THE EXPERIENCE

If you are looking for a weekend only we suggest making your appointment as far out as possible. We book out on weekends almost 2 months in advance. The earlier the better!

Underwear is required. We suggest wearing nude undergarments and a strapless bra, pasties or sticky cups. If you feel more comfortable and are planning on wearing Spanx under your dress then feel free to bring them.

Per Alice in Ivory policy, our gowns are to be handled by stylists only. Not only does this promote better sanitation, it ensures the quality, cleanliness & overall life span of our dresses. We want to ensure all brides can enjoy a sample that is accurately represented in color + construction to the best of our ability. Lastly, we rely on our stylists to ensure that all dresses are appropriate for you in budget, sizing + production timeline.

We recommend our brides to start shopping 10-12 months out from your wedding date. Most gowns take 5-6 months to produce and our seamstresses require 10-12 weeks for alterations. While dresses can be rushed on a shorter timeline, it is a much more expensive and stressful process.

Keep it intimate! Bride + 3 guest maximum. We ask this of our brides not only because our space is more intimate but also to keep in mind that this is a very vulnerable and personal moment. After years of running appointments, we have found more guests tend to take away from the moment, not add to it. Only bring the people that truly know your style and taste and if you are nervous about who to choose, don't be afraid to come alone! We will be your hype girls & can take any photos or videos you need.

We have two beautiful, intimate and private rooms for you and your guests. Room 1 is slightly larger than Room 2, but other than that there is no difference! Our guest policy remains bride + 3 guests in either room.

Samples range in bridal size 6-12 (regular dress size 6-8). We as a boutique try to invest in multiple sizing options as much as possible, however contact us directly if you have additional questions about a certain style/gown. If you are very petite or more curvy, know that samples will not fit perfectly + you will need to use your imagination a bit more with certain styles. As mentioned above, make sure to be thoughtful with your guest selection and bring people who you know will make you feel most beautiful!

No, we will order you a new gown based on your measurements and the designer's size chart, and from there it will take 5-8 months to arrive as they are made to order.

Yes, all sales are final. You can pay in full as well, but you don’t have to. We require a 60% deposit with the remaining balance due when the dress arrives.

Your gown should come in fitting nicely, but alterations will still be necessary to get that perfect fit. We do not offer alterations at our boutique, nor are they included in the price of the gown. We have great recommendations in the city.

Sample gowns are gowns that have been tried on by other brides at our main Alice in Ivory location, and are now available for purchase at our sample store. Samples are first come, first served + when you find your dream dress at our sample store, you get to take it home with you that very same day. This is a great option for a bride on a tight timeline, a bride looking to purchase a designer gown at a discounted price, or brides looking to shop sustainably.

Alice in Ivory is so excited to offer a selection of off-the-rack gently used gowns from our main showroom in Chicago. We are offering this short-term pop-up in order to provide gently used, discounted, and discontinued styles that are ready for the perfect bride. These gowns will generally need a little TLC, but are amazing options for brides on a short timeline or with a slightly lower budget. We will be located in a private showroom (by appointment only) in Wicker Park. Appointments are now available to book online.

Sample gowns are generally priced according to condition and are intended to provide you an opportunity to purchase one of our designers gowns at a discounted price. You are taking home the very same dress you are trying on in the Sample Store. Upon purchase, you will be responsible for any necessary cleaning, repairs and general alterations. Our sample gowns are to be taken home same day, as-is.

• Your wedding is 3-5 months out

• Your budget is less than $3,000

• Your average dress size is 2-6 (we do have a small inventory of curve sizes, please reach out directly if this applies to you)

• You are ready to find your meant to be dress

• You are open to wearing a gown that is not brand new

We kindly ask that you do not book a private appointment “just to start looking” or “figure out what looks good”. Our sample inventory will eventually be the dresses our brides wear down the aisle, so we aim to limit the number of times each garment is tried on. Please only intend to try on gowns when you’re serious about shopping.