FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
FROM OUR A&BÉ BRIDES
here’s some of our most common questions, but if you still have any lingering questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to reach out to us!
are appointments required?
yes! our goal at a&bé bridal shop is to help you find your wedding dress! for that reason, if you want to try on dresses, we do require an appointment. this way we can ensure that there will be a dedicated stylist working one-on-one with you for your full appointment!
how much time will i need to shop?
we reserve 90 minutes for every bride, and our appointments run back-to-back. we find this is enough time to choose your dress and complete your order.
who should i bring with me to my appointment?
bring the key people that you cannot make this decision without. for some, this may mean shopping alone and for others it may be a couple of loved ones. when you find your dress, if there is someone you don’t want to miss that moment who can’t join you, we can facetime them! be sure to double-check the capacity of your fitting room on our website when deciding who to bring as we have limited space in our boutique.
what’s the parking situation?
please check out our location page to see our parking availability or call your location and a stylist can inform you of the parking available.
what if i need to reschedule?
no problem! we just require a 24 hour cancellation notice due to our limited availability. we typically have a waitlist of brides who would love to schedule an appointment with us, so if you are unable to make it to your designated appointment time, please call the shop, and we would be more than happy to help you reschedule.
how much shopping should i be doing?
if you find the shop that fits your vibe, don’t worry about making multiple additional appointments. our collection is carefully curated to give you the best range of bridal styles, so you can leave knowing you shopped a variety of options!
can i pre-shop the collection online?
absolutely. get familiar with your local shop’s collection through the location specific pinterest inventory board.
do you welcome the LGBTQIA+ community?
hell yes! we welcome all, celebrate love, and affirm every expression. we are a safe place for our brides, our team, and our community and reject the assumption that a bride identifies as a specific gender. a bride, a groom, a partner, a babe; however you identify, we’ve got the dress for you. we also respect yours and your guests’ pronouns.
what size samples will i be able to try on?
while our collection includes styles above and below this range, the majority of our collection is size 8-12. to see our collection of styles that range from size 16-24, please check out our size inclusive inventory boards on pinterest.
our stylists are trained to help you envision the fit by clipping, pinning, and paneling each gown as samples fit no one perfectly. we are consistently working to expand the options for all body types in our stores. reach out to your local shop with any and all questions!
all of our designers have individual fits and every sample will fit differently. we understand that it can be difficult to envision your wedding dress when the sample that you try on doesn’t fit perfectly, but we’ve got all sorts of tricks to help you get a closer vision of what you will look like on your wedding day. we’ve got pedestals to stand on to add length, clips to close in fabric, and panels to add fabric. we work with brides of many shapes and sizes each day, and have your back through this process!
eyeing a specific dress and want to know more about the shop sample? we encourage you to reach out to your local shop. they’ll talk you through all the details and what you can expect before coming in for your appointment.
what is the price point of your gowns?
our gowns start right around $1,200 and go up from there. there will always be a large selection of wedding dresses between the $1,500 - $3,500+ range, but we do also carry some designers that are priced in the $4,000 - $5,000 range. we will absolutely honor your budget and do our best to find you a gown that you love. our designers vary by location, but you can find more information about each designer’s price point here.
my wedding isn’t for another year (or more!), when should i start shopping for my dress?
to have the most options and the least stressful shopping experience, we recommend shopping as soon as possible! many of our gowns are made to order, meaning that the dress doesn’t start getting cut and sewn until you place your deposit on the dress! and, the earlier you decide on a dress, the more time you have to plan all the other details of your wedding, or just relax and get excited for your big day!
how long will my dress take and what about rushes?
production timelines vary based on the dress designer and style. all dresses require alterations, which can take an additional few months on top of the gown’s production time. to inquire further about production timelines and our recommended local alterations experts, reach out to your local a&bé bridal shop.
if your wedding date is rapidly approaching, that’s ok, we’ve got your back! we have off-the-rack options for you, rush options, stock options. we make it our mission to help you find your dream wedding dress no matter your timeline.
help! my wedding is in a few months, can i still get a dress?
don’t worry babe, we’re here to help! we have quite a few dress options that can be ordered with a quicker turnaround, including stock options that can ship within a week or two. depending on the designer, this rush may incur an additional fee.
we also sell select floor samples right off the rack (and often for a discount). do keep in mind our rush options may be limited as well as some locations’ off-the-rack selections, but your stylist will help you navigate all options while still keeping your budget in mind.
what about alterations?
we select the gown size based on your measurements, but we can pretty much guarantee that your dress will need alterations to get the best fit. we don’t provide alterations in shop as we know that there are experts who have the best equipment and skills to assist with the alterations. we're happy to give a list of the top rated in your area, but you are not required to use them. please reach out to us at your local shop to find out who we recommend! the alterations experts will be able to give you the most accurate information on local pricing and timelines.
when should i order my veil and accessories?
most people are surprised to learn that veils and accessories are all made to order and are not typically sold directly off-the-rack. while this means that you know the piece is being made especially for you, it also means that it takes some patience for the item(s) to arrive in the shop. standard production time for veils and accessories is between 6-12 weeks. and while we can usually accommodate a rush, it may cost a little bit more! we’d love to save you some bucks so we recommend ordering at least two months before your wedding.
what is a sample sale and what is a trunk show?
while all of our locations have off-the-rack sections, sample sales are an opportune time to shop an even wider sample selection than normal at amazing prices. we typically host virtual sample sales and in-person sample sale events throughout the year.
a trunk show is a special event at a&bé to see more of a specific designer’s collection and often to see the latest pieces in the collection. since we don’t carry every gown from each collection, trunk shows are your opportunity to see additional styles that aren’t usually carried in the store.
stay tuned to our brand feed for upcoming sample sale announcements and check out our shop location pages for approaching trunk show events.
what’s this i hear about a sister store?
anna bé bridal boutique is brought to you by the woman who created a&bé. anna bé and a&bé are sister shops, but each store has its own unique feel and curated collection. shop both to find the biggest selection of wedding dresses from over 25 designers and 1 shared philosophy of creating the best shopping experience for brides.