I don't know if your question is general or if it was specific to a certain dress shop. I bought my dress from jasmines bridal. They have great reviews and pics of actual dresses they have made. They have wondeful customer service and one of the big reasons I chose them was that u don't pay in full. You pay half initially and they send u production photos, which some places dont, and they don't send it and u don't pay the final payment until u are satisfied with the final product. I was a little concerned about fit but I knew u wanted a corset back and that would help. They do it custom to your measurements which is awesome and you can just get alterations if necessary for size. I did try on dresses before which I am so glad I did. The dress I bought was not what I thought I would have picked until I tried it on. However if u r planning a knockoff and try on dresses keep in mind they are replicating it and may not be exactly the same. I had an open mind and knew I just wantwd that same look as the dress I tried on, it didn't have to be the same. Also when u vcimmunicate with the company be very specific with what yoy want. Use paint to draw lines and atyff on your dress. They usually haven't seen the actual designer drss they go from pics. Sorry this is so long hope it helps! Good luck!