Beware of the excessive tiny charges that add up when you are purchasing a gown. Most brides have and will only buy a gown once in their entire lives which means that bridal salons can get away with charging fees that you will not question. These questionable fees and charges may seem small at first but they add up to a large final bill. Write these fees in your bridal shopping notebook, and ask your retailer about them. Be the best bargain shopper you can be and negotiate your way out of these fees if you can.
• Try-On Fee – How are you supposed to buy the most important gown you will ever wear in your life without first trying it on? I don’t get it. Well, some retailers will charge you this fee simply because they know you will pay it. The fee can range from $25.00 – $75.00. Another way they pass this fee over is by charging the brides that are from out-of-town. Explanation: We will charge out-of-town brides the fee because they are less likely to buy. Hogwash.
• No Show Fee – Don’t forget when you make that appointment to show up. If not, you may get charged for it. Some of the top retailers will ask you to drop a credit card when you make an appointment. They have the excuse that they are just too busy to put up with brides that are not punctual. I am a fan of showing up for your bridal appointments and if you need to cancel do so with in 48 – 72 hours. But getting charged a fee in the range of $25.00 – $50.00 may be a bit much.
• Shipping and Handling – This might be an acceptable practice if they were shipping the dress to your door. Yeah, but No. These shipping and handling fees are charged to the bride to get the dress from the manufacturer to the bridal store. Something that the bridal store would have to do anyway, how else does the dress get to the consumer? This charge can range from $5.00 -$20.00 and is unnecessary in my opinion.
• Storage Fee – After pushing for you to purchase that gown early, because it was going to be DISCONTINUED the next day, some bridal salons will charge you a fee to hold your gown until your wedding because it arrived too early. This fee can range from $5.00 – $10.00 and up per month. A good way to avoid this fee if it comes up is to pick up your dress whenever it comes in. It is better to have it sitting in your home or a relative’s home where it can be cared for then in a bridal shop.
• Bag Charge – “Don’t want to destroy your $1500.00 gown? Doesn’t it make sense that you would want something to protect it in that long ride home? Here is a wardrobe bag. We care about our brides; we want your dress to be stain free on your special day. Here you go. Oh, not so fast, whip out your check book because it’s going to cost you.” Ok, so it may not be that mean but if you see a $5.00 – $15.00 charge on your receipt for this, don’t be surprised. Just explain that it is their job as a reputable bridal salon to provide you with a quality final product and with the money you just spent, they can throw in the bag for free.
