We’re so excited to finally be given the green light to open in July and we can’t wait to meet all the brides that have been waiting patiently to find their dream dress!
As you can imagine we have made significant changes to how we will be working so that we can keep all our brides and staff safe and healthy - we have listed below some FAQ’s that cover our new way of working, but please do not hesitate to contact us for clarity on anything here.
HOW DO I KNOW YOUR BOUTIQUE IS SAFE AND CLEAN?
We are doing everything we can to ensure the safety of our staff and clients.
We now leave 45 minutes between each appointment in order to sanitise and clean our changing area and dresses. All dresses that have been tried on are fully steam cleaned before being replaced onto the rails. To ensure we are able to do this, brides and their guest are asked to arrive ON TIME and not early as the boutique will only be ready at the start of your appointment.
We will continue to review this and look at new ways to maximise the safety of everybody in the boutique. Our brides and guests must also assume a level of personal safety and responsibility, and decide when an appointment feels right for them.
HOW MANY GUESTS CAN I BRING TO MY APPOINTMENT?
We ask that you bring a maximum of two guests to your appointment, although one is preferred. There are no exceptions to this and we also ask that you do not bring children to any appointments until further notice.
WHAT IF I WANT OTHER PEOPLE TO SEE MY DRESS?
We understand that for a lot of brides bringing lots of friends and family is a big part of choosing their dress, so we have a dedicated Facebook Portal for streaming video of your appointment—which enables your guests to be involved and to give opinions and swoon over your faves.
ARE YOU STILL DOING A REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT?
Yes, we still charge a £30 refundable appointment fee as normal but will extend this to all our appointments and not just weekends. Once you book your appointment we will call you within a few days to confirm your details and take your deposit over the phone. As before, your appointment will not be confirmed unless your deposit has been paid.
CAN I MAKE A FEW APPOINTMENTS SO I CAN BRING DIFFERENT GUESTS WITH ME?
You are more than welcome to come back and try on a favourite dress with another guest, however we will charge a £20 second appointment fee—this is because we have a huge waiting list of brides and limited staff. Your £20 will be taken off the price of your dress should you go ahead.
ARE YOU STILL DOING VIB APPOINTMENTS?
Unfortunately we aren’t able to do midweek VIB appointments at the moment as we can’t offer food and drink facilities in the store. However all our appointments are now private so there won’t be any other brides in while you’re trying on dresses.
ARE WE ALLOWED TO TOUCH THE DRESSES?
The bride and her guest can browse the dresses with a stylist while maintaining physical distancing. You will then let your stylist know which dresses you want to try on without touching hangers or fabric.
DO I HAVE TO WEAR A MASK?
Yes. Masks are mandatory for brides in locations where no physical distancing is possible, like the changing area, however you may take the mask off once you are able to be 2 meters from your stylist and guests. You are welcome to bring your own mask but we also have masks available in the boutique which you can purchase with a small donation to our favourite charity.
HOW CAN I GET THE MOST OUT OF MY APPOINTMENT?
We highly recommend browsing our social media pages and website. Having an idea of dresses and inspirations for your appointment will be a huge help to your stylist and to you. Please also read the guide prices we have on each designers page on our website, so you can be sure we fit within your budget.
AM I STILL ABLE TO BUY A SAMPLE SALE DRESS?
Yes, we still have a fabulous selection of ex-sample dresses available at a heavily reduced cost. However, as we are currently only using the ground-floor and there is no public access to our sample room, your stylist will bring samples in your size for you to try. If you are only interested in sample dresses because of short timescales or if you have a smaller budget, then please let us know at the time of booking and we will select dresses and sizes just for you.
ARE WE ABLE TO USE THE TOILET?
The toilet in our store is currently prioritised for staff, so we ask that it is only used by customers in an absolute emergency.
AM I ABLE TO TRY ON ACCESSORIES DURING MY APPOINTMENT?
Yes, you can still try on veils and headpieces during your appointment and your stylist can select them for you. However, due to limited staff we won’t be offering accessories appointments until next month. All accessories will be sanitised after use.
ARE YOU STILL DOING BRIDESMAID APPOINTMENTS?
As of 1st August we will be open for Bridesmaid appointments. We are asking that there are no more than 4 in total in the bridesmaids party - this includes the bride. We will be constantly reviewing this and hope to be able to allow more people in the near future when things are more relaxed.
ARE DRESSES TAKING LONGER TO ARRIVE?
We’re continuously working and communicating with our designers on lead times. We appreciate that for some brides their timescales may be a little shorter due to the lockdown period, however designers are aware of this and are trying their best to work to shorter wear dates where possible.
Providing your wedding date when booking your appointment allows us to make you aware of what is possible.
Please let us know if theres is anything we haven’t covered or if you would like more clarity. We hope you understand and appreciate all the precautions we’re putting in place to make it a safe environment and also a special and enjoyable experience when choosing your dress.