Frequently Asked Questions
What is the price range of your bridal gowns?
We have two different types of wedding dress collections at A Little Something White: special order gowns and a limited variety of off-the-rack gowns.
With a special order bridal gown, you will try on a sample of the gown in the boutique, and then we place an order for that gown from the designer in the size and color of your choice. With this type of order, you may also be able to make certain changes to the gown, or customizations, since the gown is being made for you. Gowns from this collection may be priced anywhere from $2,400-$14,000, with the bulk of our gowns falling in the $2,500-$6,500 range.
With an off the rack bridal gown, the gown you try on in the store is the exact gown you will be purchasing, and you will take it with you on the day of purchase.
How many guests should I invite to my appointment?
We are currently requesting that you invite no more than 3-4 people. However, we recognize that some people have large families or girl squads. For those brides wanting to bring a larger group, we ask that you simply let us know and we will gladly accommodate your crew during off-hours. Alternatively, you can book one of our special appointments, which includes private use of the boutique for your group, nibbles, champagne, a bouquet, and swag bag.
In general, we recommend you invite the people who know you inside and out and whose opinions you value and trust. How many people fall into that category is up to you! Our brides have the greatest success in finding their gown when they are surrounded by people who love them and want to celebrate this milestone in their life. Remember that you can always bring back a larger group once you have selected your gown, and they can help you pick out accessories for the big day while you reveal your gown choice to them.
Can I Schedule a special appointment?
Yes!! We love helping to make the gown shopping experience extra special. Click here for details of the different tiers we offer. Please note, these require extra planning, so we ask that you give us as much advance notice as possible!
Do I need an appointment to try on bridal gowns?
If you would like to try on wedding dresses, we ask that you make an appointment so that we have one of our talented stylists available to work with you and so that we can make sure we have a fitting room open for you. Bridal gown appointments require a total of 1 ½ hours for you try on dresses and place your order. That means we have a certain number of time slots available on our busiest days of the week and book the calendar in a way that maximizes the number of brides we can accommodate. We feel we do our best work and give you the best experience when we have time to plan, so we ask that you make an appointment by calling us at 203-309-5110 or by clicking here.
How far in advance do I need to shop and purchase my wedding dress?
Time is always your friend when planning a wedding! Bridal gowns typically take 6-8 months to produce and you will need 2-3 months for alterations. So, in a perfect world, we would like you to shop for and purchase your bridal gown about one year before your wedding. However, we realize of our designers are able to produce gowns quickly when necessary, and some of our designers average closer to a 2-3 month production time. That means you can rest easy when you come to us – we work with all timelines and will celebrate you no matter are how close or far away your wedding is! Also, we have a collection of gowns available for purchase that can be taken with you that day, meaning there is no wait for your gown to come in.
Is there a fee for booking an appointment?
We do not charge you a fee to try on bridal gowns. Our stylists are experts at picking gowns and designing an experience that feels more special than you will find at any other boutique. We hire people who are naturally kind, dedicated, and patient. They don’t need compensation for delivering on that type of experience – they are that way by default!
We do offer an upgraded appointment tier where you are given exclusive use of the boutique for you and your crew, along with extras that make the appointment even more special. Those private appointments do have a fee associated with them, and the details can be found here.
What should I bring with me to the appointment?
The most important thing to bring to your appointment is an open mind! We want you to have the BEST time shopping for your bridal gown. The more open-minded you are, the more likely you are to find something that wows you. We are not going to push anything on you, don’t worry, so just come ready to have a really nice time.
Outside of that, it’s never a bad idea to bring a strapless bra, shapewear {if that makes you feel more confident}, and a pair of heels that is similar to the height you will wear on your wedding day.
What is your appointment cancellation policy?
We require a credit card number to reserve your appointment time slot, but it is not charged unless you cancel less than 48 hours prior to your appointment. If you cancel less than 48 hours before your appointment or do not show, your credit card will be charged $100. The reason for this cancellation fee is that the prep work associated with a bridal gown appointment to make it special for you requires at least 48 hours, and we are unable to fill that slot if you cancel less than 48 hours before.
Do you perform alterations on wedding dresses?
Yes! We have an amazing network of seamstresses who perform alterations both on and off site. We will help coordinate which seamstresses will be the best fit for you based off of both your schedule and gown type. On-site alterations are done during the week. Most brides will require two - three fittings and a final appointment to pick up her bridal gown.
We will accept alterations on wedding dresses not purchased at A Little Something White on a case-by-case basis. There is a $150 outside alterations fee for this, payable prior to the first fitting.
What is a trunk show?
A trunk show is an event at the boutique where we feature a specific designer’s collection for one weekend (sometimes two if we’re lucky!) For these shows, we pay our designers a fee for the exclusive one-weekend use of the most recent gown collection + previous best sellers. In exchange, our designers sometimes offer incentives for you to purchase during the weekend, such as a free customization or designer sketch. In certain instances, the designer himself or herself is present to work one-on-one with brides. It’s always so exciting to see a bride say “yes” to her gown with the designer next to her!