When Julie Song began planning her Nov. 24 wedding to Robert Schlotman, she did extensive research online and talked to other brides in her quest to find the perfect couture dress at a reasonable price.

She found the dress of her dreams, an Amy Kuschel gown in silk organza, at a sample sale at Bel Fiore Bridal salon in Marietta after trying on 15 to 20 gowns.

R. TODD FLEEMAN / Special (ENLARGE)

Bel Fiore Bridal salon manager Rachel Esposito helps customer Julie Song with a dress, one of several she tried on during the Marietta shop's recent sample sale.

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"When I put the dress on, I knew that it was absolutely the one I would wear on the day of my wedding," said Song, of Vinings. "It was just slightly over my budget, but I did not budget a crazy amount for a dress, so I definitely would say I got a great deal."

Savvy brides like Song are shopping at sample sales and trunk shows to find the perfect dress, including couture designs, at a discount of up to 75 percent.

Designers bring their latest lines to trunk shows, displaying 30 to 60 dresses. Trunk shows give brides an opportunity to see a designer's entire collection and order a dress they might have seen online or in a magazine, said Jennifer Huff, owner of Crystal Crane Bridal, on the square in downtown Lawrenceville. But dresses purchased at trunk shows still must be made to order, and could take nine months to arrive.

Designers typically offer promotions at trunk shows, such as a discounted price or a free matching veil. At a recent Winnie Couture trunk show at Crystal Crane, brides who ordered a dress received 10 percent off, and the manufacturer offered free veils with selected dresses. The shop's inventory also includes designer collections by Justin Alexander, St. Pucchi and Jasmine Couture.

Sample sales, which feature gowns that have been on display in the store, often offer larger discounts, as much as 50 percent to 75 percent. The gowns may be discontinued styles or lines that the store is not reordering; sizes may be limited (sizes 8, 10 and 12 are common); and they may need to be cleaned and altered. The gowns have been tried on by other brides but never taken out of the store.

Since samples are sold on a first-come, first-served basis, Brie Woodham of Bridals by Lori suggests that when brides find a sample dress they like, they should buy it that day. While many salons have one or two sample sales a year, the full-service salon in Sandy Springs sells samples year-round at a 25 percent to 50 percent discount. Their couture designers include Lazaro, Reem Acra and Demetrios.

Brides can check bridal Web sites for information on upcoming sales or trunk shows. Some bridal shops allow participants to register online to attend.

Rachel Esposito, manager of Bel Fiore Bridal in Marietta, said it's important to make an appointment to shop at a sample sale or a trunk show.

"The store is busier than usual on those days," she said, "and making an appointment with a consultant gives the bride an opportunity to try on dresses without having to wait." Bel Fiore's collection includes Carmela Sutera, Sonia Cholette and L'ezu.

Woodham stressed that brides should find out the price range of the sale dresses so they won't spend time looking at gowns they can't afford.