The coronavirus has had an impact on factories and shipments moving goods from China to the United States. Due to the coronavirus, some have expressed concern over whether the imports of wedding gowns and bridesmaid dresses could be disrupted.
The American Bridal and Prom Industry Association told CNN that nearly 80% of the western-style wedding dresses produced worldwide are made in China.
This has caused some consumers to put in their orders early, adding pressure to the supply chain.
"They are loading up because everyone is really worried about a shortage in the summer," Stephen Lang, owner of Mon Cheri Bridals, told CNN . "There's already at least a month delay in the supply chain [from China]. It will get worse if everything isn't back to normal soon."
But David's Bridal, one of the largest wedding gown retailers in the United States, has not been nearly as impacted. The company said that all of its factories remain operational. The company said that 50% of its production comes from China.
David's Bridal said that it can guarantee that customers' orders will be fulfilled on time. David's Bridal said it plans to continue air-freighting gowns as needed to ensure customer orders arrive for the customer’s event.
“Our number one priority is making every customer’s experience magical and easy,” said Jim Marcum, CEO of David’s Bridal. “We know how stressful a delayed order can be to a bride, so I’m here to unequivocally say that every customer will have the dress of her dreams in time, before her event date.”
While for now, brides should not worry too much on being able to access dresses, a long-term disruption could add some uncertainty to the supply chain.
"Look, no one should have to go without a wedding dress," Lang told CNN. "If this China situation extends beyond summer, then yes, [dress] choices will start to get limited."
Justin Boggs is a writer for the E.W. Scripps National Desk. Follow him on Twitter @jjboggs or on Facebook .
