This advice is specifically for brides who are confident about designing a wedding dress that reflects their dream. The process of shopping for a bespoke wedding dress is completely different from visiting a high street bridal boutique but, with a little bit of help and advice around how it operates and what new brides can expect, it will be one of the most memorable and fulfilling aspects of planning a wedding.
Finding Ways to Enjoy the Experience
Research, research, research! Entering the world of a wedding dress designer can be a little scary and every new bride worry that they won't know the right words, will make the wrong choices. The best way to overcome this is to be as prepared as possible.
Find out as much as possible about the work, experience, and skills of the designer and how it connects with your vision. Check out work they have done before for inspiration - a collar here, the detail of a sleeve there, the fit of a particular gown - all helps to build an idea of what you can achieve together.
Concerns over covid will continue to haunt us all for a long time to come and so maintaining safety whilst shopping for a wedding dress is where bespoke wedding dress designers excel. Knowing that no one else will be trying on your bespoke gown alongside having exclusive use of the entire bridal studio is assuring for our brides.
Have a quick chat over the phone prior to arranging your first appointment. We simply love chatting to our brides as there is nothing that can replace the human connection - we are people after all and first impressions count.
Arrange a time to meet. One of the best things we have learned and will continue to use for the benefit of our brides is the ability to meet instantaneously online. Whether early morning, lunch break, or a supper appointment, the initial consultation is held online and is focused on getting to know each other. Our brides are saying that they simply love it! They feel so much more relaxed - dressed in their pj's and hugging a coffee - this has proved to be a huge success as we both get to understand and know each other.
The added benefits of adapting our practices towards the needs of our brides has changed our business forever. The luxury of time is something that most brides really struggle with, so anything that contributes to their productivity is a bonus for everyone involved. Brides love being able to learn and increase their knowledge of the journey without feeling the pressure of purchasing a dress if things don’t work out at this point.
Share with your designer all of your images ahead of the first meeting. This is an extremely helpful and timesaving activity to prepare them for meeting you and to provide an outline of your expectations and goals
How many people can you invite to your consultation? We encourage our brides to invite their Bffs and Mom's to attend their first face-to-face consultation via zoom. Too many guests at the initial stage can become unproductive. Once the dress is underway, it is a great way for families and even relatives abroad to join in and be part of the bride's journey. With our cameras set up to maximize their viewing experience, they have the best seat in the house and can see all the details up close just as if they were there too.
I hope you found this helpful. Please feel free to delve a little deeper - I've added a few links below to invite you into my world.
Bye for now
Cynthia
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If you are stumbling upon this website for the first time and curious to find out more?
My name is Cynthia, bespoke wedding dress designer, founder of Cynthia Grafton-Holt Couture, and a London bridal expert with a lifetime's worth of experience and passion for creating magical experiences for unique brides.
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