FAQ

HOW LONG DO YOUR DRESSES TAKE TO BE MADE?

Typically a dress can take anywhere from 2 – 6 months depending on the designer. We usually recommend that your dresses arrive a month or so before your wedding so your bridesmaids have plenty of time for alterations. Please contact us with questions on your favorite designer’s lead time.

WHAT IF MY BRIDESMAIDS LIVE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY?

Yes, please! We have 45+ showrooms across the country, ready to accommodate your local bridesmaids for all their needs. Your local Bella acts as your home base so we can match you with a stylist who knows everything there is to know about your wedding. Your out of town bridesmaids can then visit their local Bella for a "complimentary fitting" during the week and submit their orders through our Virtual Showroom!

WHAT IF MY WEDDING IS UNDER 4 MONTHS AWAY?

It is possible that we can still place an order for you, but most designers will charge rush fees to ensure that the dresses arrive in a faster time frame. Each designer accommodates rush orders differently, but most offer rush orders for a fee of 15 to 20% of the dress price.

WHY DO I NEED TO PURCHASE ALL OF MY BRIDESMAID DRESSES AT ONCE?

It is ideal to have your entire bridal party place their dress orders together through one authorized full-service bridal shop. We recommend this because the store will submit the entire order together so the dresses will be made from the same cut of cloth. That way color and texture will be consistent. If your bridesmaids are choosing different dress styles in the same color, keep in mind, dye-lot variations can occur. The difference will not be drastic, but there may be a slight shading difference between styles.

CAN I DROP BY WITHOUT AN APPOINTMENT?

We highly recommend scheduling an appointment with us, especially on weekends. Our weekend appointments book up about a week or two in advance, and we want to make sure we have a dressing room available when you visit. All of our dresses come in different fabrics, colors and price points so making an appointment guarantees one of our Bella stylists will be available to help!

CAN WE BRING FOOD, DRINKS OR KIDS TO OUR APPOINTMENT?

Our showrooms are a fun and busy atmosphere and sometimes we are serving several wedding parties at once. So we ask that you do not bring food, beverage or small children as we like to keep the focus on selecting the perfect bridesmaid dresses for your wedding.

DO YOU CARRY BRIDAL GOWNS?

Some Bella stores offer what we consider “bridal alternative” lines. These are not our traditional bridal gowns, but more low-key options. Many of our bridesmaid dresses can be made in white or ivory, and make perfect options for a less formal wedding. We encourage our brides to choose their bridal gown before their bridesmaid dresses. The bride’s dress will determine the style and set the tone for the bridesmaid dresses.

ARE ALTERATIONS INCLUDED IN THE COST OF THE DRESS?

Our Bella stores do not offer an in-house tailor, but we would be happy to refer you to an expert in your area. Typically, alterations should be expected to achieve the perfect fit. 

WHAT SIZE ARE THE SAMPLES YOU CARRY IN YOUR SHOWROOMS?

Most of our samples range in size from 6 to 12, but we do have smaller and larger sizes as well. NOTE: Dresses get tried on every day, at least 5 times a day. With that amount of use, the dresses stretch beyond their original size. We also occasionally dry clean the dresses. At this point, they are not a representation of any size.

WHAT IF THERE ISN’T A BELLA SHOWROOM NEAR ME?

Whether your bridesmaids are in Omaha or Singapore we can help! Have your bridesmaids measurements taken at their local tailor or dry cleaner. All bridesmaid dress orders will be made with the same Bella showroom, using the online order form provided. The Bella stylist will provide a code to use when ordering. To access the online order form for your local Bella showroom, please visit their location page. Can’t make it into a Bella? Check out out How To video below to learn how to take your measurements at home!

DO YOU ACCEPT RETURNS?

All of our dresses are made to order. That means the designer dyes the fabric, cuts the pattern, and creates the dress after we place each order. Therefore all sales are final and there are no returns or exchanges. There is a $25 charge for declined credit cards and orders that are canceled prior to the bride/groom approving their Final Contract.

DO YOU CARRY MATERNITY STYLE DRESSES FOR BRIDESMAIDS?

We love this question! This is where we can really help you. Most designers offer a maternity dress option. It also depends on how the mom-to-be is carrying the baby and her shape. There are a few options. Some designers carry maternity dresses and we also have styles with extra fabric. At 5-6 months or less, she can typically order a normal dress, but order it a size or two bigger than what she usually wears. If she is more than 6 months pregnant, a normal dress won’t have enough fabric to cover a pregnant belly. In that case, you have two options: she can either order a maternity bridesmaid dress (if the designer offers one) or, in some cases, you can order 3-4 yards of fabric and have a maternity dress made for her by a local tailor. If the designer she has chosen does not have a maternity option, we can help direct her to a designer that has maternity options and match the hues.