With elopements, justice of the peace ceremonies, and small micro weddings on the rise, more brides need a bridal dress on short notice. If you need a wedding dress fast, you can always order one online and hope it shows up in time, or grab something off the rack.
But now some brides have another option: ordering your dress with a side of fries.
That's right, David's Bridal has an unconventional solution for brides who decided on a last-minute wedding.
"A 'DoorDasher' can pick up an item that's in stock in your size and color," said bridal shop manager Tasha Rupard, "and deliver it to your home."
David's Bridal has partnered with DoorDash to deliver dresses as quickly as a fast food meal.
"In an hour, absolutely," Rupard said.
It's not just dresses that David's offers through this new partnership. From jewelry to shoes and veils, to last-minute bachelorette party accessories, Rupard said brides can get what they need in an hour or two.
"This is going to be something you can absolutely DoorDash," Rupard said of a bridal cowboy hat for a bachelorette party.
Items that can be delivered include party dresses for a last-minute formal gathering, undergarments, or dresses for mom.
Watch David's Bridal show some dresses that they will DoorDash to your home:
Some downsides to consider
Of course, don't expect custom tailoring. David's sends temporary alteration tape with the dresses, so you can pull in the waist or lift a hem for the ceremony. That's very different from the services offered by Elizabeth Stockhauser at her alterations shop, St. Clare's Closet. She said she's had to fix plenty of dresses ordered online that were a poor fit.
"There's less layers in there, less foam, the pads are (a) little cheaper," she said, "and sometimes you get a look that doesn't quite fit right."
Esther Lee, deputy editor of The Knot, also has concerns about shopping solely online, "because you don't know how it'll fit, and whether it'll even arrive on time," she said.
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Instead, she suggests you try your local bridal salon for sample or off-the-rack dresses, something David's Bridal does offer.
"You're able to see their ratings, what they offer," Lee said, "all kinds of information around what kind of designers they carry."
Other options for last-minute looks, according to The Knot, are buying a dress secondhand, checking out department stores for off-the-rack dresses, and renting a dress via a rental platform, but remember those dresses cannot be altered.
Rupard doesn't expect brides to order $2,000 wedding gowns via DoorDash. The platform has mostly inexpensive dresses you order after taking three simple measurements of your bust, hips, and waist.
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"Most cost anywhere from about $100 up to $200 for that little white dress,” she said, adding that it's a perfect service for that forgotten accessory two hours before a ceremony.
Bride-to-be Toni Goldsmith, being fitted for her dress at David's, loves the idea of DoorDash if a small detail, like jewelry, slips through the cracks.
"I think that would save a lot of bridezillas from happening," she said, "if they were able to have that."
That way you get exactly what you need in an hour or so, and you don't waste your money.
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