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Off-the-Peg vs Made-to-Order Wedding Dresses: What’s the Difference?
When you start shopping for your wedding dress, one of the first decisions isn't necessarily which designer or silhouette you want. It's how you want to buy your dress.
Most traditional bridal boutiques work on a made-to-order basis, while at & She Loves Bridal, our designer wedding dresses are available off-the-peg.
Both approaches can help you find an incredible dress, but the experience, timescales and prices can be very different.
If you're not sure which is right for you, here's what you need to know.
What is an off-the-peg wedding dress?
An off-the-peg wedding dress is a gown that's already available to buy.
You try on the actual dress in the bridal studio and, if you fall in love with it, that's the dress you purchase. There's no need to place an order with the designer and wait for a new gown to be made and delivered.
At & She Loves Bridal, our collection includes luxury designer sample wedding dresses from leading international bridal brands, all available off-the-peg from our private studio in Arborfield, near Reading, Berkshire.
That means you can find your dress and take it home without the traditional made-to-order wait.
How does a traditional made-to-order bridal boutique work?
At a traditional bridal boutique, you'llhttps://www.andshelovesbridal.com/category/made-with-love usually try on a sample version of a wedding dress during your appointment.
Once you've chosen your gown, the boutique takes your measurements, advises on the appropriate size and places an order with the designer.
Your own gown is then produced and delivered to the boutique, which can take several months depending on the designer and dress.
Once it arrives, you'll usually need fittings and alterations before your wedding day.
What are the main differences?
The dress you try on
With an off-the-peg wedding dress, the gown you try on is the gown you buy.
With made-to-order bridalwear, you're usually trying on the boutique's sample before another version of that gown is ordered for you.
For some brides, knowing exactly how their actual dress looks and feels before buying it is a big advantage.
How long you'll wait
One of the biggest differences is timing.
Made-to-order wedding dresses can have significant lead times because the gown needs to be ordered from the designer.
An off-the-peg wedding dress already exists, so there's no designer production or delivery time to factor in.
If you find the one during your appointment at & She Loves Bridal, you can take your dress home.
The price
Buying off-the-peg can also be a great way to access a designer wedding dress at a more affordable price.
Many of our gowns are designer samples, which means they can be offered at a lower price than ordering the same or a similar gown new from a designer.
Our sample wedding dresses typically range from £500 to £2,500, giving brides the opportunity to discover luxury bridal designers at exceptional prices.
Sizing and availability
There is one important difference to understand.
With made-to-order bridalwear, your chosen gown can usually be ordered in a range of sizes.
With off-the-peg bridalwear, you're buying an individual dress in the size currently available.
That doesn't necessarily mean the dress needs to fit perfectly straight from the rail. Wedding dresses commonly require alterations to achieve the right fit, whether they're bought off-the-peg or ordered traditionally.
But because every off-the-peg gown is individual, once a particular dress has sold, it's gone.
Is off-the-peg the same as a sample wedding dress?
Not exactly.
A sample wedding dress describes the gown itself. It's typically a designer dress that has been part of a bridal boutique's collection for brides to try on.
Off-the-peg describes how the dress is sold. You're buying an existing gown rather than ordering another one from the designer.
At & She Loves Bridal, our designer sample wedding dresses are sold off-the-peg.
Is an off-the-peg wedding dress right for me?
Off-the-peg could be a great choice if you:
don't want to wait months for a wedding dress to arrive
are planning your wedding on a shorter timescale
want a designer gown at a more accessible price
like knowing exactly which dress you're buying
are happy to have alterations made to your gown if needed
prefer a straightforward approach to wedding dress shopping
But off-the-peg isn't only for last-minute weddings or brides shopping to a particular budget.
You might simply prefer finding a dress you love, knowing it's available and being able to take it home.
What is an off-the-peg bridal appointment like?
At & She Loves Bridal, we've designed the experience to feel very different from the idea of rummaging through rails of discounted dresses.
Our bridal studio in Arborfield, near Reading, Berkshire is private, modern and relaxed.
You'll have a one-to-one appointment with time to explore our collection of more than 300 designer wedding dresses in sizes 4–24.
Rochelle will get to know you, your wedding and your style, and help you discover the dresses that make you feel your most confident.
No pressure and no crowded boutique floor. Just beautiful designer wedding dresses and time to find the right one.
Want to see what’s available? Browse our current designer wedding dresses or book a private bridal appointment to explore the collection in person.
Off-the-Peg Wedding Dresses in Berkshire
If you're looking for an off-the-peg wedding dress in Berkshire, you can browse our current collection online before visiting our Arborfield studio.
Our collection includes sought-after designers such as Made With Love, Jenny Yoo, Madi Lane, Trish Peng, Jane Hill, Chosen by KYHA and more, with new gowns regularly arriving.
And because every dress is available off-the-peg, if you find the one during your appointment, you can take her home.
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