Wedding dress shopping can seem complicated, so let us help make it easier for you. Here are some quick facts about Strut bridal salon:
• Our wedding gowns range in price from $399-$2499.
• We carry a variety of wedding dress designers, including some nationally known brands as well as some exclusive, private label gowns made just for us.. You can always call us to find out if we have a sample of a particular dress in stock (you just need a “model number” and brand). Manufacturers prohibit us from giving price quotes over the phone, though we can usually give you a range.
• We carry sizes 16-32. Since wedding gowns typically run small, that means we can fit brides size 12+.
• Our wedding dress styles range from informal beach wedding dresses to amazing, gigantic ball gowns, and everything in between. For more information, see our Dresses page, or call us (602.252.4414) to ask about a dress matching your vision.
How are you different from other wedding dress stores?
Most wedding dress stores order sample dresses in size 10 or 12 or under. Because dresses tend to run small, that means these dresses fit women size 6 or 8. Strut is different because we ONLY carry larger size samples. We pride ourselves on having a huge selection of styles and sizes. And we carry the same wedding dresses you see in magazines, from the same designers, just in bigger sizes.
Why did you open a wedding dress store for plus size brides?
Because we don’t think you should cry in the dressing room when going dress shopping. No, really. Read Ann’s story. She’s been there and knows it’s tough to fit into size 10 sample dresses. We think brides of all sizes deserve to look beautiful on their wedding day—AND have fun while shopping for The Dress.
Do I need an appointment?
Appointments aren’t required. However, we really like to work with brides one on one. We can’t give you our best level of service if we don’t have a consultant (or a room!) available for you. Quick tip: we know schedules get crazy and it’s tough to plan ahead sometimes; you can always call us the day of to see if we can fit you in.
How long do appointments last?
We generally book appointments for one and a half hours. But it also depends on whether you’re a quick decider (“uh, NO”) or prefer to linger a bit in front of the mirrors. Quick tip: eat before you come dress shopping. It’s more work than you think (some dresses are heavy!) and hungry brides can become cranky brides. Eat, please!
How many dresses can I actually try on?
There are a couple of ways to answer this. First, you aren’t limited to the number of dresses you can try on. Experience tells us, though, that the more you try on, the more confusing wedding dress shopping can be. Some brides can pick from six; others need twelve and a second trip back.
Second, when we say we carry up to size 32, we don’t just have three dresses over size 26 – we have dozens! So let’s say you’re a size 24 (in street clothes). We’ll grab dresses in size 22-32. That means you have at least fifty dresses we can put on you.
What do you carry besides wedding dresses?
Strut has slips/petticoats, bras/slimmers, veils, tiaras and more. Read about our bridesmaid and social occasion gowns here. We do NOT sell mother of the bride/groom, tuxes or flower girl dresses, or shoes. Quick tip: Strut has a great list of recommended vendors and we’re happy to give you their contact information!
How soon should I shop for my gown?
Most brides secure a date and, often, a wedding reception site before they shop. It’s a good idea to start shopping a year before your wedding. If you want to order a gown, the latest you should shop is really six months before. However, we do sell wedding dresses off the rack, so we can accommodate everyone.
How long does it take for my dress to come in?
It typically takes four months to order your wedding dress. It can take longer if you customize your dress. Quick tip: We recommend leaving one month for alterations. If you don’t have five months before your wedding date, don’t panic: we have options such as rush orders, in-stock availability, and selling gowns off the rack.
Do you do alterations in house?
We don’t do alterations on site, but we can give you a list of the top wedding dress alterations folks in the valley. These experts have been tested (and we do mean tested!) by our brides and consistently meet the quality demands that we, and more importantly, our brides, expect. Alterations are not included in the price of the gown; we recommend budgeting $300, though that will differ depending on the amount of work done.
Can I bring my family and friends with me as I try on dresses?
Of course! We’ve found that a group of four or fewer is a good number; more than that and the multiple opinions can be difficult to please (and not everyone remembers that the bride’s opinion matters most).
Are children allowed in the store?
Short answer: yes. Long answer: While children are allowed, please remember that we have cement floors, big mirrors, some expensive dresses and no children’s play area. We want everyone to enjoy the dress shopping experience, so we recommend bringing someone whose sole responsibility is to watch the children so that the bride can focus on finding the perfect dress (and so her trusted advisors don’t miss a minute of the fun!).
Can we take photos?
Yes—this should be a memorable day, and we love being a part of the wedding scrapbook!
What is your refund policy?
We’re unable to issue refunds due to the uniqueness of each dress. In some cases, your monies are able to be applied toward the purchase of another gown within the store.
What do I need to bring when I come in?
The most important thing to bring is an open mind. We’ll try lots of styles and totally ignore sizes (they don’t really matter, anyway!)—we’re more interested in finding a dress that makes you look and feel beautiful.
You’re welcome to bring in photos of dresses that you think you’d like to try on. We may not carry that exact dress, but chances are good we have something very similar.
Some brides prefer to wear their own strapless bra. But we’ll put money on the fact that you’ll like ours better (and we can fit 38C to 48DD). If you want to try on fitted (mermaid, trumpet) or flowy, beachy, chiffon wedding dress styles, you may want to wear a slimmer/tummy sucker/Spanx-like thing. It can be just the panty kind, or you can go all-out with a shorts-to-under-the-bust kind. Quick tip: our hands may be under your dress and up there so wear undies you’re comfortable in!
You may want to put on a little makeup (if that’s normal for you) and do your hair, so you can better envision how you’ll look on your big day. You don’t need to bring special shoes (we have platforms to stand on).
If you have any questions that we haven’t already answered, feel free to give us a call at 602.252.4414, or send us an email.
