Frequently Asked Questions
WHERE DO THE DRESSES COME FROM? And how often do you receive dresses?
Great question! All of our dresses are donated from full-service salons, like Kleinfeld’s in New York and Celebration Bridal in Virginia. For a full list of our donors, click here. As far as how often we receive gowns, every day is a surprise here at Church Street Bridal - our donors are always surprising us with new gorgeous gowns, which makes shopping with us so exciting! Our inventory is constantly changing since we are always getting new additions to our shop! We do always post our new arrivals on social media so you can stay in the loop with what we have!
DO I NEED AN APPOINTMENt?
Brides may shop at Church Street Bridal by appointment only. Our appointments are 90 minutes in length and can be booked online. For prom and formal dress shopping, you don’t need an appointment! If you are running late for your appointment, please call us and let us know. If we don’t hear from you after 15 minutes from the starting time of your appointment, we may be unable to help you and may offer the appointment time to someone else.
WHAT IS THE PRICE RANGE OF DRESSES AT CHURCH STREET BRIDAL?
Dresses are priced according to detail and condition. All of our bridal gowns are priced between $300 and $900. (Tax will be added at the register.)
CAN WE BRING CHAMPAGNE WITH US?
Unfortunately, you cannot sip bubbly while you try on dresses or browse at Church Street Bridal, out of respect for YWCA’s mission. However, we can recommend a ton of options for places to celebrate in Lynchburg’s Historic Downtown after you have said ‘Yes’ to your dream dress!
CAN I DONATE MY WEDDING GOWN to church street bridal?
Unfortunately, Church Street Bridal does not accept donations of previously worn wedding gowns. We would recommend that you contact Brides Across America! They provide dresses for first responders and military brides. We are now accepting pre-loved formal and prom gowns for our Cinderella’s Closet section, which is where gorgeous gowns donated by community members like you are only $15! Feel free to call us to arrange a drop-off time!
CAN I place a dress on hold if i need some time deciding?
Due to the nature of the bridal industry and availability of gowns to us, we do not offer payment plans or holds. The great news is, 95% of our inventory is $900 and under. So you get to leave the shop with your gown in your hand!
CAN I RETURN A DRESS PURCHASED AT CHURCH STREET BRIDAL?
Unfortunately, all sales are final. Because all of the proceeds from sales go directly to YWCA to benefit women and children in crisis, we cannot refund your money.
Where can I park for my visit?
Church Street Bridal does not have private parking; however, there is one hour free public parking in front of our building. Another place to park would be the Midtown Deck parking garage located behind our building and it is paid parking.
Does church street bridal do in-house alterations?
No, but while we do not alter gowns in-house, you can click here for alterations specialists we recommend!
How many guests can I bring?
In an effort to make sure everyone is comfortable in our space, we allow up to four guests for brides, which we have also found is really helpful- too many voices can make shopping a little confusing. We encourage you to call or video chat with friends or family that could not attend your appointment.
CAN I BRING CHILDREN TO MY APPOINTMENT?
In our experience, children tend to get bored seeing a bride (even their mother or family member) try on wedding dress after wedding dress. Because of this, we strongly encourage you and your party to leave your children at home to allow yourself to focus on finding your dress. If you need to bring children to your appointment, we ask that they remain seated to avoid damaging our inventory and have some type of entertainment.