So, here it is! Confessions of a Wedding Consultant:
- Zip Up Your Dresses! This is one of the simplest things but when you are handling and putting away hundreds of dresses everyday, it gets really annoying really fast. You should do this anytime you are shopping, not just for bridal gowns. If it has a zipper, zip it up after you take it off! Please remind your bridesmaids to do the same.
- Put your dress on the hanger properly. This kind of goes with zipping the zipper but it needs to be said. Even if it has straps on the dress, use the hanger straps to secure the dress on the hanger.
- Wear UNDERWEAR! You had an appointment today when you got dresses. You knew you would be trying on dresses that require the help of a consultant. Commando or a thong are not good options. I don't care how good you think you look, I don't want to see your butt or anything else down there.
- Unless you are having your child fitted for a flower girl dress or a tux, don't bring your children. Even if the shop allows children, a bridal store is no place for little kids to be running around. Its easier on me, you, and the rest of the customers in the store if you hire a babysitter for a few hours or drop the kiddos off at grandmas. And here is why:
- We don't have designated areas for you to change your child's diaper. To some people, that means its ok to lay your child down on the train of a dress on a manikin, on a bridal platform, or pedestal and proceed to change your child's diaper.
- There are lots and lots of full length mirrors in a bridal shop. We have to clean these everyday. Small children like to touch mirrors, leaving lots of little hand prints and sometimes little boogers all over the mirrors. I don't enjoy cleaning up after your little ones.
- Little ones need to be fed. Sometimes that means breastfeeding. Again, some people think that that means its ok to breastfeed in a dress that they don't own and other people may need to try on. If you are going dribble your boob juice all over a gown, expect to pay for it.
- Kids, even well behaved ones, have their moments where they want to run, be loud, and be rough. A bridal store is not that place.
- I babysat for years and years. I no longer babysit. I work in a bridal shop. As your consultant it is not my job to stand outside your dressing room and watch your kids while you try to get into the dresses by yourself. It is my job to assess your style and what your are looking for, help you find that dress, help you get into the dress, educate you on how to make that dress properly fit you, and coordinate accessories and the bridal party to your dress. Bringing your kids along hinders me from being able to properly do my job.
- Shower before you come to your appointment. I have had customers come in who look like they worked out, went to sleep, crawled out of bed and drove straight to the store. I have to be in a small, confined dressing room with you to be able to assist you in and out of the gowns. I should not have to tolerate your oder or your greasy body. So please shower. Also, I'd appreciate it if you shave your arm pits and legs sooner than a week before your appointment. Remember how many people's bodies I have to see everyday.
- Don't be impatient. If you chose to come in on a busy day I won't be able to be at your side catering to your every whim. I may be helping multiple people at one time. Please be patient with me.
- Don't bring in 12 bridesmaids to try on dresses and 12 more people from your family to give opinions on a busy day. I can almost promise you that your will have bridesmaids sharing dressing rooms and guests standing the entire time. The salon where I work has 31 dressing rooms. On Saturdays, each consultant gets 2 - 3 fitting rooms and 3 or 4 chairs. Every last one of them will be taken and we will have guests standing and customers sharing dressing rooms and turning walk-ins away because we literally have no more room.
- I strive to make my brides feel like princesses but please keep in mind that I am your consultant, not your slave. I will be happy to pull any merchandise for you, help you in and out of dresses, and give you opinions and advice, but don't expect me to kneel down and put a pair of shoes on for you while you use my head to balance yourself. Don't expect me layout the train of your dress more than three times per dress that you try on or to follow you around the store fluffing this and straightening that. Don't ask me to pull this or that in one of every color, just in case you might want to change your color schemes.
- Don't go through the racks pulling out dresses that you won't put back in, because then I have to follow behind you neatly tucking each dress back into the crowded rack and straightening its bag so the dress isn't stuck crumpled inside. I do that for the 50 dresses you pull out when you only have interest in trying on ten of them. Just tell me what you what you need so I can show you what section to look in. One section is easier to straighten than you leaving the entire rack a disaster.
- This should be common sense but don't pile up the dresses that you aren't interested in on the floor. Until you have paid for it, it isn't your dress. The dress you are throwing on the floor is meant to be someone's Wedding gown or bridesmaid dress. Show a little respect. I once left a bride alone for 5 minutes to go help another customer. While I was gone, she decided to try on more gowns by herself. She didn't know how to put them back on the hangers right so she just piled them waist high on the floor in the corner of her dressing room. Don't be the person. Show a little respect.
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