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Summary
- A wedding gown sample sale is when a store sells their stock piece off the rack
- Sample sales make room for new inventory
- These sales also offer discontinued pieces
- Sample sales are great for brides on a budget or with a fast wear date
- Also good for brides with second thoughts on their original dress, or if her size has changed and is too costly to alter
In the bridal world, a wedding gown sample is the dress that brides try on in the store. It can also be referred to as a “stock piece”.
Most brides try on the sample gown and then order in a new one for various reasons:
- Appropriate size
- Color preference
- Customizations
What Is A Wedding Gown Sample Sale?
A sample sale is when a store sells off the rack wedding gowns, usually for a reduced price.
Why Are Sample Sales Held?
Sample sales are held to:
- Make room for the new arrivals
- Assist brides on a budget
- Help brides find a great dress who are on a strict timeline with no time to order new
- Move discontinued dresses
- Sell gowns before they become unwearable from wear and tear
Excess Inventory
Most bridal stores order new dresses twice a year when designers release their new collections. As you can imagine, any store purchasing from multiple designers twice per year will become flooded with inventory. When a store becomes too cluttered, it is very hard to care for and display the gowns properly.
Marked Down Gowns
Sample sale dresses are often marked down from original retail prices and are a great option for brides on a budget. These sales usually have a great selection of designer wedding dresses, most in like new condition or only needing minor repair.
The marked down price is often determined by the condition of the gown being offered off the rack. Slight wear and tear is common, however, nothing a seamstress can’t take care of! This is the best option to find a designer gown that would otherwise not be in your budget.
Short Timeline
Another great reason to look at sample sale gowns is if you are on a short timeline. Most bridal gowns take 4 to 6 months from time of order placed to arrival in store. There are rush options, however they will add hundreds of dollars to the price.
Finding your dream dress at a sample sale will not only allow you to leave with the dress that day, it will save you a substantial amount of money from ordering new. The perfect dress at a fraction of the cost means there is more money in the budget for accessories! You can buy those off the rack at discounts as well.
Discontinued Wedding Gowns
Some brides have come out too early. Perhaps they just got engaged and don’t have a venue or a date yet but they want to try on wedding dresses. Often they will find a few they love, but cannot commit because it is too early. By the time they came back to retry, the dresses were discontinued and their only options was one of the sample gowns. If the sample is close to their bridal size, it is a great choice!
Our Year-Round Sample Closet
One differentiator of Darianna® Bridal & Tuxedo‘s sample wedding dresses is that not only do we hold sample sales twice per year, we also hold our own wedding dress sample sale year-round! They are featured in our online Sample Closet that is updated continuously because it changes constantly. We love offering our sample sale wedding dresses, in a variety of sizes and at reduced prices all year – and our brides love it, too.
Find all of our designers including Madi Lane, Essense of Australia, Sophia Tolli, Stella York, Kitty Chen, and more at a fraction of the original price.
More reasons for brides to shop the Sample Closet:
- looking for a second dress for the reception
- purchased a dress 12+ ago and size has changed (too costly to alter the dress to size)
- does not like dress any longer, but doesn’t have a budget for a brand new dress
- changed directions on venue and/or season, original dress does not work any longer
* Note: off the rack wedding dresses are typically final sale. Most stores do not offer refunds or exchanges on store samples.
Wedding gown sample sales (with even deeper discounts) – and our Sample Closet – could be the perfect fit for your wedding day budget.
Interested in our sample sale collection? Find it HERE in our Sample Closet – click on the photo for the dress designer, name, color, size, original price, and sale price! To make an appointment with an expert stylist from Darianna® Bridal & Tuxedo, click HERE and tell us which ones you want to try!