KILLEEN, Texas (KXXV) — A wedding dress is one of the biggest investments a woman will make in their lifetime. With tariffs looming, it's having local bridal shops prepare for what's to come. Cinderella Couture in Killeen gives an inside look at the selection they have for brides to choose from and take home the same day, so tariffs do not have to be paid.
- Cinderella Couture has called Killeen home for over 20 years
- If tariffs come about with wedding gowns, prices can go up anywhere from 17-20%
- The bridal shop has stocked up on dresses that brides can take home the same day they're tried on to avoid potential tariffs and overseas shipping costs
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A wedding dress is often the most important garment a woman will wear in her lifetime. Just ask Betty Lockhart, who’s been helping brides find their dream dress for more than 20 years.
“Just seeing the happiness that it brings a person when they find the dress and they just look so absolutely beautiful in it,” said Lockhart, Manager at Cinderella Couture.
There are several designers and designs to choose from.
“We have Eddie Kay, Milano Couture, Italia. We have some, designer gowns that we no longer buy from the vendors, but we've got some Mori Lee in our stock, and then there are other designers who are not as well known, and we buy a lot of our dresses from companies who, um, are hanging stock,” Lockhart said.
The majority of these gowns are made overseas, meaning you could pay more due to increased tariffs from China, but Cinderella Couture’s prepared for what could happen.
“Early this year we bought lots of stock, so you can buy dresses off the rack from Cinderella couture. As far as the tariffs are concerned, they're not affecting us yet because it'll only be on things that will have to be ordered, and many of our companies, they have pretty good stock on their wedding gowns, so I've talked to some of the vendors this week and many of them said it's only potential that it may happen may not,” Lockhart said.
And if those tariffs do hit?
“They expect perhaps between 17 to 20%,” Lockhart said.
Servicing more than 200 brides a year, making sure their selection is full is the strategy to keep those tariffs at bay.
“The best way for us to get around it is to go ahead and buy stock from our companies that have stock, and that way you'll always have dresses that you can buy,” Lockhart concluded
