WEDDING DRESS SHOPPING IS A SPECIAL DAY FOR EVERY BRIDE-TO-BE, BUT MAKING AN APPOINTMENT NOW COMES WITH A BOOKING FEE IN MORE AND MORE BRIDAL BOUTIQUES. FIND OUT THE REASONS BEHIND THIS LATEST TREND AND DISCOVER WHY A SMALL PRICE IS WORTH THE SPECIAL EXPERIENCE TO FOLLOW…
You’ve just got recently engaged and spend your precious free time snapping up wedding magazines and looking on-line at local bridal boutiques to get a sense of all the wedding fashion available and what particular styles appeal to you. Excited to go dress shopping, you start to make a few appointments only to notice that most bridal boutiques now require a booking deposit for your exclusive appointment. Why, what’s the story?
Just as any bride schedules a hair or make-up trial for her wedding day to consult with an expert and find the style that best suits her, most bridal shops also provide the same service. Bridal boutiques present customers with professional expertise in style and fashion, ensuring their brides find the perfect fit for
their wedding day. Boutique owners and staff have invested time and money in the careful research and selection of an array of exquisite bridal gowns so that every bride can have theopportunity to have an amazing appointment in their salon. Most shops then devote at least one member of staff to a bride and her bridal party and operate a closed-door policy so that every customer can avail of the undivided attention and service of the salon. Staff provide expert bridal styling advice, based on years of experience, to assist customers in finding ‘the one’. Even customers who don’t leave with their dream dress will have enjoyed an hour or more of invaluable advice that will help them in their search for their ultimate wedding gown. Brides-to-be and their company are always welcomed with professional courtesy, including tea and coffee or perhaps a bit of bubbly, to help them relax and enjoy the dress-shopping experience. Considering everything involved in the process, from the red-carpet reception to the bride picking up her perfect gown, the nominal fee bridal boutiques charge is completely understandable.Due to the wide array of shops throughout the country and the growing number of brides in search of their perfect dress, who visit several boutiques before committing to their ideal purchase, bridal shops are essentially providing a concierge service on a daily basis with no guarantee of sales. While some brides might consider the booking fee an elite addition to the bridal boutique shopping experience, it’s all about the bottom line, where dedicated professionals create happy customers.
Wedding dress shopping is meant to be a joyful experience, and bridal boutiques are the only venues that can guarantee customer satisfaction. Most shops now require a £10 to £20 booking fee when making a dedicated appointment, with some redeeming the fee if a dress is purchased. Budgeting £75 – £100 into your wedding budget for dress appointments isn’t unreasonable, especially considering the experience that awaits you in each boutique.
Providing every bride with excellence is the utmost intention of all bridal boutique proprietors. To them, shopping for your wedding dress should be stress-free and enjoyable and they recommend the following few points to ensure your purchase is a success:
• DO YOUR FASHIONABLE HOMEWORK FIRST:
look at magazines and on-line websites to see what styles you like and the designers who make them.
• RESEARCH LOCAL BRIDAL BOUTIQUES ON-LINE:
locate the shops that cater to your particular style of dress and designer.
• BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENTS:
pick only a few shops in your wedding dress search – too many bookings take the fun out of the experience, so less is best!
• LET THEM PLEASE YOU:
sit back and relax in your exclusive appointment and let the boutique staff listen to your ideas and present you with a careful selection of wedding dress styles. It should be as simple and fun as playing dress up!
• PURCHASE WITH PRIDE:
savour your contentment in knowing you have paid for the best service in finding the dress of your dreams!
