Do I need an appointment?

Yes, we prefer an appointment to be sure we have a consultant available to help you and a free dressing room.

What are your hours?

Usually we are open 11am to 5pm Monday to Friday, and 10am to 6pm Saturday, but this varies according to how many appointments we have.  It is always best to call ahead.

Your windows look so beautiful  - do you put the most expensive dresses in them?

No, we put a cross selection of gowns at all price-levels in the windows and change them frequently.

From the look of your store, I’m not sure I can afford anything, do you only carry expensive gowns?

We like to make out store look as beautiful as possible, the same as we do our brides.  However, our gowns are extremely affordable and often look much more than they cost.  We have starting prices from a few hundred dollars – no more expensive than any of the big-name stores you’ve heard about.  Our prices range all the way up to the couture level of several thousand, for those brides who are looking for a couture gown.  Our most popular price range is around $600-$900.

 Even your website looks expensive.  Are you sure I can afford anything?

It’s our job to make you look a million dollars!  We’ll keep you within budget.  We carry some of the best and most well-known names in bridal gowns, and brides are often surprised at how low the prices are.  Also, we are trying to help our customers in this economy by selling our gowns at the lowest possible authorized prices.

Why does your store look so much better and more expensive than other stores?

We take a lot of care in the presentation of our store and in choosing the collections we carry.  There is a big difference in the quality of fabric and workmanship from one designer to the next and we look for this when choosing which designers to work with.  Our background is in design and couture craftsmanship, which means we are trained in being able to look at a garment and see whether it is of good quality.  We analyse whether the style will be good for a variety of our brides and whether we think it will be popular.

I’ve seen a gown in a magazine which I’d like to order.  Can you get it for me?

We cannot get every gown from every designer.  We can usually get any gown from the designers we carry.  Give us a call to find out whether we can get the gown you want, or we may have something very similar that you would like to try on.

Do you sell off-the-rack or are all your gowns special ordered?

We do both.

What is the latest time I can order my wedding gown?

We advise our brides not to wait until the latest possible time.  In the rare event that something goes wrong, the date changes unexpectedly, or anything unforeseen happening, we like to have enough time to be able to deal with the matter.  If you are worried that the gown may arrive too soon, you can ask us to have the gown delivered to us at the time you prefer and we can usually arrange that.  Normally, the shortest ordering times are around six months, but this varies from one designer to the next.  For brides who just don’t have that long, we can choose a designer who can accommodate a shorter ordering time or go with an off-the-rack gown.

Do you have informal gowns suitable for a beach or second wedding?

Yes, several different choices, come for an appointment and take a look at what we have.

I’d like my wedding gown to be a design that no one else has.  Is that unreasonable?

It’s very understandable.  Most of our designers will customize a style to make it just how you want.  Depending on the designer, it is possible you could have a gown that no one else has.  Alternatively, you could have a custom-designed gown made for you from scratch.  Please give us a call about this and we will let you know how we go about it.

I like the neckline from one of your gowns, the bodice from another and skirt from yet another.  Also, I’d like to change the fabric and color to something different.  Can you do that?

Some of our designers frequently do this.  Just talk to us about it during your appointment and we’ll see what we can do!

I’m trying to lose weight and I don’t want to order a dress that will not fit.  What should I do about this?

We offer a re-measuring service for brides who think they will change weight before their wedding.  Once they have chosen their gown, we place their order, but then we schedule them to return at intervals for re-measuring.  If they are doing really well with their weight loss and wish to hold off even longer than the normal ordering time, we can offer the choice of waiting even longer and going with a ‘rush’ order, (usually at a small additional cost).

My parents are paying for my gown with their credit card, can you take this over the phone?

We will need your parents to complete an authorization form for their credit card payment and fax it back to us.  (Using a credit card over the phone makes it very easy for credit card fraud and we do not advise it.  We also do not advise you e-mail your credit card details for the same reason.)

I ordered my gown from you recently and I’m wondering when I should expect it?

Please contact us directly about your gown, as every designer’s ordering time is different and we will be able to give you an estimation of when we expect your gown to arrive.  We will call you as soon as your gown arrives.

When my gown arrives, will I have to pay to get it steamed?

We steam and inspect every ordered gown when it arrives and provide a free zippered breathable gown bag.  Additional steamings, if required, can be booked at nominal extra cost.

Do you have any sale gowns available?

Yes, we usually have a large selection.

Do you rent wedding gowns?

No, we cannot do this.

What sizes do your wedding gowns go up to?

We have standard sizes between a 2 and 24 available to try on, but we can order a custom measurements gown outside of those sizes.

I have an unusual figure and I’m not sure whether I will be able to find a gown to fit.  What can you suggest?

We know the fit of our different designers and which figure types they work for.  We also know with which designers we can customize the fit for a bride who has certain figure concerns.  When you come for your consultation, we will assess what will work for you and make suggestions.  You will also have the opportunity to try on many gowns and see how they look on you.

I’m just in town for a few days, but I love the gown you have in the window and I’d like to order it.  Could you ship it to me when it comes in?

Yes, let us know, and we will ship it to you.

Do your gowns ever get discontinued?

Yes, they do sometimes get discontinued.

The dress I fell in love with last time I was here has been sold off-the-rack and I would like to try it on again before I buy.  What can I do?

We can find out whether the designer has a loaner which we can order for you.  (There is a small charge for this which varies by designer .)

My bridesmaids are all over the country, what can you do to help?

We make it easy for the bride and bridesmaids.  Once you have decided which dress styles you wish to order, we can prepare an order and measurement form for you to forward to your bridesmaids.  They should get professional measurements taken, then complete the form and fax it back to West Main Bridal & Couture.  This means they will be able to pay with their credit cards without getting you involved in collecting money.

One of my bridesmaids may not fit a typical dress, what do you suggest?

Consider choosing the same color and fabric for all the dresses, but let the bridesmaids each choose their own style which will suit their figure and make them feel comfortable.  Our designer, Siri, can do a custom pattern for a bridesmaid who needs it.

My grandmothers pearls do not match my dress as I thought, do you have wedding jewelry?

Our jewelry designer designs beautiful freshwater pearl and crystal jewelry to go with the gowns.  The quality is extremely high and you can customize the design to suit your gown.

My wedding jewelry is really pretty.  I’d like to get something similar and affordable for my bridesmaids as a gift.  Can you do this in colors to match their dresses?

Yes, we can design pretty necklaces, earrings and bracelets in other colors and work within your budget.

Do you rent tuxes?

Yes, we carry a huge collection of tuxedos and suits for rental, including many designer names such as Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein.

I’m looking for vests that match my bridesmaids colors, can you do that?

Yes, we have approximately 150 styles of vest, (including Mossy Oak camouflage), in the collection.  You should easily be able to find a match to your bridesmaids.

How long in advance do I need to order my tuxes?

We like at least two weeks in advance, but to be sure to get the styles you want during a busy time of year, please order earlier.

One of the groomsmen is abroad and won’t be back until just before the wedding.  What should I do?

Come in and discuss the dates with us and place the rest of the order.  We will find out what your groomsman needs to do to get him fitted out at the last minute, (as long as we know in advance, we can accommodate this).

Do you have flower girls?

We have a lovely collection called “The Dress Up Box, by Annie Girl”.  The dresses come in white and ivory and you choose from dozens of different sashes and flowers to accent the dress.  If you prefer to have a sash made from your bridesmaid fabric, we can do that too.

My Mother hasn’t found anything to wear for my wedding or rehearsal dinner next month.  Do you carry Mother’s outfits?

Yes, we have collections by several different designers.  Some are available off-the-rack, and some can be ordered at very short notice.  For the choice of any color or style from all collections, we need about four months ordering time.

Do you have dyeable shoes in stock?

Yes, we have several collections of shoes which we can order and dye to match for you at short notice.  There is no shipping charge for regular shoe orders and we do not charge extra for dyeing.

I like one of your headpieces, but it’s not exactly what I want.  Can you customize?

We can usually customize the design of our headpieces, veils and jewelry.

I bought my wedding gown elsewhere, but I’d like to come to you for my other accessories such as veil and headpiece, jewelry and undergarments.  How will I know if they match?

Just book an appointment telling us you’d like to bring your wedding gown with you to choose your accessories and we can accommodate you.

How long does it take to order a veil?

Most of our veils are made by hand, one at a time, in Canada.  We usually require at least two months ordering time.  However, some of our most popular veils are usually in stock and sometimes the designer can get one out to us quicker.  It is a good idea to order your veil at the same time as your dress so you can see the whole effect at the same time.

I didn’t buy a slip when I bought my gown, but now I think I want one.  Do you have them?

We usually have the most popular styles in stock and can order others, including children’s, with short notice.  You can arrange to bring your gown with you to try one on before ordering.

I bought my dress elsewhere and am travelling to Charlottesville for my wedding.  I need to get my dress steamed before the wedding, can you do this for me?

Unfortunately, we no longer offer this service.

I got married last year and did not buy my wedding gown from you.  Where do you suggest I take it for cleaning or preservation?

We work with a company who cleans and preserves wedding gowns.  If you would like to bring the gown in to us, we can arrange for the cleaning and preservation and call you to pick it up from us when it comes back.  You do not need to have bought the gown from us.

Do you store gowns?

No, we do not have storage.

Do you do alterations?

At present we do not have anyone here to do alterations.  However, we do have people locally we refer out to.  The majority of the gowns ordered from us do not need any alterations to fit – that is our aim.

There are a lot of horror stories about bridal shops.  What do you think about this?

We can only talk from our own point of view.  Everyone at West Main Bridal & Couture has the bride’s best interests in mind.  We care about our brides and want them to have a lot of fun putting their wedding together, as well as the wedding day itself, and in their future married lives.  We think we have wonderful collections of wedding gowns.  We take great care choosing our gowns and know many of the designers personally, from the years of working with them.  We also try to have the friendliest, most caring staff and if our brides are upset, we are upset.  We believe in customer service and will go the extra mile for you.  A lot happens behind the scenes to be able to provide you with the best experience that we can.  We hope you believe in us, as we believe in what we do.

We had such a great wedding experience that we’d like to write something for your website and send you a photo.  How do we do this?

We love to hear from our brides and see their photos.  Give us a call if you’re able to come in to see us.  If you’d like to e-mail us anything about your experience, please send it to: info@westmainbridal.com.