Do I have to make an appointment to come and see you?

On Mondays and Tuesdays and outside normal hours (see below), yes please - otherwise browsers are most welcome and we will accommodate impromptu trying-on of dresses wherever possible.

How long will an appointment take?

We book out two hours for trying on dresses so that you do not feel rushed. You and your guests are welcome to have a hot or cold drink during that time.

How many people can I bring?

Up to 4 people can be seated comfortably in our fitting room.

When can I make the appointment for?

As we are in an area in which many people commute into London, we appreciate that it is not always easy or practical to restrict our clients to midweek daytime or Saturday appointments. Therefore, we will do our utmost to accommodate early or late appointments, midweek or weekends.

How much do alterations cost?

Bridal Path operates a transparent pricing policy – the price you see on the dress includes two fittings, usually commencing approximately 5-6 weeks before the wedding. We feel that this policy makes budgeting easier, especially when there are so many other things to be paid for! Please note that if any further last-minute fittings are required once the alterations have been completed (e.g. for sudden weight gain/loss) these will be charged as taken. Betsey Couture and Tobi Hannah dresses have a separate alterations pricing structure.

How far in advance do I need to order my dress?

This varies tremendously from designer to designer, but to be on the safe side allow at least 5-6 months to accommodate fittings and alterations, especially when ordering for a summer wedding. Delivery times do vary according to season and so it is often possible to order dresses in sooner than the times quoted above – please contact us for specific order times on each designer.

What if I don’t like, say, the beading on the dress or the colour of the trimmings?

Our relationship with our designers is such that beading details (e.g. pearls instead of crystals) and colour details can be accommodated at the manufacturing stage wherever possible to create a unique dress. The majority of our dresses are made individually to order so there is some flexibility within our collection. We can also offer a dress restyling service, for those styles which cannot be changed at the point of order, through our in-house couturier and alterations expert Grace Bardin.

How much will I need to pay when I place a dress order?

As our price range becomes ever broader, we feel that the simplest system is to request a deposit of 50% on all gowns sold at Bridal Path and we will be implementing this from January 1st 2010. All other terms and conditions will remain the same. We will also ask you to sign a copy of our Terms and Conditions, a practice which is standard in most bridalwear retailers.

How do I pay the remaining balance?

It’s entirely up to you – either as a lump sum when the dress is ready for collection or in stage payments before you collect it. We accept all major debit and credit cards, including American Express.

Do you do prom/bridesmaids’ dresses?

Yes we do! After a long search to find the right quality at the right price, Bridal Path now stocks a small collection of London-made satin dresses by Betsey Couture which compete very favourably on price with Far Eastern-made dresses. Each is available in a wide variety of colours and your choice of trim colours – each dress is made to order and is as unique as you wish it to be. If you would prefer, you can select a fabric of your own to have the dress made in, for the same price as a standard dress (plus the extra cost of the fabric), and we offer a wide range of silks to choose from. Flower girl dresses are also available and we hope that brides will support the UK manufacturing industry by choosing this collection. Alterations, if necessary, are charged separately and can be arranged with Grace Bardin, or the dresses may be taken to a more local seamstress to the bridesmaid – we fully appreciate that bridesmaids can be located in various parts of the country, if not the world! In addition, for a more special prom/bridesmaid dress, our new Motasem and Tobi Hannah designs are perfect and also made here in the UK.

Do you do groomswear/formal hire?

As we prefer to concentrate on the bride and her party, we are not involved with men’s formal hire, although we can recommend local menswear hire services locally with excellent reputations. For the groom who would like a more unique made-to-measure suit, we will happily put him in contact with Grace Bardin to discuss his requirements.

Why do your dresses seem more expensive than some other shops?

There are several factors determining this: firstly, the majority of our dresses are individually made to order in the finest fabrics, which is naturally more expensive than Far Eastern production lines. Secondly, we offer a transparent pricing policy, whereby the alterations are included in the price of the dress; in the case of Betsey and Tobi Hannah dresses, we have a fixed-price tariff of alterations so that our clients know in advance how much they will pay to get their dress fitted perfectly. We have heard several anecdotes of brides finding their dream dress within their price range and then ending up spending up to half as much again on ‘bespoke’ packages and alterations, completely blowing their budget. Finally, we firmly believe that ‘you get what you pay for’, in terms of quality, exclusivity and service; we aim to offer all three at the highest standards.

I love the Jenny Packham Acacia headpieces and jewellery but they're a bit out of my budget. Is there anything you can do?

These items have fast become the 'must-haves' for many brides this year and for the foreseeable future. Bridal Path are offering Jenny Packham's Acacia I, II, III and IV headpieces and the Acacia Bracelets I and II for hire. Demand has been strong for these items and if you would like to book or enquire about prices, please call 01279 722273. Please note that bookings cannot be confirmed/secured until both the hire fee and the deposit have been paid. We are also listing these items for hire on www.preloved.co.uk (search for 'Bridal Path') and full prices and terms can be found there. We will also look at buying other pieces in to hire, so please do contact us if there is a piece we do not carry. Of course we can also order these items in for purchase, for those who would like a fabulous piece of jewellery to treasure and we will post these items, fully insured, to clients who are unable to get to the shop.