If you check out Christian Siriano's Instagram, you'll often scroll past pictures of happy brides dressed in one-of-a-kind creations. Despite the popularity of Siriano's looks among those celebrating their nuptials, the designer never officially had wedding gowns as a category of his namesake label — until now. Siriano has partnered with New York's Kleinfeld Bridal (of Say Yes to the Dress fame) for his official debut in the bridal space. Custom designs (and, specifically, custom bridal) has been a part of Christian Siriano's brand since "day one," the designer tells Refinery29. "It was always something that customers just came to us and asked for." The first bridal dress he ever designed was a strapless chiffon number with a lace appliqué bodice and cascading fabric down the back: "I think it was for a friend I went to college with, and she was getting married at the Bellagio in Vegas!" You may remember blogger Nicolette Mason's dreamy wedding gown, another Siriano original. "[Bridal] wasn't a big part of the business until now, but it can be much more profitable than ready-to-wear," he explains.

The 27-piece line arrived at Kleinfeld's flagship store in NYC today, with gowns starting at $3,500. The collection is offered in a full range of sizes, including petite and plus — something that was important to Siriano. "Every bride should feel special, and fashion shouldn't really be closed to anyone who loves it and wants to buy it," he says. Japanese Bobcat For Sale"Why would I not want a new customer that's willing to spend her hard-earned money on a piece she will love forever?" Shih Poo Puppies BrindleSiriano is known for thinking outside of the sample-sized convention with his work, dressing celebrities of all body types for the red carpet and teaming up with Lane Bryant for an upcoming collab. 3m Wide Vinyl FlooringThere's a sense of freshness lacking in the bridal space, according to Siriano: "It's not every year that new designers and brands are jumping into bridal," he says. "

It's still a very hard market to overcome." He says the landscape has been dominated by classic bridal brands for a long time — but that's changing, with new designers breaking into the category and more accurately reflecting the modern bride, who is "trying new things and [is] not as traditional as before."One particular stand-out from his first bridal show was the final look: a voluminous, airy ball gown with a poufy, pink-ombré skirt. It's the most expensive gown in the collection (expected to retail for $19,000, per Yahoo), and also the only one with color. Inspired by a Degas painting, Siriano felt he "needed some color to give the collection a little jolt at the end." He landed on ombré pink as the best hue — definitely a far cry (but a welcomed departure) from the traditional bridal lineup of endless shades of ivory, cream, and Champagne.We got up at 5 am to line up for the sample sale. I sat on the sidewalk outside a convention center in downtown Boston with my fellow bridesmaids and our lovely bride, and waited for the doors to open.

Other girls had brought along even larger contingents, some of them in matching uniforms so they could easily find each other as they ran around grabbing dresses for their bride. We got lucky, and walked out with a gown. Lots of brides did not. If you're in the market for a wedding gown and think you might score at a sample sale, beware: You need to do your homework beforehand. Showing up unprepared at a sample sale will likely result in walking out empty handed, even if the sale you're going to is less frenetic than the massive one I attended. Lots of bridal salons hold sample sales around this time of the year, when they need to make room for the 2013 gowns they've ordered. To help you get ready, I asked two experts, Elise Rosenblum, Retail Director for Pronovias (formerly of Kleinfeld and "Say Yes to the Dress"), and Gabriella Risatti, of Gabriella New York Bridal Salon, to share some of their secrets. 1. Find out if the sample sale requires an appointment, or if you just show up: Even if you don't need an appointment, make sure you understand the rules.

Last month I was outside Kleinfeld in Manhattan on the day of their sample sale, and several brides showed up in the afternoon, not knowing that numbers had been handed out in the morning. If the advertisement isn't crystal clear, call the store ahead of time, and get informed. 2. Understand what kind of merchandise you can expect: The prior year's -- not the coming year's -- gowns will be available. "A lot of times, the brides are misguided," said Rosenblum, who just wrapped up a sample sale at Pronovias for about 150 brides on Dec. 2. "They bring images of dresses from the 2013 collection, but those gowns won't be in the sample sale. Their expectations are a little high," she said. On the other hand, calling the store ahead of time to find out which exact gowns will be sold won't get you anywhere. In most instances, even the staff isn't told until the day of. Even so, some stores do reveal helpful information. For instance, Risatti, who held a sample sale on Jan. 6, said that she knew the gowns sold would range in size from a bridal 8 to 12 (which is comparable to a normal dress size 6 to 10).

3. Go gown shopping at one or more salons before you attend a sample sale: "We do suggest that brides have an idea of the style and fit they are looking for in their wedding gown," Risatti said. The savvy sample sale customer has been looking for a dress for about six months, according to Rosenblum. "They've seen what they liked, and realized they can't afford the full price. A sample sale is a good outlet for that bride," she said. That said, both Risatti and Rosenblum underscored the importance of bringing an open mind to a sample sale, since the selection will be a surprise. 4. Manage your expectations about the level of service you will receive at a sample sale. "Don't confuse this with a real bridal appointment," Rosenblum cautioned. "Since the gowns are so deeply discounted, you can't expect the same service you would typically receive." At many stores, including Pronovias, there aren't enough fitting rooms to go around to every bride at the sample sale, so the women have to share.

5. Be very picky about who you bring with you to the sale: "We do not recommend bringing more than one guest, as your own opinion matters the most," Risatti said. "Bring a friend that is honest and decisive. After all, purchasing a gown at a sample sale is not a decision that you can sleep on." Rosenblum had similar advice, noting that a bride really should not bring more than two people with her. Brides who bring an entourage, thinking each friend can grab several dresses at the same time, end up being frustrated. "Most stores limit how many dresses a bride can take a time," Rosenblum said. Moreover, in such a crowded and hectic environment, having so many people there with you can end up being distracting and counterproductive. 6. Only buy a dress if it can realistically be altered to your size: "I want to make sure the dress they get can be altered to fit them, because once they leave the store, they're on their own," Rosenblum said. Remember, shoppers: At just about every sample sale, the store will not provide alterations.