Bridal appointments are 90 minutes in length. Bridesmaid appointments vary from 60-90 minutes depending on how many bridesmaids will be attending. Mother’s gown appointments are 60 minutes. If you are coming for a wedding gown try-on & choosing accessories, the appointment typically lasts 60 minutes.

Of course! Take as many as you like. A lot of thought goes into shopping for formal wear. We want you to remember your experience!

We’ve hand selected and purchased each gown from the manufacturer brand new. We do not have the ability to switch out damaged merchandise. If it’s damaged, we can no longer sell it. Because of this we do not allow food and drinks. We do have water available to you during your time here if you would like.

Please have patience; ordering can take some time. The chart below is a great guide to follow on when you should order your wedding gown & accessories. Special order time frame does not take into consideration alteration time that may be needed. Life can get busy, especially balancing work, family and other wedding vendors. We always recommend you order sooner. Your wedding will be here before you know it!  Some manufacturers may charge a rush fee if you are later than this time frame. Please note this is just a reference guide. Your actual order time will vary by manufacturer.

• Bridal Gowns //  6 - 8 months*
• Bridesmaids //  4 - 6 months
• Mothers  // 4 - 6 months
• Flower Girls //  4 months
• Headpieces & Veils //  3 months
• Tuxedos //  2 months
• Shoes, Purses, Jewelry  // 1 month
• Invitations //  1 month**
• Embroidered Hearts // 1 month

*We strongly recommend ordering 10-12 months before your wedding to allow time for alterations. It takes 6-8 months for the gown to arrive in our store.

**Invitations should be mailed out 8 weeks before the wedding, plus time needed to address each envelope.

No worries here. You may purchase almost any gown right off the rack. We have over 400 wedding gowns in stock, 600 bridesmaid and special occasion gowns, and hundreds of mother’s and school dance gowns.

Absolutely! We have at least 50 plus size wedding gowns in stock; ranging from size 18-32. We also have school dance and bridesmaid gowns, up to size 28 and mother’s gowns up to size 32. All of our gowns are orderable in larger sizing.

If you live nearby our store, we ask that you come to our store to be measured. There is a high probability that you would be able to try on stock gown (or similar styles in your size) and this enables you to have a good idea of how your own gown will fit you.

If you live out of town, we always prefer that you have your measurements taken at a formal wear or tuxedo store near you. This ensures that the fit of the gown will be as accurate as possible. From there, you can call us with your measurements or submit them online here .

We try very hard to ensure that you have the best fit possible for your gown.  As we stated above, we always recommend trying on a sample gown made by that manufacturer to pinpoint if you are in between sizes. We have those available at our store, or if you live far away, you can visit a retailer that carries the gown in a location close to you. When choosing a size, your bust, waist and hip may not always fit perfectly into a gown. After looking at the construction of the gown and your measurements we can recommend you the best size. Alterations are usually necessary and are not included in the price of the dress.

We will not order bridesmaid gowns until the last bridesmaid purchases their gown. We will then order them all at the same time so they are made and arrive together. The sooner everyone gets their measurements and payments in, the better. We recommend ordering 6 months prior to ensure your gowns arrive well before the time needed. This allows the bridesmaid schedule flexibility if alterations are needed. On average it takes 12-16 weeks for bridesmaid gowns to arrive and you want to allow additional time for alterations to be completed.

Manufacturers keep minimal stock items at their warehouses. This means that almost every special order we place is made just for you. Much of your merchandise is constructed overseas in factories. Factories make gowns in the order that they receive the request. After that, we must allow for the merchandise to go through customs before arriving at its destination in the USA.

A rush order is a fee that the manufacturer charges for an item to be made sooner than the other orders. Paying a rush fee allows your order to go toward the front of the line, and your merchandise will arrive sooner than if it was ordered regularly. It can still take 8+ weeks for your merchandise to come in (timing & cost varies by manufacturer).

You can order merchandise here in the store, or over the phone. Please note, we may require a confirmation in writing or by email if you are ordering over the phone. We take cash, check, credit card (Visa, MC, Discover, and American Express). If you are ordering over the phone, we will mail you a receipt with a copy of the purchase contract. If you would like another copy, you can access it by clicking the links here: Special Order Contract // Wedding Gown Contract .

We ask you come in within 10 days to inspect your merchandise & try it on to make sure it meets your expectations. If you have a balance due on your gown, it is due within 10 days of your merchandise arriving. You are welcome to take your gown out of the store at this time.

Please note, If you would like to take your wedding gown and bring it back for alterations, please let us know upon picking up your gown so we may plan for the workload. We will have you fill out a form before leaving saying you plan to do this.

If you would like your gown pressed and steamed before picking it up, we ask that you give us at least 24 hour notice (we do our best to accommodate all press & steamed requests within 24 hours, but during peak times we may ask that more time is needed). If you plan to have alterations on your gown, it is not necessary to have your gown pressed until after alterations are completed. Gowns without pressing can be taken from the store during any normal business hours. Gowns with pressing will be available for pick-up Tuesday – Friday after 1pm.

We will do alterations in-store on wedding gowns that were purchased at Elegance, provided the first alteration appointment takes place 8 weeks before you plan to take your gown home. We can complete almost any type of alterations, including custom work.

We will do alterations in-store on wedding gowns that were purchased at Elegance, provided the first alteration appointment takes place 8 weeks before you plan to take your gown home. For other gowns purchased at Elegance, we have a list of recommended seamstresses in the area. These seamstresses offer more hours of availability and locations that may be closer to you. If you would like a copy of this list, please click here. You should schedule your alterations appointment minimum 1 month before the event date (please allow more for wedding gowns). Some seamstresses will alter your gown in less time, but this is dependent on their current workload.

We will do alterations in-store on wedding gowns that were purchased at Elegance, provided the first alteration appointment takes place 8 weeks before you plan to take your gown home. Please call us at 219-923-0977 to set up your first fitting appointment. You may also request an appointment via our website here.

We will conduct on average 3-4 fittings on your wedding gown. It is very important that you bring any shoes, undergarments (Spanx/ bra), and slips to every fitting. We offer a great selection of accessories; shoes, bras, Spanx and slips here at Elegance. We recommend you schedule an appointment to try on and pick these out prior to your fitting. If you need to schedule your accessories appointment the same day as your fitting, please let us know in advance so we may allow enough time.

Please note: Failure to bring your shoes/undergarments to your fittings will change the fit of your gown and prevents accurate alterations. If you decide to change your undergarments/ shoes/ slip after your first fitting, it may result in additional labor and charges.

Try-on Appointment: Once your dress arrives, you should make a try-on appointment within 10 days to view your merchandise and try it on. You do not meet with the seamstress at this time, but you will make sure the gown meets your expectations. It is normal for a gown to be large or slightly small in some areas before alterations. This is a great time to choose accessories & undergarments, such as jewelry, veil, headpiece, bra and shoes if you have not already. If you have a balance on your gown, it is due at this time.

1st fitting: This is when you meet with the seamstress to have your gown pinned. You will discuss what needs to be done with the seamstress and alteration fees will be due at the end of the first fitting appointment. If you have a balance on your wedding gown it is also due at this time.

2nd fitting: You will start to see your gown contoured to you. There will be some rough seams to your gown, as the seamstress will be checking the fit before finishing.

3rd fitting: Depending on your style of gown, there may be a need for a 3rd fitting. This appointment is structured the same as the 2nd fitting.

Final Fitting: This is when the fit of your gown should be near completion. The seamstress will be looking at your gown alterations as a whole. There will still be a few alterations that will be needed; however, they are usually minor. If you are bustling your train, you will want to bring someone along to learn how it should be done.

Pick Up: Your wedding gown is ready! We will have finished any minor alterations and have meticulously looked over your gown for any loose thread, beads, etc. Your gown will be professionally pressed and steamed before you take it home. This is usually scheduled the week of the wedding. To allow for this process, any gown pick-ups will be scheduled after 1pm, Tuesday through Friday.

Any fees for alterations are due in full at the end of the 1st fitting. We will not perform any work without alterations being paid in full. If you have a balance on your gown, it is also due at this time.

We will certainly do custom alterations. If you love your gown, but want sleeves or a jacket to be worn with it, we can do that. If you plan to have any custom additions to your gown, please let us know at least 6 months prior (or upon ordering), as we might have to allow time to order fabric.

Yes! Please allow a minimum of 8 months for this process, from first visit to completion. The price of this will vary greatly from style of gown and cost of materials.

You can get measured here at Elegance, or at any formal wear/ tuxedo store familiar with doing gentlemen’s measurements. You may even submit your measurements online here. You must submit your measurements and put your deposit on your tuxedo a minimum 2 months before the wedding.

Tuxedos arrive on Wednesday the week of the wedding. We will call the bride and the groom once the tuxedos are checked in. Please pick up your tuxedo no later than Thursday (Wednesday for a Friday wedding) to allow time for any exchanges. If the tuxedo was rented the week before, it gets dry cleaned before coming to our store. It is possible that some tuxedos will arrive on Wednesday and sometimes Thursday.

We ask that you come in Wednesday or Thursday to try on your tuxedo. We take measurements and choose what we believe is the best size for you based off your measurements. Some people prefer to wear their clothes tighter or looser, longer or shorter. Sometimes things need to be exchanged. If they do, we will have the replacements in 24 hours. Coming in during the recommended times ensures your tuxedo fits the day of the wedding.

Why not? We offer the same merchandise as the local tuxedo providers. We can provide the exact same merchandise and the entire bridal party will save big with us! It only makes sense to come to Elegance! Please see the Diamond Package for details.

Please return your tuxedo to Elegance before store close (5pm) on Monday after the wedding. If the wedding is on Friday, you may return the tuxedo on Saturday or Monday during business hours. You do not have to be the one to return the items; however, if any pieces are missing we will be forced to charge the person returning the tuxedo. Please return the tuxedo neatly on a hanger. Do not return your tuxedo to a Dunhill store as they are expecting the tuxedo returns from us.

Yes! Please allow a minimum of 8 months for this process, from first visit to completion. The price of this will vary greatly from style of gown and cost of materials.