Costco Is Selling Wedding Dresses! Really? Kirstie Kelly Signature Exclusively at Costco

An email arrived today trumpeting the arrival of the Kirstie Kelly Signature wedding dresses, available exclusively at Costco!  I get so many emails about wedding dresses, but this one nearly made me drench my monitor with coffee.  Really?   Wedding dresses at Costco?   Are they serious?   Apparently they are, because I immediately went to Kirstie Kelly's web site.

From the web site: 

"Available exclusively at Costco, the Kirstie Kelly Signature Collection offers quality couture-inspired bridal gowns for the smart woman who doesn’t want to choose between affordability and elegance. Complimenting the gorgeous gowns are fingertip and cathedral style veils. Brides-to-be attending the Special Event will find a jewel-box of a salon complete with bridal consultants and fitting room experience."

There are six dresses priced from $699 to $1399, all available only in soft white up to size 24.  A couple of the dresses are trumpet silhouette, one in lace, one in rouched fabric that looks like taffeta.  One satin number looks  like another company's dress that retailed several seasons ago for $699, here its $1399. Its a pretty dress....

Here's where I have a problem with Costco selling wedding dresses.  Brides are picky.  They want color choices, they have none. They want a big selection.  Six gowns is not enough selection.   Brides want to be pampered.  Even in a "jewel box salon"  whatever that means....they want the room and the mirrors to spread out and see themselves in the dress.  Then they need to think about it.  Brides RARELY buy on the first visit.  Once they like a dress, they have to compare it to other dresses.  Then they need more time to think.  It could take weeks, it could take months.  Unless the dress is a down right steal, (like under a hundred bucks), its not going to leave the rack easily.  

You can walk into any bridal salon and choose from hundreds of dresses in this price point, in you color choice.  Your bridal salon can custom order any changes you want, including length, adding sleeves, adding length to a train or cutting it off.   Your bridal salon may also offer alterations, storage and steaming.   Buy it at Costco, and you are on your own to find a seamstress. 

What are you getting for the same price at Costco?   A dress to go!  Maybe you can stick it in a cart along with your frozen pizzas and paper towels.   Makes your wedding dress real special.   

When did wedding dresses cease being special?  It used to be a big deal to go dress shopping. The wedding dress meant something.  It sets the tone for the wedding, and its the most special dress any bride will ever wear.   The bride and her mom would get dressed up with clean underwear and proper sized heels and went to find THE dress.   Its not that way today.  I could tell you stories.  The wedding dress has become a disposable commodity as marriages become disposable.  Its sad.   And its sadder to me that the most special dress you'll ever buy is in Costco, along with diapers, toilet paper, bulk food and vitamins.   Sigh.