Say Yes to Less Stress

If you’ve had a bit of a look around my little space on the internet here, you’ll know already that there are a few things that make a difference when you are looking for a bridal gown: who you take with you and what kind of mindset you go in make a massive difference, for example.  

But another really, really, REALLY important factor in whether you have a great experience (or not) is where you go.

Now, this post is not here to diss particular salons or their approach to brides. Rather, it is to guide you towards a bridal boutique that will align with you and what you need from your consultation – and that may be different for everyone.

Yes, you need an appointment.

We’re used to just walking into any shop and being able to try things on immediately, buy them immediately and take them home immediately. So, if you have never been a bridesmaid or don’t have a lot of experience of being involved in weddings it will likely come as a surprise that you need to make an appointment to try on wedding gowns. It doesn’t matter how small or large the salon is – almost without fail you will need an appointment.

While you might get lucky and be able to get a walk-in, on-the-spot appointment if the boutique happens to have a slot free, it’s not worth your time to risk it when you can just book in advance and be sure you’ll get a consultant and a change room. This is especially so if you are visiting on a weekend, which is a bridal boutique’s busiest time.

But while making an appointment may seem to be over-officious and unnecessary, it’s actually an important step in the process. Here’s why: you will be able to get a bit of a read on your salon. I hate to say it, but the fact is that there are bridal joints out there that make the “we don’t have anything for you” shop assistant in Pretty Woman look like Mother Theresa. Let’s face it, some boutiques can be pretentious and exclusive.  
If exclusive is your natural habitat, then off you go. But for many of us these kinds of places are deeply intimidating and appear designed to personally exploit our most raw insecurities about not being good/pretty/pert/skinny/rich/hot/young enough. And if you are here reading my blog then I’ll take a wild stab in the dark and guess that this probably isn’t what you’re after.

So, how do you know where to go?

Ultimately, the best way to know whether a salon is going to be the kind of place you want to look for your dress is to talk to other brides who have been there. Word-of-mouth is a significant marketing method for most boutiques. Ask your friends or associates who have recently been married:

• where they went
• whether it was a positive, empowering experience and
• whether they would recommend the place.

If you get some red flags, it could be an idea to see if there is somewhere else in your area you can go.

These days many – if not most – salons will have an online booking system. Before you book, have a look at their website. Is the language warm, welcoming and respectful? Does it answer the questions you have about range, sizing and pricing of gowns? If you get a good feeling, by all means go ahead and book.

If you can’t quite get a read or your questions haven’t been answered, another step may be required. Calling a salon to make an appointment will give you an impression of their ‘vibe’ and how they treat their brides. Sure, you may call at a really busy time and the staff member may not be able to speak for very long but you will still get a sense of how they generally treat people. At minimum you are looking for polite and efficient. Much better is warm, welcoming and demonstrating a sincere interest in you and your dress search. Don’t be scared to ask what their price and size range is: much better than you understand this before you land in store and realise you can’t afford and/or fit ANY of the dresses.

But DO NOT do this!

The key here is not to make a pest of yourself. The bridal industry is highly competitive and expecting to be able to just walk in to a store and get a sneak peak of their dresses or take photos may be unrealistic. This is especially true on a weekend when it’s super-busy and the salon is working with brides who are booked in and ready to buy: it’s just not feasible to expect to be able to rifle through racks of dresses worth thousands and thousands of dollars and taking the risk of being seen as a ‘difficult’ bride if you do decide to book in.

But even aside from this, the rifling will give you very limited information anyway. Wedding dresses look vastly different on a hanger to what they do on the body. Consultants know this. They know their dresses intimately, have seen them on numerous bodies and will have a much better idea which ones will work for you. Trust that, make an appointment and do it properly.

How to know if a boutique is for you

Aside from pricing and size, there are a couple of other questions you may like to ask to determine whether you visit a particular bridal boutique, depending on your situation.

The kind of response you get will help you decide whether this salon is one worth your time.

The questions don’t have to be super-detailed and can be quite straightforward and, again, this is a conversation of a couple of minutes max – not an excuse to talk ad nauseum about what you’re looking for: again, you will become known as a bit tricky if you do this.

Some examples of questions to ask might be:

• Is it ok if I bring my baby/my sister who is in a wheelchair/no one with me?
• How many guests do you allow?
• Are all your dresses available in all sizes?
• Do you do alterations in store? If not, do you put me in touch with a bridal seamstress? How much do they charge per hour?

What you ask doesn’t really matter – it’s how they respond that we’re interested in. Because how they manage inquiries can tell you a whole lot about what kind of service you’ll get when you go for your consult.

From the salon’s side of things the most important question is when your wedding is. This is because everything in Wedding Land needs about five times more lead-time than anything anywhere else. This means they will be particularly interested in when you are getting married in an initial convo, rather than what you’re looking for, because they know the latter is likely to change once you get some dresses on.

Three key takeaways when choosing where to go

1. Talk to people. Websites are helpful but word-of-mouth is the best way to understand what kind of experience a salon gives their brides.
   
2. Don’t make a pest of yourself. You will have plenty of time to talk through your ideas about your dress and your wedding with your consultant once you’ve made an appointment. Salons are businesses and time is money – most, especially the smaller ones, simply can’t afford to be having long conversations with brides who haven’t yet committed to an appointment.
   
3. Having said this, a great salon will treat you with warmth, respect and honesty if you put in a call to ask how they manage things. What you get on the phone is likely a good reflection of what you’ll get in your consultation.  

Hope this helps!

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Have some insight or hot tips on how to choose your salon? Drop me a comment!