What to expect & FAQs

We will start this process before you even arrive at our store.  You will receive a “Getting to Know You” questionnaire.  This is an important key to helping your Bridal Specialist fully prepare for your personalized experience. We will then contact you for a quick Follow Up call to make sure we are on the same page.  This allows us to do some homework and be fully prepared.  When you arrive at our store you will be excitedly greeted by one of our professional and friendly Bridal Specialists, who will bring you upstairs to our spacious dressing rooms. Please note, our store is a shoe free environment so we will have you kick off your shoes when you arrive. Socks or slippers are welcomed if you feel more comfortable. Your Specialist will go over a few things to get a sense of your personal style and the ideas you have already put together for your wedding. She will have a few gowns pulled for you based on the homework done and you will proceed to try on the gowns she has selected. Based on your feedback, your Specialist will guide you through the process of trying on gowns, until you find the gown of your dreams. Our goal is to have you walk away from your time with us finding your gown. Sizes from 0-32 can be ordered, with no surcharge for plus sizes. We have stock of over 500 gowns ranging from size 6 to 30.  Stock Gowns are also available for purchase!  We can not wait for you to have "Dress Success"!


Frequently Asked Questions

 

Your appointment will be approximately 1.5 to 2 hours. Plan to have some fun! Bring the person or persons that are most important to you. We do have seating for approximately 4 – 5 people. Also, photos are encouraged! We find this is a very helpful tool to see how you will look in your gown. If stairs are an obstacle, main floor appointments are available as well. Our goal at It’s Your Day is to make your gown shopping easy and stress-free. Let us take care of the details and provide you with a unique, one-stop experience as you shop for all of your bridal needs including jewellery, veils, shoes, flower girl dresses, and bridesmaid gowns!

We look forward to helping you find your dream wedding gown! Ready to shop but still have questions? Contact us now! 

 Yes, you need an appointment to shop. Our store specializes in creating a personalized bridal shopping experience and we want to make sure our staff is available help you find the perfect dress. Appointments can be made by calling the store at 519-978-5003 or you can book online through our website.

Bring along someone whose opinion you trust and respect to help you in your search. This could be your mother, sister, bridesmaid, a close friend or another relative. Who knows you best? An extra set of eyes can be extremely helpful, but limit the number of people who come with you. Too many opinions will likely confuse you and lead to a frustrating experience. Such feedback can be invaluable. But remember, it is your wedding, so you should make the final decision after carefully considering all of your choices.

We will start this process before you even arrive at our store.  You will receive a “Getting to Know You” questionnaire.  This is an important key to helping your Bridal Specialist fully prepare for your personalized experience. We will then contact you for a quick Follow Up call to make sure we are on the same page.  This allows us to do some homework and be fully prepared.  When you arrive at our store you will be excitedly greeted by one of our professional and friendly Bridal Specialists, who will bring you upstairs to our spacious dressing rooms. Please note, our store is a shoe-free environment so we will have you kick off your shoes when you arrive. Socks or slippers are welcomed if you feel more comfortable. Your specialist will go over a few things to get a sense of your personal style and the ideas you have already put together for your wedding. She will have a few gowns pulled for you based on the homework done and you will proceed to try on the gowns she has selected. Based on your feedback, your Specialist will guide you through the process of trying on gowns, until you find the gown of your dreams. Our goal is to have you walk away from your time with us finding your gown. Sizes from 0-32 can be ordered, with no surcharge for plus sizes. We have stock of over 500 gowns ranging from size 6 to 26.  Stock Gowns are also available for purchase!Your appointment will be approximately 1.5 to 2 hours. Plan to have some fun! Bring the person or persons that are most important to you. We do have seating for approximately 4 – 5 people. Also, photos are encouraged! We find this is a very helpful tool to see how you will look in your gown. If stairs are an obstacle, main floor appointments are available as well.

Brides Magazine recommends ordering your gown at least 8 to 12 months prior to your wedding date. Most stores require a 50% deposit to order your gown. It’s never too early to start shopping for your gown, but is can be too late. Make sure you shop early enough so you do not feel stressed or pressured into buying a gown just because you’ve run out of time. We now also have Affirm set up for payment plan options.

Close your eyes and envision yourself as a bride. What do you see? Write down the top 3 words that best describe how you want to look and feel on your wedding day.It will also benefit you to do some research on dress styles beforehand to get an idea of what necklines and shapes you would like to try on.The most common necklines are:

  • Sweetheart
  • V-neck
  • Strapless
  • Scoop
  • Halter

Dress styles include:

  • Ball gown
  • A-line
  • Fit & Flare
  • Sheath

Pre-shopping research will give you an idea of what styles of dresses are available. It also gives you an idea of what you may and may not like, depending on your personal style. Looking around before you shop will save you time, especially when you don’t have much time on hand. You will be able to eliminate styles you know you don’t like for yourself.Remember though, just because you did your research doesn’t mean you know everything there is to know about wedding dresses. This is just a starting point. It will help both you and your consultant during the appointment. If you are not sure you will like a certain silhouette or type of embellishment, try it on! Sometimes it’s the unexpected that will surprise you. Once you’ve found your “perfect gown”, stop looking.

The search for your wedding gown can be the most exciting and fun experiences of the the wedding planning process. Your gown will set the tone for your entire wedding. This is the one time when you will be able to experience being pampered and transformed into a gorgeous bride.Before you start shopping, consider your budget, location and personal style. Falling in love with something that’s priced well outside of your financial comfort zone can feel extremely uncomfortable and discouraging. You should also consider where and when you’re getting married. Is it a destination wedding? Will you be outside? Will it be winter, spring, summer or fall? These factors can all help you choose the perfect gown for your day.

An excellent Bridal Specialist will ask lots of questions to get more clarity about your wedding day. They will want to be helpful to you and will have some recommendations for you. An expert Specialist has seen gowns on many women in various shapes and sizes and will be able to direct you to a dress that will look great on your body. Let her expertise guide you when considering some shapes or styles you might never have imagined wearing. Your Specialist should make you feel comfortable and free to express your own opinion. From the moment you enter the boutique, be mindful of the way you are being treated and of the way the Bridal Specialist makes you feel. Do they treat you with respect? This is your special day and you deserve help that makes you feel comfortable and happy. Remember, this is probably the most expensive garment you will ever purchase and you want someone looking out for your best interests!

Wear/bring the right undergarments

You are trying on samples that other people will be trying on, so be sure to wear underwear at minimum and possibly and a strapless bra . It is better to be over-prepared for wedding dress shopping than under-prepared. The correct undergarments can make the difference between a wedding dress fitting well and a wedding dress fitting perfectly.  After finding your dream gown you can read our guide on what to wear under your wedding dress.

Wear minimal amounts of makeup

On the day of your appointment, it’s important to remember that you are going to be trying on expensive wedding dresses in ivory, champagne or gold. You don’t want to be responsible for paying for a wedding dress that you do not like because your makeup got on the dress, so wear minimal amounts of makeup.

 

However, you also don’t want to show up to your appointment looking like you just rolled out of bed. This messy, unprepared look will not give you the right impression when you put on that wedding dress that’s supposed to make you feel amazing and beautiful.

 

We recommend putting on a little bit of moisturizer, foundation, blush to rosy up those cheeks, and applying mascara on those full lashes of yours. Also, if you know you are going to have your hair pulled back in a low bun on your wedding day, tie it up in a low bun while trying on dresses. Do your hair in a way that resembles the hairstyle you are thinking about wearing for your wedding day. By doing this, you’re going to get a more realistic image of how you will look in the wedding dresses you are trying on and your consultant will be able to find you the perfect accessories to complement your gown.

Allow about three to six months for the dresses to come in, and an additional four to six weeks for alterations. Alterations typically take only two weeks, but a second fitting (if necessary) will add a few weeks.

  1. Start shopping early. During your gown shopping appointment, you’ll be trying on dress samples that will be clamped to fit your figure. Once you select the winning dress, your Bridal Specialist will take your measurements before ordering your custom-made gown. These special-order dresses average a lead time of five months, not including any necessary alterations you may choose to make after the gown arrives. Add in extra time as a safety net, plus the deadline you’ll want your dress by for bridal portraits, and it starts to add up. To be safe, shop for, select, and order your gown eight to twelve months before your wedding date.

  2. Have an open mind. Some gowns just don’t have great hanger appeal but look amazing on! If your Bridal Specialist suggests you try on a gown that’s not speaking to you from the hanger, go ahead and give it a shot. She works with her collection of gowns every day, so she knows just how much a dress can transform once it’s off the hanger and on a real bride. Very often brides end up choosing gowns they would not have initially picked for themselves. In a situation as special and fluid as shopping for your wedding gown, try and let go of any expectations you may have and be open to the process.

  3. Consider your budget carefully. In the grand scheme of wedding planning, ask yourself how important your dress is to you. If it ranks very high on your list of priorities, allocate a larger portion of your overall wedding budget to your dress. If a loved one is helping to pay for your gown, talk about and agree on a budget you’re both comfortable with well before your bridal appointment, and be sure to share this number with your Bridal Specialist. As difficult as it can be, avoid trying on gowns that are beyond your budget. Falling in love with something that’s priced well outside of your financial comfort zone can feel extremely uncomfortable and discouraging.

  4. Maximize your time — it goes quickly! Our bridal appointments range between 1.5 and 2 hours, and that time flies by! If you’re standing in front of the mirror and you’re just not feeling the gown, move on to the next one. This is not a situation that can be forced, and what they say is true: you’ll know your gown when you see it! Don’t waste time in a gown you’re feeling just ‘ehhh’ about — that time will be better spent after you find your gown and you begin thinking about veils and accessories. On that subject, don’t bother to try veils, belts, and jewelry with dresses you’re just not into. Save those for only the top contenders.

  5. Choose your entourage wisely. You may feel tempted (or pressured) to invite your mom, sister, future mother-in-law, grandmother, aunt, and all six of your bridesmaids. Take a pause before you extend all those invitations. That’s a lot of people with a lot of differing tastes and opinions. Bring a few people who will be most supportive of you and your tastes. Ultimately, you want to invite friends and family who will encourage you to choose the gown you love the most and feel the best in, not the one they prefer. Don’t feel coerced by convention or protocol to choose who comes with you. Very often, brides want to include their mom and best friend, but sometimes they love the company of a coworker, classmate, or even their fiancé.

  6. Go with the gown that makes your heart happy. Have you fallen in love with a glitzy, glamorous gown, but your wedding style is more rustic? Two words: who cares?! Choose the dress that makes you feel all kinds of giddy and special. If it doesn’t go with your theme or colors, don’t sweat it! You can change them to fit your gown if you feel strongly about everything matching. (Another reason to start dress shopping early.) If not, remember: YOU are the bride! It’s  OK (encouraged, in fact) to stand out!

  7. When you know you’ve found your dress, stop looking. Even if you still have over a year before your wedding date, give yourself a high five, place your order, and check that major wedding to-do off your list. If you keep looking, you may get overwhelmed and lose sight of what you really want. Worse still, the original gown you loved may get discontinued or increase in price in the interim. So put the wedding magazines away, stop watching Say Yes to the Dress, and pop the champagne! You’ve finally found the dress, and that is worth celebrating!

Purchase your gown from us and receive a store credit of $100 to use towards your accessories! Any Bride purchasing her Wedding Gown at It’s Your Day, will receive a $30 discount for her Bridesmaids, Mothers or Flower girls, who purchase regular price dresses.

We always have a large selection of gowns in our sale and discount racks. Please also check out our new sister store IYD’s Off the Rack Boutique.  For special in-store events, check out our events page.

We have over 500 wedding gowns in stock from sizes 6 – 30.  Sizes  0-32 can be special ordered, with no surcharge for plus sizes.

According to Wedding Bells Magazines and The Knot, the average price of a wedding gown is $1,700 – $2,500.Consider your budget carefully. In the grand scheme of wedding planning, ask yourself how important your dress is to you. If it ranks very high on your list of priorities, allocate a larger portion of your overall wedding budget to your dress. If a loved one is helping to pay for your gown, talk about and agree on a budget you’re both comfortable with well before your bridal appointment, and be sure to share this number with your Bridal Specialist. As difficult as it can be, avoid trying on gowns that are beyond your budget. Falling in love with something that’s priced well outside of your financial comfort zone can feel extremely uncomfortable and discouraging.We can accommodate all budgets. We have a wide selection of gowns at all price points, including a large sale section.

Once you have your gown, use a professional seamstress, who is an expert at altering wedding gowns. They will make the final alterations that will help your dress fit perfectly. This process is usually done 6 to 8 weeks prior to the wedding date. For your convenience, we offer a seamstress on site to help you. This process usually involves an initial fitting and one or two more alteration appointments. Please wear all undergarments, and the shoes for your wedding day to all fitting appointments. Following these fitting appointments, your dress will be pressed. You may want to wait until a day or two before your wedding before you pick it up. You can learn more about alterations by visiting our services page.

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