Stupid Question

[sadiebride]

I'm very sorry if this is an incredibly stupid question, but I'm just starting to plan my wedding and am so new to everything, as I've never even been one of those girls who dreams about her wedding day. For ordering a bridal gown on-line, do most people simply find a dress in a shop or salon and figure out the best size to get (as we know bridal sizes are wonky) and then order it on-line? I don't suppose anyone would dare to order a dress without trying it on, even for a huge discount. Does anyone have tips they can share or just tell me how they got the closest size possible? And of course, if you don't try it on, how do you know if you'll love it? Again, sorry for the stupidity.

[NoleGirl]

S.J.--remember there are no stupid questions, especially when it comes to wedding planning. It is a learn as you go kind of thing (and once you figure it out, you hopefully won't have to plan another wedding of your own again...)

As for on-line dress ordering... My advice would be yes, try on dresses in a store or salon first. That is the only way you will figure out which materials, styles, cut, and details you may or may not like. Remember, different stores will carry different designers, too. So try on as many as you can and even try some that you might not initally like on the hanger... you will never know until you try. Stick to stores that do not cut out the tags. Also, while you are at the salon, get measured and make sure they TELL you your measurements. Of course, don't tell them that you are planning on ordering your dress online. Also, what I did was when I was trying them on, I would bring a pad of paper and pen in my purse and I would discreetly record the dresses designer and style name/number while I was in the dressing room. Then I would go home and try to look it up online. Some designers will put different style numbers online. When I ordered my dress online I gave both numbers specifying the number on the dress and the # online to sort of cross-check to make sure it was the same dress.

When you find your dress, or narrow it down to a few dresses, then contact the on-line retailers and let them give you a quote and whether they can meet your delivery date (make it earlier than you actually need it). A lot of women at this point will play the quotes against one another and see who can give them the best price. You can look at a number of postings on this message board to find the names and websites of some of the popular on-line retailers. When you order your dress, they will ask for your measurements, because they will match it to the size chart printed by the designer to determine what size you will need. Hope this helps!!

Good luck!