Wedding Dress FAQ's
You've got the ring on your finger, now you're ready to go dress shopping. Piece of cake, right? Here's what to know before you go to start your hunt for your dream dress, be it Bridal Gowns, Plus Size Wedding Dresses or more in Brisbane.
If you're like many brides, you've probably been envisioning what you'd wear to your wedding but then again, maybe you've never thought about it at all. Either way, a lot of pressure can accompany dress shopping. After all, the gown you put on for your walk down the aisle will be the true centrepiece of the day and all eyes are on you as you walk down the aisle.
To assist you on the quest for your dream dress, we've got answers to your most pressing questions. When should you start shopping? What you can expect once you get there? What size and style will suit me? Can I customize my dress? How can I pay for my dress? How to find the best Bridal Gowns, or Plus Size Wedding Dresses Brisbane?
How do I clean my dress after my wedding day?
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How long are your Bridal Appointments?At Forever Bridal we offer complimentary bridal appointments for all customers. Our bridal appointments are between 1 hour and 1.5 hours.
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What size Wedding Dresses does Forever Bridal stock?Forever Bridal has an extensive range of Wedding Dresses in store in sizes 6 to 26.
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What size Bridesmaids, Mother of Bride & Formal dresses does Forever Bridal & Formal have in store?Forever Bridal & Formal has an extensive range of off-the-rack Bridesmaids, Mother of the Bride or Groom, as well as Wedding guest formal dresses in-store to choose from.
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Can I take Pictures?We are happy for your bridal team take a photo of your top two (2) favourite wedding dresses. Be sure to twirl, walk, get photos of the front and back – you’ll likely try on so many dresses some details can be quickly forgotten. However, remember it is how you feel in the dress rather than the photo of the dress.
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When should I start shopping for my wedding dress?We suggest allowing a minimum of 8-10 months before your wedding date, in case you need to order a dress. That means in effect start shopping about 1 year in advance of your wedding date.
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I’m getting married in 4 months or less is this too late to buy a dress?No, it is not too late, but time is of the essence! The benefit of shopping at Forever Bridal is that we sell off the rack wedding dresses which will allow you enough time to find your perfect gown on the day and if necessary organise alterations and customizations
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What is an off-the-rack wedding dress?At Forever Bridal & Formal we stock brand new “off-the-rack” gowns that are kept bagged and in perfect condition at all times. Dresses may not have even been tried on before, as we keep a vast array of ready to wear dresses in the store at affordable prices. There is no fear in buying an off the rack dress, as you can see feel and touch the exact dress you will be wearing on the day. This is why we can make your wedding vision come true and can customize these dresses to create your own unique gown with our professional in house alterations team.
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What style of wedding dresses do you stock?Forever Bridal & Formal stock a wide range of wedding dress styles and designs from modern simplistic to lace classics. We do not just follow the fashion trends in bridal but prefer to listen to our customers and make sure they look the best they can be on their wedding day - from vintage lace, bohemian style dresses that never date, full princess style to modest dresses with full bodice coverage and sleeves, classic A-line and sheath dresses in simpler styles with a more elegant sophisticated looks as well as tea length dresses. We choose lighter fabrics to suit our climate in chiffons, organzas, tulle, lighter lace, and stretch for comfort. Our dresses suit not only traditional brides, but also brides who are eloping, registry marriages, second-time brides, renewing vows or heading overseas for a destination wedding. TIP: Wedding dress shopping comes with its own language so here is some of the lingo you'll encounter. Gown silhouette shapes: Princess/Ball Gown, Trumpet, Dropped Waist, Sheath, Empire, A-line, Mermaid All of its parts: neckline, bodice, waistline, sleeve style, skirt details, fabric, finishes, train. Fabrics: Tulle, Lace, Chiffon, Organza, Silk, Satin, Chantilly Lace, French Lace, Guipure Lace.
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I don’t know what sort of wedding dress I want or what style will suit me best?Forever Bridal & Formal understand that searching for a wedding dress can be a seriously daunting task for some brides. We are here to help you. For over 10 years we have dressed hundreds of brides and helped them find their bridal style by asking a series of questions about the wedding itself and what you want to feel like in your wedding gown. It’s helpful to know what you like, to narrow the gowns pulled at your dress appointment, but don’t be afraid to try on something totally out of the box. By figuring out your personal style and budget, and your wedding day location, your stylist will help you narrow the range of dresses and lead you to the perfect dress. The right wedding dress should be an extension of you and an expression of your best self, because we know you want to look GREAT on your wedding date. TIP: Write down six adjectives that best describe how you want to look and feel on your wedding day. For Example: comfort, relaxed, sexy, simple, classic, elegant, romantic, fun, princess, party, WOW
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What sizes do you carry in wedding dresses?Forever Bridal & Formal carry in stock dresses from size 4 to 28 in a variety of suitable styles. Having said that Wedding dress sizes are vastly different than street sizes (what you wear on a day-to-day basis) so don’t get worked up when you see your wedding dress size. Nearly everyone needs alterations, so the gown you buy will eventually be taken in and tailored to fit you perfectly – totally different from the usual “pick a size number” shopping experience.
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What are the prices of wedding dresses at Forever Bridal & Formal?Our wedding dress prices start from $500 up to a maximum of $3,500 for more detailed luxurious gowns. However, the average price of our gowns is between $1,200 and $2,500. We buy our dresses direct from manufacturers in Australia and overseas and believe no other stores can match our dedication to quality, honesty and value. We recommend coming prepared with a budget in mind on what you would like to spend on your dress. Our team will respect your budget and will always work with you to find the dream bridal gown.
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What is a special order dress?A special order dress is one that is made just for you. Once you say “Yes to the dress”, we will take your measurements and order your correct size and colour choice in the style you have chosen. The lead time for these dresses is typically 6-8 months at other stores, we offer an order time of a maximum of 3-4 months. A minimum of a 50% deposit is required to order a special order dress.
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Can I customize my wedding dress?At Forever Bridal & Formal we specialise in customizing a wedding dress to your own unique styling. You can usually buy an off the rack dress and have it customized, cheaper than buying an expensive couture dress but achieving the same unique designer look. Dresses can be customized with straps, sleeves, embellishments or even a jacket to suit your style.
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Do you have a photo library of all your in stock bridal gowns?As we carry such a large inventory of wedding dresses, we do not have photos of all the individual dresses, however, you can be guaranteed we have styles to suit just about any bridal occasion.
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What if I want to think about my Wedding Dress before buying?If you can’t quite make up your mind on the day we will provide you with a quote of your top 2-3 dresses and this will be entered into our system. When you return to Forever Bridal & Formal we can locate your dresses easily for another fitting as they are in our system as your favourites. Note: As our dresses are sold off-the-rack, we cannot guarantee your selected dresses will be available on your return.
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I’m ready to buy my Wedding Dress – what payment options are available?Once you’ve made your decision to either buy on the day or pay a deposit, you will be provided a Tax Invoice for you to read and sign which includes our Sales Agreement Terms and Conditions: We offer all eftpos, credit card and debit cards accepted in Australia American Express Afterpay, Zip Pay Paypal, Qoin Bank Transfer (BSB/Account details) can be provided Purchase on the day: 100% Payment in full Forever Dresses (minimum 50% deposit), final balance on notification goods ready for pick up Special Orders: 50% deposit - Balance on order arrival LayBys: 90 days to pay in full 30% deposit required $100 minimum purchase Fortnightly payments Alterations: 100% payment upfront for all alterations (Not forever items)
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What is Forever Bridal & Formal’s Returns/Refund policy?Once you have purchased your Wedding dress there are no returns or refunds if you change your mind, choose the wrong colour or size, the goods are unsuitable or the event is cancelled. If you cancel a Layby and meet the payment conditions you may be eligible for a partial refund less a 20% restocking fee of the full purchase cost. With Special Order wedding dresses, unfortunately there is no refund.
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What happens once I have purchased my wedding dress?Once you have fully paid for your wedding dress and are ready to take it home, we will provide it to you in a complimentary wedding gown storage bag (non-see-through, but breathable for our Queensland climate) for you to take home and store in a wardrobe. It is then best to keep on the hanger until your wedding day.
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What about Wedding accessories and underwear?Now you can plan and purchase any items around the wedding dress style and colour you have chosen, including buying the correct underwear and shoes to complement your dress, accessories, bridesmaid dresses, and groom’s attire. Your stylist/seamstress will help you decide what type of bra, if any, to purchase depending on the structure of the gown and what type of look you want in the bust area or they may suggest getting cups sewn in during alterations.
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How long are Alteration appointments?Our alteration appointments are between 30 - 45 minutes.
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When should I make my alterations appointment/s?We usually recommend booking your first alterations appointment approximately 8-12 weeks before your wedding date. Almost 90% of all brides require some alterations. At your first alterations appointment with our professional seamstress, you will need to bring back your wedding dress; your bridal day underwear to make sure it fits under the gown and your shoes. We have heels on hand, but they may not be your size, or the height you intend to wear. The last step is to come back to Forever Bridal after alterations for your final wedding dress fitting and pick-up appointment. Even the most expensive gowns will not look great unless the fit is perfect! Note: Custom alterations will not be started until your dress is 100% paid in full.
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How much do alterations cost?Wedding Dress alterations can range from $100 to $800 depending on the amount of work required. Basic alterations include hems (full hem or front only), bustling, strap adjustments, sew in bra cups and adjusting the bodice. More intricate work is required for fitted gowns such as adjusting sides to get the perfect fit and comfort factor, replacing zips, adding customisations including beading, adding a lace-up tie back, adding sleeves or even a jacket. An average cost for wedding dress alterations allow $250-$450.
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Do I need to clean my wedding dress before wearing it on my wedding day?At Forever Bridal & Formal we make sure your garment is thoroughly steamed and quality checked before your final pick up. We suggest you hang your dress out of the storage bag the night before your wedding day to get rid of any bag creases. These should fall out overnight, or if necessary you can hang the dress in a steamy bathroom. Basically we take the stress away from you!
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Cleaning and storing my Wedding Dress after the Wedding!The wedding day may be over, but the wedding dress decisions aren't. If you're holding onto the dress as a memento, you'll want to take care of it as best you can. While that's not as easy as hanging it up in your wardrobe with the rest of your clothes, Forever Bridal & Formal offers a cleaning service that makes it easy for you! We will bring your dress back to its best by hand cleaning, doing minor repairs, before storing your gown safely in a preservation box with acid free tissue paper. This service ranges from $250-$500, depending on the type of dress and how much cleaning is required. We can provide a quote on request.
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Do you offer wedding dress cleaning?Yes! We have over 10 years experience hand-cleaning wedding gowns. See our Wedding Dress Cleaning page for more information.
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What does Forever Bridal & Formal offer its brides?Forever Bridal offers a complimentary appointment for all our Brides and Bridal parties. At Forever Bridal you won’t have to go through racks of dresses yourself as we provide an expert stylist who will help you through your shopping journey. During your one-on-one personalised service we listen to your needs to completely understand the vision of your Wedding Day including location, theme, time of day, budget and your style…. then we do the hard work for you and hand-pick dresses that will suit your body shape and individual bridal style. (Your stylist is also there to answer any questions you might have – what’s the best way to travel with my gown, how do I store my dress, who should help me get dressed) If you fall in love with one of our dresses on the day, you can purchase immediately and walk out of the door with your dress or you can work with our in house seamstress on customizations and alterations at a later date.
Please complete the form below to request a bridal appointment.
No appointment necessary for formal/bridesmaids dresses.
273 Stafford Road, Stafford, Brisbane, QLD, 4053
Tel: 07 3175 2545
Email: info@foreverbridal.com.au