Bridesmaids or Grooms Men Scattered across the country? We recommend that you avoid chains and big box retailers. Why? Read below.
A recent article published in ABC Money magazine says this of Davids Bridal. "Most of the bustling brides pick through the dresses like they're shopping for groceries. The styles range from trendy cuts to classic silhouettes, but almost all the gowns have one thing in common "they're made of the fabric that nary a bride wants to speak of too loud.... Polyester." It also says that the average gown sold nationwide is more then $1,000 the average David's Bridal dress retails at only $550. I have watch Davids Bridal since they first came to SLC. At that time they were offering copies of designer dresses that I carried. I visited their store and inspected the dresses. The quality was definately inferior. Davids Bridal prices was always anywhere from $100 to $200 MORE than my original designers' msrp. Wow!
Quote: "The newly opened store has a utilitarian feel: racks and racks packed with plastic-wrapped gowns, organized systematically by price and size.
There are no champagne toasts or doting bridal consultants."
When purchasing at Big Box Stores you either qualify for financing or pay in full at the time of purchase. You buy off the rack and if they special order a dress for you it most likely will come off the floor of another store in their chain so it is possible that many customers have already tried it on. At The Gallery by Lynette we also sell off the rack but our gowns are protected from mis use and with your consultant you will find your gown sooner with less gowns on and off making our gowns handled less. Your off the rack or special ordered gown is guaranteed to be clean, fresh and perfect. We will fix loose beads for free.
My nephew's wife bought a $400 gown at a Big Box Store. She lives in another gown. Her alterations were quoted at $200 and by the time they were finished she had spent $400 for alterations. For $800 I could have sold her an $800 dress in her size, custom fit to her.
We give you a better gown for less, more attentive service, free steaming, free dress bag, free layaway, better fit and since we are in Utah we do not offer "Champagne Toasts" but we will offer you a bottle of water and a kind, attentive consultant who's only focus is to help you find the perfect gown for less money. We want you happy in the store, out the door and down the aisle. Our reputation is very important to us and it shows.
Big Box charges more and offers less.
Earlier this year MSN online news also published an article quoting a Davids Bridal manager who called themselves "The Walmart of Weddings" June 11, 2009. Read entire article at the bottom of the page. Would you buy the most expensive dress you will ever wear, the most photographed outfit of your /.life and outfit the most important people in your life from Walmart?
There is no need to think that you must use the big box, impersonal retailers because your attendants are scattered.
We, at The Gallery by Lynette have friends and fellow independent retailers nationwide. Owners who know their customers by name and care about you and your event. There is hardly an obstacle that we cannot overcome. We can refer you to another personal, independent, owner operated shop where you can send your maids for measurements and personal assistance.
If needed we can ship your maids' dresses to your attendant where she can have her gown fitted by a local seamstress to bring the dress perfect and avoiding last minute panic moments.
We have heard stories of $200 bridesmaid dresses from the big box store and that is before alterations. At The Gallery by Lynette our bridesmaid dresses run $99-$179 and we offer custom dresses if you need a maternity version or something special.
You don't have to compromise Quality for Convenience: A poor quality gown will not fit, and press up correctly. The sizing (starch, resin, nasty stuff) used to beef up poor quality fabric will wash out the first time and make your dress limp and lifeless. Our gowns are only made of first quality, designer fabrics that will look, hang and feel exactly the same after multiple cleanings. If we can beat in every way what the big box offers why would you go anywhere else. We carry only the best fit, quality and most experienced designers and alterations in the industry. We have a network of fellow indepentent bridal retailers who are anxious to serve you.
Read the Reviews: Don't take my word for it. Read the reviews (Google, "review and the name of the retailer you are thinking about giving your precious budget to) on the big box retailer you are thinking about trusting your precious gown to. Do you really want to say the name of the store you bought your wedding gown, bridesmaid dresses or rented your tuxes from under your breath for fear of being overheard? Wow! A wedding should be a wonderful, special occasion. You should be shouting from the rooftops and you should shop somewhere that you are cared about and would drag your best friends back to because you want them to have a good experience too. David's Bridal might try to tell you that they sell dresses for less than the competition but in my 30 years in this business I don't buy it, don't believe it and think that you are smart enough to figure that out for yourself.
Out of Town Tuxedo Fitting: This is never a problem. We belong to a huge network of retailers with Jims Formalwear and can refer you to a retailer who will measure you and can show your attendants what you have chosen for them to wear. We can even arrange for you to order a tux here and let you pick it up at your destination or you can pick up here and drop off there. Lit us refer you to the most experienced Jims Retailer in your area for the best result.
Our Goal is to reduce your stress where ever possible!!! Just Say "NO" to Bridezilla.
Published on The Big Money (http://www.thebigmoney.com) Home > The Wal-Mart of WeddingsThe Wal-Mart of WeddingsBy caitlin.mcdevittCreated 06/11/2009 - 4:13pmOne company, David’s Bridal, outfits one-third of America’s brides—on the cheap. 090611_TBM_bride.jpg [1]TBM_090612_Bridal.jpg [2]With June upon us, consider this: More than 2.2 million women will get married in the United States this year. About one-third of them will be outfitted by one company: David's Bridal. With more than 300 stores throughout the country and a growing online presence, the retailer offers unbeatable prices on a wide selection of mass-produced gowns. While the average wedding gown costs $1,075, according to Condé Nast Bridal Media [3], the average David's Bridal dress retails at only $550. Some sell for just $99. It has been called the "Wal-Mart of weddings," and, like the blue big-box giant, David's Bridal may be poised to emerge from the recession a s an even more formidable retail force.
Many small independent dress shops have shuttered [4] recently due to the economic downturn. Meanwhile, David's Bridal is in the midst of what it calls "an ambitious expansion program [5]." The company is sitting pretty compared with the rest of specialty retail. David's Bridal is privately held, so while it doesn't publish revenue figures, Thomson Reuters estimates that its sales were $683 million in 2008. "I would say it's actually performed relatively well in this recession," says Jackie Oberoi, a credit analyst at Standard & Poor's, who reported that by the end of the third quarter, sales were up about 3 percent over 2007. She estimates that David's Bridal has added about 15 to 30 stores annually since 1999. Even in the past year's gloomy retail environment, it opened 20 stores. The brand's budget-friendly reputation appears to be paying off.
As the retailer unveiled its new Manhattan store this spring, CEO Robert Huth acknowledged the company's unique position, saying, "Although many retail stores have been closing locations due to difficult economic times, David's Bridal is proud to open its heart and doors to the people of New York City." The newly opened store has a utilitarian feel: racks and racks packed with plastic-wrapped gowns, organized systematically by price and size (2 through 26). There are no champagne toasts or doting bridal consultants. Most of the bustling brides pick through the dresses like they're shopping for groceries. The styles range from trendy cuts to classic silhouettes, but almost all the gowns have one thing in common—they're made of the fabric that nary a bride wants to speak of too loudly: polyester.
Still, customers don't expect to find high-end silk gowns at David's Bridal. And brides have never gone there because it's a fancy place. "The first store didn't even have carpet on the floor," says Phil Youtie, former executive and founder of the David's Bridal empire. (The company gets its name from a small bridal shop that Youtie bought out early in his career.) In 1990, Youtie began selling deeply discounted gowns on pipe racks in a Florida warehouse. At the time, most bridal shops only stocked dresses in sample sizes, so customers would have to wait months for their own dresses to be manufactured, delivered, and altered. "We wanted to have all of our dresses right then and there," explains Youtie. David's Bridal not only offered on-the-spot purchases but also bargain-basement prices. Youtie boasts, "Everybody loved the idea."
Well, not quite everybody loved it. In fact, lots of people in the wedding industry loathe David's Bridal. That's because, for years, bride after bride has jilted her local boutique and purchased a dress from the chain instead. "Whenever a David's opens up, business drops instantly," says Sally Conant, executive director of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists. Most small shops can't afford to stock dresses in every size or discount their merchandise as deeply as David's Bridal does. Because its dresses are typically made with cheap materials, manufactured abroad, and purchased in bulk, they're some of the least costly gowns available. As a result, David's Bridal claims an estimated 50 percent of the $600-and-under wedding dress market.
The current economic downturn could be the perfect storm that David's Bridal needs to capture even more market share. While the recession hasn't deterred couples from tying the knot, it has shrunken their budgets substantially. The average cost of getting married in the United States slipped in the first quarter to $19,212, according to the Wedding Report [6], a market research firm. That's down from $21,814 last year and $26,450 in 2005. Brides-to-be are opting for cupcakes instead of wedding cakes, downsizing their guest lists, and, yes, compromising on what may have been the dress of their girlhood dreams. According to a recent survey, 55 percent of brides plan to spend no more than $600 on their dresses.
That means that those who may not have set foot inside a discount shop like David's Bridal in the past are venturing in. "I think they're considering it even more than ever," says Gail Malecot, a bridal retail consultant. "These girls want to spend less on their weddings, across the board, from dresses to chair covers," she says. The real test for David's Bridal—and most budget-friendly retailers today—will come when the economy rebounds. Of course, therein lies the big difference between David's Bridal and Wal-Mart [7] (WMT): People shop at Wal-Mart regularly, whereas David's Bridal is presumably seeing most of its customers for only one purchase (or not much more than one).Author: Caitlin McDevitt [8]
The Gallery by Lynette note: Just remember that this article was written with information fed to them by Davids Bridal. From an industry stand point all of these statements have two sides. Our focus is to give you, an intelligent individual to do the research and buy a once in a life time dress where you feel the most confident.
Bridesmaids or Grooms Men Scattered across the country? We recommend that you avoid chains and big box retailers. Why? Read below.
We give you a better gown for less, more attentive service, free steaming, free dress bag, free layaway, better fit and since we are in Utah we do not offer "Champagne Toasts" but we will offer you a bottle of water and a kind, attentive consultant who's only focus is to help you find the perfect gown for less money. We want you happy in the store, out the door and down the aisle. Our reputation is very important to us and it shows.
Earlier this year MSN online news also published an article quoting a Davids Bridal manager who called themselves "The Walmart of Weddings" June 11, 2009. Read entire article at the bottom of the page. Would you buy the most expensive dress you will ever wear, the most photographed outfit of your /.life and outfit the most important people in your life from Walmart?
If needed we can ship your maids' dresses to your attendant where she can have her gown fitted by a local seamstress to bring the dress perfect and avoiding last minute panic moments.
Our Goal is to reduce your stress where ever possible!!! Just Say "NO" to Bridezilla.
Published on The Big Money (
Still, customers don't expect to find high-end silk gowns at David's Bridal. And brides have never gone there because it's a fancy place. "The first store didn't even have carpet on the floor," says Phil Youtie, former executive and founder of the David's Bridal empire. (The company gets its name from a small bridal shop that Youtie bought out early in his career.) In 1990, Youtie began selling deeply discounted gowns on pipe racks in a Florida warehouse. At the time, most bridal shops only stocked dresses in sample sizes, so customers would have to wait months for their own dresses to be manufactured, delivered, and altered. "We wanted to have all of our dresses right then and there," explains Youtie. David's Bridal not only offered on-the-spot purchases but also bargain-basement prices. Youtie boasts, "Everybody loved the idea."