Machine Washing Your Wedding Gown: Yes! It can be done!

   Believe it or not, you can clean your wedding gown on your own. We clean samples all the time when they have make-up or other marks that detract from the gown during the trying on process.
   Before we begin, here are some things I need to mention:

• This post is not for you if your gown is made from silk.
• You must use a front loading washing machine - anything with an agitator will rip your gown.
• Your gown will be wrinkled after being washed and will need to be steamed or pressed.
• Although we can offer you instructions on how we wash our gowns, we can not be held responsible for any damage that may occur. 

   I have personally washed over 200 gowns in my front loading washing machine and only had one mishap - which was my fault. 

   First take all the tags off your gown along with the plastic tag holders. These little plastic pieces are what caused my one and only mishap. During the washing process one got stuck in an organza skirt and ripped it. So, make sure they are all removed!

   Second, lay your gown out on a flat, clean surface in a brightly lit room. Look the dress over thoroughly for any spots and treat them with stain remover - I prefer Spray and Wash. Make sure to turn the gown over and do this to the back as well. 

   Then, turn your gown inside out. This will keep the beading safe from getting stuck in the drum and pulled off. 

   For detergent, I prefer High Efficiency Dreft, but I have used HE Tide in the past as well. Using the measuring cup that comes with your detergent, fill it halfway to the lowest mark on the cup. Set your washer to the gentle cycle and start the washer. 

   When the washer is done, simply remove your gown, turn it right side out and hang it to dry. DO NOT PUT YOUR GOWN IN THE DRYER. If any stains are still present, you can try the process again - keep in mind some stains will just not come out due to type or age.

    Your dress will be wrinkled, so either buy a steamer - which you can purchase at any department store - or bring it to the local laundromat to have it steamed. 

www.dreamdressbridal.com

DISCLAIMER: Dream Dress Bridal does not endorse nor have control over the advertisers shown on our blog. 

After the Big Day: How to Sell Your Wedding Dress Part 3

  Hello ladies! Today I am going to talk about the easiest and fastest way to sell your wedding gown: Ebay. I use Ebay myself to sell off older items from the shop that aren't getting much attention and are just taking up space. The one draw back to Ebay is that most buyers are looking for good to major deals, so be prepared to take a less than ideal price for your gown. I have gotten as little as $50 for new gowns (6-7 years old.)
   First off, if you are new to the Ebay rodeo, read the seller's rules first. You can have your auction removed at your cost for any number of listing violations, you will get whatever the bidding ends at unless you have set a reserve price, and you are expected to include reasonable shipping prices with insurance.

PICTURES:
   Pictures are one of the most important pieces to selling on Ebay. Would you buy a wedding gown sight unseen or from a cluttered house with a gown laying on a dirty floor?
   Hang your dress on the back of a door in the most well lit area of your home. Do not hang it in the garage, basement, attic, or in the yard. Garages, attics, and basements tend to be dusty, cluttered places and it doesn't reflect well on how the gown has been taken care of up until now. I understand that, often times, the best lighting is outside but it leaves the buyer questioning if you have just added extra dirt and grass marks under the train by hauling it out.
    Do not put it on someone too big or too small for the gown, it is hard for a buyer to get past how bad it looks on the model and want to put in a bid.
    Take pictures of the front and back as wholes, the train, the bust, and any great detailing. If you want to save some money and only post the initial free picture, make it the picture of the front as a whole. Keep the others handy and make sure to put into your auction that other pictures are available and they can simply request them via email.
    If there are any imperfections like dirt, stains, rips, tears, or loose beading/threading make sure to take pictures of these as well.

TITLE:
   You want to squeeze in as much pertinent information as you can into the title because these key words are the only way your item is going to show up when a buy does a search. You want to include the words Wedding, Gown, Dress, and/or Bridal; the size; the designer; the condition (NWT: new with tags, NWOT new without tags, Used), and color.

MEASUREMENTS
     Measurements are so important. As you know, bridal sizes are nothing like regular clothing sizes. Also, if your gown is used, chances are, there have been alterations. You will need to provide the bust, the waist, the hips, and the hollow to hem.
     Place your garment on a flat surfacing facing up. Measure the bust across across the nipple line and double it. Measure the waist at the narrowest part and double it. Measure the hips at the widest part and double it. If your dress is a high neck (one that comes to the throat), you can measure from the top of the neck to the hem and get the hollow to hem measurement. If your dress is not a high neck, measure from the top of the dress to the hem and add 4 inches. That is your hollow to hem. It also helps if you tell the buyer what size you wear in jeans (women's not juniors) and how tall you are and high how your shoes were on your wedding day.

     If you choose to bypass this step, be prepared to have your garment returned. If the buyer claims that the item is not as described, Ebay can not only make you pay for return shipping, but they will return the whole amount including initial shipping to the buyer. When all is said and done, you will have paid around $40 for not taking the time to list measurements.

DESCRIPTION:
   On top of the measurements and whether the gown as been altered, it is very important to be honest about your dress. Make sure to note any issues the gown has, including inside the lining or dirt under the train. If your beading or sequins have yellowed or have started to cloud be sure to mention it.
    You may want to also mention what you paid for the gown or the original price if you got a great deal on it. If your dress is unused, you do not need to go into a lengthy explanation as to why. Your event did not take place or your venue/theme changed. Any more information than that and you risk turning off buyers.
    You will also want to reiterate all the descriptions from the title, just in case a potential buyer did not read your whole title.
    Also, you will need to decide and mention, if you will be willing to ship internationally, what your return policy is, and how long you are willing to give the winner to pay for the item.
    PLEASE NOTE:  "No returns" is not all encompassing. If you have misrepresented your item, failed to mention major flaws, or not provided enough information Ebay WILL side with the buyer and allow them to return the garment at YOUR expense for a FULL refund including initial shipping. Thankfully, I have only been on the buyers end of this issue with a closing bridal salon, but I know many sellers are unhappy with Ebay's new policy because they side with the buyer 90% of the time. 
 
PRICING: 
   There are two options for selling on Ebay: auction and set price. In auction mode, you start your item at whatever you feel is the absolute lowest you are willing to take for your gown and potential buyers bid on your item. If you want to draw in some interest, start your dress at 99 cents and set a reserve at the lowest amount you are willing to take.
    In set price mode, you specify what you want for the dress and buyers can use the Buy It Now method. You can also let potential buyers send you their best offer and you can counter it, accept it, or decline it. Set price mode is really best if you have an Ebay store as it takes longer for people to notice your item.
   Be reasonable about what you can get for your dress on Ebay. If you overprice your gown, you will just continue to pay relisting fees and never actually get rid of your gown.
   Also, be fair on your shipping price. If you are in the US and shipping within the US, there is no reason for your shipping price to ever be over $22 through UPS (which is automatically insured and has detailed tracking.) Overcharging can get your auction removed and you will still owe Ebay the insertion fee.
   The best way to figure out if Ebay is a good choice for your is to do a search for the designer of your dress is live auctions. Make sure to look at auctions with bids; those are the ones that are actually going to sell. How old are the gowns? What was the starting price? Also, keep in mind, plus sizes gowns tend to go for a bit more. Look at the auctions without bids, is the starting price too high for the style, age, and size of the gown? Is the shipping price acceptable?
   If your dress doesn't sell, knock the starting price down a few bucks. Don't be one of those people that relists over and over and over at the same price. If it didn't sell at that price for the initial listing and one relist, it isn't going to and you will just continue to eat into your profit by relisting.
   I hope you find this information useful! Good Luck!

www.dreamdressbridal.com

DISCLAIMER: Dream Dress Bridal does not endorse nor have control over the advertisers shown on our blog. 

 

After the Big Day: How to Sell Your Wedding Dress Part 2

   Hello brides and wives! Last entry I talked about consignment in a brick and mortar store, this entry will address online consignment and online bridal gown sites that list your gown for you. I have personally used a few different sites to feel them out. I have used http://www.recycledbride.com/, http://www.preownedweddingdresses.com/, and http://www.oncewed.com/.
   First off, although there are some sites that are legitimate and honest, be wary of any that ask you to send the dress to them. If you are not in the immediate area, you may not ever see your dress again or get paid for it and as I covered in the Buying Online piece, you never know if those "reviews" are from real customers or fake ID's.
   The biggest draw back to online consignment is that it can take a long time for your dress to sell. As far as I can tell from trying the three listed websites above for 6 months each (and selling none of the gowns I listed despite the listing prices being between $100-$450), more brides selling their gown are visiting than soon-to-be brides are buying.
   You have a much better chance of selling designer gowns that are current or recently discontinued, than a 2 year old David's Bridal dress. Think of it this way, if a bride-to-be sees the gown she wants on Say Yes to the Dress, but it is $3200 and beyond her budget, she is going to hit the internet. Whereas a bride-to-be that is searching for a David's dress online is looking for a deal and will probably look to Ebay first since new and current gowns that sell in the store for $500, go on Ebay for as little as $75.
   On the upside, you can reach more areas with an online site than a brick and mortar consignment shop. Again, you still have to be realistic with your pricing:

• If your dress is 3 years or older, used (and needs cleaning), and is a brand name (Alfred Angelo for example,) but not a designer name (like Vera Wang) don't expect much. You will honestly be lucky to get $100 out of it. Brides are already taking a major chance buying online, they don't want to add to that by having to pay the costs of having it cleaned only to find out the stains won't come out.
• Don't expect more than $100 for Chinese replica knock-offs - whether they are used or not. In fact, if it is used and needs to be cleaned, you will be lucky to sell it at all.
• If your dress is current or up to 2 years old and needs to be cleaned expect to get up to 1/4 of the original price.
• If your dress is current or up to 2 years old and is used but completely clean, you could ask up to 1/3 of the original price and expect to get it.
• If your dress is current or up to 2 years old and is new, you can probably get 1/2 of the original price.

There are exceptions:

• If your dress is new and plus sized, you are far more likely to ask and get about 75% of what you paid for it - as long as it is a brand name. 
• If the dress is used and plus sized, but clean, you are likely to get 1/2 of the original price.
• If your dress is a designer label and it is used, you can easily get 30-40% of the original price.
• If your dress is a designer label and unworn, you can ask up to 75% of the original price as long as it is a recent design.
• Maggie Sottero is a hot name right now, whether new or used, you can price it like a designer label rules.

Keep in mind that vintage does not necessarily translate to cash. Sell vintage and dresses from the last 3 decades on Ebay. Trendy, budget savvy brides are searching these online "consignment" sites, not collectors. Good luck ladies!

www.dreamdressbridal.com

DISCLAIMER: Dream Dress Bridal does not endorse nor have control over the advertisers shown on our blog. 

After the Big Day: How to Sell Your Wedding Dress Part 1

   Your wedding has come and gone and now your dress is hanging in the closet. I get at least 2-3 calls a week asking our advice on where and how to sell a used gown.

   First off, let's talk about the gown itself. You really have to be realistic about what you can get out of the gown, price wise, according to the condition, the designer, age, and the means of selling it. Over the next couple weeks I will be breaking down each of the typical ways brides generally sell their gowns.

   Consignment: This is probably the best way to get the most money out of your gown, but can take the longest. If there is a reputable, consignment bridal salon in your area, this is the best way to go. Here are some things to consider about where to consign your dress.

• Don't leave your gown with a new business. According to NIBA (New Business Incubator Association), 80% of new businesses fail in the first year. I have heard of many people that have never gotten their items back after a store closed. 
• Don't leave your gown with a consignment shop that sells items other than formal wear. You could end up with people that have no interest in buying a wedding dress trying it on "just for fun." Not to mention, you want a shop that knows brands, what is in, and the best price for your dress.
• Read the contract carefully and ask for a copy! If there is no formal contract, don't use them; you'll have no proof that you even left the dress with the store.
• Ask any questions about the contract before signing it. Once your signature is on that dotted line, the deal is legally binding and "I didn't know that" or "I didn't understand that"  is not a valid excuse when you have a problem later. Most common issues:

1. Dress became damaged/dirty when being tried on - This, unfortunately, happens a lot and most shops will write into the contract that they can not be held responsible. 
2. Shop has a sale - Your dress may be included in that sale, lowering the final price you get from it.
3. Contract ends and your garment(s) is never picked up - This is the number one issue I read about on message boards both from the store and the customer. Most places will set a time limit that your dress is on their rack (usually 6 months to a year) and it is your responsibility to come and resign that contract or take the garment home. There is usually a grace period and then the item is treated as abandoned. It is really important to know if the contract states that they will remind you when the contract on your unsold item is going to expire or if it is your responsibility to know the date.

• Make sure the agreed upon price is written on the contract and you know what your cut is before signing.
• Check back in periodically and make sure your gown is still there and the price tag reflects the price you agreed on. Accidents can happen, but so can shady business dealings.

  The great thing about consignment is that you can leave your dress with a business that brings brides to your item instead of having to place ads and take pictures to get brides to contact you.
   Just make sure the shop you choose is knowledgeable, reputable, and gives you a copy of your contract! Good luck!

www.dreamdressbridal.com

DISCLAIMER: Dream Dress Bridal does not endorse nor have control over the advertisers shown on our blog. 

Hello, My Name is....

   So, my husband pointed out that I really just threw a blog up on the web without an introduction to myself or our store. Once in a while, he is right and this is one of those times :)

  

    First off, my name is Holli and my husband, James, and I own the bridal salon Dream Dress Bridal located in Brewer, Maine. I have loved the bridal world since I was a child and always dreamed of owning a bridal related business.

    I went to college for Business Management and for my marketing class, we were asked on the first day to come up with a business that we would use for all projects through out the semester. Since I was engaged and  had been looking at wedding gowns the day before with my girls, it was the first thing that popped into my mind. Over the next couple months, I had developed a business plan, floor lay-outs, advertisements, and had found amazing ways to provide gowns at incredibly low prices.

    When the class was over, I had an A on the books and hours and hours of research that were bound for the trash, but my fiance decided that it deserved to be more than just papers. He sold the house he had inherited from his grandparents and we scaled way back on our wedding expenses and used 3/4 of our wedding fund to make Dream Dress Bridal a reality.

    I work at our salon 5 days a week from open to close (6 days a week from January to July) and hand pick every gown that our store purchases. My brides love to find they are dealing with the owner because I have a personal interest in making sure they have the best experience possible. Too many of our competitor's hire local teens with no basic idea of materials, styles, or silhouettes and since they are paid minimum wage, they don't care whether you buy or not and if they are making commission, they will most likely steer you past your budget even if a less expensive gown looks best on you.

    We specialize in bridal gowns bought from closing salons or direct from the manufacturer when they are discontinued. We never know what we are going to find when we decide to work with a closing salon. We have had gowns from Reem Acra, Vera Wang, Melissa Sweet, Monique Lhuillier, and so many other designers. We have sold them all for between $500-$1000 each.  We currently have a Jim Hjelm that originally retailed for $3200 that we are selling for $1000. All of the gowns we offer are brand new!

    We also have regular lines that allow our brides to come in, try on, and order in the size and color they want and, of course, all of our bridesmaid dresses are available for order. We try to only offer lines that offer excellent quality with reasonable prices. After all, everyone's budgets are different.

    If there is a dress out there that you love and you would like to see if you can save some money on it, don't be afraid to contact us with the maker and style number. We have developed many contacts that traditional bridal stores do not have. In this economy, every penny really does count :)

www.dreamdressbridal.com

DISCLAIMER: Dream Dress Bridal does not endorse nor have control over the advertisers shown on our blog. 

Buying Online

  Times are tough and money is tight, but beware the internet retailers. For every one bride I meet that is happy with her purchase, I meet another 15 girls that regret the decision. 
   You may be thinking this is strange advice coming from a store that also sells online, but we only list items we are authorized to sell by the manufacturer and gowns we have in stock. There are a few other U.S. based e-retailers that also sell this way. Just be wary of any that don't list the price as they are probably discounting and since the manufacturers don't allow this, their accounts may be cancelled after your order has been placed and you will never receive your order, leaving you without time to order elsewhere.
  The sites to be overly careful with are the Chinese sites. If they ask what color (aside from white or ivory) or material you would like or if they ask for more then your bust, waist, hip, and height measurements, they are a knock-off designer. The picture they are showing you is the actual manufacturer's picture and not of their product. So, when you think you are ordering this:

You may get this:

A couple other things to consider: 
   Since they offer these dresses at such low prices, expect low quality work. I have seen dresses come in that were so flimsy and thin, you could see right through them. I have seen dresses that had no lining or crinoline and hung like a sheet. I have seen dresses that were actually GLUED together. Yes, I am serious.  Aside from brides bringing in their knock-off asking our seamstress to make it wearable, the biggest woe I get from brides is stains. So many have come in with stains that the dry-cleaner didn't even think they could get out for them. 
  At prom, I had many girls come in the week of their prom looking for a last minute dress because the dress they ordered 4 months prior had still not arrived despite being reassured on numerous occasions during the wait time that it would be there.
  If there is no address or contact number and only a box for you to input your info for them to contact you, RUN! These are scams, you can kiss your money goodbye.
  If customs decides the order is falsely devalued (to save money on shipping as many overseas sites will do), they can confiscate your package and send it back. 
  The Ebay knock-offs are another to watch out for as they purposely charge a small amount for the dress and a large amount for the shipping. This is so that if you are unhappy, you have to pay for return shipping and they only have to refund you the cost of the dress.
  Also, when you are researching an online site or going through feedback on Ebay, be very careful. Often these sites have people that spend hours inventing new IDs and plugging their dresses on Ebay (yes, they will leave positive feedback with fake IDs to boost your confidence), Y!Answers, and other bridal forums, not to mention most of the feedback on their site can easily be faked.
   Know your after purchase costs before ordering. Is there a local seamstress willing to work on your gown? Many salons won't work on gowns not purchased from them or will charge a fee. Our fee is $25 and that doesn't include the actual price of the work. How much is it going to cost to get it steamed/pressed? A dry cleaner may charge you as much as $100 when local salons steam their gowns upon arrival. And trust me, you will need it steamed as the dresses are crammed into the smallest box they can get it in.
  There are much better alternatives to save some money on your gown. Most local shops will have a clearance rack, browse it! Usually once a year, they will also have a sample sale where they sell the try-ons at huge discounts.  If you are lucky, you may find a store like ours, that on top of orderable gowns, also carries off-the-rack gowns direct from the manufacturer when they are discontinued. Many salons will let you put a deposit down when you order and pay the rest when the dress comes in, giving you a bit of time to set the money aside.
  Just remember, if you are already on a tight budget, the worst thing you can do is take a chance on ending up with a dress you don't love and very well may get stuck with. The wedding may be one day, but you will have the pictures to cry over forever.


www.dreamdressbridal.com


DISCLAIMER: Dream Dress Bridal does not endorse nor have control over the advertisers shown on our blog.