Yes, trunk sales and sample sales are different. During a trunk sale, a bridal boutique displays new dresses from a designer collection. This is like a preview before the collection is officially launched. Do not expect a steep discount on the dresses at trunk sales since these are from the latest collections. However, during sample sales, existing floor samples are sold off by bridal stores to make space for new collections. The prices of these dresses are considerably slashed. Therefore, you can get near-perfect, brand new dresses for amazing prices at sample sales.