Ordering a Wedding Dress Versus Buying "Off the Rack"

When beginning the search for your dream dress, you may have heard the lingo "off the rack" in the bridal world. But what is "off the rack" and what are the key differences of choosing a dress "off the rack" versus ordering a dress? There is no right or wrong way to go, it just depends on your budget, timeline, and preferences!

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Style Selection

Fashion trends are always changing and evolving, bridal gown trends are no different. As a bride, when you choose to order one of the sample gowns, you are usually choosing styles that are from the designer's newest line or popular gowns that have been recently carried over from the previous year. When you buy "off the rack" you're buying a style that may have been discontinued or is transitioning to make room for new collections to come in. The advantage of ordering a dress is that you are more likely to get a new style and can have your option of color choices. When buying "off the rack," you are likely getting an older or discontinued style and you are not able to order it in a different size or color. If you have your eye on a style from a previous season or want to purchase something right away, definitely check out the "off the rack" section.

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Sizing

Upon ordering your dream dress, your measurements are taken in order for you to receive the size closest to your specific body measurements. The "pro" of ordering in this case is that you are guaranteed to get the dress in your size and only minor alterations may be needed when the dress arrives. You can also see if the designer allows for additional customization which might be a good option for special measurements or if you really do not want additional alterations done after the dress arrives. Although you may still need a bustle added. With "off the rack" gowns, you might get lucky if a dress you love is in your size, but more than likely, you'll need alterations and changes. Since "off the rack" gowns are usually more budget-friendly and readily available, you might think it's worth purchasing even if the size is a little off! Bigger is always better. Taking a dress in is easier than letting it out if it is too small.

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Convenience

On a tight budget and needing an affordable dress? Getting married within the next couple of weeks?  Looking for something to take home immediately after purchasing? These are all great reasons to look into dresses "off the rack." If you have around 6-9 months before your wedding date, ordering a dress might be the best route in order to guarantee a brand new gown, a current style, and a dress in your size/color. If you have a tight budget or can't afford to wait 6 months to get your dress, consider the "off the rack" options, but remember to allow time for alterations if you need them. Also, keep in mind most "off the rack" dresses have been tried on previously and might shows slight signs of wear and tear rather than ordering a new dress from the designer. Make sure to shop the section that works best for your budget and timeline.

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Whether you decide to order a dress or buy it "off the rack," remember to find the dress that will make you feel beautiful on your special day! Don't be afraid to ask your bridal stylist questions about dresses in your price range, the time it will take to get a dress in, or "off the rack" options!

Hailey S.

Bridal Consultant/Stylist

McKinley Bridal

Customer Service is Queen

Your wedding day!!! If it is done right and you put in the work it should be the only one you get. You will probably want every aspect of that day to be memorable and exciting, especially when you go wedding dress shopping. So many brides have expressed disappointment when it came to buying their wedding dress. The number one reason...customer service. A lot of bridal shops have forgotten that finding the perfect dress is part of the whole experience. This is special too. The b2b should feel, well, special.

Working in this industry and having been a bride myself, I have heard some pretty outlandish things from bridal consultants. Thankfully, I wasn't naive enough to listen to the bad advice. I was so amazed at some of things they would say with a straight face. Some funny ones are:

"Don't discuss anything personal with the client."- What?! That is exactly what some brides want. They love discussing the details of their wedding and they may ask what you did on your wedding day. There is no harm in talking. Really?!

"Get them in and out of their dress choices as quickly as possible. Their appointments are for only an hour." - In other words, rush them to the point where they are too confused to make a decision. That's smart. Don't get me wrong, I know you have to keep appointment times but you should be able to do it without rushing them. A good consultant knows how to manage her time properly.

"Don't pull anything they didn't ask for." - Are you kidding me?! You are the expert sometimes you may have to show a b2b something she never thought to try on. They may come in with a specific dress in mind but when they put it on, it's a big fat NO. It is your expertise that she is relying on. That one dress she never thought to try-on may end up being THE one.

The bottom line is customer service is queen and that is how the bride should feel, like a queen.

If you are a bride-to-be and you find the treatment you are receiving to be less than expected, don't be afraid to tell them or take your money elsewhere. There are too many choices in designer wedding dress shops that you don't have to tolerate ill treatment from anybody. If you love a particular store and you really must get your dress there, then ask for a different consultant. It may be that a particular person isn't up to par but make sure to let the owner know of that consultant's behavior. A good owner will correct it promptly.

Happy Shopping!
McKinley Bridal 😊

5 Wedding Don'ts That You Never Thought You'd Hear

Long gone are the days when weddings were expected to be "proper". The days when you were required to have the correct table settings, stationary with perfect wording, conduct yourself with dignity and not get to rambunctious, and; lets not forget the most important thing, your dress had to be white! Thank goodness we don't play by those rules anymore. Now weddings are actually fun! But with all the fun there are still details that we have difficulty deciding over because we want one thing and our loved ones think it should be something else. Some of the rules of Emily Post may come into play when you consult with your grandmother, whom you adore or your have that one bridesmaid who is a hippie at heart and thinks you should slide down a rainbow for your aisle walk. Okay, I know that was extreme but you get my point...everyone's an expert!

One favorite saying of family and friends when it comes to helping with your wedding is, "Whatever makes you happy". But it sometimes means, "Go ahead and go with what you say you want but I think its a bad idea". Well I'm here to tell you, "Do whatever makes you happy," and I actually mean it! If you are still not quite sure what I mean, here are five wedding don't that you never thought you'd hear:

1. Your flower girl/ringbearer DON'T have to be toddlers! They don't even have to be children for that matter. I consulted a bride once who was concern because she didn't have children in her family and none of her friends had children. She was trying to figure out where she was going to "get" some children because she always envisioned walking down the aisle on petals. What do you mean "get" some children?! Was she planning on buying some child actors or something?  Why would you want random, strange kids in your photos so one day, when you and your husband are celebrating 5, 10, 20 years of marriage, you can't even remember who the heck those kids were. So I asked if she had any teenagers that she knew and was close with. It turned out she had a niece in middle school who she loved dearly and a male cousin in high school. I suggested she use them. She had to sit with the idea for a minute but finally she decided that it was adorable and it worked out beautifully. No one scolded her for using teenagers.
2. Your guests DON'T have to be seated at the ceremony! If you are having an intimate or outdoor wedding. You can "86" the chairs and choose to have your quests stand for the ceremony. One idea that I thought was beautiful was all the guests encircled the officiant and the couple and surrounded them with their love. If you love having the energy and closeness of everyone you love why not? But a few things to consider; let your guests no this ahead of time so they know what to expect, be on time because you don't want everyone standing for too long, and no long-winded minister!
   
3. You DON'T have to send out thank you cards! I bet your thinking...WHAT! I'm just thinking of that bride who will probably not get them done anyway because she hates writing, can't think of anything to say, and her penmanship looks like chicken scratch. Instead maybe consider a personal phone call once you've opened all your gifts. That way you can chat a little about the wedding (what bride doesn't like that) and express how much having them there meant to you. You may even ask suggested uses of the odd shaped thing they got you that you thought mashed potatoes but actually is used for coffee. Let's be honest thank you cards usually end up in the trash once they are read anyway. The only people you should make sure you write something personal to is your attendants, parents/grandparents, and anyone who is special like an aunt who sat in your mother's absence. You may also consider using ecards or a heartfelt text to that one friend who never answers her phone. 
4. You DON'T have to wear a white dress, or a dress for that matter!
   
   Most bridal stores only carry ivory dresses because that is the sought-after color right now but you see more champagne and pink gowns filling the racks these days too. Some brides want to be unconventional all together and rock a black ensemble for their special day. It doesn't matter the color of your gown as long as you feel amazing in it. Your style should represent well, YOU. If you are a bride that usually wouldn't be caught dead in a skirt or a normal day, why buy one for your wedding? Bridal pantsuits have come a long way. You don't have to look like a man when you don some slacks.  There are feminine cuts that are very elegant and you can still feel like a lady, just ask Solange. She pulled off a pantsuit for her wedding that had numerous brides opting for that style on their day.
5. Lastly, you DON'T have to follow ANY rules! Your wedding is suppose to tell you and your mate's story. You may have loved ones to consider in your planning and that is perfectly fine but don't lose who you are in the process. If your first mind says you don't like something,
   
   speak up. You don't want to look back on the one day that you will never get again (hopefully) and regret it. Now I am not saying be rude or inconsiderate, everything can be done with love and kindness. If there are some things that you don't feel passionate about and mom would like for you to include them then by all means but if she asking you to wear her ballgown that she married your father in 40 years ago and you're planning a beach wedding then maybe a little conversation needs to happen. 

Hopefully, these recommendations won't get you disowned from the family or unfriended on Facebook. What I hope it does is allow for the best day of your life! One that you both will look back on with pride and great memories. 

McKinley Bridal 😄

Plus Size Dreams

While working at a bridal shop in Dallas, Texas, I met a sweet lady by the name of Stacy. Stacy came into the store like any other bride-to-be, excited and hopeful that she would find the perfect wedding dress. Right away I noticed that Stacy was a vibrant and curvaceous woman and I wanted to put her in a gown that showed off those wonderful curves and matched her confidence. What Stacy did not know is the concern that was going on in my head. As a consultant, you never want the client to feel any apprehension or nervousness you may have. I have always strived to put my b2b (brides-to-be) at ease. This is an exciting time for them and I want to make them feel comfortable and happy. My concern was the shop that I was working had a poor selection of plus size dresses. The shop was packed full of gorgeous gowns but it seemed when it came to deciding on the full-figured styles that just closed their eyes and said give me those.

I pulled the best selections I could find but I knew they were less than par. As we tried each gown on I could see the joy and excitement diminishing from Stacy's face. I tried dressing the selections up with accessories but it just wasn't enough. It broke my heart for two reasons. One because every b2b should feel beautiful while trying on dresses and two, I was also in Stacy's shoes once upon time. I wasn't the same size but I too am a curvaceous woman. When I went dress hunting for my big day, I was hoping to try on any dress in the shop that I liked but the sample sizes were not my size. When they had to pull gowns two sizes up, the choices didn't look as fashionable. I looked around and as the sizes got larger the dresses were plain or down right ugly. I was in disbelief. I later figured it out that bridal gowns tend to run smaller than your normal size. But most b2b don't realize that. I showed Stacy the more fashionable selections in smaller sizes and told her we could order her size but with the inability to try it on, that was a bust. And understandably so. Who wants to buy a dress they can't try on?

As Stacy gathered her things to leave, I made my apologies. Stacy had a pending wedding date and no dress to be excited about. She stated she wasn't expecting dozens of dresses to chose from but a good few would have been appreciated. She left feeling disappointed and said that she was going to give dress-hunting a break for a while. My heart went out to her.

Alot of plus size b2b who want a designer gown either settle for a dress they are not 100% happy with, they order a dress in their size without trying it on and take the risk, they have to travel a good distance to find a store that offers more, or they purchase from a place that mass produce non-designer dresses. That should not be the case. Boutiques should carry beautiful dresses for everyone and just because someone is plus size doesn't mean she should be forced to be boring or understated.

So, until options improve, here is some advice for any full-figured b2b:

• Don't be afraid to tell a store owner if their selection of plus size gowns is dissapointing. 
• If you are interested in a particular style of dress, call boutiques ahead of time and ask if they carry your desired style in plus sizes.
• Check out store websites. Alot of them are very informative about what they carry. 
• If time permits, go to a local bridal show and speak with dress vendors about their selection. Ask them to be honest about their plus size options so you don't waste your time visiting a location that can't accomodate you.
• Try not to get discouraged. That dress is a lifeless object until you step into it and breath life into it. You make the dress! The most beautiful dress won't seem beautiful if you are lacking self-confidence.

So good luck to all the full-figured brides-to-be out there. And if you are planning on a fall wedding in 2017, come visit us in the spring!

😉
 McKinley Bridal