The terms “bridal sale” and “bridal boutique” can send most brides into a frenzy of pure bliss when it comes to wedding dress shopping. Every bride wants to know how to save money on a wedding dress, regardless of her budget.
Not sure where to get that perfect dress on a budget? We compare the pros and cons of buying a wedding gown at a bridal sale vs. a traditional bridal boutique.
Pros and Cons of Buying a Wedding Dress from a Boutique
Pros
- Selection of Latest Styles: Bridal boutiques feature the latest designs and styles of renowned designers as recently seen in magazines and at fashion shows.
- Customization Options: Adding more embellishments, changing the neckline, or adding sleeves may be possible at a bridal boutique.
- Perfect Fit: Bridal boutiques have experienced stylists to take measurements and use their knowledge of the gown design to ensure the dress is the right fit.
- Personalized Attention: Bridal boutiques offer one-on-one service with private rooms, comfortable sitting, and some even offer sparkling wine or champagne.
Cons
- High Price Tag: Bridal boutiques are notorious for selling wedding dresses at high prices, forcing brides to settle for a second or third-choice gown.
- Budget Cruncher: With the high cost of a wedding dress from an expensive boutique, brides are forced to significantly cut the budget of other wedding costs such as venue, flowers, and food.
- Few Discounts: A bridal boutique rarely offers big discounts as their stock is small and received directly from a few designers as opposed to organizations that feature bridal sale options.
- Long Delivery Time: Less options at a bridal boutique equates to the need to order the dress in the right size, forcing the bride to wait months for their dress to be delivered.
Pros and Cons of Buying a Wedding Dress from a Bridal Sale
Pros
- Reduced Prices: A bridal sale is held to release excess stock which translates to slashed prices, benefiting the bride’s wedding budget.
- Access to Designer Dresses: Most brides can only dream of wearing a gown from a well-known wedding designer. Bridal sales provide this access.
- Availability of Matching Accessories: Purchasing a wedding gown at a bridal sale allows for the opportunity to find the right piece of jewellery or headgear to match the dress at low prices.
- Advanced Purchase of Dress: A bridal sale is a unique opportunity to find your perfect wedding dress weeks and months in advance of the wedding.
- Plus-Size Dresses: At bridal sales, a massive selection of plus-size wedding gowns are available and at a huge discount.
- Trial Rooms: Each bride has an opportunity to choose a number of dresses to try on to find the right one.
- No-Obligation to Purchase: At a bridal sale, brides and their entourage are invited to view all of the dresses with no pressure to make a purchase.
Cons
- Limited Customization: With a bridal sale, the dresses chosen are to be sold as is. There is usually no options for customization.
- No Alterations: Bridal sales are designed to sell the dress as is, without any alterations to be made by the seller.
- No Personal Stylist: At a bridal sales event, the aim is to sell as many dresses as possible with little to no time or space to conduct a personal fitting.
Want to Save on Your Wedding Dress? Visit a Pop-Up Bridal Sales Event Near You
For affordable wedding dresses from national and international designers, be sure to visit the Opportunity Bridal pop-up bridal dress sales event near you! Based on our unique business model, we travel the country with more than 600 various wedding dress designs at remarkable prices ranging from $399 to $1,199!
No more waiting for delivery or in-stock selections! Choose your dream dress from sizes 2-28W, try it on in a private dressing room, purchase, and take the gown home with you that very same day!
Ricarda is the National Sales Manager for Opportunity Bridal. Ricarda comes from a creative background but has been working in the Bridal industry for over 5 years and has done over 300 sales events, coast to coast. Her mission is to create welcoming and warm experiences for everyone she meets and loves the chance to learn and share her knowledge of the Bridal industry with others.
Check Our Upcoming Bridal Pop-up Wedding Dress Sale Near You