On average, brides go to about 2 shops. Why? It makes sense not to put all your eggs in one basket, but going to more than two shops can feel like you’re trying on the same dresses over and over, and can be overwhelming.

Not everyone has this big crying moment. A lot of times it’s just not ever wanting to take the dress off! So really just trust your intuition—if your gut keeps comparing every dress back to one particular dress, that’s something to pay attention to.

Everyone makes decisions differently, but I would ask yourself a couple questions: (1) Is there anything I don’t like about this dress? (2) Is there anything that’s holding me back? If you have an inkling of “yes, there is something I don’t like about it,” then maybe you should sleep on it. But if you love everything about this dress, then it’s OK to give yourself permission to say yes. Sometimes sleeping on it just muddies the waters because you’re looking at the terrible angle of your mom’s pictures.

Yes, all the time. It’s actually more common to get something that you didn’t think of than what you had in your head. And if you think about it, it makes total sense. (1) Your Pinterest board is full of models who are positioned and pinned in the perfect way and lighting, and (2) you don’t know how each dress feels on your body or restricts your movement.

It’s a bit of a process, but the short story is that we do a lot of trend and data research. Then, we go to what’s called a bridal market or bridal fashion week—that’s where all the shops across the country (yes, shops like Kleinfeld Bridal are there) come to watch the fashion shows. Then we choose the dresses based on what our brides and future brides are asking for.

Pro Tip: Want to influence what dresses we get next? Just email charlene@bellabridesbend.com with what styles you’ve been dying to try.

• Bring your beautiful self and your special people. You can’t recreate that moment when you find your dress, so make sure you bring those special people.

• It’s not super important to bring any particular bra since the dresses are made with bras built in, but if it makes you more comfortable to wear a strapless bra, go for it. We want you to feel totally comfortable.

• No need to bring any particular shoes—the dresses are all made very long.

• Wearing your hair and makeup similar to how you will at your wedding can be very helpful to get a feel for the whole look.

• We will be in the room with you helping you in and out of the gowns, so please DO wear some form of underwear for hygienic reasons. If you forget, no biggie. We have some here you can purchase.

It totally depends on what you are looking for! We have three distinct collections to fit everyone’s budget:

• COUTURE COLLECTION (+/- $2500-5000)

  • These highly specialized gowns are made with the industry’s best fit and materials. They feel luxurious and fashion-forward. Designers include Hayley Paige, Madi Lane, and Maggie Sottero. These dresses are available for special order only.

• EVERLY COLLECTION (+/- $1500-2500)

  • These gowns are quality, yet affordable. They feature trending bridal styles and are comfortable to wear. Designers include Madi Lane, Rebecca Ingram, Maggie Sottero, and Muse Private Line. These dresses are available for special order or off-the-rack.

• ADORE COLLECTION (+/- $500-1500)

  • Sometimes designers have to discontinue dresses because a certain lace or particular bead is no longer available. The dress then moves into the Adore Collection, and that one discontinued bead saves you over $1000. These dresses are available off-the-rack only.

We get new dresses every single week! The best way to see our brand new styles is to follow us on Instagram @bellabridesbend as the newest dresses are featured on our story and feed.

HINT: there is a giant flower mural on our entrance.

While our street address is 800 NW Wall Street, our entrance is actually around the corner on Franklin Ave, right before JC’s Bar. We are the only ones upstairs.

Each appointment all said and done usually takes a little over 2 hours, so we recommend parking in the parking garage on Lava Road since it has 3-hour parking instead of the 2-hour street parking.

We find that the perfect amount of time is 1.5-2 hours, but if you are upgrading to our Shut Down the Store Appointment, there is no time limit!

Most dresses take about 6 months to come in. Sometimes designers surprise us and they get here way early, yay! But most of the time, it’s around 6 months.

90% of the dresses in our collection are available to take directly off-the-rack the day of your appointment. This is extremely unusual in the industry, so you found the right shop!

We carry sizes 2 - 26 in our store, and we can special order sizes 00 - 30.

Because we have so many brides that travel from out of town, we do not do alterations in-house; but that also means you get to go wherever you want (just make sure they do wedding dresses day-in and day-out). If you need a recommendation, we trust Scissorbird Alterations (541) 382-4141.

We recommend allowing 8-12 weeks for alterations. If you have a shorter time frame, check with your individual alterations professional.

99% of wedding dresses need some kind of alteration after your order has come in. The most common alterations are bust, waist, hem, and bustle.

Alterations costs vary widely depending on the dress and the alterations professional. The average in this area is $800 - $900. Sewing is a dying art, so make sure your alterations professional does wedding dresses often.

Absolutely! Many dresses come with options to make changes directly from the designer - like adding or removing sparkle, changing the undercolor or lining, or adding or removing sleeves/straps. We also facilitate further customizations by ordering extra lace, material, or beads to create a more custom vision in your alterations.