A little while ago, we put out a call on our Instagram story wanting to know the burning bridal questions that you have. You asked, and now we’ve answered! Here are the 10 most commonly asked questions:
1. How long is a dress appointment?
Our dress appointments are typically 1.5 hours long! If you do need more time at the end of the appointment, we can always make a return appointment for another hour either later that day or another day depending on availability!
2. How do I pick the perfect veil?
We LOVE a good veil. One way of finding the perfect veil is to ask your stylist during your appointment to help you find a veil! Not sure what length or type of veil you want when you find the dress? No worries! Book an accessory appointment with us when you are ready to make that decision! We will have you bring the dress in, try it on, and then we will try all the different lengths and styles of veils that can go with your dress! The important thing is to have your dress with you when you're picking a veil so you can make sure that the lace and the color matches!
3. What is the best shapewear?
This is totally dependent on the person and the level of support that you are looking for. But, we’ve compiled a list of some of our bride's top-rated shapewear! These three seem to be favorites among the crowd:
- Honey Love: has some pretty great reviews from brides and has a good range of support! They are also pretty size inclusive: XS-3XL. They are also made so that they are roll-down resistant and sweat-wicking.
- Peachy Shapewear: also has some great reviews! Different styles including one that accommodates low-backed gowns! They have some reasonable prices and are also size-inclusive XS-3XL! Has a great range of different styles that can make you feel the most comfortable!
- Skims: we hear some pretty good things about the Skims shapewear collections. They are probably the most size-inclusive on this list with sizes XXS-5XL. There is a large variety in waistlines, support, and color range.
4. Should I pick a date or a venue first?
This is a tough one! If there is a venue that you love, you’ll have to go with the dates they have available! But if you want to get married on a specific date like an anniversary, then you might have to let the date dictate the venue depending on availability! Also think of the time of year you and your fiance would like to get married, what fits best into your life?
5. What is the average cost of your gowns?
The cost of our gowns currently ranges from $800-$1800, with all of our dresses being under $3000! But call the Brilliant Bridal closest to you to check, we don’t all carry the same dresses, so we don’t all have the same prices.
6. When during my wedding should I change into my second dress?
This is another favorite question of ours! And you have a few options with this one:
- After the ceremony, before you enter the reception for your first dance is a great time to change and surprise your groom and your guests.
- Want to have your first dance in your first dress, do it! Do your first dance, the father-daughter dance (if you're having one), and while your new spouse is doing their parent dance, go change into your second dress!
- Not doing the parent dances? Change after dinner! Come back into the reception ready to party in your second dress.
7. How long do wedding dress alterations take?
This is such a good question! Every dress needs some sort of alterations, and that can typically take 3-4 months. Wanting to customize your dress? This might take a little bit longer! Talk to your seamstress and see when they recommend coming in.
8. Are alterations included in the price of the gown?
Typically alterations are not included in the price of the gown. This is something that is standard in the industry. But ask your stylist! They should be able to give you an estimate on, roughly, what to expect for alterations.
9. How much do alterations cost?
When looking at budgeting for bridal alterations, they typically start at about $500 and go up to around $900 for standard alterations depending on the details of the gown. Customizations can definitely change this price. For instance, adding sleeves can add an extra $100 per sleeve to your cost of alterations.
10. What should I bring to try on wedding dresses?
The number one thing to bring is yourself and your 4 favorite people (more than that and all the opinions can get overwhelming and most stores don’t allow more than that). But what else should you bring?
- Come with your hair and makeup done similarly to how you are hoping to wear on your wedding day to help you see your image!
- If you are planning on wearing shapewear the day of your wedding, then bring that to your appointment.
- If you have a pair of shoes in mind, by all means bring them. But you definitely don’t need them! All of the dresses are so long in store, that wearing shoes might make it easy for you to trip.
- Please do not come in with a self tan that you did less than 24 hours before your appointment. These self tans haven’t had the chance to set in, so they will be rubbing off on the gowns. If you want to be tan for your appointment, please tan at least 72 hours before your appointment so that it doesn’t rub off and stain the white dresses.
- Bring any bridal accessories that you are planning to wear and currently have like jewelry, hair pieces, or even an heirloom veil so that you can really see it all come together when you find the one!
Overall, you’ve got this! Take a few breaths and relax. You’re about to try on some pretty dresses and just have a party for an hour and a half! And if you have any more questions, please call the Brilliant Bridal closest to you and they can answer those for you!