Shopping for your wedding dress - some questions and answers.......

Hi everyone!!  Haven't been blogging now for a few months, so trying to get back into the swing of it!  I've had several queries recently (particularly at the wedding fayres) and I've been jotting them down to address in a blog, so I'm grouping them all together in this topic.   Your essential guide of Q&As in relation to going wedding dress shopping in our shop. Hope you find some useful tips. xx Ciara

When should I go looking for my dress?
We are always getting new styles coming along and dress styles are always getting discontinued, so in short, my answer is go when you are ready to seriously think about buying the dress.  In an ideal world, we'd all go looking 2 years before to get ideas, we'd find a dress, and then come back 8 months and it's still there waiting for you, but in practice it doesn't work. So don't make the mistake of missing out on your dream dress because you've come too early and found out that the dream dress you found last year has gone discontinued or that we've sold our sample.  And don't leave it too late either or you may be limited to buying off the peg!!!  Last orders are usually 6-7 months before the wedding, but 12 months before is a good time to start looking.  Our brides order on average about 10 months before their big day.

Who should I bring with me?
We have seating for up to three people in our bridal rooms. Any more than this, and the search can often get chaotic with too many opinions and not working on focussing on you and what your wants and needs are. Ideally, one or two helpers is best, but don't be afraid of setting out to look on your own either.  You'll often want your closest friend, a sister, your mum or someone close to you to help you make that final decision, but just make sure that whoever you bring, they will be on the same wavelength as you and that they will give you honest feedback without letting their own personal tastes get in the way if finding the dress for you. Choose your helpers wisely!!  If you don't, you could be setting yourself up for a difficult and frustrating time!

How long do I get for an appointment?
You will normally get 70 mins for an appointment.  However, if you get to the end of your allocated time and you find that you want to see more dresses, you are more than welcome to book a second appointment to come back another day.  We often run on a tight schedule, especially on Saturdays, so try to be on time.  If you are late, we cannot let you eat into the time of the girl after you. (I had a bit of a backlash about this one recently from an unhappy bride, but I'd like to think that most of you would be happy to oblige when it comes to helping to keep our appointment book running to schedule and not keeping other brides waiting.)

What should I wear?
If you can, wear a strapless bra and big knickers (unless you aren't embarrassed about being seen braless or in a skimpy thong!)  You are free to wear leggings or tights if that makes you feel more comfortable (or warmer in the winter).  We do give a one-to-one personal service in our shop and you will be helped into and out of the dresses at all times, so make sure you feel comfortable with what you are wearing.  Bring heels if you can as the dresses are quite long (we'll have extra pairs of court shoes and a box for you to stand on if you need a little help though!!)  And we would would ask for minimal make-up and no rub-off tans. You will be trying on thousands of pounds worth of dresses, so things like heavy foundation and lipstick mean expensive trips to the dry-cleaners for us, so you may be asked to remove make up if you come with quite a lot on!!

I have a strict budget!
Our dresses range from £400 to £1800, and we always will do our best to steer you in the right direction should you be on a strict budget.  Just let us know what your budget is when you arrive or when you are booking your appointment and we will keep you right!!  We would never encourage you to try on an £1800 dress if your budget is £900 and it can often lead to frustration on the brides part, so keep us informed.

Can I take pictures?
I used to turn a blind eye to this one, but due to designers' stricter copyright rules, photography of their dresses in our shop is not permitted (unless it is a dress you have purchased or have placed a deposit on). We are not even permitted to take photos at our designers' fashion shows :(   Almost all dresses can be viewed on the designers' websites anyway, so we will point you in the right direction should you wish to have a picture of the dress to see at home.  And don't forget that you are welcome to come and see your favourite dresses again should you need to - we won't expect you to make a decision based on your memory of one visit.

If I find a dress, what deposit do I need?
You'll need 50% of the dress price to place an order.  However, assuming you have got the time, you can pay an initial deposit of £200 and pay up to the 50% in instalments.  Quite a lot of our brides find it easier to do it this way.


Also, just a note to say that it is always a wise move to look for your wedding dress first before you move on to your bridesmaids.  It can be often a confusing task when presented with bridesmaid shopping when you have no idea if your dress is white or ivory or champagne, when you have no idea if you will fall for a modern style or vintage inspired style, or when you have no idea what neckline you are looking for.  Get the wedding dress sorted first, and your task will be much easier and you'll have a clearer focus.

And let us know if your close friend, your cousin, your sister-in-law or workmate has got their dress with us. Our dresses are available for anyone to order, but if we get a heads-up on connections with existing customers, we can make sure we steer you away from picking the same dress as them :)

And remember to keep an open mind when you go shopping.  You might feel a million dollars in a dress that you never dreamed of trying on, so don't come in wearing blinkers and be prepared to surprise yourself!!  Some girls find their dream dress in their first shop - for others it takes a few more trips around to find one that they love, so be patient and don't get too disheartened if you don't find it right away.

Putting your own stamp on your wedding dress

Recently a bride and her group of helpers visited my shop to try on wedding dresses. After I introduced myself, the very first thing she asked me was whether I had an exclusivity policy in my shop.  She wanted to know if all our dresses were ‘one-offs’ and asked if she bought her dress in my shop, would that mean that my sample would be taken off the rails and not sold to anyone else.

I suggested to her that perhaps she was visiting the wrong type of retailer.  My business wouldn't survive for much longer if I introduced such a policy, so I couldn't even if I wanted to!!  Most bridal boutiques, including my own, sell dresses from their chosen designers’ collections, and not only do we normally sell more than one of each style, but most of the styles we have can be found in bridal boutiques in several other shops in the country, and we have no control over what they sell and to whom.  I suggested that she might be better off visiting a dress designer to have a bespoke dress designed if exclusivity was very important to her (and I pointed out that the price ticket will be much, much higher that she would pay for a dress from a designer’s collection!!  In fact, a one-off designer dress would most likely swallow up the entire wedding budget - at the very least!)

However, there were things we could do to try to help her if she didn't want to pay to get a bespoke dress designed to make her feel more at ease, and we were soon trying on a selection of dresses from the 90+ styles we have in store and feeling more relaxed about the whole thing.  The first thing I told her is that if she had any friends or family that were getting married, then to let us know.  I always joke that I am not psychic and don’t have a crystal ball, so I need to know if Mary Jane is your cousin or that you sit beside Emmy Lou at work (and if they have got their dress with us).  If I get a heads up, I will make sure they don’t buy the same dress as you.  (I have reluctantly broken several girls hearts in the past by refusing to sell them a dress when such a situation did arise)  I never assume that physical proximity means that people are acquainted or if they even know each other.  Two girls that live in the same town may not cross paths in their lives, but two girls who live 40 miles apart may be future sister-in-laws!  Or their mums might be next door neighbours!  And yes – these are things we have encountered!!  So whilst we do not guarantee exclusivity, if we get a heads up that people are closely connected, we wouldn't sell  the same dress to both brides  (although we cannot stop them going and ordering it in another shop... and yes – this is another  situation we have encountered and had no control over whatsoever!!)

I always think that every bride looks different on her big day anyway.  The dress is one part of the look.  There’s the hairstyle, the head dress, the veil, the bouquet  flowers, the bridesmaids standing by her side (and the groom of course!).  The dress is one part of the picture.  And I love it when a bride decides to customise her dress!!  Our seamstresses are always busy making modifications to the dresses (within reason!) – little lace boleros with high necklines that totally transform a strapless dress..... sparkly belts beaded with Swarovski crystals that draw the eye to the waistline.... dainty cap sleeves that drape off the shoulder.... cute little satin cut-away jackets.... lace and beaded appliqués added to plain satin dresses.. a flowered shoulder strap with little beads cascading from silk rosebuds....  there are so many ways to put your stamp on your wedding dress and give it that bespoke feeling for a fraction of the price of a bespoke dress.  Here are a few examples of things that you can do to customise your dress – I hope this inspires you!!!!  And remember, than when you have a consultation at our shop, we can spend time helping you to make your dress your own and help you to to make a little more exclusive if that's something that you are looking for.

Here's the Maggie Sotttero Sabelle  (a strapless dress) shown with cap sleeves and also with a lace jacket - both available to order in our shop. 

These are two of my favourite jackets which can also be purchased separately.  Team these up with a strapless dress and you get a totally different look.

Belts come in a whole variety of different colours with beading, flowers and appliqués.  These can change the whole look of a dress.  We have loads from the likes Maggie Sottero, Essense of Australia and Linzi Jay.

Divina by Maggie Sottero with two different belts.... or maybe you don't want to go the belt at all!!

I love this flowered belt my Maggie Sottero!  Totally transforms this dress!!

Shoulder detail which can change the whole look of a dress...

I hope this blog will help you think outside the box and help you with ideas if you want to make your dress more unique.  Please feel free to add any of your own ideas or pictures!  Ciara.

Top tips for getting the most of out of a one-day wedding dress sale.

Well, it's that time of the year again.  One-day sale time, and this year it is happening on Thursday 26th September from 12 noon until 8pm.

In October, there are going to be big changes at our shop, with a new layout to incorporate our current seamstress's new alteration shop which will take up a big section of our second unit.  (More about that in our blog later this month!)

To get me ready for the new layout (and to take on my next collection) I am having a MASSIVE clearance sale.  It won't be just the usual discontinued lines, but also we will be adding dresses from the current collection which will be reduced for 1 day only.  Some of these dresses will be reduced by as much as £1000, so this is an event not to be missed!

All Discontinued dresses will be £395 or less

Many current collection dresses will be reduced to £495 for the one day only.

People always ask me about sale days and what advice I would give anyone looking to come to one, so here's a list of top tips that I've put together which should help you to on your quest to find a dream dress at a bargain price!

Top tips for attending a sample sale..

1. Get out beforehand and try dresses on.
Don’t make a sample sale your first bridal shopping trip.  The girls who come prepared with ideas from trying on beforehand are the girls who have the most success at getting a bargain.  If the sale day is busy, you will be restricted to the number of dresses you can try on to make it fair for people waiting to use the changing rooms, so you won't have the chance of spending over an hour having a private consultation (as you normally would in a bridal appointment) to try and figure out what shapes and styles you prefer and which ones flatter your figure.  When you come to a bridal sample sale, you should already have a good idea of what style you are looking for, what size you need,  and what suits your shape.

2. Bring a friend

Don’t bring a whole entourage, but bring someone who will be brutally honest. Weddings are expensive and any discount you can get, especially if it’s on your dress, is well worth it - but only if you will be happy with it. Brief your friend to be brutally honest and listen to  her (or him!)  And remember that on a 1 day sale,  you can't go for a look and come back again another day.  So if you need your friend/sister/mum with you to help you make the final decision, then make sure she comes with you to the one day sale event. 

3. Wear the right underwear
This is a wedding dress appointment necessity regardless, but make sure you wear the right undies! You need to do everything you can to see how the dress will fit you.  Also, if it is busy, the dressing rooms will not necessarily be 100% private.  So don't wear skimpy underwear unless you are happy to be seen in them!!

4. Bring your purse!!!!!!!!!!!

You'd be surprised at how many people don't think about this one - remember, it's a one day sale, and we don't hold items over.  So bring your purse (we accept all major credit/debit cards) so that if you do find 'the one' then you can actually buy it!!!

5.  Ask the sales assistants about sizing.

Bridal sizes are generally a bit smaller than high street sizes, so when you are looking, bear that in mind.  But also, don't be afraid of looking at dresses which are a little bit bigger as they can always be taken in.  If in doubt, ask one of our sales assistants for guidance on the sizes.  All dresses will be grouped in sizes to make it easier.

Maggie Sottero Trunk Show

It's that time of year again!!  We are now taking bookings for our annual Maggie Sottero trunk show.

Once a year, we get to show a preview of the new Maggie Sottero collection, and this year the dresses will be coming to us on the last weekend of September.  This year's inspiration comes from the 1920's and 1930's, so it's a must for fans of vintage glamour as well as having gorgeous designs for the modern bride too.  If you're not sure what a trunk show (also known as a designer weekend ) is, then read on.....

When the designers have finished showing the shop owners their new collections, each shop owner gets a chance to take 30 of their favourite dresses to their premises to show them off to their customers.  These are the dresses which are worn by the models at the catwalk shows and are generally size 8 dresses (suitable for trying on for brides size 12 or smaller).


When the dresses come to our shop that weekend, we will be putting away any dresses which are not by Maggie Sottero and the dresses on show during the event will be our current Maggie dresses (ranging from size 10 - 18), plus the 30 dresses that are on loan.  We work strictly by appointment only and all appointments must be confirmed in the week of the event.   Anyone who decides to put a deposit on a Maggie Sottero dress during the event will get a 10% discount on their dress.

Please note that if you fall in love with one of the samples on loan, you will not be able to come back and try it on again as the dress has to be sent back after the event, so it's a good idea to make sure you bring any key decision makers with you that day.  You can't bring your mum or your best friend back the following week for a second opinion!!  So if you can't pick a dress without them, then make sure you bring them with you.

It's always a good idea to have been out looking beforehand so that you feel ready to buy if you do find 'the one' without feeling the need to come back and see it again.  Also, to qualify for the discount, you need to place a deposit of at least £200 on the day.

Key points to remember
- 30 dresses on loan for 1 weekend only.  These can't be re-visited!
- Borrowed dresses are size 8.
- 10% off for orders placed at the event.  £200 minimum deposit.
- Bring your key decision makers with you that day (unless you are going to be making your own choice).
- Have a good idea of what you are looking for before you come.
- Book an appointment in advance.

An organised bride is a less stressed bride - when should I get my wedding dress?

At recent wedding exhibitions, I have been asked the following question by loads of brides.  'When should I order my dress?'   As a rule, we tell our customers that they should have orders for wedding dresses in 6 to 7 months before the wedding (at the very latest!!! order earlier if you possibly can!)  and 5 months for bridesmaids - stick to that rule and you shouldn't go wrong.  

We always allow a ‘cushion’ of at least 6 weeks between the quoted delivery date and the bride’s wedding.   I like all orders to be in a good bit before the wedding to allow adequate time for a relaxed run-up to the big day for getting things like alterations carried out and accessories picked, so whilst the company are not actually quoting us the full 6 or 7 months, this is the guideline which keeps stressful timescales at bay!

If you can , get ordered a good 8 or 9 months or more in advance.  The earlier you get in your dresses, the sooner you can relax and get organised.  No bride wants to be be getting anxious over how close to her wedding that her order is going to arrive.  Organising a wedding can be stressful enough without having to worry about how close to your wedding your dress will arrive.  And as a busy shop owner, it is a worry that I can do without as I get stressed out over deliveries too!!!!! (especially when they arrive later than what I was expecting)  I often get brides who keep putting it off as they are losing weight, but don't forget, you can always go out looking a year before, and if you find your dress, you can still put a deposit down to secure it and get measured 7 months before the big day to give you a chance to start on your weight loss regime. The dress can always be taken in if you lose any additional weight.  Better to do that than to leave it a couple of months before the wedding and miss out on the dress that you really wanted. My heart sinks when a bride makes an appointment and tells me her wedding is only a few months away as I know she will be limited in her choice of dress.  Every bride should have the liberty of choosing any dress in any size in any colour that we can get.  The more organised you are, the more choice you will have.

In sum, my advice is 'be prepared and get organised!!'  Get out at least a year before your wedding if you can – the earlier you get out the more relaxed the whole experience will be and you won't be feeling pressure to 'panic buy'   Most brides coming to our shop for the first time have over a year until their big day. 

Our entire Essence of Australia range and some of our Maggie Sottero dresses can also be got on rush cuts (additional fees apply to most of these) so if you have left it a bit late, we won't turn you away - we always have options available including the option of buying off the peg (although your choices will be more limited).   Many of our bridesmaid dresses can also be got on a rush cut so don't fret about that either if you have left that task a bit late.    

And one last tip – only go shopping when you feel you are ready to buy..  Our stock is forever evolving.  New dresses coming… dresses being discontinued… dresses being bought off the peg.  So if you do decide to go shopping early, NEVER assume that you will be able to come back and revisit a dress in the future as it may no longer be in the shop or it may be discontinued. This is something I find happens all the time (and I often get grief from brides to be about it!)  so wait until you are ready to go shopping, as opposed to saying ‘Let’s go out for ideas and revisit those ideas in 6 months time or next year’.   It's a bit like you saying that you want to buy a house in 18 months time.  You wouldn't go visiting estate agents or arranging house viewings until you were ready to make a move.  You might have a nosy at websites to get ideas, but you wouldn't throw your energy into house-hunting until the time was right to act on making a purchase.

 And if you do go out early and find ‘the one’, then STOP LOOKING at wedding dresses!! Get it ordered, and when it comes in,  put it away when it comes in and don’t let it lose its magic by looking at it too much!  I get loads of brides visiting my shop who tell me that they have a dress at home that they have went off.  Wedding dresses are too expensive to buy and not wear, so don't fall into that category and be disciplined to tick the box as 'done' when you decide on the one.

Happy (stress free) shopping.x x   Ciara

Losing weight for your wedding - the inch-shrinking body wrap... fact or fiction?

I always seem to have one or two brides at any one point who are holding off on getting the bodice of their dress altered in the run up to their wedding as they are in the process of losing weight.  And I have to say, I've seen some pretty amazing results! It's amazing what the incentive of fitting into a wedding dress can do (although I would never recommend buying a smaller dress with the intention of slimming into it!)  The best way of doing it is pretty obvious (but not easy!!!!!)  Exercising and eating sensibly. Making sure that you use up more calories than what you put into your body.  I've had girls losing those extra pounds by going to boot camp or exercise classes and cutting out the 'rubbish' (as they call it!) and I've viewed the results where they have been fitting perfectly into that dress which wouldn't zip up on them a few weeks ago.  Whether they keep it off is another matter, but they did it without starving themselves and making themselves ill.  And they got into that dress!

But the topic of my blog is the the fat-busting or fat-melting body wrap which claim to make you lose inches with no effort at all. I know there are many types of these wraps and they all have different formulas and techniques.  I've always viewed them as a temporary fix.  They de-hydrate you and what you lose is water - not fat - which all goes back to normal once you start drinking.  A local seamstress I know swears by them for a last minute fix when a dress is a bit snug the day before.  So it may help you feel a bit more comfortable in a dress that is a little tight - but only if you get it done the night before the wedding (or better still, the morning of the wedding) and don't be surprised if the dress is feeling really tight by the evening reception as those fat cells swell up again once you put a drink to your mouth!!  I've been reading up a bit about this inch-busting claim miracle treatment online, and my fears seem to have been confirmed that indeed a lot of people are being taken in by convincing sales pitches which get desperate brides (and all sorts of people for that matter) to part with their cash, convinced that they are losing permanent weight.  

I had one such bride in my shop which prompted me to write this blog.  This girl's dress was a little snug, but she insisted that we were going to have to take it in by the time she was getting married as she was going to lose loads of weight.  It was still tight a few weeks before the wedding, so we decided to go ahead and get the seams out a little as there was a let-out allowance.  She came back down a few days later and the dress was a bit big on her despite only being let out a tiny bit... so we took it back in again.  She came back down and it was then too tight!!!  So once again, it was let out only to be too big again.  I was getting really frustrated as I couldn't understand why her weight was yo-yo-ing so rapidly.  It was at this point she told us about her body wraps and we discovered that she had signed up for 6 of these wraps at £50 a go and that she has visited the salon and had the wraps just before two of her fittings which had resulted in her being a bit smaller.... but she was confused then why it was tight on her at one of the other fittings.  The poor girl had been under the illusion that she would permanently lose between half an inch and a full inch with each wrap, so 6 of them would see her waist girth plummet by between 3 and 6 inches.  She was gutted when I revealed to her that those inches that she had lost were being replaced within a day of them 'disappearing' and that that her £50 wraps were only taking out some water and not fat.

It would be lovely if they really did make you lose weight, but please be careful when spending your money on courses of these treatments ladies.  There doesn't seem to be concrete scientific evidence out there for them  doing anything other than de-hydrating your cells.  I am a scientist myself  (yes - I know it's a bit weird - a science degree and I own a bridal shop) and I haven't been convinced.  If you want to do it for the relaxation side of it - go for it!!  I hear they are nice to get done in the salon and make your skin feel good.  They will shrink you a bit for a while, but don't do it for a quick-fix weight loss reason.  It's not a weight loss programme!  Weight loss programmes take a lot of hard work, effort and determination to burn fat off.

I had to put in this photo too of one of these 'fat-melt' wrap adverts which I came across. It is so obvious that the picture on the right is the exact same photo but is photo-shopped!!  But I bet some people still paid money for this!!  I guess it's in our nature to want the easy option!  But fat does not melt by wrapping up :(

Related links.

Reputable health experts — both traditional scientists and alternative medicine specialists — remind consumers that a body wrap is not a weight-loss quick-fix. Because all the weight you lose from a body wrap is the result of dehydration rather than fat loss, the pounds and inches will return within a few days, once you have re-hydrated. The U.S. Food and Drug administration reminds consumers that “fat doesn’t melt,” and any product claiming to “melt” fat or cellulite is making unsubstantiated claims. The Healthy Weight Network advises that you can spot a fraud if they claim quick weight loss without dieting, use testimonials rather than scientific studies and make claims that aren’t listed on the packaging.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/302665-body-wraps-lose-weight/#ixzz2XEYhH77P

http://www.webmd.com/beauty/spa/body-wraps-what-to-expect?page=2

http://www.dietingdirection.com/are-body-wraps-effective-for-weight-loss/

I found a really good article which is definitely worth a read if you are still not convinced and want to read more.  Follow this link to read it ...  http://www.macfitness.net/body-wraps-waist-wraps-difference-losing-fat-losing-inches/

Sample loan service

I often get phonecalls and emails from brides asking for particular dresses that are designed by the likes of Maggie Sottero, Essense of Australia or Special Day - all labels we carry - but we don't always have the particular dress that they want in store.  I only wish I could carry all the dresses, but I have to carefully select a selection which I feel my brides will like... and more importantly, I have a budget that I need to stick to!! (contrary to what some people might think, we have to buy all our sample dresses at the designer's full price!!!)

If you are looking for a dress that we don't have, we can check with the designer to see if there is any chance we can get it on loan.  Practically all the dresses featured on the designers' websites are available to borrow.  Most, however, are size 8 dresses (with exception of the Beautiful Brides Plus collection and a small range of Maggie Sottero gowns that are kept in plus sizes) so if you are a generous size 12 or more, these dresses might not be suitable for trying on.

There is a fee charged to cover the cost of the courier bringing the dress to us and returning it to the designer.  This fee is mostly set at £50, but can vary.  But the good news is that if you decide to order on the day you come to see the borrowed sample dress in our shop, we will refund the fee paid on that particular dress.

Call us on 02871 813682 if you wish to discuss getting a sample dress on loan, or go to our website www.beautifuldaybrides.co.uk and fill in the form on our contact page with your details and query and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
Thank you.
Ciara x
Beautiful Day Bridal Cottage, Greysteel, Northern Ireland