First of all, congratulations on your engagement! We know what an exciting (and often stressful) time this is for you and your loved ones and we want to make sure you are set up for success when it comes to selecting your perfect wedding dress…we’re here to help you say “yes!” to a wedding dress from Camille’s!
Here is what you can expect at your first wedding dress appointment with Camille’s of Wilmington:
Book a wedding dress appointment versus a “walk-in”
We encourage all our brides to book an appointment online (or by calling (910) 471-4212) to be sure that a dressing room and consultant is available to assist you. Wedding dress appointments are 90 minutes but we work with brides that may need more time as long as no one is waiting for the dressing room.
While walk-ins are certainly allowed, we are not able to guarantee a room and consultant will be available – but we do our best in these situations to get you situated as soon as we can.
Camille’s Pro tip: You never want to have more than 3 other people at your appointment and if you have kids, splurge for a sitter if you want to ensure you have a fun and relaxing experience.
Schedule your wedding dress appointment early in the wedding planning process
When it comes to planning for your wedding, never leave anything up to chance or deadlines! Since the wedding dress of your dreams could take up to 5 months to arrive after you say “yes!”, choosing your dress early in the planning process will help you focus on all the other details of your wedding day.
Camille’s Pro tip: Bring champagne or white wine (no red please!) for you and your guests to sip on during your appointment.
Arriving for your wedding dress appointment
Check-in with someone from our shop at the front desk when you arrive and you’ll be introduced to your consultant. (We’re sure you’ll love her!) Sometimes your consultant may be finishing up with another bride, so you’re welcome to browse the racks before you get started.
Share all the juicy details with your consultant
Here is the time to share with your consultant some of the fun details about your wedding day that will help her help you say “yes!”
Details such as:
- photos of dresses you like either printed out or saved on your phone or Pinterest. Even if we don’t have the exact dress, we can find similar options for you
- wedding theme, colors
- wedding location
- your style and functionality preferences
- other details that are important to your wedding dress selection
We find styles that match your details…plus a few out-of-the-box to try
Based on your preferences, our consultants will begin to pull styles from our collections. We’ll start with 4-5 different styles and see what’s working. Our consultants have years of experience and education in this area and are primed to give advice (but you can take it or leave it!). We’ll often pull styles that might be out-of-the-box for you to try if we believe they will compliment for your body type.
Time to try on!
Once it’s time to try the first gown on, you’ll have the option of having a consultant in the room (or just outside the room) to help zip or lace up. Since our gowns are a variety of sizes, samples may not fit, so we may need to clip the back so you can see what it will look like after it’s tailored. We’re happy to provide an estimate of the cost of any alterations you’ll need once you’ve said “yes!”
Camille’s Pro Tip: Bring a shoe with a heel with you that you’re comfortable standing or walking in.
Pick your faves and get the cameras and tissues ready!
Once you’ve found some of your favorites or you’ve actually said “yes!” we welcome you to take pictures and/or FaceTime to share with friends and family who could not attend.
Camille’s Pro Tip: Leave your spanks and form fitting undergarments at home – we have much better solutions!
Try different accessories that compliment the gown(s)
Accessorizing is so. much. fun.
Choose your favorites if you haven’t decided
If you’re not ready to say “yes!” just yet, we’ll help you narrow down your favorites and we’ll save them in our system for safe keeping. Expect a follow-up call from your consultant in the next week or so, via email or phone call to follow up with you after your appointment. You’re also welcome to book a retry appointment through the website as well.
Camille’s Pro Tip: Even if the gown on the floor is your size, all gowns need some alterations for that perfect fit. About 95% of gowns will also need a hem and bustle.
Ensure perfect fit for the perfect wedding dress
Once you’ve made your decision on the perfect wedding dress, we’ll get measurements to make sure we get the perfect fit.
Camille’s Pro Tip: Gowns run about 2 sizes small, so don’t be surprised if your wedding dress size does not match your actual size.
There is a 50% non-refundable deposit we’ll need to be able to order your dress. Gowns can take 3.5 – 5 months to come in (if you have a wedding date sooner, we do whatever we can to get it in sooner).
We celebrate and once you’ve said “Yes!” at Camille’s
Welcome to the family! You’ll receive a special gift from us, and get to take a photo with our sign saying “I said yes at Camille’s!”
