Wedding Dresses

[Jamie14]

I have had a few opportunities arise over the years where I have been able to slip wedding dresses on and walk around the house for a while made up. (Family's, friend's houses , etc.) Let's just say, the opportunity was there and I took it- white hose, heels and all.

I know we all fantasize about things but I am wondering: are there any wedding dress stores that would actually wait on you and let you try on different dresses, etc? I am not one of you beautiful little things that can pass freely. Not in tht light and definitely not with women helping me change...

I have a makeup artist that I am very confortable with who would do me up and even take pics with the dresses on in the store. Heck, I'd even pay the store for the priviledge. AM I DREAMING? Has anyone had an expereince in one of these stores?

[Shananigans]

I know KaleyG did something like that.

I don't personally see why it would be a problem. I used to work for a clothing store and people would try on/do/say crazy things.

My favorite one was a guy trying on women's jeans and he turns to me and says, "I like these a lot, but they're a little tight on the goods." No kidding.

I just looked at him like, "Child, please...do we want to go there?"

I didn't ask questions. I didn't care. As long as they bought the sh*t and I got the commission.

There's my blatant honesty.

[Samantha B L]

I had such an experience in a shopping mall store in the town where I lived in Southern Illinois. The store was a Stuart's or a County Seat and I don't even know if it's there anymore. I was with my SO and it was probably like 1984 or 1985. In the 70's and the 80's there were a lot of more or less mock Victorian kind of styles going around like the "frills around the shoulders",etc.. She prodded me gently to try on a wedding gown which was an over $100 value for about $30. It had many layers of frills and satiny material. The neat thing was that there was nothing but Women's clothes in the shop and nobody shopping or working in there but women! So of course there were no other fitting booths but women's and I've got to tell you it was an incredible feeling. the SA's in the store were cool about everything but they didn't say anything to me and my SO. I came out of the fitting rooms an modeled the dress slowly in front of the panel mirrors which covered the walls completely. It was incredible fun! The dress was an exceptional bargain at about $30 and I bought it. This was an incredible experience.

[Veronica Lacey]

What a cool concept: pay to have a closed environment to try on what you please, maybe even after hours.

It would be great if, as Shananigans stated, the sales associates simply accepted you as a possible sale and tailored to you as such. In all honesty, if I found one gown that I liked and the experience was a good one I might even become a repeat customer. Most gg brides - I hope - do not become repeats.

[wildcat]

i had the best experience went to a wedding store looking four a dress when asked what i was after.told the girl i was after a dress 4 myself she picked out a few and offerd me to try them on so i did and then bourght one had to take it back and get it altterd then had 2 try it on in front of seamstres to make sure it fit.:)

[sue ellan]

try davids bridal. i have tried serverel there and they were very nice qnd helpfull

sue ellan

life is like a roll of tp. the closer to the end the faster it goes.

[Jennifer Marie P.]

Try Davids Bridal they are great and I have done it several times they are so helpful and you can try on dresses all day long.Make an appointment with them and let your fantasy begin.

[Loni]

not sure if i would want to own a wedding dress..or twenty.
but sounds interesting to try on a couple. but i would feel weird taking up there time not really interested in buy one.

but again :daydreaming:


.

[kymberlyjean]

There is a wedding dress store in Eureka Springs that doesn't mind if you come in and try on dresses and take pictures, as long as they aren't busy. I can't remember the name, but how many could there be?

[felicity84]

i've been to quite a few places that let me just try on wedding dresses. Davids bridal doesn't care if you are male or female. they will let you try anything on and wait on you they are out for a sale. i only once had a problem trying a wedding dress on in a store but that was one out of like 50. just tell them what your looking for and what your intentions are and more often than not they will help you out.

[Shelby]

To those of you have gone to David's Bridal, I too am planning an outing with some ggs and want to go try on wedding dresses. I was planning on making an appointment at one. I do not plan on buying one so are they cool with that? Wouldn't they feel that this is a waste of their precious time? I am going out on a Saturday afternoon, is that a busy time for a store? Any little tidbits will help.

Shelby

[Jamie14]

OK, well I may try out David's Bridal and see how it goes. I have been known to scout a place out ahead of time and ask some questions to make sure it is cool, see when to come by, who to ask for, etc. Did tht once at a Glamour Shots and it made all the difference in the world. Shelby, you are gorgeous. Cant imagine you would have any troubles shopping anywhere!!!

[Paula Siemen]

I've tried on wedding dresses a couple of times at David's Bidal, in Dallas....there's one on Central/Walnut Hill or used to be. They were very nice and accomodating. I tried on several and they even took some photos of me. The photos didn't turn out too well tho.

[Hippoeater]

Plenty of them will willingly help you out and are more than excited to see you return!

I've been to david's bridal, catans fashions and henri's cloud nine multiple times to purchase and try on wedding dresses, prom dresses and more.

It's the first step that is the hardest to make, once you do you'll never look back.

Call them up, make an appointment and get ready to have some fun! ;)

[lingerieLiz]

It would probably be nice if you slip the SA a nice tip.
I do have to admit that wearing a wedding dress is a great experience. I've been lucky enough to have tried on several and wore one to a costum party.

[ReineD]

If you're willing to pay the price and you explain clearly what you want and why, I should think it wouldn't be an issue to get the staff in wedding dress shops to help you. I don't know, but some stores might want you to book a time outside of normal business hours though, if they are concerned that their other customers might feel awkward having a GM in the fitting area.

[Danni Bear]

back to David's again

my daughters think it is only place for wedding dress
hopefully last fitting i'm trying to not lose or gain too much
nitemare getting married and doing this :tongueout

have to post pics after wedding is over and have time to go through them:daydreaming:
wouldn't won't to shock everyone too much
but lord do they have to make bikini's so tiny
my hubby might faint when he sees me


:hugs:Danni

[BowTied]

This is me and my bride minutes after we were wed on our wedding day! I'm in suits and bow ties daily for work, and my bride very frequently finds her way back into her bridal gown and veil, so the "wedding" never really ended, it just continues! For me, there is nothing as romantic as being all suited up and buttoned up in a stiff white collar and perfectly tied bow tie and feeling my bride's arm slipping through mine, or feeling her lacy form in my arms pressed against me, or seeing those eyes gazing at me through her blusher! The same butterflies that I felt as we were being wed come flying right back!
What's REALLY been fun has been when we've gone out in our wedding attire! Once was to a costume party. We weren't allowing THAT opportunity to slip by! Our first wedding anniversary we went away. That night, we got such looks leaving this very nice hotel in our wedding attire and going to a very nice restaurant. There've been times we've just gone out for a drive and stopped and taken a walk on the Riverwalk. People are probably assuming we're a bride and groom who've just been wed.

Edited to add:

One of the funniest instances happened recently a couple of Saturdays ago. It was late afternoon, early evening and my bride and I had decided to have one of our "wedding evenings." Actually, she had come home to find me in my "wedding suit," navy blue suit, VERY starched white shirt, and navy blue print bow tie. I'd even picked up a boutonnierre at the florist! So she's upstairs getting into her bridal gown and veil. I'm downstairs, all suited and buttoned up and bowtied, pacing and feeling the same butterflies I'd felt on our wedding day. Suddenly, a knock on the door. I open the door and it's three friends of our's. They're like, "Whoa! What's the occasion?" Suddenly I hear the bedroom door open upstairs. I tell them to be quiet and I head upstairs. I meet my bride before she comes down. I don't say anything, I just take her hand and slip her arm through mine. We walk down the stairs. She's gazing at me through her blusher, knowing I'm up to something. We appear in the doorway to our living room where our friends are sitting, and they're just blown away! They thought it was SO sweet and romantic that we wanted to be a bride and groom all over again. Someone found organ music on the computer, playing Lohengrin's Bridal Chorus. One of our friends "officiated" and we had another wedding!

[JulieC]

my wedding dress...

*drool*

[BowTied]

For our wedding, as you can see in the photo, my bride wore a lovely ankle-length bridal gown. Had ALOT of lace and frills and ruffles with a bustle over pantaloons. I wore my nicest navy blue suit, heavily starched white shirt, and a navy blue print bow tie. Since our wedding, my bride has started a collection of bridal gowns. She's very particular. She wants "bridal gowns," not "wedding dresses." They're all very ultratraditional, high necks, long poofy sleeves, lots of lace, ruffles, frills, and beading. Good thing I've got a tux, plus there were a couple of times I've worn white tie and tails for one of our little weddings. Still, the gown she wore on our wedding day is our all-time favorite.

[Sarah_GG]

Have you tried ebay?

My SO has more than a few wedding dresses. They all came from ebay and they were all remarkably cheap. They do take up quite a lot of room but you could always sell them again.

[BowTied]

I read about how it feels for you girls to be brides in your bridal gowns. Indeed, there is NOTHING that could be more feminine and romantic than a bride in all her bridal glory. However, imagine too how it feels to be the bridegroom of one of you! The first time I saw my bride in her bridal gown and veil was on our wedding day. Seeing her approaching me, with Lohengrin's Bridal Chorus playing on the organ, looking SO beautiful, gazing and smiling at me dreamily through her blusher, was like a dream come true. Butterflies? There were flocks of them! Standing there in my suit, buttoned WAY up in my stiff white collar and perfectly tied bow tie, and feeling my bride slipping her lacey arm through mine, is a feeling I'll never forget. Holding her hands in mine as we recited our wedding vows to eachother, slipping our rings on eachother, saying, "With this ring, I thee wed," and then being pronounced wed, all defies description. Finally, lifting my bride's blusher and feeling all the lace and ruffles and frills pressing against me as I kissed my bride is a feeling I'll NEVER get out of my head!

[VickysBFF]

To those of you have gone to David's Bridal, I too am planning an outing with some ggs and want to go try on wedding dresses. I was planning on making an appointment at one. I do not plan on buying one so are they cool with that? Wouldn't they feel that this is a waste of their precious time? I am going out on a Saturday afternoon, is that a busy time for a store? Any little tidbits will help.

Shelby

Hi Shelby: I went to a David's Bridal in a L.A. suburb on a Saturday afternoon without an appointment a few months back. They had no problems with me at all and the gentleman who assisted us was very friendly and helpful. My only problem was that my hair was shorter then and I was wearing a wig and it came off while taking off one of the dresses:eek:
Thankfully I was in a closed dressing room at the time and we fixed it as best as we could. That incident made me cut the visit short and the gentleman did tell us that they were not as busy and could provide more help on a weekday. We haven't gone back because I rarely get to L.A. during the week.
So, I would say your best bet would be to go on a weekday but if you can only go on a weekend it's fine but prepare for waits and crowds.

[PrettyFlowingGown]

Your not dreaming, cause I did it on june 28th and bought a beautiful wedding dress. I emailed 5 bridal stores in brisbane and only one replied, and it was on brisbanes southside and was closing down. The wedding gowns were discounted by 50 percent. The lady could'nt of been happier. I went in man-mode and tried on 3 gorgous flowing gowns for an hour. I walked around the bridal store in all my glamour and had time of my life. Its not hard....you just be lucky enough to find the right bridal store. I'm still waiting to get some photos done, I love wedding gowns and to try a wedding gown on in a store is one of/if not the most beautiful feminine experience ever......AND you walk out the shop smelling like silk, cause the gowns leave a beautiful scent with you.

[Chickhe]

Nobody knows if you are going to buy one or not... the reason you try them is that you 'might' find one... you might even decide not buy one, but change your mind and return the next year. So why would a shop refuse you? As long as you are respectful and don't disturb other customers, why not?

On a side note, I bought a dress at a second hand store for around $30. It fits me great for the most part except it is a few inches short. I tried it on in the store... didn't even really ask, I just took the nearest changing booth and when at it. I wore it out around the city on halloween and had a great time...the only warning, it is exhausting after several hours as they are big and heavy. I've got this crazy plan to wear it out on a Saturday, all made up and to have some photos taken in full public view and I'm curious if I'll be 'read' or not. Could be a real blast.

[Presh GG]

I have seen some beautiful wedding dresses at second hand stores for very little money.

But if it is the experiance you are looking for, I would definately call ahead and ask. Get the name of the SA on the phone. And yes, those SAs are on commission. .. So if you don't buy please reward good service, especially after normal business hours.

Presh GG

[JulieC]

Nobody knows if you are going to buy one or not... the reason you try them is that you 'might' find one...

Just piggy back on this to express a general thought; Chickhe, this is not directed at you!

While it can be a fantasy come true to go to a bridal store and try on wedding dresses, it's not fair to the store or the SAs if you go in without any intention whatsoever of potentially buying a wedding dress. The stores are in business to sell dresses, not as a place for people to fulfill fantasies only.

[Jamie14]

Thanks for all of the feedback. Will see what I can pull off!!!