Pre-Appointment Guide

So you've booked your appointment, now what?!
It's time for one of the most exciting parts of wedding planning: dress shopping! Our team can't wait to meet you and help you find a bridal gown that is everything you wanted and more. At Brandi's we believe that your dress shopping experience should be FUN and stress-free, so we've put together some of our pro-tips to set you up for success before your appointment.

What to bring

We're not going to tell you to wear nude underwear - you already know to do that, right? What we are going to tell you is that the absolute best thing that you can bring with you is an OPEN MIND that is ready to trust us and the process of finding your bridal gown!

Like everyday fashion, bridal trends are constantly changing, and our stylists are always up to date on today’s, tomorrow’s and even next year’s trends! Having an idea of what you want to wear on your wedding date is always a great starting point for dress shopping but be open to letting your stylist take your vision to the next level!

Mindset is everything: coming into your appointment with the mentality that you’ll be finding your dress today will allow you to relax and enjoy the experience. It’s also important to note that everyone’s journey to finding their dress is different, whether its one that includes an entire box of tissues (don’t worry, we have these in spades) split amongst you and your group, or a simple moment when you put on a dress and finally feel like YOU – we are here for all of it and more.

When to shop

Weekends: Weekends are for the party people! We’re talking high energy, larger group sizes, and lots of celebrating as our brides are saying “yes to the dress!” Don’t be surprised if complete strangers end up becoming part of your cheering squad!

Weekdays: Weekdays tend to be more laid-back at the salon. If you’re looking for a more relaxed environment and less eyes on you, book a weekday or weeknight appointment. You might even get lucky and have the entire store to yourself!

Know your Timeline & Price Point!

Timeline: Our Special Order dresses take anywhere from 3-7 months for delivery and most seamstresses want 2-3 months for alterations. To give yourself the most options from our collection, we recommend ordering at least 9-12 months out from your wedding date. Just like finding your fiancé, you never know when you’ll find the perfect dress and it is absolutely okay to say yes whenever that happens!

With that said, sometimes love can’t wait so many of our designers offer rush options to get your dress in sooner. We also have over 250 designer dresses available in our off-the-rack section that are available to take home the day of your appointment!

Price Point: Your stylist will always ask you what your price point is for your bridal gown before you begin shopping so that they can be respectful of your budget. Fun Fact: our store is one of the only salons in the area that is not on commission. Our stylists are HERE. FOR. YOU. to help you find a dress that you love and cannot wait to wear on your wedding day.

Our Special Order Bridal Gowns are priced $899-$5000, but most of them fall between $1499-$2299.

Our Sample Sale Bridal Gowns start at just $99 and are up to 70% off their original price!

Bring YOUR People!

We want to make sure that you bring the people whose opinions matter the most when you say “yes” to the dress, whether that is one person or an entourage! Remember that more people often includes more opinions, which can make your shopping experience more stressful and confusing than needed. Helpful Hint: you really only want to bring the people who you know will be supportive and understand your style.

What to expect at your appointment

One-on-one Professional Stylist AKA Your New BFF: Your appointment includes a personal stylist who will be with you every step of the way for your hour and 45 minutes at our store. Our stylists have a vast knowledge of every dress in the store and are genuine, experienced, and honest. Your stylist will show your guests to their seating area along our runways and bring you into your private fitting room to get acquainted. They will take time to chat with you and understand your vision and style for your wedding day.

We understand that this may be your first time walking down the aisle and our stylists are equipped with all the knowledge about dress construction, production and alterations that you will need to help make your decision.

Store Tour: After we get to know you a bit, we like to take you on a tour of our 12,000 square foot salon so that you and any guests you’d like to accompany you can get a feel for everything that we have to offer. After seeing our Mothers and Bridesmaids area, our tour ends in our two bridal gown rooms where our 600+ dresses are arranged by price and can easily be shopped.

Our appointments are uniquely designed to be a collaborative effort between you and your stylist. Brandi’s staff knows our inventory like no other and will pull a variety of dresses for you to try on throughout your appointment, but we also love for you to shop our racks and pick out pieces that speak to you and your unique vision.

Private Fitting Room: Once you and your stylist have chosen 6-8 dresses you’ll be shown back to your private fitting room where you stylist will help you in and out of the dresses. You’ll be surprised how quickly we help you narrow down styles until you find the one!

Sizing

Real talk: Bridal sizing is WEIRD, so expect to try on some dresses that are too big, some that are too small, and be prepared to be sized into a number size you've never been before!

Our gowns are sample sizes typically in sizes 10-28 and our stylists have tricks to make sure a gown can fit you so you can really see what it would look like in your size.

At the time of purchase your stylist will measure you at the bust, waist and hips and show you on your designer’s size chart which sizes you fall into. Most brides fall into all sorts of different sizes, but we always recommend ordering the largest size and altering the rest of the dress to fit you perfectly. However, your sizing choice is yours to make!

Purchasing Logistics

Special Order Bridal Gowns require at least 50% of the payment to be made with Cash, Credit/Debit (Visa, MasterCard, Discover), Checks, and any combination of the three. The remaining balance is due within 30 days of your dress’ arrival. Sample Sale dresses must be paid in full and Checks are not accepted if the dress is leaving the store with you.

Please note: over the years we have received many requests from our guests to tip their bridal stylist. For this reason, there will be an option to leave your stylist a tip at checkout. Please know that while tips are always appreciated, they are never expected.

Feel Free to visit the FAQ page for more info and never hesitate to reach out to us with any other questions you may have. Welcome to the Brandi’s Family!

Request an Appointment
Please call or fill out the form below.
(608) 527-4436
Bride@Brandisbridal.com
Mon
10 AM to 5 PM
Tues & Thu
10 AM to 7 PM
Fri & Sat
9 AM to 5 PM
Sunday
Open by Appointment Only

*Hours May Vary – Please Call for Today's Hours

Fill out Appointment Request Form