Bridal Shops in the UK
The dress, found in a shop where someone has done this a thousand times: an appointment with your people, samples to try, a designer you would not have found online, sizes that fit, alterations booked, and the veil, shoes and bridesmaids sorted in the same place. Find a local bridal shop people recommend.
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Finding a good bridal shop in the UK
A bridal shop sells wedding dresses by appointment: an hour or more in a private room with a consultant who listens, pulls samples from the rails, laces you into them and knows what will suit you before you do. Most carry a handful of designers across a range of prices, order the dress in your size once chosen, and manage the fittings and alterations that make it yours; many also dress the bridesmaids, the mother of the bride and the groom's party, and sell veils, shoes and jewellery. Sample sales, second-hand and pre-loved bridal shops sell dresses off the peg for a fraction of the price.
Timing decides most things: a made-to-order dress takes four to eight months to arrive and needs six to eight weeks of fittings, so most brides start nine to twelve months out and order at least six months before the wedding; off-the-peg, sample and second-hand dresses can be bought weeks before. Sizes are the other thing to ask about: bridal sizing runs small, sample dresses are often a size 10 to 14, and shops that carry samples in 16 to 30 make the appointment a pleasure rather than a trial, so ask before booking.
The listings here show each shop's reviews, designers and sizes, appointment details and contact details, so you can see who is nearby, who carries plus-size samples or second-hand dresses, and where brides in your town found the one.
What bridal shops offer
Wedding dresses: made-to-order gowns from a curated range of designers, tried on as samples by appointment, in every style from minimal to full skirts.
Off the peg: sample sales, ex-display and second-hand or pre-loved dresses to buy and take away, at a third to half the price.
The wedding party: bridesmaids, mother of the bride and groom, flower girls, and menswear hire or sale at some shops.
Accessories: veils, headpieces, shoes, jewellery, belts and cover-ups, chosen with the dress.
Fittings and alterations: hems, bustles, straps and taking in, by the shop's seamstress or a recommended one, over two or three fittings.
Before your bridal appointment
- Book nine to twelve months before the wedding for made-to-order, and say the date when booking.
- Ask what sizes the samples come in and the price range before you go, so nothing you love is out of reach.
- Take two or three people whose opinions you want, not ten.
- Wear neutral underwear and bring shoes of roughly the right height.
- Set a budget that includes alterations, veil and accessories; they add a fifth or more.
- Ask about the ordering timeline, deposit, fittings and what the shop's alterations cost.
What wedding dresses cost in the UK
As a rough guide, made-to-order wedding dresses from an independent bridal shop cost £1,000 to £2,500 for most designers, £2,500 to £5,000 for premium labels and more for couture; sample sale and ex-display dresses £300 to £1,200; second-hand and pre-loved £200 to £1,500; alterations £150 to £500; veils £80 to £400; bridesmaids' dresses £120 to £300 each; mother-of-the-bride outfits £250 to £700. A deposit of half is usual on order with the balance when the dress arrives.
A dress that fits and is altered by someone who does it every week is the thing you are paying for; the label matters less than the fitting.
How do I find a good bridal shop near me?+
Look at the bridal shops listed for your town, check the designers, sizes and price range, and read the reviews for the consultant and the alterations. Ring to book an appointment, say the date and your budget, and ask what sizes the samples are.
How much does a wedding dress cost?+
Typically £1,000 to £2,500 made-to-order from an independent bridal shop, £2,500 to £5,000 for premium designers, £300 to £1,200 for a sample or ex-display dress, and £200 to £1,500 second-hand; add £150 to £500 for alterations and the veil and accessories on top.
When should I start looking for a wedding dress?+
Nine to twelve months before the wedding for a made-to-order dress, which takes four to eight months to arrive and then six to eight weeks of fittings; order at least six months out. Sample, ex-display and second-hand dresses can be bought weeks before, and many shops can rush an order for a fee.
Do bridal shops have plus-size dresses?+
Increasingly, yes: many shops now carry samples in 16 to 30 and order designers who cut to size, and some specialise. Bridal sizing runs a size or two small, so ask about sample sizes when booking; a shop that has to clip a size 10 sample on you is the wrong shop.
Can I buy a second-hand wedding dress?+
Yes, from pre-loved and second-hand bridal shops, charity bridal shops and sample sales, at £200 to £1,500 for dresses worn once or never, with alterations making them yours. It is the way to have a designer dress at a fraction of the price and to take it home the same day.
What happens at a bridal appointment?+
An hour to ninety minutes in a private room with a consultant who asks about the wedding and your taste, pulls samples, helps you in and out and pins them to show the fit, with your guests watching. Some shops charge a small fee redeemed against a purchase for weekend appointments. There is no obligation to buy on the day.
How do I get my business listed?+
It is free. Add your business in about two minutes to appear on this page and your local town directory. Upgrade to Featured for £2.49 a month to sit above the free listings.