When should I start looking for my bridal gown?

This is a matter of personal choice but Captivating Brides recommend that you start looking as soon as your wedding is booked.

Most of our brides start trying on 12 to 18 months before the wedding as it takes time to narrow down the style that best suits.

We recommend your dress is ordered no later than 6 months before the wedding as most of our gowns take 16/18 weeks to be made and delivered and then you have to add on time for alterations.

If you have less than 6 months to the wedding, don’t panic, we always have at least 50 dresses that can be bought off the rail and we do have some suppliers who accept ‘rush orders’ but there is an added charge and your choice may be restricted.

Similar time scales apply to bridesmaid and flower girls dresses so once you have chosen the bridal gown of your dreams move quickly on to the bridesmaid dresses.

Menswear outfits are usually left until the last so that ties and waistcoat colours can be co-ordinated with your bridesmaid outfits.

We can obtain suits as little as a week before the wedding out of season but once again we recommend you and your groom make your choices as soon as you can to ensure you have the look you want on your wedding day.

Do I need an appointment?

We recommend you always make an appointment to avoid disappointment particularly on a Saturday or late night Thursday but we never say never so please do call in if you haven’t made an appointment and we will do our best to accommodate you.

Who should I bring with me?

Whilst it is only natural that you would want to bring all the important ladies in your life with you, we strongly recommend you limit it to two people.

Choose people who love you and who know you well and whose opinion you trust completely. The more people you have with you the more opinions you will have and that is not always a good thing as they naturally gravitate to the styles and colours they like.

It is heartbreaking to see a Bride fall in love with a dress only to be told by a tactless friend or family member that it is horrible. We have witnessed many brides in tears after such comments and it totally spoils what should be a lovely experience.

Please remember, its your day, your gown, your choice. Its nice to have opinions but the final choice has to be yours.

What sizes do you have?

Our sizes range from size 8 to size 28

Do I have to pay in full when I order?

No, the deposit is 50%.

You can take advantage of our interest free payment plan and make monthly or weekly payments but please remember your gown cannot be ordered until you have paid 50%.

The other 50% is due when your gown is delivered which is usually 3 months before the wedding.

How do I know what size to order?

Leave that to your bridal consultant!

Once you have made your decision you will be measured and your measurements will be matched to that particular supplier’s size chart. Gowns are not made to measure so we order the nearest size to your measurements.

What if I plan to lose weight?

We can take that in to account and we will discuss sizes with you at the time of ordering.

We always recommend erring on the side of caution as our Seamstress can guarantee a perfect finish if a gown has to be taken in. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to guarantee the same finish if a gown has to be let out.

Why do I have to pay for alterations?

Bridal alterations are very specialised and can only be carried out by qualified seamstresses.

Our Seamstresses charges are very reasonable and we would always recommend her as she knows our gowns but of course you are not obliged to use our fitting service.

Do you have a good choice of colours for bridesmaids?

All of our bridesmaids are available in at least 50 different colours

Finally, if you have any questions we havent covered,

please email us using our contact form,

we are more than happy to help