Tips For a Successful Sample Sale

With our Fall Sample Sale quickly approaching (November 18-26) we want to share our advice on what to expect so that you can make the most out of your shopping experience.

Let's start with what a wedding gown sample sale actually is. Remember that episode of Friends when Monica brings Rachel and Phoebe to "Kleinmans" to purchase her dream wedding dress? Well that's a sample sale! But don't worry, our store requires an appointment for the sale so it's not such a crazy free-for-all!

As a special order bridal store we stock "sample" wedding gowns for customers to try on. When a bride finds the perfect dress we then order the correct size and color for each bride and the dress will take several months to arrive in store. Every season we purchase new samples from our designers to bring in the latest bridal trends. At some point we need to make room for these new samples. That's when we hold a sample sale! These gowns get discounted since they have been tried on by other brides and occasionally have some wear and tear, although honestly, most of our samples are in pristine condition! This is a great time to shop if you are on a tight budget, have wedding date quickly approaching, or just like to find a great deal! We will have over half our inventory on sale up to 70% off starting at $299. We will also have bridesmaids dresses starting at $50.

So now that you know what a sample sale is, here is what to expect:

Arrive 10 minutes early

We will have some paper work for you to fill out and this will ensure it will not eat into your appointment time. Appointments will last 1.5 hours and should you be late to your appointment, it may take away from your appointment time as we will have a fully booked week.

Be prepared to buy

If you happen to fall in love with one of our samples that are on sale, be be prepared to say YES. We will NOT be holding gowns for any reason. If you pass on it, the next bride may very well purchase it. (We may still be able to special order it if the gown is not discontinued but then you would not be able to take advantage of the sample sale price).

Payment is due in full

Because we have dropped our prices significantly for this sale, all sample gowns are sold first come first serve and must be paid in full and taken home that day. We will not be offering payment plans or storage options for sample gowns. We have gowns available for every budget starting at $299 and going up to about $1500 (special order gowns go up to $2200).

Bring the most important people with you

Be sure to bring your mother, MOH, or anyone else you feel must have say in the dress. As mentioned above, if you decide to come back later to show someone else the dress, it may not be available.

Appointments are REQUIRED and we do still have some available so give us a call today to hold your spot - 512-596-5683 or you book online by clicking here.

#Weddinggown #Weddingdress #Wedding #sale #samplesale #fashion #Bridalgown #bridal #bride #bridesmaid

Let's talk about your size: A list of "don't"s

Bridal sizes run very small....like, 2-3 sizes larger than your regular clothes small. I want every bride to know that, take it in, and...let it go. You are beautiful no matter what that tag says!!

Here are a few "don'ts" when it comes to the shock that can happen when trying on bridal gowns for the first time.

1) Don't let it get you down!! -- It says nothing about your body if you have to go up a few sizes to get the right fit. No 2 bodies are the same so you don't have to fit into the same size and style as the next bride or the one before you. You are special, you are unique, and it is YOUR day!

2) Don't let it keep you from finding the right fit. -- It is much better to order the correct size than to order a dress that you will be so uncomfortable in that you can't enjoy your wedding day OR that you are under an immense amount of pressure to lose weight just to fit into! No one at your wedding will be whispering about how you are usually an 8 at Old Navy but your wedding gown is a 10 or 12. They will be staring at how amazing your look and how you are absolutely glowing!

3) Don't let it stop you from finding "The One". -- Look at all the styles you want and allow yourself to fall in love with your gown without worrying about "this looks bad on my body shape" or "I can't wear that because I refuse to wear a size ___". The number on that tag means nothing if YOU love it.

Remember ladies...size ain't nothin' but a number! :)

#Weddinggown #Weddingdress #Wedding #Bridalgown #Bride

Why every bride needs to give herself 8 months...

Eight months for what, you ask? You need to have your dress ordered 8 months before your wedding.

8 months might sound like a looooong time to some of you but it is actually the minimum of what we recommend to our brides! We are primarily a special order store so when you order a gown, it is not typically in production at the designer yet. At Amour Bridal, all of our beaded gowns are hand-beaded, for example – that takes a long time to do! If a dress is not already in stock, it takes 4-6 months to come in.

So why the 8 month number?

You also have alterations to consider! 99% of brides need alterations of some sort and we recommend that you allow 2 - 3 months for that process. If you are not doing bridal portraits then you have a bit more time. The most important thing is that you are not rushing around at last minute trying to make sure your dress is perfect. There will be lots of little things that pop up in the weeks leading up to the big day and you don’t want something as major as your wedding gown to be one of them!

So your wedding is coming up in a few months - what to do?

Not to worry! Although we highly recommend at least 8 months there are still plenty of options if you have a tighter time frame. We often sell our sample gowns off the rack and we do have some designers that keep some gowns in stock. Just keep in mind the shorter time frame the fewer options we have.

#Weddinggown #Weddingdress #Bridalgown #Bridal #Shopping #Bride