#ShopLocal: Why It’s Important to Buy Your Wedding Gown Locally

You’ve said yes to the ring and to your soulmate – now it’s time to say YES to the dress! In the age of the internet and social media, the wedding gown options are truly endless. When you spend hours scrolling and looking for your dream dress, thinking about purchasing a dress from an online retailer, a chain retailer or from a retailer outside of your home market may seem like a sensible direction to go. But before you type in a URL, head to a chain store or embark on a trip to a destination bridal boutique, we encourage you to consider shopping for your wedding gown from a locally owned boutique. Buying your dress from a local retailer is so important for a plethora of reasons. Scroll below to see why we’re all about the #ShopLocal movement when it comes to choosing the wedding dress of your dreams.

Photo: Fulleylove Photography

Why Buy Your Wedding Gown Locally?

1. Take advantage of the boutique’s connections with other local vendors. Trust us: the local wedding community is extremely connected. Your wedding dress retailer may very well have great recommendations for vendors you’re searching for and can help point you in the right direction as you plan your special day.

2. Enjoy a personalized shopping experience. Make an event out of shopping for your dress with your closest friends and family. Locally owned wedding gown stores don’t have to follow any rules set by a corporate overseer, so they can typically offer a more relaxed appointment experience, more flexibility with orders and specifications, potentially faster order windows and often, many more customization options. If your local dress shop doesn’t have what you’re looking for, they can work to source exactly what you need and communicating those needs in person is always easier. Plus, you might even find a local or regional designer you never would have known about otherwise.

3. Easier alterations and help with last-minute issues. This one is extra important. More than any other piece of clothing you’ll ever wear, your wedding dress is meant to fit you like a glove. Nine times out of ten, wedding dresses require at least a few rounds of alterations to get the perfect fit, and that process is much easier if you’re able to easily attend fittings at the shop and meet with your seamstress in-person. In the event you find yourself with a last-minute issue (tears and stains happen), a local wedding dress shop will be able to help out more easily than somewhere requiring you to send your dress off for assistance.

4. Supporting small businesses and your local economy is always a good idea. This one’s a no-brainer! It’s incredibly important to shop small and support the businesses involved in your local economy. These wedding dress boutiques are typically family-owned, often women-owned businesses with a heart for supporting local initiatives and a passion for being a part of this special season of life with you. You’ve got a friend in them!

Lucky for you, we have a directory of incredible bridal boutiques right here in Houston for you to explore. They carry many of the most popular designers, countless styles to fit any bride’s tastes, an array of accessories to complete your look and most importantly, items you won’t find anywhere else but in their stores. Make an appointment today to see the magic they can create!