In today’s fashion climate, luxury is everywhere. It has become almost the norm in our society thanks to celebrities, social platforms and the media flooding our consciousness with endless stories and images of the latest luxury ’must haves’. 

Consumers expect more — not just quality products, but an exceptional buying journey. In bridal, purchases are often high value, but that doesn’t automatically mean luxury. Not all wedding retailers are luxury suppliers, nor should they be. Couples need variety in price, style, and experience. True luxury is defined as much by experience as by product. Beautiful dresses alone aren’t enough; the entire shopping journey must feel luxurious. In a market of fast fashion and low prices, luxury brands stand out by prioritising the customer experience, from marketing and interiors to packaging and social media. Want to be a luxury bridal brand? Start by curating top-tier experiences and products for your brides.

Client-facing Marketing: Attracting the luxury bride

In order to get luxury brides into your boutique, you need to craft a brand identity that resonates with high-end clients.
Your website, social media presence and any in-person marketing you do needs to feel luxurious. Think about the way you represent your business in the language you use and the imagery that you share on these platforms. Look at luxury brands that inspire you and study their logo, fonts, copy and photography. What facets can you use in your own marketing?
Luxury marketing always has an element of storytelling. It creates a story that consumers can connect with and makes them want to have a small piece of. Use this idea when marketing your bridal store.
Social proof is also a huge part of luxury marketing, so be sure to showcase real luxury brides and their experiences across your website and social media. Deepen this trust with Google reviews that talk about your exceptional customer service.

Deliver an exceptional customer experience 

One of the most important elements in creating and maintaining a luxury bridal brand is delivering excellent customer experiences. Each bride needs to feel special and important.
The way to achieve this is with high- touch customer service and exclusivity. Consider having one member of staff assigned to each bride, who creates a personalised service. This staff member will be there from the first enquiry to the thoughtful “happy wedding day” text. Get them to ask questions and remember details about the couple’s wedding, family and preferences. Each appointment will be special and feel exclusive, as the bride will feel understood and looked after.

Wraparound care: Supporting the bride beyond the dress 

To give your boutique an edge and true luxury feel, consider the parts of your customer experience that are not so obvious. Touch points that feel truly personal and luxurious, such as styling advice, help a bride achieve her dream look. This may entail recommendations of external suppliers such as a jeweller, florist or milliner. Another luxurious experience that really sets stores apart is in-house alterations. Allowing brides to come back to you for their alterations elevates their experience and builds your relationship.

Steamline processes for a smooth journey

To give your boutique an edge and true luxury feel, consider the parts of your customer experience that are not so obvious. Touch points that feel truly personal and luxurious, such as styling advice, help a bride achieve her dream look. This may entail recommendations of external suppliers such as a jeweller, florist or milliner. Another luxurious experience that really sets stores apart is in-house alterations. Allowing brides to come back to you for their alterations elevates their experience and builds your relationship. 

Boutique presentation: Designing a space that feels exclusive

A bridal store’s shop front and interiors are integral to the luxury experience. It is essential to create an environment that reflects luxury. Consider the colours of your external and interior design, the layout and the furniture. Sensory details are so important and can make a real difference to the comfort of appointments. The right lighting, fragrance, and music will enhance the ambience of your boutique and create the all-important experience for your brides. Hospitality is also key. Make your brides feel special and important with refreshments, private fitting suites and personal touches, such as a gift bag or keepsake.

Stocking the right designers for the luxury market 

Selecting which bridal designers hang in your shop is an important part of creating a luxury brand. You need to choose designers that align with high-end positioning. Consider a brand’s prices, ethics, quality levels, marketing, timescales and trustworthiness to make sure they reflect your own. Exclusivity and pricing influence a boutique’s luxury appeal, too. Having designers that are available in every bridal store does not create a sense of exclusivity or excitement for your brides. Finding fresh and new designs and lust- worthy brands will add another level of luxury to your business.

Another way to enhance your customer journey is to create unique designer experiences. Work with and build relationships with your designers to allow personalisation of gowns, designer days, hand-drawn sketches or made-to-measure options to personalise each experience.

Read the full interview here Issue 2, pages 100-102.