5 Things Bridal Salon Owners Want You to Know Before Your Appointment

Please, please don't bring your morning latte into the salon.by Ivy Jacobson TheKnot.com There are things you need to know before going wedding dress shopping at your local bridal salon—like limit your entourage and always make an appointment—and then there are things that you may not be aware of that bridal shop owners really want you to know as well. Follow our guide to displaying the best etiquette before and during your bridal salon appointment.

1. Be respectful of your appointment time. Many bridal salons are by appointment only or have designated walk-in times for a reason. Your bridal consultant wants to be able to completely focus on finding the perfect dress for you, but if you're late to your appointment or are a no-call no-show, this can throw things off. You may get charged a fee for not showing up, or you may have to accept a shorter appointment window and reschedule for another since consultants don't want to then have another customer's appointment time delayed. If you know you can't make your appointment, be respectful to everyone's time and call as far in advance as you can and reschedule for the next best time. 2. The salon may not be able to serve you and your squad celebratory champagne. Although lots of bridal salons do offer a glass of bubbly for you and your entourage to celebrate choosing your dress, not every salon can pop a bottle. If the owner doesn't have a permit or license to serve it (it can vary based on the county and state laws) you may have to go to a restaurant to toast after.

3. Be respectful of the bridal salon's furniture. Bridal salons often have lots of sofas and chairs to make your entourage comfortable while you try on dresses. But many shop owners see friends and family members getting a little too comfortable and putting their feet on furniture or taking their shoes off if they're there for awhile. It's important for everyone to know that they're not in their own living room, as welcoming and gracious as the bridal salon is.

4. Don't bring in food or drinks that could damage the gowns or the salon's furniture. We definitely recommend making a fun day out of dress shopping with your friends or family members, like having lunch together after dress shopping. Just don't try to combine the two activities and bring any food or beverages into the shop. Even if you think a small bag of chips is innocuous enough, shop owners are concerned about greasy fingers touching and potentially damaging fabric. Iced or hot beverages in to-go cups could spill or leave rings on furniture in the salon. Bottled water is usually fine, but leave anything else to be eaten after shopping or outside.

5. Children should never be left unsupervised in the bridal salon. Kids are adorable—but if they're left unattended in a bridal salon, you may have a higher bill on your hands than you thought. Your bridal consultant doesn't double as a babysitter, so if you bring your child to your appointment, it could be a gamble unless you know for sure that they'll sit still and behave. In that case, it's best to bring along someone who can watch them. Otherwise, you and your consultant will be too busy to make sure your child is okay and behaving while left unsupervised—so if they end up adding a little color to a wedding dress with crayons, you'll likely be purchasing an extra dress. Some bridal salons are adults-only in the first place, and will say so on their website or tell you when you book your appointment.

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