We have a Lillian West Trunk Show happening at our shop this weekend, so we thought now would be a great time to talk about what a trunk show is and how to take advantage of it!
A trunk show can be different in some ways but the overall concept is the same. A trunk show is put on by a wedding dress shop to allow you to shop extra wedding dresses from a specific designer. Most designers put out two seasons of dresses, one in the spring and one in the fall. Most wedding dress shops only pick up some of the dresses from each season however, a trunk show is going to send the entire collection from that season. Other types of trunk shows may be a trunk show of specifically all best sellers or a plus size trunk shows which will showcase a large number of plus size dresses that the store may not have in their day to day inventory. In the most simple of ways, it is extra dresses to try on! Most trunk shows only happen for one weekend which is why it is so important to take advantage of them.
When shopping a trunk show there are many different things to keep in mind!
1) Why should you attend? More dresses! If you love one specific designer this is an opportunity to try on a lot of their dresses. You are going to get a whole season full of that designers dresses which may not be in the store again. While the store carries this designer, they may not have the specific dress you are looking for and it could be coming in with the trunk show! Don't assume that the dress will be in the trunk show though, it is best that you confirm with the shop if it will be there. If it is not from the current season it may not be a part of the trunk show.
2) How should I prepare for a trunk show? Make sure you are familiar with the style of the designer and the price range. Check out their website and screenshot some of your favorite wedding dresses. While they might not have the exact wedding dress you are looking for in store, they will most likely have similar styles. Come well rested with your hair and make-up done so you can envision the dresses you are trying on as your wedding dress. Make sure to wear nude undergarments' and if you are going to be wearing heels to your wedding bring either your wedding shoes or a heel height similar to what you will wear. This will allow you to envision what the dress will look like on your wedding day.
3) Will I get a discount? Most likely! Designers set specific prices for their gowns but when wedding dress shops are hosting trunk shows they are usually allowed to give a set discount for that weekend only! You may also find that shops will give away extra gifts for the brides to be that weekend!
4) Is a trunk show the same as a sample sale? The quick answer is no. Sample sales are usually wedding dress shops looking to clear out some of their inventory and will offer their actual samples at a discounted price. Trunk shows are to highlight a specific designer but the wedding dresses in the trunk show are not owned by the wedding dress shop so they cannot sell those specific dresses.
5) Who should I bring to a trunk show? Because these dresses are only here for one weekend you should bring whoever you would want there when saying yes to the dress. If you are in love with a designer and really want to wear one of their dresses then a trunk show is a great place to say yes to the dress. You will get to try on a large number of their dresses and their will be incentives or perks that come with saying yes during the trunk show. The downside is those dresses will only be there for one weekend and the shop may not be able to get you the dress to try on again or it could cost you money to get the dress back to the shop to cover shipping expenses. This is why it is so important to be in the mindset that if you find your dress you are going to say yes! So when you are ready to say yes and you have your hair and makeup done, having friends and family at your side who you would want to be there for that special moment is also so important when you are shopping a trunk show.
At Melissa Ashley Brides we are hosting a Lillian West trunk show featuring the Fall 2020 collection of dresses. Our trunk show will run from September 25th-27th. You will need an appointment to try on the dresses so if you haven't made an appointment yet we only have 3 left for Saturday! All brides who purchase a Lillian West dress will receive 10% off their purchase and we will have other goodies for our brides! We want to spotlight this designer because of their unique boho vibes and because they are new to our store. We just picked up this line and don't have a ton of dresses in yet so we want our brides to be able to try on a lot of amazing different styles! Check out some of the great dresses at https://www.justinalexander.com/lillian-west/ and search for Fall 2020 to see all of the great dresses arriving soon!