Shopping For Wedding Dresses in Hickory, NC: Your Guide to Off-the-Rack vs. Special Order Wedding Dress Shops
No matter how or where you find it, the most important part of any bride’s wedding dress hunt is finding the perfect dress that feels like it was made for you! Before starting shopping for your wedding dress, you should know the key differences in the stores you’re shopping at to see what feels right to you.
When planning Sero, we decided we wanted a fully personalized experience, all the way down to your dress. We decided to take the special order route for this reason, but let’s make sure you understand what that means for your experience and what feels like the best fit for you.
Off-the-Rack:
Buying a gown off the rack is a great option for many brides, especially those who are on a shorter timeline or have a smaller budget. Plus, getting to take your dress home the same day is super exciting! Since special order gowns are made-to-order, they can take months to arrive, which is limiting for people who need their dress in, altered, and ready for their big day sooner.
The process for finding and purchasing a gown off-the-rack looks like you going into a store with samples hanging, finding what you like, and trying those on. If you find the one, you can purchase it there and take it home that day (with the exception of leaving it to have alterations done in-store)!
The only downfalls of off-the-rack dresses, for most brides, are a lack of sizing/customization options as well as some general wear and tear from the gowns having been tried on before. However, that’s why they are typically sold at a discounted price, sometimes hundreds of dollars below what they would sell for at MSRP!
Special Order:
With that being said, there are still options for brides with a smaller timeline and budget who also want to be able to have a custom wedding dress! In our planning at Sero, we made sure to choose designers who are able to work with shorter timelines and still remain affordable. They have rush order options available (for a fee), and our gowns at Sero currently range from $1,195 to $2,495.
The process for finding and purchasing a bespoke wedding dress still starts with you coming into the store and finding and trying on the dresses you like. Then, instead of purchasing the EXACT gown you tried on in store, we will talk about customization options, like colors, lining, boning, buttons, length, sleeves, etc. (you name it!). After that we will get your measurements and order that gown in your size exactly how you want it. This allows you to make sure you love EVERYTHING about your dress.
For example, imagine finding the perfect dress but there’s just one part about it that you don’t really love. Maybe you wished it had sleeves, or buttons all the way down the train, or lining inside instead of being sheer. These are all things we can customize and personalize for you, so that your dress is everything you want it to be.
The designer then makes the dress and ships it to us, and then when it arrives you can come in and try on your dress that was specially made for you that no one else has ever tried on!
We think custom wedding dresses are so special, and we love having the flexibility to make sure your dress is everything you’ve dreamed of and more. At Sero Bridal, we think of you in every part of the process, and try to curate the most perfect experience for your wedding dress shopping.
