Bellamore - Bexleyheath, Kent

Joanna Cooke of Bellamore in Bexleyheath shared the following story with us about helping out a very last minute bride: “About one month ago, a lady called our shop at 11am asking if we had any white, low-budget dresses ready to go. She was getting married at 3pm that day, had tried to put her dress on and found it didn’t fit!

“She arrived at the shop at 1pm with her hair and makeup done, her bridesmaid in tow and her photographer. We found her a beautiful ex-sample Forever Yours gown and altered it and escorted her out of the shop by 2.50pm. She headed off up the main high street to enjoy her day feeling amazing, as every bride should on their big day. It was a very satisfying, feel-good day!”

Abigail’s Collection & The Groom’s Room – Colchester, Essex

“Last year we were fortunate enough to welcome a really gorgeous family back into our store for the second time,” explains award-winning boutique owner Abigail Neill, of Abigail’s Collection & The Groom’s Room in Colchester. “One girl had been a bride of ours some years ago and now it was her sister Claire’s turn.

“Whilst booking Claire in by phone, it became apparent that she would be bringing close family along with her. This included her sister (our former bride), her new six week old baby daughter, her mum and her grandma! Not only was there going to be four generations coming along for this special bridal appointment but

it was being held on Nan’s 90^th birthday!

“We pulled out all the stops and had a little 90^th birthday cake made for Nana and arranged some baby pink balloons too. We took lots of photos and extended the appointment so that there was plenty of time for bubbles and of course dress buying! It was such a joyous occasion and such a privilege to help Claire and her lovely family celebrate. We helped to create a lifelong special memory to treasure and it was absolutely wonderful, there were many tears and cheers that day.”

Read more about Abigail’s excellent customer service tips here – her boutique did win Retailer Customer Service of the Year at the Bridal Buyer Awards, after all.

Mae Bridal Boutique – Witney, Oxfordshire

“A few months ago, we had a call from a bride who had to bring her wedding forward by a whole year as her mother had just been diagnosed with a terminal illness,” revealed Andrea Talbot of Mae Bridal Boutique in Witney. “She had a very limited amount of time left.

“I opened up the store especially that Sunday morning and she came along with her mum and they had a lovely experience of choosing her beautiful dress together and walking away with it on the day. It was the best feeling ever to have helped them.”

The Bridal Room – Broadway, The Cotswolds

Emma Lloyd from The Bridal Room in Broadway shared this heart-warming story with us: “When, during an appointment with us, the bride said yes to the dress – which happened to share the same name as her late grandmother, something she didn’t know until she said yes to it – she chose to use that moment to announce to her bridal party, which included her mum, that she was pregnant. There were triple tears all round!”

Discover how to make your offering stand out so brides flock to your business.

Belle of the Ball Bridals – Melksham, Wiltshire

Sometimes it doesn’t have to be a big, dramatic moment. Annabel Devlin of Belle of the Ball Bridals in Melksham asked her staff member Sharon what her best experience of working in the shop has been: “She said there is no better moment than the moment a bride finds the one, when her face lights up and she just knows. That’s the best experience for us – helping each and every bride feel amazing.”

Wynter Isabelle – Barry, Vale of Glamorgan

“There are so many amazing moments that happen every day at Wynter Isabelle,” says Jessica Hill of Wynter Isabelle in Barry. “One of our brides had a health scare in the run up to her big day and had to undergo surgery two days before heading over to Scotland (from Wales) for her wedding.

“She was due to collect her dress a day after the surgery was booked in for, so I rang her and said stay at home and rest, then I personally delivered it to her front door. She was over the moon and it felt fantastic to know I had gone the extra mile to help her and she didn’t even ask.”

Want more? We’ve got 10 ways to guarantee success at your bridal boutique.