FAQ's - Wedding Dress Fitting Service & More
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 'pop-ins' and browsers are most welcome and we will accommodate impromptu trying-on of dresses wherever possible. It is always advisable to book on Saturdays.
Please note that we will be moving to a midweek appointment-only system from April-September in 2012, wth Saturdays remaining open as usual. Wherever possible please allow a minimum of 24 hours' notice when booking an appointment, although we will do our absolute best to accommodate appointments at shorter notice.
How long will an appointment take?
We normally book out two hours for trying on dresses so that you do not feel rushed.
How many people can I bring?
Up to 4 people can be seated comfortably in our fitting room. Young children are welcome under full adult supervision.
When can I make the appointment for?
As we are in an area in which many people commute into and around 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 our bridal gowns includes up to 4 fittings and the alterations arising from these fittings, usually commencing approximately 6-8 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 and adjustments are required once alterations have been completed (e.g. for sudden weight gain/loss) these will be charged as taken.
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 6-7 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 much 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 dresses are made individually to order so there is some flexibility within our collections. We can also offer a dress restyling service, for those dresses which cannot be changed at the point of order, through our in-house couturier and alterations expert Grace Bardin (additional charges may apply).
How much will I need to pay when I place a dress order?
We ask for a deposit of 50% of the purchase price and will also ask you to sign a copy of our Terms and Conditions, a practice 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 alterations are completed or in stage payments before you collect it. We accept all major debit and credit cards, including American Express, cheques (to clear before goods are released) or payment by bank transfer.
Do you do bridesmaids’/prom dresses?
After a long search to find the right quality at the right price, Bridal Path now stocks a small collection of UK-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. 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 Motasem and Tobi Hannah designs are perfect , come in lots of colour options and are also made here in the UK. We are also looking at other UK-made options to broaden our collection so please watch this space.
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 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, our dresses are individually made to order in the finest fabrics, which is naturally more expensive than production lines of garments where the dress is taken from stock. Many of our dresses are also made in the UK, where labour costs are higher than in the Far East.
Secondly, we offer a transparent pricing policy, whereby the fittings and alterations are included in the price of the dress. We have heard several anecdotes of brides finding their dream dress at the top of their price range and then being pressured into 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.
How do I transport my dress overseas for the wedding?
We are now able to order overhead locker travel boxes to fit all airlines, including budget airlines, handmade by the Empty Box Company in the UK. in a range of pretty and stylish designs, acid-free and breathable, they are the perfect way to store your dress after the big day too. Prices range from £37-£45.