FAQs & Shopping Tips
BRIDES BOOKING: If you landed here automatically your form was sent successfully! One of our team members will contact you shortly to confirm a date/time. Please note the form does not automatically book your requested times, our team will confirm your date and time via phone.
There is a $75 non-refundable fee per appointment. Appointments are 1.5 hours long. Please note weekend request will be responded to when we open on Tuesday.
If you're exploring the site, below is a list of the most common questions and shopping tips built to prepare brides and their guest for the most amazing bridal experience. We look forward to helping you find "the one."
Common Questions
We believe that brides in South Louisiana; Baton Rouge, Covington, Mandeville, New Orleans, Lafayette, Lake Charles and beyond search for "the" couture wedding dress deserve to explore and experience an elegant, sophisticated, and relaxed bridal boutique shop atmosphere. Designed to be a true intimate bridal experience, our charming bridal appointments provide brides and their families exclusive access to private suites for the entire bridal appointment. Brides are greeted with smiling faces, fresh flowers, and sparkling water as they are exquisitely pampered in leisure while shopping for what will be the most memorable day of their life. What sets us apart is our premier selection of couture wedding dresses and bridal accessories that are exclusive to our Baton Rouge and our Covington, La locations. These couture designer lines cannot be found anywhere else in Louisiana. Our wedding dresses are featured in top wedding magazines and blogs including The Knot, Martha Stewart Weddings and Brides. I Do Bridal Couture is more than a wedding dress or bridal boutique store, it's an experience that will last a lifetime. We also feature a wide assortment of designer wedding dresses that are perfect for destination weddings, providing brides visiting our Baton Rouge bridal boutique and our Covington bridal boutique serving Mandeville and New Orleans a true couture bridal experience with a touch of elegance. Our designer dresses start around $2,000 and can go up to $9,000. However, we do have destination and sample dresses to fit each brides budget. We focus more on the brides happiness and always find a way to meet their budgets while providing the most lovely wedding dress that fits their unique vision.
How far in advance should I shop for my wedding dress?
All couture wedding dresses are made to order at bridal boutiques. We recommend shopping for your wedding dress at least 6-9 months(depending on the designer) out from your wedding day. Most wedding dresses take about 4-5 months(16-20 weeks) to arrive after ordered. Also, a bride must take into consideration that extra alterations and fittings will take place after the wedding dress arrives. Many wedding dresses are available on a rush for additional charges and we do sell some of our samples off the rack. Please inquire if your wedding date is close so we can better assist you. Life comes pretty fast sometimes, and we understand that love can't wait -- we do our best to ensure we can make all our brides' wedding dress dreams come true. Please consult each location, Baton Rouge, La. or Covington, La., to determine the best option for you and your unique situation.
Bridal appointments are one-on-one consultations, in private pampered suites, in order to provide brides and their families the best possible wedding dress shopping experience; that means the bride and her family have the bridal boutique shop to themselves for the entire appointment time. Because your wedding dress purchase is a once in a lifetime event, you deserve the time and attention of a professional consultant and a relaxing experience. Our bridal boutique shop is quite intimate, and is booked often, so please contact us in advance. We do attempt to assist walk-ins when possible. However, unless there is an opening, we will need to schedule you a bridal appointment to view the wedding dresses. To schedule a bridal appointment time that works best for you, please contact us by phone or you can make an appointment request online.
Individual consultations last one hour, however, if a bride needs longer; providing our brides and their families access to private suites and refreshments. Shopping for the right wedding dress is an extremely special shopping experience -- you deserve only the best.
We offer a broad price range, and silhouette selection, in order to provide all brides in Baton Rouge, Covington, and South Louisiana the wedding dress experience of a lifetime. On average our dresses run $2,500 and up.
We ask that our brides and their families arrive on time for their appointments. In most cases, we have appointments immediately prior and immediately following your appointment so you should not arrive early or late as a courtesy to all our brides.
We recommend that you bring one to three individuals who are key in helping you choose your wedding dress. Our bridal boutique is an intimate experience and we try to accommodate larger groups with a maximum of six individuals(including the bride). We generally find that too many people make it hard for brides to decide on what wedding dress they truly love; and may detract from the overall experience.
Allison Webb, Alyne by Rita Vinieris, Amsale, Anne Barge, Antonio Gual, Beccar, Bliss by Monique Lhuillier, Blue Willow by Anne Barge, Dany Tabet, Kelly Faetanini, Lela Rose, Ines Di Santo, Monique Lhuillier, Nouvelle by Amsale, Nicole + Felicia, Rivini by Rita Vinieris, and Reem Acra.
We do not. However, we have a great relationship with Bella Bridesmaids which is conveniently located two doors down from our store in Baton Rouge and just 20 minutes away from our store in Covington.
Yes, and no. Yes, in that there are lots of dresses to choose from and great incentives that are offered. No, in that the dress you fall in love with is not the one you walk out the door with that day. A Trunkshow is a special event in which we showcase a designer's newest collection of wedding dresses and some carry-overs (wedding dresses from the previous season). Since we only carry a selection of wedding dresses from each of our designer's collections in our normal inventory, trunk shows allow brides the opportunity to see and try on wedding dresses that would not ordinarily be at the store. However, we do have the ability to often overnight specific wedding dresses from these collections for our brides to try on in-person; shipping fees apply. Occasionally, we host the wedding dress designers or a wedding dress line's designer representative which allows brides to meet someone that knows the wedding dresses inside and out (literally). This is also a great opportunity to chat about any questions you have or modifications you think might take the gown on the rack to pure perfection for your big day.
We accept all forms of payment; Visa, Mastercard, Debit, and Cash. We do accept personal checks for the initial 50% non-refundable payment. We require 50% non-refundable payment upon signing of your bridal contract, with the remaining 50% due upon pickup of your dress. We do not accept personal checks for the remaining 50% payment, only cash or credit. We do accept 100% payment via check when you place your initial order if you would like this option. Dresses sold "off the rack"(samples) and all accessories must be paid for in full before the product leaves the store(we do not accept personal checks for these items). Additional fees, shipping fees and taxes (if applicable) will be applied to the final checkout process if applicable.
All couture wedding dresses are made to order at bridal boutiques. We recommend shopping for your wedding dress at least 6-9 months(depending on the designer) out from your wedding day. Most wedding dresses take about 4-5 months(16-20 weeks) to arrive after ordered. Also, a bride must take into consideration that extra alterations and fittings will take place after the wedding dress arrives. Many wedding dresses are available on a rush for additional charges and we do sell some of our samples off the rack. Please inquire if your wedding date is close so we can better assist you. Life comes pretty fast sometimes, and we understand that love can't wait -- we do our best to ensure we can make all our brides' wedding dress dreams come true. Please consult each location, Baton Rouge, La. or Covington, La., to determine the best option for you and your unique situation.
We do not offer alterations in-house, however, we do know some of the most respected individuals who offer these services.
Things Not To Do
We love pets, however, they are not allowed inside I Do Bridal Couture at any time. Service animals are always welcome.
Although we love children, and have a few ourselves, they are not allowed in the store. Child safety is our priority. At this time, our Baton Rouge and Covington bridal boutique locations are not intended for children. We ask that you make other arrangements for them during your appointment time. Please call to reschedule your appointment if childcare issues arise.
We ask that you do not bring food/drink into the bridal boutique, unless previously discussed with our team. Our goal is to protect our wedding dresses. I Do Bridal Couture has a "clear policy," which means all beverages served to our brides and their families are clear which includes a variety of designer bottled waters and champagne.
This is not recommended. A wedding gown is always easier to be taken in, than let out. Generally, alterations cannot increase the size of a gown, they can, however, make a slightly loose gown fit perfectly. When in between sizes, always order the larger size, as a dress can easily be altered down, but rarely altered up. I Do Bridal Couture is not responsible for inaccurate size ordering, or an incorrect size due to a customer’s change in size during the dress production period.
We ask that you wait to take pictures until you have decided upon “the one" and purchase the dress at your lovely bridal appointment. We want to make sure we use your appointment time efficiently to find you the perfect wedding dress. It is also a good idea to ask your friends not to take photos to ensure they do not accidentally post to a social network; we wouldn't want your future husband to see the wedding dress before the big day.
While we understand some of our brides may smoke, we ask that no smoke breaks be taken during your lovely appointment. Since the dresses are tried on by multiple brides and are stored in such close proximity of each other, we also ask that you please refrain from smoking before your appointment so that we can keep our gowns clean and fresh.
Other Questions
We carry a wide assortment of couture accessory designers; belts, sashes, wedding jewelry, veils, headpieces, pins, hair clips and hair bands.
Our sample gowns are in sizes 8-14, and now carrying up to 22 in select styles. Samples are intended to give you an idea of style, and we can order most wedding dresses or gowns in any size. We take a set of measurements in order to get the bride's wedding dress as close as possible to each designers' size chart. However, the wedding dresses almost always require some alterations to fit perfectly. Each wedding dress line will have a specific size chart that we utilize to closely match your measurements. We do offer alterations at an additional charge, please consult the shop for additional details.
When booking your bridal appointment, we do charge a $75 booking fee. The $75 non-refundable booking/appointment fee. The booking fee is non-refundable and non-transferable between brides, but will apply if your appointment requires rescheduling. We ask that you cancel your appointment or reschedule within 48 hours of your appointment.
Not a problem. We are happy to ship your dress to you wherever you may call home. We do it all the time.
We receive new wedding dresses often. I Do Bridal Couture orders throughout the year to ensure that we have the most current collection of couture wedding dresses in Baton Rouge and Louisiana. We attend multiple markets to ensure the most diverse selection of styles and prices.
Bridal sizes do typically run slightly smaller than standard sizes, so please keep this in mind when selecting a size. Most of our sample wedding dresses and gowns are available in size 8-14, and now carry sizes up to 22 in select styles. We do take orders for plus size, maternity dresses, petite, and tall brides, but please consult with I Do Bridal Couture to discuss the sizing specifications for each of our wedding dress lines. Additional fees may apply for pattern changes at our designer's workshops.
No, we do not. However, often times after a brides dress is complete we can request extra fabric from the wedding dresses' production.
There are no refunds and/or cancellations on purchases. The material orders are placed with the designers and their production houses once a bride signs her wedding dress contract. Therefore, we are unable to accept returns and/or offer refunds/cancellations in any capacity no matter what occurs post purchase and signature of the wedding dress contract. As a 'made to order' item, your dress or accessory will be made in a color and size combination that is custom to you. Please ensure that you are ordering the size that most closely fits your measurements by referencing the lines guide (further alterations are almost always required once the dress arrives). We do not accept returns and/or offer refunds for any reasons; this includes the 50% down payment if a bride decides to not pursue the dress, wedding and/or try to break the contract for any reason.