I?m going to be sneaky and keep my dress choice a secret until after our wedding. I will say this: It?s a fairly popular gown that you?ve likely seen before.
I wish I could say that dress shopping was a breeze for me and that I had Miss Feather?s guidance when I started my search. I thought I?d put on a dress, I’d get the chills, and that?d be that. Instead, I just couldn?t make up my mind and ended up procrastinating. I did, thankfully, end up with a dress that I really love.

Trying on Pronovias Alison. Not the gown for me. / Source: personal

Today?s post is all about sample/off-the-rack gowns. You probably already know that a sample gown is the gown a bridal salon keeps in store for brides to try on. As dresses come in and out of season, stores will often offer to sell sample gowns to brides. While I didn?t set out to buy a sample gown; I ended up with one as I ran out of time and wasn?t able to order a custom made gown. The sample gown was the perfect size for me, but it needed to be cleaned and there were a few small tears/holes in it. I can?t complain too much, though, as I did end up with an amazing gown that I love.

Feeling a little more bridal (and pensive, complete with little fists) in Paloma Blanca 4363 / Source: personal
Here?s what I learned about buying off the rack.
The pros:
The biggest advantage of a sample gown, in my opinion, is that they often come with some kind of discount. I?ve seen anywhere from 10–50% off the purchase price, though...