An Appointment at Timeless Bride

Kimberley Barr • 7 June 2022

Bride’s Questions Answered!

It’s a Saturday, usually my busiest day at the boutique. I arrive in the morning and as the day goes on I prepare for each bride to walk through the door. I select the dresses that best suit what she’s asked for and put them in the fitting room ready for her arrival. Everything is in its place, except in the back room so I shut the door and hide it away…out of sight, out of mind!

As each bride arrives, I open the door and greet them, along with their guests as they enter the boutique. I love that first moment when they walk in full of excitement and anticipation. Everyone is so happy. We have a chat about the dresses I have selected and if anything has changed since we last spoke. Most brides arrive with the same idea of what they were looking for when we first discussed different styles and details. For others, they may have been to try some wedding dresses on elsewhere since our last conversation and have a more specific, and sometimes completely different, idea of what they are now looking for. No problem! I change the dresses as necessary and go through it all with the bride to be.

The bride’s guests take a seat and make themselves comfortable whilst we put the first dress on in the fitting room. I have shoes from size 3 through to size 8 to try on with the dresses, so no need to bring your own, and I do everything I can to make each bride feel comfortable as they essentially strip off in front of a complete stranger! I have seen it all but I totally appreciate that not everyone is happy to strip off to their knickers when they have only just met someone.

I set up the dress and the bride steps into it…

We have the first dress on. What’s next?

Once the first dress is on, I announce to everyone that we are about to come out of the fitting room so they all pay attention to the bride and do not miss that first moment. The bride walks towards them, beaming in what is often the first wedding dress she has ever had on. It is such a heart-warming moment. She stands facing the mirror and I poof (technical word) out her train. More often than not there is a big “wow” from everyone in that moment.

We discuss what the bride does and does not like about the dress. If this is a bride who has a clear vision of what she wants, the dresses I have selected will be the style and details of her dream dress. A lot of the time she loves everything about it and at this point she may not realise, but this is in fact her dress! We try on the next dress and again discuss any likes and dislikes. If I have a dress already in the fitting room that has details that the bride says she does not like at this stage I simply remove that dress and using the information that she has given me I go through the rails and select dresses that have the specific details that she has liked so far.

If the bride has come in with a very open mind and with no clear idea of what she is looking for I will have selected three dresses for her. A ballgown, an A-line gown and a fitted gown. Each dress will have different details as well so that the bride can rule silhouettes and details in and out. Once she has tried on all three dresses, I will take the shape and details she has liked and then select a dress for her that ticks all those boxes. Once it all comes together and it is everything she has loved so far, to see the look of happiness on her face is priceless!

We have tried on a few dresses and there are a couple that I love. How do we decide which is the one?

We have now tried any dresses that match exactly what the bride to be is looking for. There may be one or two dresses that stood out above the rest. At this stage we have removed all other dresses from the fitting room except for these. We can go back to these gowns and try them on in succession. This way we can put the other dresses out of our minds and focus on these alone. Once you find two dresses that you love, now is the time to focus on these dresses and stop trying. The more you try the more confused you will become as two could become four and so on.

At this stage most brides will get an extra special feeling for one dress over the other and they know it is “the one”. It is time to stop looking…she has found her dream dress!

Occasionally, brides may still be confused at this stage and cannot make a decision between the two dresses as they struggle to forget the other dresses they have tried and can be overwhelmed by the day. This is absolutely fine and I always suggest that we book in another appointment the following week to try these two dresses alone. This gives them a much clearer state of mind and they find choosing their dress much easier on this occasion.

What about accessories?

During every appointment if a bride is in a wedding dress she thinks could be the one, to help with that decision I show her the veils and accessories that best suit the dress she is wearing. This really helps clarify her vision and helps her decide if this is her dress. Seeing the whole look come together can truly be an emotional moment, hence why I always have tissues on hand for everyone there!

I always have a selection of hair accessories and jewellery in store to purchase and take away on the day, as well as plenty of veil options that I can order at any stage from first appointment up until the first fitting.

Are the wedding dress samples in only one size? What if they are too big or too small for the bride to be?

The samples in the boutique range from a UK10 to a UK20 with the average size being a UK14. As a qualified seamstress I can guide my brides on the fit of any dress, whether it is too big or too small. I have pegs, pins and extra panels to fit the dress to each bride as best as possible, hopefully giving a clear vision of how the dress would fit in her size.

Once the bride has chosen her dress, I will then take her measurements and using the size chart from that specific designer, I will choose which is the best size to order for each individual bride. We will select the size that fits with the largest measurement and then the rest of the dress will be tailored to fit perfectly.

What underwear is needed for a bridal appointment?

I get asked this by a lot of brides. It is usually best to wear light coloured underwear and a bra that is easy to remove as all the dresses are boned and have breast cups already stitched in. Most brides will take their bra off during the appointment as it gives a clearer idea of how the dresses will fit and is not distracting with backless or more sheer dresses.

What happens when a dress has been ordered and who does the alterations?

Once I have ordered a dress for a bride it will usually take up to 16 weeks to arrive. Currently dresses are actually taking up to 24 weeks to arrive due to delays caused by the pandemic. We are hoping that this will go back to normal soon but please be aware of this when starting to look for a bridal gown.

When a bride’s dress does arrive in store, I contact her and arrange for her to come in to try it on as soon as possible. This has never been the case but if there are any issues I will work with the designer and resolve these quickly to make sure the dress is perfect in time for alterations.

Leading up to the first alterations appointment I will store the wedding dress at the boutique and, depending on the time scale, I will contact the bride roughly three months before her wedding date to book in her first fitting. Either myself or my other highly qualified seamstress will be doing the alterations.

How many fittings are required and is there a charge for alterations?

Every bride is different and so is every dress. The number of fittings always depends on how much work needs doing. Usually, the number of fittings needed is 2 or 3. If the dress generally fits quite well everything can be pinned in the first fitting and then the second fitting will be to check that everything is finished perfectly. However, when a dress needs a lot doing on the bodice, this can alter how the dress sits and therefore alter the length. This means that we will do one fitting for the bodice and general fit, one for the length and then there would be a third fitting to check that everything is finished off and it fits like a glove.

There is an extra charge for alterations. This is calculated from dress to dress, depending entirely on how much work needs doing.

At what stage does the wedding dress get collected?

Every bridal gown is steamed and prepared by myself for each bride to collect ahead of her special day. As long as the timings suit, I will keep a bride’s dress up until the day before her wedding so that she can collect it freshly steamed and ready to wear for her wedding day!

Do you have any questions for me about your bridal appointment? Please do not hesitate to send me a message or leave a comment.

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FAQ's

by Kimberley Barr • 11 April 2023

How soon do I need to start looking for my wedding dress? I would advise that you start looking for your dress at least 12 months before your wedding. This gives you some time to work out what suits you and decide exactly what you want. You should, ideally, be finalising your decision and ordering your dress no less than 9 months before your wedding date. Why do I need to order my dress so far in advance? In the boutique I only stock one sample of each wedding dress. The dresses are in a variety of sizes but not always the correct size for you. I take your measurements and your dress will be made to the dress size you are closest to. The dresses can take up to 6 months to arrive in store and I like to start your alterations roughly 3 months before your wedding, so the entire process can take up to 9 months. What if I don’t have 9 months until my wedding? I have a huge variety of dresses available ‘off-the-peg’. As mentioned before each dress is available in one size only but dresses can be taken in quite significantly and can also be let out or have a corset back added into them. I can definitely help you find your dress this way! Where would I get my dress altered? I do all your alterations instore, with the help of another seamstress. There is an additional cost for your alterations and this varies from dress to dress. I can give you an idea of this cost during your appointment. I have time to order a new dress but I only seem to like parts of multiple dresses. Can I design my own dress? YES! At Timeless Bride I have designers that give you the freedom to have the top of one dress with the skirt of another with an entirely different lace of your choice. You can even go as far as designing a dress from scratch. If the fabric and design is available, it can be done! What training do you have to help me design my own dress? As the owner of Timeless Bride I am at every single appointment guiding each bride to find their dream dress. Having done a fashion degree I then went on to do an internship in a London based Couture Studio. I have worked as a seamstress for 9 years and some of the dresses in store I have designed myself already. I am also in the process of designing my own wedding dress with Ivory & Co. so I have a first hand experience of how it works. I believe no bride should have to compromise on her dream dress and I have the passion to help you create exactly what you want! Which designers do you stock? The wedding dress designers that offer ready made dresses and the option to design your own dress are Nicola Anne and Ivory & Co. I have dresses by Tiffanys Bridal available to order and even brand new off-the-peg! I also have a wide range of dresses only available off-the-peg by Randy Fenoli, Le Papillon by Modeca, Ellis Bridals and Georgia Bridal. All our accessories are by Richard Designs, Linzi Jay and Ivory & Co. Do you stock bridesmaids dresses? No, I don’t. I have a small collection of occasion wear but my main focus is the bride! Will you store my dress until my wedding? Yes, I will. You don’t have to take your dress home until the week of your wedding. On many occasions I am able to arrange for you to collect your dress the day before your wedding. Where can I get my dress steamed? You don’t need to worry about that…your dress will be steamed in store just before you collect it. How do I get my dress cleaned afterwards? There are two drycleaners that I recommend. I give you both sets of details when you collect your dress and you can always get in touch and ask for these details at any time. Do you alter wedding dresses that haven’t been bought at Timeless Bride? Yes, I do. Please get in touch with plenty of notice as I can get very busy and I want to be able to fit everyone in for such important alterations. Can I book in to try accessories if I have bought my dress somewhere else? Of course you can! I even advise you to bring your dress with you to an accessory appointment to make sure everything marries together perfectly (excuse the pun!). Which accessories do you sell? I have a wide selection of veils, jewellery, boleros and a variety of headpieces. I have a very small selection of shoes so if that’s all you want to try I will send you a photo of what is available in your size to make sure they are what you’re looking for. How many guests can I bring to my appointment? At Timeless Bride I can comfortably accommodate up to four guests. I do advise that you bring only two or three and be very selective with who you bring. You want to bring the people that are going to be positive and supportive, who will be focused entirely on you and help you make such an important decision. I also think it's best to have as few people as possible see your dress before your wedding day so that it can be a surprise for as many of your friends and family on your special day! If you have any other questions or would like to book an appointment with me, please get in touch.

What style of wedding dress are you looking for?

by Kimberley Barr • 11 February 2022

What style of dress are you looking for? Let me guide you to your first appointment and if you need to know exactly what you're looking for before your first appointment.

Welcome to my new blog!