Wedding Trunk shows?

[sunnyd]

I posted a similar topic over in LIW, but you brides would know the answer to this question (hopefully!).

How often do trunk shows come around? There are 3 coming up in my area and we plan to marry in early 2010. Would another one come around with enough time to order before then? Should I go to this one next month unengaged and possibly miss the mom moments or wait until it''s ''official'' and pay more?

 

[marchswallowbird]

Not to threadjack...but what IS a trunk show, anyway?

 

[sunnyd]

It''s when designers offer their gowns at huge discounts.

 

[loverocks]

Hi! Unless you live in an area not suburban and not close to a city you should have no worries. You can google trunk shows pretty easy. Also, you could get a list from the biggest bridal stores in your area. I also think this info is on knot and weddinchannel also, but I could be wrong about that.
Happy dress hunting!

 

[marchswallowbird]

I thought a trunk show was when they showed off their new styles. I thought the huge discounts came at sample sales. Confused!

 

[rockzilla]

A trunk show is when sketchy dudes at the flea market sell bootleg designer dresses out of their trunks....

Just kidding. Sometimes it means they are bringing around actual trunks of new designs. Many times though, it is a period where they offer an extra 10-20% off. Most salons/designers have trunk shows anywhere from 1-4x per year.

Don't be afraid to shop around. Say the trunk show at your local salon has passed, but the designer is having another trunk show at a further away salon. Call up the local place, and say, "I really want to buy my dress from you, but XYZ salon is offering it to me for 20% less...what can you do?" Chances are, they'd rather give it to you than lose your business.

I personally know that Priscilla of Boston has trunk shows for their lines almost every other month (they alternate).

BUT all of this is a moot point if you haven't found the dress of your dreams yet. I'd go shopping when it is NOT during a trunk sale (maybe before? or even after) so that you don't have the pressure of "OH-MY its a great deal and I have to buy today" - I'm sure many 2-dress brides found themselves in similar situations precisely due to this feeling.

So, find the dress FIRST, find the best price SECOND, and shop around!

PS When I say find the best price second, I don't mean disregard budget, you should always been trying on dresses in your price range. I'm just talking about the additional 10-20% discount that is usually attainable via shopping around/trunk shows, etc.

 

[goldenstar]

Trunk shows for each designer come around either once per year or once per design season (Spring and Fall). The discounts help, but are not all that huge. I got 10% off at a trunk show.

If you're getting married in early 2010 then you have plenty of time to wait. I would go to the ones in Spring 09 if I were you. That would definitely be enough time. If you buy a dress too early you run the risk of finding a newer one that you like better

 

[sunnyd]

Date: 8/21/2008 4:54:36 PM
Author: goldenstar
Trunk shows for each designer come around either once per year or once per design season (Spring and Fall). The discounts help, but are not all that huge. I got 10% off at a trunk show.

If you're getting married in early 2010 then you have plenty of time to wait. I would go to the ones in Spring 09 if I were you. That would definitely be enough time. If you buy a dress too early you run the risk of finding a newer one that you like better

Oh I hope not!!! Though I definitely forsee it. LOL, I literally have 48 dresses saved that I love. 16 of those are favorite favorites.

I think I'll wait. I'd feel guilty for some reason.

I'll just make him propose before then. Just kidding.

 

[Clairitek]

mini threadjack:

Funny that we''re talking about trunk shows right now. I just received an email from the knot about Jim Hjelm trunk shows in my area (Philadelphia/South Jersey) that are coming up.

The first is September 5-7 for wedding gowns. The second is September 12-14 for bridesmaids dresses. I have read a bit of chatter on these boards about Jim Hjelm bridemaids dresses so I thought that I would mention this.

This particular store also is offering 20% the entire store through September 14th.

The store is Country Way Bridal in Cherry Hill, NJ.

I''m not engaged yet so this isn''t of use to me but I just thought any other Philly area brides who haven''t found their gown or bridesmaids dresses yet might be interested!

 

[Mediterranean]

One time per year or per season, yeah...

the "big discount" comes into play because the actual designer is usually present, and you can plead your case with her, LOL! If not the designer, it''s definitely someone in the design house who is empowered to offer price cuts on the spot, someone like a VP or a head-of-sales.

For instance; in late July, Reem Acra had a Trunk Sale in my city. I went, and fell in love with a $9,000 gown from the Fall 2008 collection. They cut $2000 off the price because they weren''t sure the gown would make it to the "regular" line carried in bridal stores, or if it would be an exclusive that may only be purchased/tried on via the Flagship Store. At that point in time, I was actually trying on the production sample, the one that went down the runway at the fall ''08 show.

So, basically, Trunk Shows are the designer''s way of taking the market''s "temperature" so to speak, and deciding what goes into their "production" line, based on the reactions of brides like yourself. Because everything is so brand-new, and the gowns'' market viability is unknown as of that point in time, you have a little "wiggle room" as a consumer.

So, in the case of my dress? The designer made $7000 off the bat. As opposed to nothing if the design is removed from the final line altogether, or a lot less in TOTAL sales if the dress is an exclusive and stays at its $9000 price-point.

 

[sunnyd]

Wow Med! Any pics of this dress?

 

[Mediterranean]

Date: 8/22/2008 5:42:53 PM
Author: sunnyd
Wow Med! Any pics of this dress?

You know what? I took it off BEFORE I paid, like an idiot, and now I''m kicking myself!!!


It''s on the Reem site, in the "press" section, there''s a summer issue of Town and Country Weddings (blue cover) and when you cick on that PDF, it''s the dress on the left, on the girl with wavy blond hair. I have also seen it on the Brides.com site. The girls who model it, though, ALL do the SAME annoying thing: they block my favorite part of the dress with something. Their hands, a fake bouquet, something.

Also, on the Reem site, if you click on the "Bridal" collection, it''s in the Fal 08 Collection. Bottom Row, first dress. Annoying, because the bodice is SIIICK! It''s a crumb-catcher that is shaped vaguely like "seashells" with a low v dip in front. Heavy crystal beading on the bodice (only) and the skirt is chiffon, with a small train.

When it comes in, I''ll put in on and bombard this forum with pics, because the ones floating around online really don''t do it justice! I know. Everyone says that, LOL. I''m another one

 

[violet02]

Keep in mind a couple of things though.. make sure you have enough time between when you need the dress and when you order it.. so if you go to a february trunk show and need it in april that may be pushing it. My dress took SIX months to come in!

Also some bridal shops offer discounts to first visit buyers. Trunk shows (or some of the ones I''ve been to) offer the same type of deal. So if you know what you want and you want the discount then buy it. BUT also ditto to what Rockzilla said above.. don''t feel like you have to buy it. Make sure that its THE ONE. If not then shop around or go to the next trunk show. I saw a designer had been around 2x since I started my dress search so it''s not a rush situation per se. I also didn''t go to trunk shows for anything I knew I couldn''t afford or probably didn''t want to buy... It''s hard to fall in love with things beyond your price range, even with the discount!

I got my veil and jewlery at a trunk show that I almost didn''t go to. I''m so glad I went. She had a wealth of designs available for just about anything you might want and I got exactly what I wanted all at once. I also got 10-15% off of everything for buying on the spot. And I got to work with the designer herself to pick out things that she thought worked for me. It''s a huge help to have someone that knowlegeable working with you.

No need to rush the dress buying process either. Wait til its official and go with your mom. There will be other sales and shows. You have a ton of time! And also ditto goldenstar... don''t buy too early. If you browse through the posts here there''s a ton of ohmygosh I found another dress i''m in love with posts... hard not to do with plenty of time to look around.