Top Tips & FAQ’s
The information below should answer many of the most common questions that our brides have.
However, if you have any other questions, please get in touch.
FAQ’s & Top Tips
For most brides to be, being newly engaged starts a new chapter in their lives and there is the temptation to go mega bridal gown hunting, trying on every dress to find that certain style. Our best advice to you would be to not to do this until you are ready to commit to a dress. Trying too many styles in our experience makes it harder to come to a decision and of course, you never want to fall head over heels in love with a dress that you are not in a position to order or purchase on that day.
You may bring along 1-3 special guests with you to help you choose your dream dress. The majority of our brides find their dress on their first visit to us so we always recommend bringing along family/friends who are very important to you and who’s opinions you value most. Make sure they are available to come on your chosen appointment date. Whilst you may want to bring along many of your closest friends/family, it can also easily make dress shopping more difficult. It’s hard to listen to your own voice when you are hearing the opinions of others. Bringing along a few of your loved ones, keeps the experience special and focused on you. Also, a popular trend at the moment is to have a big wedding dress reveal to your bridal party on the day of your wedding, we've seen such beautiful photos/videos from these moments so bear this in mind when choosing who you would like to bring along as you may not want to spoil this surprise moment on your day.
You need to visit us, say YES to your dream dress and place your order at least 12-18 months before your wedding. Trust us when we say, the earlier the better to ensure a smooth process from start to finish. All wedding dresses are ‘made to order’ especially for you, so you will need to allow time for it to be ordered, made and delivered. Delivery times are longer than most brides realise, depending on the dress you choose, dresses can take at least 6-8 months to arrive plus alterations after this can take approx. 4-8 weeks. Leaving it last minute can cause unnecessary stress so as soon as you are ready to find the one that is the time to book your appointment with us. If you are on a shorter timescale, please don’t worry, all our designers offer a ‘Priority Rush Order’ so please contact us if this is something you feel that you will need to do. Another option is to purchase one of our dresses 'Off The Peg' which can be bought and taken away the same day.
Yes! The reason for this is so each and every Bride who visits us will receive a private VIP bridal styling consultation with the whole boutique reserved for themselves along with our outstanding personal service and unlimited refreshments to enjoy. To make your booking, click on the 'Book an Appointment' tab at the top of this page or on our homepage. We have made booking easier than ever as the link takes you straight to our booking calendar, simply choose a date and time suitable to you.
We ask kindly that you bring at most, 3 guests with you per appointment and although we adore children, because we’re only small, we ask that you make other arrangements for them, during your time with us. Who should I bring? See our top tip above.
Delivery times from the day you say YES to your dress being delivered are approximately 6-8 months, however, this does vary so always contact us if you are concerned you don't have enough time. We can always cater to your needs. You are most likely to need a couple of alterations for the best fit so we advise to allow another 4-8 weeks in addition to the delivery time. With that in mind we recommend ordering your wedding dress 1 year-18 months before your wedding day, allowing enough time for production and alterations. Rush orders can also be accommodated. If you find yourself short on time, there is the option to purchase your dress 'off the peg'.
Just let us know! 🙂 Pop us over an email with any concerns you may have. This is something we regularly discuss with our brides and we are here to help and advise. Please be assured that whatever your situation, we can certainly help you.
Please come prepared, ideally with suitable skin coloured underwear and a strapless bra is a good idea, if you have one. Please don't worry about bringing along any heels with you as we have a special platform for you to stand on which will help you see how the wedding dress will look on the big day.
We ask for a 50% intital payment to order your dress and then the remaining balance is due when your dress is ready to be sent to the boutique. We also offer a Payment Plan so if you would like to pay in instalments, consider it arranged. Please ask for more information at your appointment with us.
Our collection ranges in price from £999 to £2500. The majority of our dresses fall between £1500 and £1900.
YES! If you would like to pay in instalments, consider it arranged; we will just split the cost into a payment plan and there will be absolutely no added interest whatsoever. We are here to help in any way that we can so please don't be frightened to get in contact with us if this is something you would like to do.
Once you say YES to your dream dress, we can provide you with the contact details of 2 independent seamstresses who have their own studios that we regularly use.
You might be pleased to know that the majority of our dresses here for Brides to try on are in sizes 10-18 with our 'Curvy' collection in sizes 18-30. We understand it can sometimes be difficult to envision your wedding dress when the sample size is less than a perfect fit but we have clips and tricks to help give you a very good idea. Our aim is to dress brides of all shapes and sizes and make them look and feel amazing!
Yes but we do not have a waiting area so if you do arrive really early, you might want to have a spot of lunch or maybe a coffee. There is no better place than 'The Lexden Crown' which is situated at the end of our road. There is also a retail park very near, just off the A12 which includes places like 'Costa', 'Starbucks', 'Nandos' and a gastro pub 'The Princess Charlotte'. There is something there for everyone! (But please do note: we DO NOT allow food or drink on our premises).
Yes! We have a beautiful collection of veils and hair accessories for you to complete your bridal look. During your appointment with us, you will be able to view and try on these gorgeous accessories. We have many veils to match your wedding dress which are available in different lengths. We also offer a bespoke veil service where you can have both of your initials sewn onto your veil. Our hair accessories range from pretty hair combs to headbands and tiaras.
For anything else that we haven’t covered – it’s 01206 484121. We would be delighted to speak to you.
FAIRYTALE BRIDE
Find us opposite IKAS Kitchen Design Centre and inbetween Nicholas Anthony Kitchens
and 1 Stop Healthcare.
41 London Road
Lexden
Colchester
Essex
CO3 9AJ
Closed Sunday and Monday
CONTACT US
| Phone: | 01206 484121 |
| Email: | hello@fairytalebride.co.uk |
