The wedding dress shopping process has drastically changed in post-pandemic America and we have adapted to reduce the stress it caused. What happened and what changed?
Wedding Dress Shopping In Post Pandemic America
Category Archives: appointments
Online Chat and Text Chat Etiquette
Have you ever done an online chat with a company? How about texting a company’s telephone number to communicate with it? Super helpful to get immediate service, right?
Six years ago, Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo added the ability to do an online chat with us. In addition, we set up our actual store telephone number to be able to receive text messages from customers! A few years ago, our service provider added the ability for us to initiate a text chat with customers directly.
We always knew about online chat systems but when we realized that our store’s landline could send and receive text messages, we were convinced this would be the best service on earth. And we were correct! We send and receive thousands of text messages to and from our customers every month. The system is on about 16 – 17 hours a day and we the owners and founders actually answer all chats and text messages, even when the store is not open! Yes, this is a commitment timewise, however we see how convenient and important this service is. Our brides and grooms tell us how much they love the ease of communicating with us and we love being able to provide immediate answers to you.
So with thousands of text messages and chats each month, we’ve learned a thing or two about how to make this service more efficient for you. In addition, we’ve received some interesting text messages and chats over the years, to say the least!
The following blog will help you communicate more efficiently with your bridal and tuxedo store. Our advice and tips are purely from what we learned over the years with customers attempting to text or chat with us.
Our Chat and Text System is NOT a Google Search!
Every month, we receive text messages from customers as if the person is trying to do a Google search. Here’s an actual example of a text message sent to us: “mother of the bride dresses near me”. When texting or chatting with us, you are actually communicating directly with the owners and our daughter, in real time! We don’t use computers or bots to answer, you are actually speaking to a person when you text or initiate an online chat with us.
If you type in your text message or the chat box words that you would normally type in a search engine, we will most likely ask you to clarify what you are asking or what you are looking for. We read every text message and chat and will be able to have a conversation with you as if you are talking to a friend or family member, it’s that simple!
So our advice is to be very clear about what you are looking for.
Text Chat Advice
If you initiate a text chat with us, be specific and tell us how we can help you. Tell us your name, what you are looking for and how we can help you.
If you send a picture, please tell us what the photo is and how we can help you with it. Random photos that are delivered to our text chat system don’t help us help you without adequate explanation. Are you looking for the dress you sent us? Are you looking for a similar tuxedo to the one you sent in the photo? Giving us your name allows us to be more personal with you. If you are looking for our hours, it’s very efficient to text or chat us by writing: “Hi, my name is Lisa. Can you tell me your hours”? You’ll receive an immediate response with the exact information you are looking for, thus saving yourself time.
When you start a text chat with us, all we can see is a phone number and nothing else. Your name and what you are looking for would help you receive a quicker and more complete response. Oftentimes, a customer will text us “did my dress arrive?”. If all we can see is your phone number, we unfortunately don’t know who you are and what kind of dress you purchased. If you give us your name and / or tell us that you purchased a wedding dress, we will be able to more quickly look up the information for you.
Try to Finish the Conversation
Whether you’re doing an online chat or a text chat, try to stay with the conversation. We often have someone text us or write to us through the chat system and then they stop communicating in the middle of the conversation. Eventually the system times out and the conversation automatically ends. Texting us is not like texting your friend who looks at his or her phone throughout the day and can pick up with the conversation later in the day.
For your privacy, our system will end the chat when there is inactivity for a certain period of time. We understand that you may get side tracked or you may be at work, so a starting new conversation later is no problem. However, the systems are designed to end the text or online chat after there is no activity after several minutes.
We Aren’t keeping Your Information
As we mentioned before, we receive and send thousands of messages every month. We don’t have the time to look back at your phone number or chat information, other than to answer your questions, set an appointment or say hello. If we could post a day’s worth of chat in the blog, it would go on for a hundred pages! Your information is safe with us. As a family owned business, the most precious thing we have, other than our employees, is our time. We just don’t have time to go back to your phone number or chat information. Your information is also automatically purged from the system to help with privacy.
Online Chats
Online chats work a little differently. When initiating an online chat, you are requested to fill out your name and email address so that we can communicate with you in a more personal manner. Again, you are talking to a live person when you chat Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo. Our goal is to answer your questions as quickly and thoroughly as possible. The more information you give us, the better we will be able to answer your question. If we don’t have an immediate answer, we will tell you that we will text or email you later. This often happens when the staff is busy with other customers or if we are texting or chatting with you outside of business hours. We may need to answer your questions when we are in the store again.
We Are Available About 16 Hours a Day!
We leave the chat and text system on for about 16 hours a day. We will answer you virtually immediately. If our system is turned off for the night, you will receive an immediate message that we are offline. However, when we turn on our phones or our computers, we will see your message and be able to answer you. No messages are lost and we will get right back to you.
Be Patient
When we receive an online chat request or text message, we are often responding from our iPhones. We typically respond very quickly but sometimes we need a minute to grab our phones or open the system on a computer. We promise, we will answer you pretty quickly but sometimes we are at the gym (yes, we have the chat system with us no matter where we are!) or finishing up with a customer.
Changes are Coming
It is not often that you see a small family business, like ours, offer live chat or text chat. While online or live chat has been around for a long time, being able to text a company’s telephone number is relatively new. Text chats are not as common and we don’t think everyone is perfectly comfortable with it yet, but with the substantial increase in volume of text messages we send and receive every month, we feel that text chatting will become more common in the next two years. Obviously, this hasn’t stopped our millennial brides and grooms from texting us! They love using the service and we love providing it.
Go Ahead and Try Texting or Chatting with Us!
Now that you can initiate an online chat or text the owners of Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo, why don’t you give it a try! Our phone number is 215-491-8500. Or click on our chat button and Wendy, Franco and Daria will be at your service!
Our Gown-On-Loan Program
Did you know that Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo offers a gown-on-loan program to try on at our store? We do, and it is something our brides love! Here is how it works and why it’s so great.
Perhaps you are looking at one of our amazing designers and find a dress you would love to try on. You call and find out that it isn’t one in the store and you don’t want to wait for the next trunk show to try it on. That is where the gown-on-loan program comes in!
For a $75 charge that covers shipping, we will bring in up to two dresses from a designer that we carry for you to try. While we cannot guarantee what size or color they may have to loan, most dresses are available in at least two sizes that work for almost every bride!
That $75 is then credited to a new dress purchase! And it doesn’t have to be one of the loaner dresses, it can be any new wedding dress 🙂
This works so well for several reasons. First is the obvious when you see something online on a model and fall in love! You can’t wait to try it on and you search everywhere for it with no luck. We bring it in for you and you get to see for yourself if it looks as amazing in person as it did online. And then the real test: does it look and feel as amazing on you?
It also allows a bride to see a dress in person rather than buying it sight unseen without a way to return it. Special order dresses are not able to be canceled or returned so getting a dress on loan is a perfect solution!
Another reason brides love our gown-on-loan program is because there is no pressure to purchase. We never treat brides that way. We want you to be 100% sure, obsessed, over the moon in love with the dress you choose, and a high-pressure situation never allows for that. A bride knows her dress when it’s on!
If you decide to purchase, you are not buying that dress that has been loaned out. The loaner dress gets returned to the designer. We order you a brand new dress in your size and color choice.
An interesting fact about this program is that 66% of the brides who take advantage of this program purchase the dress they brought in. Meaning two out of every three brides who brought in a dress they fell in love with online said Yes to it!
Over half of the gown-on-loan brides knew their dress from a photo, that is amazing!
But other times it turned out not to be the one. Sometimes it just looks different in person. Other times it doesn’t work for her height, body shape, or even the venue. When that happens it’s not a bad thing because we then know what styles to introduce that she will love!
The gown-on-loan program is not a trunk show! You can read about trunk shows here for more information. While you can wait for a trunk show to try on a particular dress, they do not always include the dress(es) you want. The show may be a different collection and may not contain what you are looking for. If you are attending a trunk show and there is a specific dress you want, make sure to call to ensure it will be part of the show.
To make a request for this program, call or chat at 215-491-8500 and let us know what dress you are interested in. We can then get the details to you regarding timing and sizes available, and get an appointment set up for you. We look forward to seeing you!
About the author: Wendy Ianieri-Salerno is co-founder and co-owner of Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo, now in its eighth year in business. In that time the store has grown from a small bridal boutique to a full-service bridal store serving not only Bucks County, PA but the surrounding counties and even border states. With the customer experience in mind, Wendy steers the company by offering the best designers and wedding attire while creating a caring, family atmosphere. A life-long Bucks County native, she currently resides in Warrington with her husband and co-founder/co-owner Franco Salerno, and their two daughters for whom the store was named, Daria and Deanna.
3 Things To Consider For Your Bridal Appointment
The appointment to find your Bridal gown may fill you with more anxiety than expected. It’s normal! We have several blogs to help make it easier, and this is another to add to the list. We found there are three easy choices to make before you shop!
- Shapewear – yes/no
- Shoes – high/low
- Hair – up/down
The first decision is whether to wear a bra and/or shape wear. Very personal, so here is what to consider before making your decision. First, the bra. Depending on your figure you may feel there is no choice, but there is. Remember, these are bridal gowns and made much differently that any other dress you’ve had on. This isn’t prom or bridesmaid – they are much more expensive because they are constructed far better.
If you have a large bust, there are certain necklines that look amazing (like V-neck or Halter) and will hold you up and in without the need for an additional support piece. If you are considering a strapless dress, the bodice will have corsetting/boning inside to help hold you up. Do make sure the top comes up high enough and gets fitted properly under the arms to keep you in.
You may still want to wear one and you can! If you feel more secure definitely bring one to your bridal appointment.
If you have a smaller bust and feel you need more to fill out the top, cups can easily be sewn in that look natural and will alleviate the need for a push up bra or extra padding. Sometimes that extra layer can make it more difficult to alter the dress around it.
Again, if you feel better wearing one, bring along! You can always try a dress with and without to see the difference.
Remember: Your bridal seamstress will be able to make custom fits to you. No two bodies are the same and a few tweaks will make it perfect to yours.
Along these lines is shape wear. We have had brides spend a small fortune on shape wear only to find the dress looks and fits better without it! Depending on your dress, shape wear may look good in one area (waist) while making another area look bad (under the arms, in the back).
In addition, it adds a layer underneath, can show under certain fabrics (like crepe), and is generally not necessary. If shape wear is a must for you, then definitely wear it to the appointment.
Next let’s talk about shoes. Your height and the height of your shoes makes a big difference in the look of your dress.
For instance, let’s say you are five feet tall and intend to wear flats… a standard mermaid dress may not the best option for you. If you are a petite in stature and want a mermaid dress, definitely bring a pair of heels to your bridal appointment to see what this silhouette will look like with and without them. You will see that wearing flats will require even more of the skirt to be hemmed off and you will lose much of the shape.
Even a small heel makes a difference in the look of any skirt. Most of the time, brides will need to get a hem of some length. Your skirt should skim the floor when you walk. You should not feel like you have to pull it up by your hands in the front. If you do, it is too long. If you have a hemline that has scalloping, the longest piece should skim the floor.
While you don’t necessarily need to bring a pair of shoes to your bridal appointment, it is a very good idea if you are intending to wear heels of any height.
You will need the exact shoes you intend to wear when you attend your fittings with the seamstress!
Now to another choice that wont necessarily have to be made at this time but should be considered is how you will wear your hair. This may depend somewhat on the dress you choose, however if you are not one who typically wears your hair up, your wedding day may not be the day to start.
There is a good chance you will have a hair trial prior to your wedding and your stylist will want to see photos of the front and back of your dress to come up with the perfect look to show off your features as well as those of your dress. If your dress has pretty illusion lace, beading, and/or buttons up the back, having your hair up (or to the side) shows that off beautifully. If you have a low open back, wearing your hair up or down looks equally lovely either way!
If your hair is long, you may want to bring a hair tie or clip to your bridal appointment to put it up so you can easily see details of the back of the dress.
These are a few things you can think about before coming to your bridal appointment. There is no wrong answer, it is what is right for you! Have a question? Leave us a comment or text us at 215-491-8500 we will be happy to answer! And as always make your appointment here!
About the author: Wendy Ianieri-Salerno is co-founder and co-owner of Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo, now in its eighth year in business. In that time the store has grown from a small bridal boutique to a full-service bridal store serving not only Bucks County, PA but the surrounding counties and even border states. With the customer experience in mind, Wendy steers the company by offering the best designers and wedding attire while creating a caring, family atmosphere. A life-long Bucks County native, she currently resides in Warrington with her husband and co-founder/co-owner Franco Salerno, and their two daughters for whom the store was named, Daria and Deanna.
Wedding Dress Shopping: Guest Etiquette
Congratulations! You are one of the lucky ones the bride has decided to bring dress shopping with her. As dramatic as this may sound, it is an honor when the bride includes you as a guest in her dress shopping process. This means that you are a trusted loved one whose feedback is important to her!
You may think that your job is just to go and tell the bride what you think of each dress, but there is much more to your job than that. We are here to give you tips and tricks to be the best guest with constructive feedback!
Let the Bride Speak First
This may be the most important piece of advice we can offer. You may be very eager to tell the bride exactly what you think of each dress, and why wouldn’t you? That’s why she brought you, right? That is correct to an extent, but picture this:
The bride puts on a dress and it is love at first sight. She tells her consultant in the dressing room that it is everything she wants and she can see herself walking down the aisle in it. She thinks this could be the one, she’s got that feeling, and she can’t wait to show you! She walks onto the platform and a guest says “I don’t like that one at all!” before she even has a chance to tell you she loves it.
We know you didn’t mean to hurt her feelings, she is someone you deeply care about. But you just told her the dress she loves and thinks is “the one” couldn’t possibly be it. We have seen this exact scenario play out in front of us.
Once the bride admits her feelings, the recovery can be extremely awkward and she is then insecure about herself and her dress vision. Let the bride tell you what she thinks first before you give your opinion. If the bride tells you she doesn’t like it, by all means, share your feelings with her! But keep it centered on the dress itself rather than the dress on her. Keep her happiness and vision in mind as you formulate your feedback.
Be Gentle With Your Words
This falls hand in hand with the last tip. Know your bride and how she responds to criticism before you go into appointments with her! If you have a bride who is a bit more sensitive, saying things like “that’s ugly” or “that looks awful” can make her shut down and even question if you will be chosen to accompany her at any future appointments. There are ways to say what you want to say that are delicate and constructive without hurting feelings!
You may not realize that what you want to say would be something that she would take personally, but comments about body shape or features that the bride cannot change should be thought about prior to being spoken.
If you have a self conscious bride, focusing comments on the dress rather than how the dress looks on her is typically a great way to avoid any hurt feelings. For example, “that dress is cut boxy” rather than “that dress makes you look boxy” is a very easy way to tell her that there are dresses that are more flattering without her feeling insecure about her shape.
Some brides are very direct and genuinely want feedback like that. This is absolutely fine to say if that is the type of comment the bride really wants to hear. There is nothing wrong with brutal honesty ONLY if the bride asks for it and is proven to handle criticism well. Being gentle with your words is really personal to each bride and the dynamic you have with her. Stay in tune to her attitude and emotions during the appointment and adjust your feedback from there!
The Bride Guides the Appointment
Bridal gown shopping is an extremely exciting time and we love when the bride’s guests are equally as excited for her! Sometimes this well-meaning excitement can lead to a little bit of overstepping and the appointment stops being directed by the bride. The bride and her consultant should be the ones who determine what styles she wants to try, what dresses fall within her budget, and other details of her dress.
Every so often, we will have an excited guest who will pull a dress for her to try that is over budget or completely out of the realm of what she is looking for without the bride’s consent. There are also guests who want to take part in dressing her up with veils and belts, even after she has expressed “I don’t want to wear a veil”, is not looking for a belt, or doesn’t even like the dress she has on. If there is something you think the bride should consider, ask her first.
Most suggestions can be formulated into questions to plant the idea you have but to give the bride control over it. For example, rather than saying “try on a mermaid dress just for fun!”, ask her “have you considered trying on a mermaid dress to be sure that isn’t what you want?” This shows the bride that you are interested in helping her find “the one” rather than overwhelming her with the idea that she needs to try on dresses that she didn’t ask for.
As far as pulling something over budget goes, we recommend steering clear of that unless you discuss with the bride. We do not suggest trying on a dress that is out of budget because if she falls in love with it, the dress can be hard to forget about or she will end up spending outside of her means.
This doesn’t mean to hold back from suggestions that may help her, just be aware if she is overwhelmed. Dress shopping, along with every step of the wedding planning process, can be extremely stressful for the bride. Be receptive to see if the bride is looking for guidance or just some extra feedback to support what she feels. Let her make the decisions and evaluate what she needs from there! Remember to frame all suggestions and feedback in a way where the bride keeps the control of her appointment. This is her time.
Important: Sizes of Wedding Dresses Are Not Like Regular Dresses
Wedding dresses run small, usually 1-2 sizes smaller than normal size. For example, if a bride’s regular size is a 12, her wedding dress could easily be a 14 or 16 depending on the designer and the style. Our dress samples are in sizes from 4-32 so there is a great selection in all size ranges for brides to try on. And really, the size doesn’t matter, until guests get involved pulling dresses that won’t fit.
This happens all too frequently: a curvy size bride is trying on dresses in the 18+ range and looks great! She has a few 16s on that are snug and is being clipped down to size in others. She’s having a great experience and has a few favorites when someone gets up and starts hanging dresses on the rack… in size 6.
Please do not choose dresses that are not even close to the bride’s size, or worse, insisting that she try them on. The bride goes from feeling happy and confident to awful in a matter of minutes. Ask if there is a similar style in a size will allow her to envision a final look. The stylist knows the inventory.
Do Not Be the One To Steal Her Moment From Her
After an amazing appointment where the bride has successfully narrowed down styles, she is now standing in her favorite dress and is head over heels in love! She feels confident, beautiful, and ready to say “yes!” to the most meaningful dress she will ever wear. Everyone is telling her that this is her dress, but before she can soak up her moment, one well-meaning guest says, “You can’t say yes now, you have to sleep on it!”
Nothing pops a bride’s balloon like this.
There are few moments in life like this one. A memory of saying yes to her wedding dress is huge. She has the group that she loves around her and she wants to be celebrated. She is so ready to make that memory and savor it forever …
“You have to sleep on it” makes the bride feels as though it’s the wrong dress and that she should second guess the dress she is in love with. Her “yes” moment is gone, replaced with confusion and stress because she feels she’s incapable of choosing. She wanted validation but got the opposite.
What the bride can expect after saying “yes” to her dress is basically exactly what you see on TV. The excitement of her family and friends, maybe some tears, all kinds of goodies, and pictures so she can post on Instagram to tell the world that she said yes to the most perfect dress! Now she can finally envision herself in her dress at her venue – everything falls easily into place after these two major factors are set in stone. She will be over the moon excited and have another check mark on her wedding planning checklist! But now that moment is gone.
Could she come back later to say “yes”? Absolutely! But it’s not the same. The excitement of finding the dress after a great appointment of narrowing down isn’t there. Her reward after a day of uncertainty and hard decisions was prolonged. She will still love the dress and get all of the goodies and pictures, but the entire energy from the initial appointment is different. She brought you there to celebrate with her, but now there is a return trip involved and it’s never the same as saying yes in her moment.
Now I’m not saying that the bride should not sleep on it if she wants to. Every bride is different and some need the time to process! But that is not a guest’s decision to make for her. You may be someone who needs to sleep on things, but this bride might be ready to commit and start celebrating. Most brides know what they want and are not afraid to commit to it when they see it! Don’t take the moment from her, celebrate with her.
Phrases to Avoid
After doing nine years worth of bridal appointments, we have heard so many beautiful statements of love and encouragement said to brides! The guest support can be amazing, positive, and helpful. We have also heard statements that have hurt brides more than they have helped. Here are some phrases/comments we recommend staying away from:
“You look fat/pregnant”
“That looks horrible on you”
“I don’t like anything you have tried on”
“I always pictured you in a _____ dress so it’s hard for me to like anything else”
“I am paying for the dress so I get a say in what you pick”
“You will need to lose weight to wear that”
“Are you serious? You like that one?”
“Why would you want to wear THAT?”
“(Fiancee) will hate that”
Helpful Phrases To Use
You are almost ready to be the best guest of all the rest! Here are some great phrases to support your bride through her dress shopping process:
“How do you like/How do you feel in this one compared to some of the other ones you have tried?”
“You look beautiful in this dress! I think some of your other favorites flatter your body better, though”
“Out of your favorites, my personal favorite is _____, but you will be a beautiful bride in any of the ones you have picked!”
“I think the other dress would really fit your venue/theme/color pallet, too!”
“I want you to be happy in whatever dress you choose, and (fiancee) will love whatever you pick!”
“I can see you getting married in that dress!”
Now you know how to be the best guest ever and can share in one of the most magical and memorable moments in a bride’s life!
About the author: Daria Capaldi is the manager of Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo and one-half of its namesake. On the cusp of the Millennial/Gen Z divide, she is uniquely suited for understanding the wedding industry both from a business perspective and a bride’s planning perspective. A graduate of James Madison University and a participant in the Disney Internship Program, Ms. Capaldi upholds the customer experience as key. A Warrington, Bucks County native, she resides in Huntingdon Valley with her boyfriend Jeff and her adorable pup Eva.
Video Appointments from Your Bridal and Tuxedo Store
Because of COVID-19 and social distancing requirements, Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo began offering video appointments for our brides and grooms even before the general shutdown in Pennsylvania. It turns out, our brides and grooms loved the service and began booking video appointments with us pretty immediately.
While we continue to monitor the Center for Disease Control’s recommendations for safe practices during the pandemic, we feel that a video appointment can be both convenient and appealing to those who want to further reduce the risk of the Coronavirus. We did re-open to serve you in our store on June 5, 2020 but created many new procedures to keep you safe.
In fact, the Intelligencer newspaper learned of our video appointments and sent a photographer to catch some of our appointments in action. On March 30, 2020, they published those photos describing several video appointments!
Even though we are a small, family business, we really enjoy using technology to keep in touch with our customers. There are so many methods to communicate with us and now video appointments are here to stay, even after we are past the coronavirus!
Most of our customers have done their video appointments with us by FaceTime or Google Duo. Google Duo is a free Google app that will allow an iPhone and Android phone to do a free video call together.
On a few occasions, we’ve done video appointments by Skype, Google Meet, WhatsApp and Zoom. Most of our customers enjoy the convenience of using their mobile phones for a video appointment, so FaceTime and Google Duo have been the most popular apps that we have used. However, we can accommodate other platforms as well.
Tuxedo Appointments
During your tuxedo and suit appointment, we will introduce ourselves and in the comfort of your own home, you will get to learn who we are and meet us by video connection! We will explain to you the entire rental or purchase process and provide you with timelines and advice on getting all of your groomsmen and fathers measured and fitted.
Just like our in-person appointments, we will provide you with some ideas on what the fathers can wear, how to distinguish the groom from the groomsmen, and answer any of your questions about the process. We also explain the the difference between a tuxedo and suit and show you actual suits and tuxedos in the video.
We will also provide you with detailed instructions on how to get your out-of-town groomsmen to get measured and how they can easily submit their measurements and payments on our website.
After the video appointment, you will have several things to think about and the next time we see each other, you will have a better idea of what your groom will want to try on. We are just a text away if you forgot to ask a question, or think of one afterwards!
Bridal Video Appointment
So yes, we’ve done bridal video appointments too! These have worked in many different ways. During the shutdown ordered by Pennsylvania’s governor, we would have brides choose dresses that they like. We would also choose dresses for her based on what she likes in a wedding dress. Our daughter, Daria, would model the dresses and we would provide a live video feed to the bride so that she could see what the wedding dresses looked like on a person, as it moved, twirled, and sparkled. This is better than seeing it on the mannequin.
This video appointment allows the bride to choose her favorite bridal gowns and rule out any that she is not interested in. This way, when she visits us in person to try her favorites on, she is ready to hit the ground running. We keep detailed notes of the dresses that will be tried on when the bride visits our bridal store. What a great way to research dresses and make the best use of time, all while staying safe at home!
During this appointment, as with our in-person appointments, we are able to explain dress fabrics, dress silhouettes, bustling options, customizations, and timing for arrival of your beautiful dress from the designer once ordered. And of course, we can answer any questions that you may have. We can even try on belts, veils and hair pieces in the video call if you’d like to see those as well.
Because of COVID-19, we are currently limiting the number of guests that are permitted to attend your bridal appointment. You are allowed to have 3 guests plus the bride, 4 people in all. To compensate for this, we can add other guests who would like to share in our bridal appointment by video.
Many of our brides have added Grandmom to her video appointment so that she can safely participate in the moment, or maybe it’s your friend in another state who could not travel to the area due to COVID. We recently had a bride FaceTime her maid of honor who was located in Colorado. The maid of honor anticipated coming to our store to share in her friend’s wedding dress shopping experience but due to COVID, chose not to fly during the holidays.
Our bridal stylists can take the phone and camera and show the video participants a 360 degree view of dresses, accessories and of course your reaction! Brides can also use our ring light to capture the dress it in lighting that will show off all of its amazing features!
By Far Our Most Unusual Video Appointment
Our favorite video appointment was with a bride 7,000 miles away. We currently have a bride who lives in Seoul Korea. Because of the pandemic, she is unable to come home to try on wedding dresses with her family. The bride’s sister, who lives in Philadelphia, was kind enough to model dresses for her in our store during a video appointment. Through Instagram messenger, we communicated with the bride in Korea and helped her choose bridal gowns to her liking. When mom, sister and a friend came for the appointment, they also chose dresses for her.
The bride was able to see her favorite dresses on her sister and say yes to the dress from Seoul, Korea!
Making a Video Appointment
So how do you make a video appointment? This is very easy. You can make an online appointment and in the notes to your request, ask for a video appointment. You can also request a video appointment by texting our store’s telephone number: 215-491-8500. Video appointment requests can be made by sending us a message via Facebook Messenger, Instagram Messenger or message on Google from your mobile phone by Googling Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo. Of course, you can always call us too!
So what are you waiting for? Make your video appointment today! We can’t wait to meet you!
About the author: Franco Salerno is co-founder and co-owner of Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo, now in their eighth year in business. In that time, he built the tuxedo department into a force rivaling big box stores by providing expertise, caring service, and beautiful, quality formal wear. Personally invested in every transaction, Mr. Salerno provides customers with the utmost trust and confidence, assuring their wedding or formal event attire will be perfect. A native of Philadelphia, he currently resides in Warrington, Bucks County with his wife and store co-founder/co-owner Wendy, and their two daughters for whom the store was named, Daria and Deanna.
The Emotions of a Bridal Appointment
You are finally engaged! You have waited so long for this and here you are a bride to be planning your wedding. This is one of the most exciting times in your life! You may find your emotions are all over the place as you begin the task of planning your wedding.
You are also about to embark on the search for the most meaningful garment you will ever wear.
We have done thousands of bridal appointments over the years and there are so many emotions that a bride may experience during an appointment. If you have never looked for a wedding dress, this will definitely help if you experience them during your search!
Anxiety. Most often we find brides have anywhere from a slight nervousness to almost panic when starting out. We do our best before the appointment even begins to put every bride at ease, and most of the time the anxiety disappears quickly and turns into excitement. If it does not, some of the changes we make are easy ones such as offering mom or sister to help in the dressing room, and/or moving the bride to a more private/quiet area. These usually do the trick and allow the bride the space she needs to breathe and think calmly.
Excitement. You have thought about being a bride for so long and the dress search is incredibly exciting! Chances are you have a Pinterest board full of dresses and cannot wait to start trying on!
Wonder/Insecurity. Will it be as amazing for you as the brides on TV make it out to be? Or as great as your friends? Will anything look good? Will you find what you love in your budget? Will you know when its the right dress? How many stores will you need to visit? How many dresses should you try on? Will you cry? Will you have your “moment”?
Shock and Awe. This is a big one. Make no mistake about it, trying on a wedding dress is like nothing you have ever experienced. This is not like trying on a pair of jeans or a jacket. Wedding dresses are magic and you will be shocked at how incredibly special you feel in them! Also, this is the time that the gravity of the situation hits… “Holy sh*t, I’m getting married!!”
Confusion. This happens for a number of reasons. The most common is when you won’t stop looking and you have tried on so many that you don’t know what you want anymore. Another reason is that you have not chosen what silhouette you want and now you have multiple favorites that are completely different and don’t know which to pick. Or, you have started looking over your budget and you don’t like anything in budget anymore. You may be confused with regard to sizing of wedding dresses (they run 1-2 sizes small). This also occurs when you are given conflicting information from multiple stores, and you don’t know the truth. (Just ask us, we are known for our honesty even if it does cost us a sale.)
Overwhelm. This also can happen for a number of reasons. First as mentioned above, you may have gone to too many stores, or perhaps been given conflicting information, and/or tried on too many dresses. But another one we see often is too many people in a group. The search for opinions and approval, lots of pictures, you find the one but you’re told to “sleep on it”, all of these can lead to an overwhelming experience for you. (When a bride hits this stage, we will often suggest the she take a break from shopping for several days and/or return with a smaller group.) Covid has forced us to limit the number of guests allowed in the store, however Facetime calls are unlimited guests.
The Moment. If there was a word for this… priceless? But priceless doesn’t even cover it. You can’t stage, plan, or recreate it. When the moment happens, brides react in ways that surprise themselves. The bride who says, “I doubt I’ll cry when I find my dress,” is often the one who does. On the other side, we’ve had shy brides announce, “This is it, this is my dress,” with absolute confidence and a big smile. Regardless of the reaction, this is a life moment to be embraced and celebrated! You will always remember your moment.
Deflate. You’re in the moment, relishing it as well as the dress you can see yourself walking down the aisle in!! And then someone says, “You can’t say yes today, you have to sleep on it.” You are forced into two places, disappointment (“But, I came out to find my dress?!”) and confusion (they don’t like it, I look bad, I’m making the wrong choice, etc.). While you can still have a great memory saying yes to the dress at a later time, you will never recreate the moment.
Nervous. You get the call that your dress is in! You waited months for your dress, will you still like it? Will it fit? Will it be as amazing as you you remember? (Yes, yes, and even better!)
Anticipation. You LOVE your dress! You have your perfect accessories. You have the perfect hairstyle and your make up trial was flawless. Now you have to wait for your best day ever!
You could experience any or all of these emotions while you search for your perfect wedding dress! If you do, they are all normal, and you are not the first bride to experience them. We know how to make your bridal appointment fun and we have dresses for every bride! Make your appointment with us!
Do We Require A Credit Card to Secure Your Bridal Appointment?
We at Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo do not believe you should have to give a bridal shop your credit or debit card to secure a bridal appointment.
That’s why when you make an online appointment, request an appointment by text message, Google Messaging, Facebook Messenger, Instagram Messenger or by calling us, you will not be asked for your credit card. We are a family business and want to treat you the way we would want our own daughters to be treated. Our store’s name, Darianna, is the combination of their names: Daria and Deanna.
What Do Brides Like You Think?
Many members of our team are currently engaged or were recently married this summer and went through what brides are going through right now. We asked them their feeings about giving their credit card to reserve a bridal appointment.
While most of our team associated the policy with a doctors office or a fine dining establishment, they all said not for dress shopping. Although all of our team understands that the store doesn’t want you to buy from someone else, none agreed with being “forced” to show up – especially if you found your dress and wanted to go celebrate!
Everyone felt it was distasteful to be charged to cancel, even if someone in the party was ill or another emergency.
Is My Credit Card Information Safe?
In addition, there were legitimate security questions. All wanted to know how and where is the credit card information being held, for instance, is it hand written somewhere for somebody else to see (or steal)? Is there a list of them? Is there a signature or contract for used for authorization? What happens to the card info after the bride leave? If saved to a computer system, does it stay there indefinitely? What if the store’s system is hacked? So many questions to ask if someone wants your card…
We know first-hand how important wedding dress shopping is and we have created a pleasant, pressure-free wedding dress shopping environment. Our designers are not only gorgeous, but in what we feel is the right price range. We add new designers to the mix every year! You will have lots of fun with us, share some laughs and will make plenty of memories.
Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo, since it’s founding, does things a little differently:
- We allow you and your guests to take pictures of you in the wedding dresses (we want you to make memories!).
- We choose dresses for you based on your preferences and we let you “shop” as well, in case something catches your eye!
- You can text our store telephone number before, during, and after business hours. You’ll be texting directly with the owners, no bots, no outsourcing of the text communications!
- We have an online chat feature on our website. Again, you’ll be chatting with the owners.
- And finally, we do not take your credit card to make an appointment and charge you if you are unable to make it.
We personally don’t think it’s fair to charge you if you can’t make a bridal appointment. There are other stores who feel the way we do and do not use this policy to force brides in. In addition, we do not think it is prudent to have your credit card number for security reasons and in fact, it is not legal to hold someone’s credit card information without proper written consent.
Fortunately, very few brides cannot make their appointment with us but we understand if you can’t and/or need to reschedule. If you can’t make your appointment, all that we ask is that you call or text us and let us know: 215-491-8500. We keep a list of brides who can come to us last minute and we can give another bride the opportunity to experience us and say yes! And we will happily rebook you for another time 🙂
If you are looking for a pleasant, fun place with a family feel to shop for your wedding dress, come to Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo!
Update to This Blog on February 18, 2021
Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo, like many businesses in the Philadelpia region, has had to close the store several days due to heavy snow this winter. We thought of this wedding planning blog just yesterday when another large snow storm was approaching the region. A bride texted our store’s telephone number, during the snow storm and told us her parent’s flight was canceled for tomorrow morning, the day of her bridal appointment. She, of course, would like her parents to be there for her yes to the dress moment. With two daughers ourselves, we comepletely understand this. She told us she already lost two appointment deposits with other bridal stores for canceling her appointments. In fact, many of our brides have had to reschedule their appointments due to snow in just the last two and a half weeks. When you book with Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo, you will not lose any money for having to change or cancel a bridal appointment. We are easily accessible, day or night by online chat, text message, Instagram Messenger, Facebook Messenger, and Google Messaging. We’ve been closed 3 days so far this year due to the snow. We happlily reshceduled all of our brides to help find their dream wedding dress and there was no financial penalty involved! Let our family bridal and tuxedo store take personal care of you. You’ll have a lot less to worry about!
New and Safer Appointments
COVID-19 has changed the way we serve our brides and grooms, but it is truly for the better! Deeper and more frequent cleaning processes, limiting group sizes, contactless payment methods – these are all measures that work regardless of a pandemic. It is about being safe, healthy, and providing that environment for all of our customers and staff all the time.
Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo is open 7 days a week and is accepting appointments to try on wedding dresses, choose and try on tuxedos and suits, select and try on bridesmaid dresses and soon to choose your mother of the bride or groom dress.
Being a family owned business, the safety and health of our customers and employees are vital to us. In order comply with CDC guidelines and recommendations, we have implemented the following procedures:
- All employees and customers are required to wear a mask in the store at all times. If you need a mask, we will provide you one for free.
- Temperature checks are required for all staff and guests.
- We are limiting guests to your bridal or tuxedo appointment to 3 persons plus the bride and groom. Any additional guests may participate by video call.
- For safety of the children, we ask that children under 13 not be part of your appointment unless being measured for a tuxedo or suit.
- We have a large store so we will be practicing adequate social distancing. It is also a good idea to consider limiting the number of stores you visit to reduce exposure to yourself and others.
- Walk-ins are welcome and we take them as time and space allows. We ask that you call or text us before arriving to make sure there is room and we can take you: 215-491-8500
- Hand sanitizer is provided for your convenience.
- After each appointment, our staff sanitizes areas used by customers and staff.
- At the end of the day, fitting garments are steamed and our store’s daily cleaning procedures are completed.
We Go the Extra Mile
Our professional commercial cleaning company is certified and trained to manage infection control and contamination for the corona-virus. They are so capable at what they do that they are used by some of the local hospitals on a regular basis for cleaning. You can read more about them here.
Video Appointments
We have been doing video participation and appointments since March 2020 and we have gotten quite good at this! If you prefer to do a video bridal or tuxedo appointment, text us at 215-491-8500 and we will make arrangements for you.
For parties exceeding the number of allowable guests, we would be happy to assist you in allowing other friends and family to participate in your appointment via video.
In addition, if you or someone in your group is not feeling well, please let us know in advance and we can either reschedule the appointment, or assist you in allowing for that person to participate by video.
Contactless Payment Methods
To minimize contact to surfaces, we do offer contactless payment methods: Google Pay, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and RFID enabled credit and debit cards. While paying in this way is not required, we do offer the ability to pay in this manner for your convenience and added safety. As always, we accept, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, cash and checks.
Welcome to Our Family
Our family is ready to serve your family and your safety and health are our first priorities.