What is a bridal shop?

A bridal shop is a shop that specializes in selling or renting formal wear for weddings and other special occasions. Bridal shops can be traditional bricks-and-mortar stores, online stores or both. The staff members of a bridal shop are experts in formal wear design and selection and often have years of experience helping brides, grooms, and members of wedding parties arrange formal wear for their celebrations.

What goods or services does a bridal shop provide?

Bridal shops provide wedding dresses, mother-of-the-bride gowns, tuxedos, flower girl dresses, and other formal wear. Bridal shops that serve certain cultures may also arrange formal dresses for quincenera celebrations (a Latino tradition to celebrate a girl's fifteenth birthday) or, in America, formal prom dresses or suits for high school graduation ceremonies.

How can a bridal shop help me with my wedding?

The most obvious way in which a bridal shop can help you with your wedding is by helping you find your wedding dress and arranging formal wear for the rest of your wedding party. Finding the right dress is a major part of planning a wedding and bridal shop assistants are experts in wedding dress selection.

In addition to arranging your dress and wedding party's formal wear, bridal shop staff can help you plan your wedding by offering advice gained from their years of experience working with brides, grooms, and wedding parties. The staff at a good bridal shop in your area will be able to tell you popular wedding reception venues, give you the names of florists or caterers their other clients have been satisfied with, and even sooth the pre-wedding jitters of nervous brides and grooms!

Do bridal shops arrange men's clothing as well?

Yes. Bridal shops not only help brides find wedding dresses, but also help grooms, best men, ring boys, fathers-of-the-bride, and other men in your wedding party find the right formal wear. Bridal shop staff will be experts at measuring men for formal wear and finding tuxedos of the right cut and fit.

Even if your male wedding party members have never worn a suit in their lives, a good bridal shop will have them kitted out and looking sharp at your wedding.

Can bridal shops help me organize flowers or catering for my wedding?

Sometimes. Some bridal shops specialize only in providing wedding dresses or formal wear, but others can work with catering companies or flower shops to provide a one-stop-shop experience. Even if a bridal shop doesn't organize flowers or catering themselves, their staff will have heaps of knowledge and advice gained from meeting and talking to other brides and wedding planners. Bridal shop staff often attend wedding industry trade exhibitions, and can usually give you good advice on finding a caterer or florist.

Do bridal shops sell wedding dresses online?

Some bridal shops do sell wedding dresses online, and others don't. While many brides are happy with wedding dresses they've bought online and appreciate the convenience of online bridal shopping, other brides prefer to touch, feel and try on potential wedding dresses before making their final decision.

If you decide to try shopping at an online bridal shop, make sure you have your accurate measurements on hand. Since wedding dresses are heavy and expensive to ship, returning a poorly fitting dress can cost you time and money.

How can I choose the best bridal shop for me?

It's generally a good idea to patronize a local bridal shop if there is one in your area. Staff at a local bridal shop will be able to give you the most useful advice on local wedding venues, florists, or caterers. Also, since many brides make multiple trips to bridal shops before finally choosing a wedding dress, patronizing a local shop makes the process convenient.

How far in advance should I visit a bridal shop to buy my wedding dress?

There's no set rule for how long in advance you should visit a bridal shop to buy your wedding dress, but it's a good idea to give yourself plenty of time to decide on your wedding dress. There's nothing worse for a bride than rushing to find a wedding dress and ending up with a dress you’re not totally happy with.

Keep in mind that your wedding dress should be the prefect dress for you. It might take you several visits to the shop where you'll try on different dresses to find the right one. You might bring several friends or family members with you on different visits to get their opinion. The shop staff may be able to suggest great dresses, but might have to order them in. Brides who are careful shoppers might give themselves a few months.

Brides who can make quicker shopping decisions should allow a few weeks.