What Is A Bridal Trunk Show, Anyway?
My one true love is not pasta. Nor is it even my beloved boyfriend, Hadrian (love u bb!). No. I love wedding dresses. I love mermaids, ball gowns, two-piece dresses, and everything in between. And where can you find them all? At a bridal trunk show! As a former bridal stylist, I have grown to have a deep appreciation for all wedding dresses and what they mean to different women, even if they aren’t particularly my cup of tea.
Two times a year, in April and October, New York Bridal Fashion Week begins. Wedding dress designers debut their new collections for the season, and buyers from all over the world come to view the latest designs. Shortly thereafter, these dresses from the runway make their way around the nation to different bridal shops in a little trunk. And thus, the bridal trunk show is born. Think of it as the sisterhood of the traveling wedding dresses! After reading this post, you’ll never ask ‘what is a bridal trunk show?’ again!
What are trunk shows for?
For brides, a trunk show can be a dream come true! In short, it is a live preview of the dress collections to be available to the public and sold in the upcoming months. We have already learned that it takes between 6-8 months for a wedding gown to be ready. And for bridal shops, this is no exception. Instead of having to wait all those months for the dresses to be made, trunk shows “skip the line” and allow brides to see every dress from the designer’s latest collection. This means that brides have a shot at purchasing their dream gown before they officially hit the shelves to the public.
What are the benefits of a trunk show?
You will almost never see a bridal shop order a designer’s full new collection. Not every piece will be relevant to every bride that shops in their store! Instead, bridal shops offer a few standout pieces that they think some funky brides might love, along with classic options that will appeal to the masses.
Typically, bridal trunk shows will offer the designer’s full upcoming collection. So even if your local bridal shop did not officially purchase a particular gown to carry in their store, brides will have access to try them on and order them, when this typically wouldn’t be an option.
The BEST part of all is that sometimes, there will be an additional discount available on the dress you choose to purchase. While it may not be some astronomical price difference, 15% off can go a long way when purchasing a $3,000 gown.
How do I find a bridal trunk show?
If you follow your local bridal shop’s Instagram page, they will post about when they have upcoming bridal trunk shows and for which designer. Given that these dresses are traveling across the country, a designer’s collection may be somewhere like Memphis one week and then Orlando the next. Be sure to keep an eye out for the designer you’re looking for.
If you have a certain designer in mind that isn’t available in your area, take a look at their website. Under the stockist’s list, you will find all shops that carry them throughout the US and internationally. This page will also often contain information about upcoming bridal trunk shows and the schedule that the trunk will be on. Typically a trunk show is a 2-day event on weekends and alternates between cities.
Life hack: if your local bridal shop carries a designer you love, but not the exact dress you had your eye on, you can ask them to order it for you to try on! For a small fee of (usually) around $100, the bridal shop will have the dress sent in specifically for you. This is a great alternative in case a full bridal trunk show doesn’t cater to your needs, or if the dress you are looking for isn’t part of a brand new collection.
Feature image of The Dress Theory San Diego from @thedresstheory
