What to bring to your wedding dress appointment (and what to leave at home)
Your first wedding dress appointment should feel like an occasion, not an exam. You do not need to arrive with a plan, but a few small things make a big difference to how much you get from the time. Here is the checklist we would give a friend.
The short checklist
- Seamless, nude underwear, and a strapless or low-back bra if you own one.
- Shoes about the height of the heel you plan to wear on the day.
- Two or three people whose opinion you trust. Our suite seats up to four guests.
- A few pictures of gowns you love, and just as usefully, a few you do not.
- Your venue, season and a rough budget, even if they are only a best guess.
- An open mind. The gown brides choose is very often not the shape they walked in asking for.
What to wear, and what to skip
Choose clothes that come off and go back on easily, because you will be changing several times. Seamless nude underwear disappears under ivory and lace, whereas anything bright or patterned will show through the lighter fabrics and distract you in the mirror. If you have a strapless or low-back bra, bring it; it lets you judge a neckline properly. We clip and support every sample so you see the real shape either way, so do not buy anything new just for the appointment.
Keep make-up and hair close to how you normally wear them. The one thing we ask is to skip fresh fake tan and heavy foundation around the neck and shoulders on the day. Sample gowns are tried on by many brides, and a light touch keeps them lovely for the next one, which is exactly what you would want if you were next.
Who to bring
Bring the people who know you, not necessarily the most people. Two or three is ideal: enough for a second opinion and a happy cry, not so many that you end up dressing for the room. A group of six will each have a favourite, and it becomes very hard to hear your own reaction over theirs.
If there is someone whose opinion you are nervous about, it can help to bring them to a second appointment once you have a shortlist. Plenty of brides come first with one person, narrow it down, then return with mum or a sister for the final decision.
Information that saves time
You do not need a mood board, but three facts help us enormously. The first is the setting. A marquee in a Ribble Valley field and a ballroom in Lytham pull a gown in quite different directions, from fabric weight to train length. The second is the season, because a January wedding and a July wedding want different things from sleeves and layers.
The third is budget. Tell us honestly and we will only bring out gowns you could say yes to, because falling for a dress you cannot have is the worst part of any appointment. Our gowns start at £1,105, most sit between about £1,400 and £2,000, and a few couture pieces go above £4,000. Some of our designers ask us to share prices in person rather than online; just ask and we will tell you before you try anything on. Remember to allow for alterations on top, as almost every gown needs some.
Finally, your date. Made-to-order gowns generally take six to eight months to arrive, plus around two months for alterations, which is why most brides book a first appointment nine to twelve months ahead. If your date is sooner, say so when you book and we will make sure you see our outlet rail, where sample gowns can go home with you.
Questions worth asking
Whichever boutiques you visit, these questions tell you most of what you need to know:
- How long will this gown take to arrive, and when would my first fitting be?
- What would alterations typically cost for a gown like this?
- What size would I order, and how is that decided?
- Can the neckline, sleeves or train be changed?
- Is the appointment private, and will the same person be with me throughout?
Here, the answer to the last one is always yes. Appointments last ninety minutes, the boutique is yours, and Brittany or Gill is with you from start to finish. You can read more about what happens at the appointment itself and how the different silhouettes work in the journal.
What to leave at home
Leave the pressure. Nobody has to find the dress at a first appointment, and many brides do not. Leave the long list of must-haves too; hold onto one or two things you are sure about and let the rest be tested in the mirror. And if you can, leave the afternoon free afterwards. Brides who book three boutiques in one day tell us that by the third they could no longer remember what they had liked at the first.
Common questions
How many people should I bring to a wedding dress appointment?
Two or three is the sweet spot, and our fitting suite seats up to four guests. Bring the people whose opinion you trust most and who know your style, rather than everyone who would like to come.
What should I wear to a bridal appointment?
Seamless nude underwear, a strapless or low-back bra if you have one, and clothes that are easy to slip in and out of. Skip heavy fake tan and dark make-up near the neckline so nothing transfers onto the sample gowns.
Should I bring shoes?
Yes, if you can. A pair roughly the height of your wedding shoes shows you where a hem will sit and how a train moves. You do not need your actual wedding shoes.
How long is a wedding dress appointment?
Ours are ninety minutes, private, with Brittany or Gill with you throughout. That is long enough to try a good range without the afternoon turning into a blur.
Do I need to know my budget before the appointment?
It helps enormously. Tell us honestly and we will only bring out gowns you could say yes to. Our gowns start at £1,105, most sit between about £1,400 and £2,000, and a few couture pieces go above £4,000.
Travelling to us? We have guides for brides coming from Blackpool, Preston, Lancaster, Lytham St Annes, Fleetwood and Poulton-le-Fylde, with directions and parking.
Ready when you are
Private appointments, five designer labels and no obligation to buy. Browse the collection first if you like, then book a time that suits you.
Book an Appointment