Everything you need to know about finding, fitting, and perfecting your dream sample wedding dress
We take great pride in our inventory! Our sample wedding dresses come from reputable bridal boutiques and consignors who need to make room for new styles. Perfectly great wedding gowns need a new home, and that’s where we come in! That being said, we do accept samples that may need a little extra love. This may include a loose button or broken zipper, but we’re confident that a skilled seamstress can fix these imperfections. The best part? These minor imperfections mean major discounts!
Why Buy a Sample Wedding Dress?
At traditional special order boutiques, brides try on sample wedding dresses until they find the one that makes them say “yes!” Once they’ve chosen their dream dress, the boutique returns the sample wedding dress to the rack and places a special order for a brand-new, custom gown in the bride’s size and color. In about 6-9 months, it’s ready for pick-up and final alterations.
Buying a sample wedding dress is different! When you find the dress of your dreams, we don’t put it back; we send it home with you that same day! Not only does this mean you can avoid the long wait, but it also offers a chance for major savings. Sample wedding dresses are typically priced much lower than special-order dresses, allowing you to invest in a high-quality, designer gown at a fraction of the cost. You can get the bridal look you’ve always envisioned without the premium price tag.
On top of the savings, buying a sample wedding dress is a more sustainable choice. Instead of a brand-new gown being produced, shipped, and altered, you’re giving a gently used dress a second life, helping to reduce waste and the environmental footprint of the bridal industry. It’s a win-win: you save money and contribute to a greener future.
Boutiques looking to responsibly downsize send us their sample wedding dresses that are in great shape but need a new runway. Every bridal gown we receive is entirely real, 100% authentic, and comes directly from trusted bridal boutiques and consignors. While they have been tried on in store, our wedding dresses have never been worn down the aisle, meaning your dress is truly yours. Each dress still has the designer label, ensuring quality and authenticity. We never accept counterfeit gowns or work with unverified sources.
By choosing a sample wedding dress, you’re not just scoring a beautiful gown at an unbeatable price — you’re also making a conscious, affordable, and sustainable choice that still delivers the wedding dress of your dreams!
Perfecting Imperfections
Choosing a sample gown is a fantastic way to wear a designer dress at a fraction of the original cost! With all of our bridal gowns priced under $1,000, sample wedding dresses offer an affordable yet luxurious option. Not only do they help you save money, but purchasing a sample gown is also a more sustainable choice compared to ordering a brand-new dress. Plus, they’re a perfect solution for brides with shorter timelines who don’t have months to wait for a custom order.
Many minor imperfections in sample wedding gowns can be easily addressed by a skilled bridal seamstress. If you fall in love with a dress that has a missing button or boutique dust along the hemline, don’t worry! We’re here to guide you through simple fixes for common signs of wear, ensuring your gown looks flawless for your big day.
Boutique Dust
Boutique dust along the hemline of a gown is a common imperfection with a very simple fix! Often, a sensitive, unscented baby wipe will do the trick, although we advise against this for crepe fabrics, as it can leave a small water mark. Another option is to have the sample wedding dress spot cleaned at a dry cleaner, though some fabrics may require a full dry cleaning. It’s crucial to choose a reputable, trusted dry cleaner to handle such an important part of your wedding day. We’d love to suggest some of our top picks to make sure your gown is well taken care of!
Beading Replacements
Noticing a few missing or loose beads on your sample wedding dress? No need to worry! Since beading is applied by hand and individually tied off, it’s common for a few to come loose over time. The good news is that this is an easy fix during alterations. If some beads are missing altogether, you have a couple options:
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- If your sample wedding gown requires hemming or other adjustments, your seamstress can often repurpose beads from less noticeable areas of the dress to fill in any gaps or sparse areas.
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- If your dress fits perfectly and doesn’t need alterations (which is rare!), most seamstresses have a variety of beading options on hand to replace any missing details.
In either case, a skilled seamstress can easily restore your gown’s sparkle, ensuring it shines on the big day!
Oxidation
Oxidation is a natural process that can occur when a wedding dress is exposed to excessive light, sometimes causing the beading to darken over time. In most cases, this change is subtle and barely noticeable. While there isn’t a way to truly reverse oxidation, it adds a distinctive touch to your gown, making it a unique, one-of-a-kind wedding dress!
Holes in Tulle or Illusion
Don’t let small holes in delicate fabrics like tulle or illusion material keep you from choosing the gown of your dreams! If your sample wedding dress features lace or beading, a skilled seamstress can use appliqués or embellishments from other areas of the dress to seamlessly cover the imperfections. Similarly to beading repairs, if alterations are needed, excess lace or beading from the hem or sides can be repurposed. Another option is using clear thread to close up the hole — while it may be slightly visible up close, it remains discreet and hardly noticeable!
Hook + Eye Replacement
Hooks and eyes are essential fasteners used in high-stress areas like waistlines and neck openings. If the hook and eye on your dream dress are damaged, don’t worry — this is one of the easiest fixes! A seamstress can quickly repair or replace the closure in minutes.
Loose Button Loops
Button loops may get stretched after fastening multiple times. Don’t worry! Your seamstress can simply tighten them or replace them entirely.
Button Replacement
Don’t stress over a missing button on your dream dress! Seamstresses generally have buttons they can use to replace ones that have fallen off. If not, you can purchase them from a dress boutique, fabric store, or even online! Missing buttons can easily be replaced — and why not replace them all for a personal touch?
Loose or Broken Straps
Straps are a common feature to be added, removed, or altered on wedding dresses, whether it’s a special order dress or a sample gown! If the straps are in good condition, your seamstress can easily reinforce them to fit your measurements. If they’re beyond repair, the seamstress can craft new straps using leftover fabric from the hem or even from other gowns. For a completely custom touch, you can choose a unique strap made from purchased fabric or select from a variety of accessories and remnants available at Ohio Bridal Outlet.
Cup Replacement or Repair
Occasionally, the cup will loosen and come untacked inside of a bridal gown. This is an easy fix! Your seamstress can easily re-tack it!
Pull in Fabric
Fixing a pull or snag in fabric can be a bit trickier, but it’s still doable! For fabrics like tulle and organza, you or your seamstress can gently pull the affected area in the opposite direction to help loosen and relax it. From there, steaming the pull usually makes a noticeable improvement! While it may not disappear completely, tulle and organza do a great job of concealing it. For fabrics like crepe, satin, mikado, and others, steaming can also help reduce the appearance of the pull, though it won’t fully vanish.
Your Dream Dress for Less
The fit and feeling of your wedding dress is everything! Your gown should make you feel comfortable and confident, and alterations can help take your dream dress to the next level. Alterations happen after you’ve said YES to the dress and help ensure that the gown you searched high and low for is absolutely perfect for the big day.
After your yes moment, we can provide you with trusted seamstresses and dry cleaners, to help tailor the dress to your body and complete any necessary repairs. Alterations are essential and make a huge difference, whether you purchase a designer sample wedding dress with us or order a brand-new dress from a traditional boutique!
Now that you know everything about perfecting any sample bridal gown imperfections, let’s find your dream dress, for less!