Mother Of The Bride FAQ
Answers to our most frequently asked questions from mothers of the bride and groom.
Do i have to make an appointment?
You do not need an appointment to visit us. We aim to offer all our customers the same great service. Please bear in mind we do get extremely busy on Saturdays so if you can make it during the week you might find it a bit more relaxed, no promises though.
What size outfits and dresses do you stock?
Our outfits and dresses range from size 8 to size 24. Please don’t worry if sometimes you need to go up a size in occasion wear. This is quite common as our outfits come from all over the world so there is no standard sizing.
Do you order items or are the all in stock?
All of our mother of the bride and mother of the groom outfits are in stock so you can take them away with you. With a limited number of our designers, we can do special orders which can take up to six weeks to be made.
All our hats and headpieces are also in stock. Shoes from our Rainbow Club collection can be ordered in for you in any size to try free of charge if we do not have the style or size you need.
If I like an outfit will you hold it for me?
Because we also sell online we cannot hold any items without a non-refundable deposit. We suggest if you fall in love with a dress or outfit, you buy it, many of our dresses are not repeatable so when they are sold, that is it! Occasion wear is not available in every size all the time and manufacturers no longer hold a lot of back-up stock.
We are more than happy for you to take photographs in the shop (or we can do this for you) and many of our customers also video call the bride if she cannot visit the shop with them.
How much are your dresses and outfits?
Our collections of mother of the bride and mother of the groom outfits start from £220 for a dress and bolero right the way up to around £900.
Can I buy a dress without the jacket?
Many of our collections are sold as suits so the dresses and jackets cannot be sold separately. We do offer standalone occasion dresses without jackets. We also offer a selection of bolero jackets which are sold separately and these can be teamed with many of our dresses.
Do you hire out mother of the bride dresses and hats?
No we don’t hire out outfits as most require altering so hiring would not be possible. Instead we always aim to have a price range to suit all budgets. With regard to hats, prices start from as little as £25 for a fascinator and £65 for a hat.
What if I need alterations?
Most outfits will need altering in some way and we can put you in touch with alteration people across Dorset who are experienced in altering special occasion outfits. We can also organise alteration appointments here at our shop with a choice of three seamstresses. Please note that alterations are a separate service so this cost is not included in the cost of your outfit.
Should I bring shoes and tights to wear when trying on?
You are more than welcome to bring your own shoes and this really does help to give you an idea of how your outfit will look when you wear heels. We also have shoes in our changing room in various sizes and different heel heights which you are more than welcome to borrow.
We also recommend you wear skin-coloured tights when trying on occasion wear as again this helps to give you a better idea of how your outfit will look. Try to avoid black tights if you can.
What is your returns policy?
We understand that sometimes you may change your mind. As a gesture of goodwill, we will exchange your outfit or issue a credit note which is valid for 12 months. This is providing the dress or outfit is returned to us within seven days of purchase in its original condition with tags attached and has not been worn or altered.
No refund will be given for unwanted goods or if you cannot attend the event you bought the outfit for.
This does not affect your statutory rights.
Mail order purchases made where you have not tried the outfit on in-store will come under our online order returns and refund policy.