We like to have at least 5 months to make your gown and schedule your fittings. However, brides who give us more time will have more flexibility and opportunities with fitting schedules (Saturday appointments book up quickly). More importantly, the more time you give us, the more time you will give yourself to plan all of the creative details of your wedding. We can usually accommodate rush orders. Orders taken with under 5 months time may incur a 10%

We can ship your gown to any residential or business address within the United States. Your gown will be carefully packaged and fully insured using United Parcel Service. We will also include instructions on proper care for your wedding dress.

Additional fees apply for shipping and handling.

We do not collect California sales tax for brides getting married outside of the state of California.

Our in-house production team allows us great flexibiltiy with rush orders. A salon visit is imperative to review styles of interest and explore fabric and schedule availability as well as rush fees. We will try to accomodate your rush order, however rush fees (10% - 25%) may apply depending on the timing of your order, our current production schedule, and fabric availability.

Sample sale gowns are a wonderful option when time is limited. We typically have 6-12 gowns available 'as is' on our sample sale rack starting as low as $800. Please visit our salon to view the current selection.

Selecting the perfect wedding gown is uniquely individual to each bride. It is often helpful to get advice and input from close friends and family, but the ultimate decision is for you, the bride. Your gown will fit you beautifully with our custom made to measure process, so the next concern should be how you feel in your gown. Take some time to envision yourself on your wedding day. Think about how you want to feel that day and the specific look that you want to capture. Your wedding location will weigh into your decision as well: A romantic, ethereal wedding dress is ideal for a beach setting while a dramatic and regal bridal gown is perfect for a formal cathedral event. Ultimately, it's your day... listen to your heart.

Our custom made to measure process is ideal for pregnant brides. Depending on your specific needs, we will recommend appropriate styles and schedule your fittings based on your wedding date as well as your due date.

Appointments at the Amy Kuschel Bride salon typically last one hour.

We are open for wedding gown consultations Tuesday - Saturday, and are closed on Sunday and Monday. Hours and appointment details can be found here

Once you have purchased your gown you are welcome to take photographs.

We welcome brides to visit our salon without an appointment to browse our collection. However, in order to ensure that each of our guests is given proper attention and customer service, an appointment for a consultation with one of our stylists is required in order try on gowns.

The fitting process of your custom made gown begins with a prototype. This first fitting is used as a tool to make your final pattern. Your shoes are needed to determine your exact hemline.

Here are your options if you do not have your shoes:

You can proceed with your first fitting and return for a scheduled 'shoe check' fitting once your shoes are selected (ideally within a week or two). Additional charges apply for 'Shoe Check' fittings.

You can also opt to reschedule your fitting for another day when you will have your shoes.

Please be aware that changes in fitting dates and 'shoe check' delays can affect your subsequent fitting dates. We will do ur best to accomodate the changes in schedule.

Once we've determined the appropriate hemline for your gown it is preferable that your shoe height remain the same.

Please notify us immediately if you've changed your shoes so that, if possible, we can make the proper adjustments. Additional fees may apply.

If your new shoes are higher than your original shoe your gown may be too short. If the new shoe is lower, your gown will likely need additional hemming or pattern alterations.

Our made-to-measure couture process typically includes a series of two to five fittings. We begin this unique couture process by creating a prototype for each bride. This simplified version of your gown is used as a tool during your first fitting to perfect your custom made-to-measure pattern. During each of your fittings, our design team will work carefully to determine accurate adjustments for your pattern and gown. You will try on your custom made gown at your second fitting where we

We recommend that brides try to maintain their weight once they've ordered their wedding gown. We understand that slight fluctuation in weight is common and we will do our best to accomodate these changes. However, additional charges may apply if your change in weight creates the need for additional alterations.

If you intend to lose significant weight (more than 5 pounds) or if you expect fluctuation, please let us know in advance so that we can discuss alternative scheduling to minimize additional alterations and charges.

Slight weight fluctuation is relatively common amongst brides. For this reason we recommend that your fittings are scheduled relatively close to your wedding date to ensure an accurate fit. Typically, your custom made gown will be ready for final alterations during the last 2-3 weeks before your wedding or departure date. Most brides pick up their gowns as early as 2 weeks before their wedding and late as 1 day before. We will work closely with each bride to determine the appropriate scheduling.

Purchase your wedding shoes before your first fitting and bring them with you to every fitting. Unfortunately, if you do not have your shoes or if you change them after your hemline is determined, additional charges will be incurred. Foundation garments are not required unless you have specific support requirements. Standard sized bras and cups can be selected and purchased at the Amy Kuschel Bride salon.

You are welcome to bring a guest to your fitting, but please limit your guests to 1 or 2 people. You may want your maid-of-honor, mother, or wedding consultant to come to a fitting to understand your bustle and help you with your veil or headpiece.

A strapless gown slips when it is not fitted properly. If a gown is too big throughout the waistline it will fall to the hips creating an uncomfortable shift that causes a bride to feel the need to continually pull her gown up. Our goal with our custom made to measure process is to be certain that each strapless gown is properly fitted through the waistline to ensure that it stays in place. Proper undergarments are also important, especially for full busted brides needing more support through the bodice.

Many women are not accustomed to wearing strapless gowns and often find themselves tempted to pull on their wedding dress even if it isn't slipping. For these brides we can add straps to their strapless gown.

With the increasing popularity of beach and garden weddings, more and more brides are requesting that the train on their gown be shortened or entirely removed.

If you are ordering a custom made Amy Kuschel Bride gown, we can alter your pattern to modify or eliminate the train from most of our designs. We will work with each bride individually to determine the appropriate train length and adjust the pattern accordingly. Additional charges often apply.

Before deciding to modify your train, keep in mind that a long train looks simply elegant in an outdoor setting and can be bustled after your ceremony.

Once you have selected your wedding gown we require a 1/3 deposit to place your order. Payments can be made by check, debit card, or credit card; we accept American Express, Visa, or MasterCard.

An additional 1/3 payment is due at your 1st and 2nd fittings. We collect CA sales tax with your final payment at your 2nd fitting.

While we do not offer custom designed wedding gowns for individual clients, we have achieved great success with slight design modifications to styles within our couture collection. When you visit our salon, one of our stylists will work closely with you to find the fit, fabrication, and customized detailing that will best fit you and your wedding day.

Our bridal gowns range in price from $1500 to $6500 with most styles falling within the range of $2000 - $3000. All of our bridal gowns are designed and made in San Francisco, California. Brides visiting our flagship salon in San Francisco will order their gown to be custom-made to their measurements; this is included in the price of the gown.

All brides will receive a care packet with their finished gown with detailed instructions including: gown handling, pressing, cleaning and preservation.

Most gowns within the Amy Kuschel Bride collection are offered in a shade of white and ivory. Each silk fabrication has its own subtle version ranging from soft white to antique white, pale candlelight hues of ivory to true ivory and deep ivory. Reflection also plays a part in color; shinier fabrics may seem lighter in color due to the 'light' radiating from the weave whereas matte finish fabrications highlight the true shade.

Luxurious color accents are available on several styles with sashes or underlays.

Most gowns within our collection are available in 2 different sizes for trying on, typically a size 6 and a 10/12. During your appointment, we will do our best to temporarily alter the fit of each gown by clipping, adjusting, or extending to suggest the appropriate fit that you can expect once a gown is customized for you. We can also show each gown on a dress form if necessary.

Sample sale gowns are always available at our salon. We typically have 6-12 gowns available 'as is' starting as low as $800. Please visit our salon to view the current selection, or schedule an appointment with a stylist to try them on.

We import most of the fabrics used in the Amy Kuschel Bride collection from Europe and Asia. We select the highest quality laces available and bring them in from France and Italy. Our silk mikado, silk gloss organza, and silk gazar are also imported from Italy. We've found quite unique fabrications in England as well. Several of our silk satins and organzas are imported from Japan and China.

All Amy Kuschel gowns are made in San Francisco. A team of designers, pattern makers, cutters and seamstresses are located on the premises. The design studio is situated on the floor above the bridal salon to ensure a true couture experience.

Each of our retail partners selects their own assortment of Amy Kuschel Bride gowns to showcase in their salon. When viewing our list of stores, take note of boutiques with 'limited selection' as they will have fewer gowns represented. TIP: Look for 'Trunk Shows' for optimum selection. Before visiting a salon you can inquire as to which styles they have in their current assortment.

In the Fall of each year we present our new collection in New York to the media, our retail partners as well as new prospective retailers. Please check our store directory in November and December for new store listings.

Another option is to travel to a retailer in an area that you'd enjoy visiting again for your fittings.

Brides often travel to our San Francisco salon to see our entire collection and select the gown that is most appealing. You can purchase your gown at our salon if you're available to return for fittings (at least 2 additional trips). You can also purchase your favorite gown from any salon carrying our collection, even if they don't have that particular style. Keep in mind that all of our retail partners require that the gown be purchased in person so that appropriate measurements can be taken. We do not accept telephone or mail order requests.