Dress Shopping Question

[PirateBride08]

Ok girls....I have a question for you

Did any of you buy your dress in Florida? Or did you all buy it in your hometown and bring it down with you? How many fittings do your normally have to do after you order the dress?

My mom lives in Florida and I really want her to be a part of finding "the dress" but I know it would be harder for her to get away from her job to come here than it would be for me to go there. Plus if I were able to order it there, she could keep it at her house. I don't really have anywhere to put it. AND then I wouldn't have to worry about flying with it, because let me tell you....the thought of what could go wrong is freaking me out! The closest family I have here is my brother and they have two Siberian Huskies...talk about dog hair

Would it be completely unrealistic to attempt to dress shop in Florida? If it is I guess I could go there and try some on then order the dress from a bridal shop here??

 

[D&R love Disney]

I think it's great you want to shop for you dress with your Mom in Florida. I'd do it that way. I have no idea where to shop for dresses, maybe the Florida section on the Knot could offer some help.

I went to someone besides the bridal shop for my alterations. She did it quickly but thats because my dress came in late and she was going on vacation.

I had one fitting and then went back and she made an adjustment to the bustle and that was it.

 

[JandJ]

It sounds like a perfect idea! I shopped with my mom, she lived 2.5 hours from me and we both liked the bridal boutique up there. It was easier for me to go there than her to go to Orlando. Where in FL is your mom?

 

[PirateBride08]

It sounds like a perfect idea! I shopped with my mom, she lived 2.5 hours from me and we both liked the bridal boutique up there. It was easier for me to go there than her to go to Orlando. Where in FL is your mom?

My mom is in Spring Hill...not many people have heard of it but it's about an hour and a half north or Tampa on the west coast. She is about 2 hours from Orlando. I don't really know any dress shops directly around her but I did find some in Orlando and a 2 hour ride isn't that bad, right?

 

[PirateBride08]

I think it's great you want to shop for you dress with your Mom in Florida. I'd do it that way. I have no idea where to shop for dresses, maybe the Florida section on the Knot could offer some help.

I went to someone besides the bridal shop for my alterations. She did it quickly but thats because my dress came in late and she was going on vacation.

I had one fitting and then went back and she made an adjustment to the bustle and that was it.

I was the MOH in my brother's wedding and we took the dresses to a cleaners for alterations and she did an excellent job. Even if I have to go back 2 or 3 times after the dress is ordered, I can probably do it without too many issues from work and all. I am so excited that this isn't completely unreasonable

 

[PrincessBride07]

Another good site for shop is http://www.pwg.com.

I will say that I personally like the shops in Altamonte Springs, which is about 20 minutes from downtown depending on traffic

 

[princessdisneybelle]

I personally think if there is a way to share that with your Mom you should. Some of my greatest moments are dress shopping with my Mom.

 

[JandJ]

My mom is in Spring Hill...not many people have heard of it but it's about an hour and a half north or Tampa on the west coast. She is about 2 hours from Orlando. I don't really know any dress shops directly around her but I did find some in Orlando and a 2 hour ride isn't that bad, right?

It looks like she's also about 1.5 hours from Gainesville, that's where I got my gown - Jay's Bridal - LOVED them!! My friend's sister just got her gown there, it was the "floor model" and she got it for only $179 and her mom is going to fix the minor bead damage. Mine was considerably more, but still, IMO, reasonable for a wedding gown. I'm just not a fan of David's Bridal, although I did finally find my gorgeous wedding shoes there.

I wanted to look at Solutions Bridal in Winter Park, which is outside Orlando to the west, and they were gorgeous but too $$$.

In Tampa, Bride2Be Boutique on Dale Mabry carries Casablanca (my gown was a Casablanca) and what's really nice about those is they are made to your measurements and are totally customizable (is that a word ) and they have lots of other designers too. I've heard good things about Jon's Bridal in Tampa, but I think it's pretty much an outlet so I don't think you can order a dress through them, but I could be wrong. My friend who lives in Tampa really liked Brides by Demetrios, but there you are of course limited to Demetrios gowns.

Take a few days and schedule 2 or 3 appointments with boutiques so you don't feel rushed or pressured. I scheduled 2 appiontments in Gainesville and ended up finding my gown the first day at Jay's. The other boutique I was going to go to has since closed.

Good Luck and Have Fun!!

 

[PirateBride08]

Another good site for shop is http://www.pwg.com.

I will say that I personally like the shops in Altamonte Springs, which is about 20 minutes from downtown depending on traffic

Good to know! Thanks! I'll have to mention this to her, she'll know where it is. Or my step dad will, he is a business man and travels all the time

 

[PirateBride08]

I personally think if there is a way to share that with your Mom you should. Some of my greatest moments are dress shopping with my Mom.

It's really hard to get any mother/daughter time with her because she is so far away The plane tickets back and forth could get expensive but I think it would be worth it.

 

[princessdisneybelle]

It's really hard to get any mother/daughter time with her because she is so far away The plane tickets back and forth could get expensive but I think it would be worth it.

Well hopefully you will find a dress in a salon that doesnt have to be ordered. I lucked out. Found the perfect dress in my size. Well then got sick and gained weight. But lost it and it's perfect again. I'm sure everything will work out.

 

[PirateBride08]

Well hopefully you will find a dress in a salon that doesnt have to be ordered. I lucked out. Found the perfect dress in my size. Well then got sick and gained weight. But lost it and it's perfect again. I'm sure everything will work out.

I never thought of being able to just buy it, that would be cool!

Congrats on losing the weight! I know that can be hard

 

[PirateBride08]

It looks like she's also about 1.5 hours from Gainesville, that's where I got my gown - Jay's Bridal - LOVED them!! My friend's sister just got her gown there, it was the "floor model" and she got it for only $179 and her mom is going to fix the minor bead damage. Mine was considerably more, but still, IMO, reasonable for a wedding gown. I'm just not a fan of David's Bridal, although I did finally find my gorgeous wedding shoes there.

I wanted to look at Solutions Bridal in Winter Park, which is outside Orlando to the west, and they were gorgeous but too $$$.

In Tampa, Bride2Be Boutique on Dale Mabry carries Casablanca (my gown was a Casablanca) and what's really nice about those is they are made to your measurements and are totally customizable (is that a word ) and they have lots of other designers too. I've heard good things about Jon's Bridal in Tampa, but I think it's pretty much an outlet so I don't think you can order a dress through them, but I could be wrong. My friend who lives in Tampa really liked Brides by Demetrios, but there you are of course limited to Demetrios gowns.

Take a few days and schedule 2 or 3 appointments with boutiques so you don't feel rushed or pressured. I scheduled 2 appiontments in Gainesville and ended up finding my gown the first day at Jay's. The other boutique I was going to go to has since closed.

Good Luck and Have Fun!!

Thank you so much! This is so helpful! I have a friend that moved from Jersey to Winter Garden, but she is moving again...this time to Tampa.

I agree about David's Bridal. There are some that I like on their website but (and I hope I don't get flamed for this) the quality of thier dresses hasn't been the best in my past experiences. My sister-in-law's bustle fell apart right before the reception, and one of her bridesmaid's dresses had the zipper falling apart. Then another wedding I was in the brides dress had tulle underneath and that came apart and we had to rip it out! And one of her bridesmaid's dress zipper broke completely (pulled right out of the dress) two hours before the ceremony! Thank goodness there was a seamstress 5 minutes up the road to fix it.

I know plenty of people that have had good experiences with them as well but the weddings I have been in or very close to have had some issues.

My mom loves to shop so getting her to any of these places shouldn't be too hard.

Thanks again!

 

[Belle1981]

I got my dress in FLA at Brides by Demetrios in Altamonte Springs. They were just wonderful! I could not have asked for better service. As mentioned in a previous thread I wanted so badly to have my mother there but as far as I knew her and my dad were not going to be able to come down from Toronto to see it. There it was just like a movie I was standing there in my dress and in walked my parents!!!! They flew down for 2 days to see me in my dress. Picking out a dress is so much more magical when your mother is there. I almost lost mine twice to breast cancer and there is NO WAY I could pick out a dress without her by my side!

 

[JandJ]

PirateBride08 - where are you in Jersey? I lived in Morristown when I was in grade school (then moved to Colorado) and then for the last two years of high school I lived in Long Valley, which is pretty close to the Delaware Water Gap. I have one friend in Tranquility and another in New Brunswick. My brother graduated from Rutgers. I keep telling DH we should visit the areas where I used to live so he can see that there are some beautiful parts of NJ - he's only been to the Newark Airport

 

[JJClemson]

It was soooo important to me to go dress shopping with my mom. I live in Atlanta and she is in NJ. Since I go home to NJ a little too often , we went shopping up there. I bought a dress last May and am actually going to NJ on Thursday for my first fitting. Of course my mom will be there

Good luck

 

[PirateBride08]

I got my dress in FLA at Brides by Demetrios in Altamonte Springs. They were just wonderful! I could not have asked for better service. As mentioned in a previous thread I wanted so badly to have my mother there but as far as I knew her and my dad were not going to be able to come down from Toronto to see it. There it was just like a movie I was standing there in my dress and in walked my parents!!!! They flew down for 2 days to see me in my dress. Picking out a dress is so much more magical when your mother is there. I almost lost mine twice to breast cancer and there is NO WAY I could pick out a dress without her by my side!

I really need my mom with me. I haven't lived in the same state as her since I was 8 years old and never really got to get to know her. I mean I know her, but really bond like most mothers and daughters do. She is a nurse and works in a Kidney dialysis (sp?) center so it's hard for her to get off work. I work for a huge company in an office at a desk monday thru friday so I could easily take a day or two and make it a long weekend trip.

I just went and found your thread! I was practically in tears! How sweet that your parents came to see the dress! My dad passed away 8 years ago (he was the one that raised my brother and I) so my mom is all I have left.

 

[PirateBride08]

PirateBride08 - where are you in Jersey? I lived in Morristown when I was in grade school (then moved to Colorado) and then for the last two years of high school I lived in Long Valley, which is pretty close to the Delaware Water Gap. I have one friend in Tranquility and another in New Brunswick. My brother graduated from Rutgers. I keep telling DH we should visit the areas where I used to live so he can see that there are some beautiful parts of NJ - he's only been to the Newark Airport

I'm in Hightstown. It's about 15 minutes from Princeton. I grew up in Hamilton, which is right outside Trenton. That area isn't so nice now though

I have friends in New Brunswick! A lot of the women in my office live there too! My sister-in-law received her masters degree from Rutgers!

New Jersey definitely has is beautiful parts, it gets a bad rap because of Camden and all...it's a shame because there still are gorgeous areas. I would like to get out of Mercer County though, it's kinda congested here. I think I've only been to Newark airport 5 times in my whole life! I always fly out of Philly because it is easier to get to.

 

[PirateBride08]

It was soooo important to me to go dress shopping with my mom. I live in Atlanta and she is in NJ. Since I go home to NJ a little too often , we went shopping up there. I bought a dress last May and am actually going to NJ on Thursday for my first fitting. Of course my mom will be there

Good luck

woo hoo! I'm not the only one that thought of doing something like this! Where is your DF's family? I'm not sure how my DBF's mom would feel if I didn't invite her to come along and its not that I don't want her there but I think she would understand.

 

[orangetiggs]

I'm ordering my dress from longs bridal in orlando as its about $1200 cheaper than here in the uk! I'm flying out to get it in sept! My mum and I went dress shopping here in the uk and then we found a place that could do it that much cheaper