Shopping for a wedding dress can in no way be compared to what it’s like when we shop for every day clothing, in fact, it’s nowhere near as easy or straightforward, which is why you need to surround yourself with the right people for the journey.
The most daunting aspect of shopping for a wedding dress is that you’ll only be wearing it once, and, being your first time out, there are a few red flags you need to keep an eye out for before you choose your bridal wear shop.
Knowing about these will save you time, heartache and money if you come to your first fitting well-prepared, so let’s look at a few of the red flags to look out for:
Lack of transparency about costs
The first thing you should do, much as you may not like it, is to share what your budget is for the wedding dress with the bridal team. If they’re are an honest and down to earth team like those at Ever After Bridal Wear in Cape Town, they’ll assist you to figure in possible costs of bridal accessories too, such as the veil you’ll need.
If you are deflected whenever you speak budget or price, know that you’re at the wrong place to make your dream wedding dress a reality, within your budget!
The team at Ever After Bridal values honesty and integrity, and will make sure you don’t have to experience the pain of falling in love with a dress you want to try on, only to find that it’s way beyond your budget!
Fluffing over the fine print
A contract will be involved in the purchase of a wedding gown, so please be sure to read the small print, to make sure you don’t end up paying for anything you weren’t aware of at the outset.
The contract should include everything that ranges from sizing to all alterations, down to the last stitch, so that you don’t have any nasty surprises on the day you collect your dress.
If you’ve been lucky enough to find a bridal shop you trust, you’ll find that the team working with you will be more than happy to help you understand the fine print clearly before you commit to it. If they fluff over the small print it’s definitely not a good sign.
Remember to include shipping costs if you aren’t collecting.
Alterations that aren’t necessary to drive up the price
You’ll probably be looking at a few alterations to the dress, whether you’re buying or hiring it, so make sure you know exactly what’s happening in that department.
You need to feel that you can trust your bridal shop team not to take advantage of the fact that this is your first experience, whether it’s a simple alteration such as raising a hem or a little more complex, such as changing a neckline. Alterations alone can amount to a nasty sum not budgeted for in the hands of unscrupulous bridal consultants!
Bridal consultants that are pushy
Passion, knowledge and experience are vital qualities to look for in your bridal consultants, because these are what can make your experience a pleasure instead of a nightmare such as other brides may have experienced.
Even if your bridal team can’t answer all your questions, they should be able to find the answers based on their experience and connections in the industry, and they should do it openly and willingly.
Make sure you feel comfortable with the team of consultants, especially taking into account that you’ll be in and out of your undies in front of them for the duration!
If the bridal team is pushy, disregarding everything that’s important to you, bow out gracefully and take your dream elsewhere!
Let the integrity of the team at Ever After Bridal guide you
The team at Ever After Bridal are nothing less than the epitome of everything a bride needs on this important journey, bringing passion, integrity, knowledge and experience to your dream, which is exactly what you deserve when purchasing your wedding dress.
Dive into a delightful world of designer wedding dresses in Durbanville at Ever After Bridal, and you’ll no doubt head for your wedding day looking like a princess as you glide down the aisle to join the love of your life.