Enjoy the attention!

Comparing

If you end up comparing dresses from different places, make sure you have a clear understanding of what services will or won't be included in your purchase price. Consider all related costs so you're comparing true totals. A price that looks higher might in fact be very competitive by the time you add up all related costs.

Commitment: Final Sale

Be sure you understand that when you order your wedding dress it is a final sale. Buying a wedding dress is not like buying a mass-market T-shirt that you can return if you change your mind. Take that seriously, but don't let it scare you. If you can commit to a man, you can commit to a dress!

Guarantees and Service

Be aware that many designers will only guarantee their gowns if they are purchased through an authorized full-service bridal store. There are too many fakes in circulation for them to take any other approach.

Something else to remember is this: the majority of local bridal stores are independently owned, and each store's first responsibility is to their own customers. Do not purchase your dress from one place then expect another store to serve you if you need help with it. The store you purchase your dress from is the one that should look after you.

Alterations

Wedding and formal dresses are more closely fitted than ordinary garments. Dresses are made to standard sizes (which can vary from one designer to the next), so unless you're having a couture dress designed especially for you (and paying couture prices!), expect the fit of your dress to be close but not exact when it arrives. It's normal that your wedding dress will need to be altered to achieve the perfect fit for your unique contours. (Bridesmaid dresses, too.)

Allow for alterations in both your budgeting and your time planning. Altering a bridal gown is skilled and delicate work, and the seamstress is one of your most important partners. Note that it's the complexity of the alterations that will determine the price, not the amount that a seam has to be taken in. Whether the seamstress takes it in a half inch or three inches the price will be the same.

Be aware that many manufacturers charge extra for larger sizes in certain styles. Be sure to ask about that so you know all costs to expect.

BE REALISTIC ABOUT SIZE. If you have major diet or exercise plans Trinity's Wedding Boutique suggests that you buy your wedding gown at your largest size. All gowns can be made smaller, but the opposite is more difficult, more expensive, and rarely looks perfect. Sometimes, it's not even possible to make the gown bigger as there's just not enough fabric to work with. With all the stress of planning a wedding, weight loss plans often fall short of the goal. You don't need the added stress of a dress that is too small and can't be made to fit. Even if your weight stays steady, your contours can change because of your activity levels, or even just the time of the month. Try to be measured for your final fitting at the same time in your cycle that your wedding day will fall. That can head off surprises.

Enjoy Your Choice!

Once you've decided which dress is THE ONE, stop looking at other dresses and don't try to second-guess yourself! Have faith in your own judgement, and enjoy the peace of mind that comes from having one of your most special decisions looked after.

Smile! You look gorgeous! BACK HOME