Helloooo 2024 bride here so starting to think about dress shopping but no idea where to start.
I have saved a wide range of dresses I like but I am quite happy to let the shops take the reign and play dress up with me!
With that in mind…
Where are the best places to go to in London?
Am i better off going alone first, then inviting bridesmaids and family?
Any other tips will be much appreicated!
Thank you SL team xxx
Hello! Congratulations, how exciting!
I got married this year so hopefully I can help! It sounds like you’re definitely on the right track in terms of saving dresses and styles that you like. From experience, before your appointment the bridal stores will ask you to share your favourite styles, absolute no no’s and other questions such as budget / type of wedding, so they can get a feel for your style. They will then make sure that your selections are shortlisted, alongside a couple of wild cards that you can try on. I went on my first shopping trip with my mum and sister, which felt like a good number of opinions! I then went to my follow up appointments/ fittings with bridesmaids as I wanted them to feel part of the process.
I didn’t end up getting my dress from here, but the team at Lovely Bride London couldn’t have made my first ‘trying on’ experience better. They had a lovely selection of brands, and really listened to the things I liked and didn’t like which helped ease the pressure that one might feel!
I am not sure of the style you are after, but I could not recommend my experience with The Own Studio more. If you are looking for comfortable, wearable, contempary peices and a thoroughly personalised service then they are the best. I absolutely loved wearing my dress.
Other bridal studios/ brands you might want to look at below:
In terms of other advice, prior to your appointment I would invest in some shaping underwear to wear when you go for your first try on. I bought Skims & Spanx and found that the Spanx worked better with the fabric I was after.
Enjoy it & try to relax, it is such a fun experience! x
oh wow! thanks so much chloe!! that all makes perfect sense. i cant wait to look at these links properly over a glass of wine tonight!! xx
Second all the ones mentioned above ! Would also like to recommend Blush and Ivory near High Street Ken. You get the place to yourself, they’ve got a wide range of styles and the stylists are great at helping you find dresses which fit your brief and style preferences but also picking a few wildcards you might not have considered!
Thanks for asking this question @sukie.thomson! I am also a 2024 bride so this was really helpful. Good luck! xx