Wedding Trader - issue 12

Trader WEDDING

WEDDINGTRADERMAG.COM

ISSUE TWELVE • JANUARY ’19

Dressing with dash

MEET ANNY LIN AND HER UNIQUE MIX OF FASHION FLAVOURS

Repeat performance SAYING “I DO” AGAIN AND AGAIN

WHAT THE LATEST BUDGET MEANS TO YOUR BUSINESS HAIR VINES CHECK OUT OUR FAVOURITES

Letter from America

PETER GRIMES FROM VOWS JOINS THE WT TEAM

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION MAKING THE MOST OF WHERE YOU ARE

FREE SAMPLES FOR QUALIFIED ACCOUNTS Apply online: www.dessy.com/retailers

– introducing –

BRIDESMAID

For more information contact Michele O’Neill email: michele@dessy.com or call: 0845 838 1041 www.dessy.com

RO M A N T I C A BRITISH BY DESIGN

Dreams do come true...

The Romantica bridal collection is influenced by timeless silhouettes, high quality fabrics and on-trend embellishments. Giving a modern twist to classic bridal styles and offering brides everything they dreamed of and more. New styles are designed and developed in the heart of the Devon countryside by our British design team led by head designer Hannah Gardener.

A bridal gown is so much more than just a dress, it is a statement of style, personality and above all romance.

Our award winning designs are available from a UK size 6 to a UK size 32.

w w w. en zoan i .co m

contents

ALAN HANNAH SIGNS UP FOR UK BRIDAL WEEK “We are very excited to be exhibiting at UK Bridal Week. This enables us to exhibit in the middle of the UK in a top-notch premier location, which is accessible to all parts of the country. We will be showing all our new collections including Alan Hannah, MiaMia and Rita Mae. We will have 25 new styles from Alan Hannah,15 for MiaMia and ten for Rita Mae,” says Alan.

W H AT ’ S

WHE R E 17

L ET ’ S GO OUTSID E What the 2018 Budget might mean for outdoor wedding legislation

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O U R GU IDE TO T WO -T I M E R S Trending right now: one dress, two looks...

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S ECO ND T IM E A R O U N D What does a growing appetite for second-time weddings and renewal of vows mean for the bridal industry?

22 W ELCOME BACK Josephine Parkhill, back now at Ellis Bridals, on her Wed2B experience

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26 L ET TER FROM AME R ICA Peter Grimes of VOWS magazine on what’s impacting across the pond

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A L L ABOUT ANNY The inspirational world of designer Anny Lin and how she makes her mark

35 T IM TIME Tim Oliver of Propress on the power of light 36

YPO S How to best promote your business if you’re off the beaten track

40

S IX O F TH E BEST Intricately designed and lavishly sumptuous, the mighty hair vine is a true crowning glory

44

UK BRIDAL W E E K It’s where the action will be in May

S ECO ND T IM E ST Y LE What to wear for I Do Part Two... we showcase the sensational styles to stock THE MOUTHS OF (BRIDAL) BABES Second-time brides share their experiences

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L E AR NING C U RV ES Callista on staying ahead of the curves

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GE T T ING INTO S O C I A L M E D I A Gary Wilkins on social media from scratch plus a walk-through on the benefits for your business

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CUSHION THE IMPACT Dazzle and delight (and pimp your boutique’s bridal white) with these showstopping cushions

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M O NE Y TAL KS A breakdown of the Budget for individuals and businesses alike

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AND FINAL LY What are people saying about this inimitable, brilliant bridal ride? We get the word on the street

EDDY K

13 TA L KING P OINT The latest headlines and need-to-know news stories within the bridal world

JANUARY 2019 ♦ WEDDING TRADER ♦ 7

WWW.CATHERINEPARRYBRIDAL.COM Style name: Cerys. Visit the website to view all the latest styles and to find your nearest stockist.

Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/catherineparrybridal or instagram @catherineparrybridal

CO NTACT US

Ed’s Letter

Editor Susi Rogol

You’ll be reading our newest issue of Wedding Trader issue before the festive season actually kicks in, so although our cover date is January 2019, we can still send you hugs and kisses under the misteltoe, sackfuls of good wishes and much Ho Ho Ho. If you are working throughout the holidays, may business have a buzz; if you are taking time out, enjoy it.

I am thrilled to announce new team-mates at WT who will introduce their knowledge, expertise and passion to the mix. Welcome to none other than Peter Grimes, publisher of the US bridal trade bible, VOWS magazine, who will be bringing us a monthly Letter from America with news and views on business across the pond and the ramifications for retailers here.

Next is Tim Oliver, Mr Propress, wth a regular industry commentary column, and Gary Wilkins, who’ll be taking us on his social media learning curve. With amazing contributions from the experts every month, the year ahead promises to be information and advice EDITOR driven. I for one, can’t wait.

SUSI ROGOL-GOODKIND TEAM TALK Carrie Marsden Deputy Editor “If my husband is game to do it again (with me, of course), I am going to say ‘I do’ in an amazing Nicole number.” (p54)

Trader WEDDING

WEDDINGTRADERMAG.COM

Nardene Smith Advertising Sales Consultant “I am a great Tim Oliver fan and delighted that he is now writing regularly for Wedding Trader.” (p35) Martha Cook Sales Executive “I have a weakness for anything hairrelated, and those twisty, twirly vines show the designers’ imagination.” (p40)

CONTRIBUTORS Michael Cahill, Laura Daly, Vivien Felstein, Peter Grimes, Tim Oliver, Anny Lin, Sharon McPherson, Emma Meek, Maria Musgrove-Wethey, Michele O’Neill, Josephine Parkhill, Jade Pepperall, Simon Ryan, Laura Styles, Emma Swain, James Waddington, Gary Wilkins

Deputy Editor Carrie Marsden carrie@meanttobemedia.com

Art Director Andy Allen andy@meanttobemedia.com

Advertising Sales Consultant Nardene Smith nardene@meanttobemedia.com Mobile: 07957 372276

Sales Executive Martha Cooke martha@meanttobemedia.com Mobile: 07877 449122

ISSUE TWELVE • JANUARY ’19

Dressing with dash

MEET ANNY LIN AND HER UNIQUE MIX OF FASHION FLAVOURS

Andy Allen Art Director “Advice from experts is always invaluable and having Peter Grimes on board is amazing... a whole new perspective.” (p27)

susi@meanttobemedia.com

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION MAKING THE MOST OF WHERE YOU ARE

Repeat performance SAYING “I DO” AGAIN AND AGAIN

@WeddingTraderUK @WeddingTraderMag @weddingtrader

weddingtradermag.com

WHAT THE LATEST BUDGET MEANS TO YOUR BUSINESS

Trader WEDDING

HAIR VINES CHECK OUT OUR FAVOURITES

Letter from America

PETERE GRIMES FROM VOWS JOINS THE WT TEAM

Cover image: Anny Lin

Wedding Trader magazine is distributed to hundreds of the best bridal retailers all over the UK. Designed and created by the makers of Love Our Wedding magazine and findyourdreamdress.co.uk, Wedding Trader is a new trade string to the otherwise consumer bow of Meant To Be Media Ltd.

MEANT TO BE MEDIA Wedding Trader is published by: Meant To Be Media Ltd, 68a Oldham Road, Manchester M4 5EE. Tel: 0161 236 6712 weddingtradermag.com meanttobemedia.com Meant To Be Media Ltd also publish: F IND YOUR

LOV E OUR

DREAM DRESS

JANUARY 2019 ♦ WEDDING TRADER ♦ 9

We believe that each and every body should be celebrated and regarded as equal, which is why we offer sizing up to 32.

Every Casablanca gown is hand made and can be custom fit to a bride’s unique body shape to ensure she finds her perfect gown!

Affordable luxury for every bride

For further information please contact our authorized distributor: Krystal Bridal Agency, Michelle Blackburn | EMAIL sales@krystalagency.com | PHONE +44 (0) 7935 156 275

T RES C HIC B RIDAL W EAR . COM

TAL KING POINT The latest news in the wedding world, right here, right now

SIZE SIZZLES Next month we’ll be introducing some of the newest and most dazzling plus-size collections, including an update of Justin Alexander’s brilliant

‘Shop Local’ campaign with model and body diversity champion Iskra Lawrence, seen here with her real friends, checking out a bridal salon in New Jersey.

format is unique and we have broken away from the stereotypes in the world of bridal fashion without losing our essence. We’re non-conformist and we’re passionate about creativity retailers and buyers from all while being a bit daring, just over the world. In 2018 the like the generation of this show attracted more than new era; like the women 21,000 professional visitors involved in this industry; like from 90 countries and the designers who dress brought together 370 firms, our catwalk and like the 70% from outside Spain. fair’s exhibitors, and this As Estermaria Laruccia, makes us do our best to BBFW Director, explains: come up with new ideas, “BBFW is different; its opportunities and horizons

Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week, set to conquer new horizons with talent and innovation From 23 to 28 April, Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week will once again turn the Catalan capital city into the epicentre of the latest trends in fashion, creativity and haute couture in the bridal industry, attracting entrepreneurs, designers, manufacturers, distributors,

for fashion”.

The first four days of the event – 23-26 April – will be for the dedicated and always extravagant BBFW fashion shows, while the trade fair will be held at Fira de Barcelona’s Montjuïc venue from 26-28 April.

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ON E PLUS ONE EQUAL S TWO In this issue we’ve made a feature of gowns that deliver two looks because of clever options like an overskirt or detachable sleeves.

Here’s a perfect example, from US house Isabelle Armstrong, whose CEO, founder and creative director, Remy Quinones, believes that it takes the right bride in the right dress to make the moment truly magical. And she should know… from her years as a highly

successful retailer in New Jersey.

From her stunning new collection comes Genevieve, a sleek fit-andflare sleeveless gown with all-over sequin lace embroidery, worn with a seriously dramatic detachable faille overskirt.

The dress retails in the US at $6,400, the overskirt at £3,900.

For more information call +1 908 228 5884 or email info@ isabellearmstrobgny.com

Goodie News From Devine Bride Laura Devine of Devine Bride, the award-winning wedding planner and blogger who we profiled earlier in 2018, has taken her first steps into branded merchandise. A venture that started out with ‘You’re Married’ wedding cards, designed to give to clients on their wedding day, has grown to include wedding, bridal party and hen-do tote bags with the London and Glasgow skylines (Laura’s two home cities), lots of striking cards, and also Devine Bride gift vouchers (allowing brides to take advantage of Laura’s excellent advice).

We particularly love the tote bags; they’re super-practical, green (for the environment, not in colour!) and funky, and a reminder of a special big day. Could be a great and memorable gift from a bridalwear retailer to a customer. Find out more at devinebride.co.uk

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CAROLINE CAST IGL IA N O LOOKING FOR COUT UR E F IT T E R THE WEDDING INDUSTRY AWARDS FINALISTS Here they are, the finalist lineup in the Retailer and Dressmaker/Designer categories, each the winner in their own region. The overall winners will be announced on Wednesday 16 January, at the celebration at Café de Paris.

Bridal Retailer Mia Sposa Bridal Boutique (Yorkshire and North East) The Bridal Collection of Lancaster (North West) Wedding Belles of Four Oaks (West Midlands) Courtyed Bridal Boutique (East Midlands) Pure Brides (East of England) Anna Bridal Couture (South Central) Matilda Rose (South East) Clifton Brides (South West) Dressmaker/Designer Kate Fearnley (Yorkshire and North East) Mariée (North West) Elizabeth Malcolm (East Midlands) The Bridal Pixie (East of England) Catherine Blades Couture (South Central) This Modern Love Bridal (South East) There were 24 categories in total this year, 1,200 entrants, 23,000 votes, 900 finalists, 192 regional categories. Phew!

A wonderful opportunity has arisen for a talented couture fitter* with a passion for luxury bridal and evening wear. The successful candidate for the Head of Bridal and Eveningwear Fittings role, at the Caroline Castigliano flagship Knightsbridge store, will be in charge of running the busy fitting department and organising the alterations, whilst offering clients the highest level of customer service. The job requirements include a minimum of five years’ experience in the creation of luxury/ couture bridal or eveningwear,

multi- product knowledge, extensive knowledge of pattern cutting (although not necessarily a pattern cutter); and a thorough understanding of garment construction. To apply, email your CV and covering letter stating the position you are applying for and why you would be a good candidate to recruitment@ carolinecastigliano.com. * Due to the nature of the role, applications are only open to female candidates. (Exempt under the Equality Act 2010, Part 1, Schedule 9)

JAS M I N E D I ST R I B U T I O N As you may already have read at weddingtadermag.com, Jasmine Design is handing over the day-to-day running of its UK head office to Jasmine Enterprises USA from January 2019.

In an effort to streamline services, costs and overheads, the company is hoping to pass on benefits to UK and Irish stockist by offering a more competitive product.

With a larger team of dedicated customer agents operating out of the

Store closure We were saddened to hear that The Bridal Lounge, based in Scredington, near Sleaford in Lincolnshire, has announced it is ceasing to take any more orders. The business will close naturally, once all stock is sold (predicted to be in the first quarter of this year).

Business owner Rachael Scott has decided to “quit while she’s ahead”, with the barn-based property being converted into residential housing.

Current brides who have orders with The Bridal Lounge will not be impacted by the closure.

Despite having a successful 2018,

company’s Chicago headquarters, Jasmine believes this new “leaner and more streamlined” business model will provide a more secure and profitable longevity to its brand in Europe.

Retailers here will be able to continue reordering from stock samples, with all the advantages of Jasmine’s services including rush cuts and customisation options.

The new contact details are +1 630 295 4880 / tara@jasmbebridal.com

Rachael decided against moving The Bridal Lounge to a nearby high street, because her philosophy and vision for her boutique was all about the location itself.

All of us here at Wedding Trader would like to take this opportunity to wish Rachael and her team the best of luck for the future.

J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 ♦ W E D D I N G T R A D E R ♦ 15

LU X BRI D E STAGES TRA I NI NG CO U R S E There has never been any meaningful and ongoing commitment to training and mentoring in bridal retail. I have seen US-branded sales training, diluted business advice, bullet-point basics, information-lite overviews of digital marketing, and wildly inaccurate social media advice. I have seen personal branding advice masquerade as sound business mentoring. Luxe Bride’s overriding goal was to host a compelling training event that we, ourselves, would want to attend.

As retailers, and increasingly as a trade group, Luxe Bride members are seeking to seize digital tools to reach out to clients and the wider wedding world in meaningful ways. The ability to articulate our own brand messages and harness the enormous traffic-driving potential of our own blogs and social media channels has, to date, been over complicated and under explained.

To this end, Luxe Bride assembled a list of guest speakers, trainers, coaches and collaborators, all of whom are not only hugely qualified, but who could directly relate their knowledge to the wedding industry, and its largely female-owned companies pitching to largely female clients.

Delegates from our membership and beyond spent two intensive days re-evaluating the basics, mastering applications that were being under-utilised, and being introduced to new possibilities. The runaway success of the event has provided us with the foundation for future training; Luxe Bride has a mandate to roll out a full programme of workshops, to take the coaching ‘on tour’, and to embed the philosophy of ongoing learning into our objectives.

Representatives from the UK Alliance of Wedding Planners, Blogtacular, Love My Dress and the global group Chapel Designers, spoke alongside digital marketing specialists from The Typeface Group, Fetcham Park, and Miss Bush’s in-house specialist, Leah Spicer Pownall. Photographers, planners, cake makers, caterers and florists combined to make a content-loaded event, and new partnerships arose for all involved.

Luxe Bride had never run a coaching or training course before, so the learning curve was steep, and much like any climb, exhausting, but the view from the top was certainly worth it.

Plans are in place for the next set of courses, with extra levels of personal mentoring and tailored solutions now in the pipeline. For information on courses or membership: hello@luxebride.co.uk

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HOLLIE CARLIN PHOTOGRAPHY

OLEGS SAMSONOVS PHOTOGRAPHY

Let’s Go Outside…

With legislation poised to change on outdoor marriage licenses, we find out what happened in this year’s Budget changes, and the possible implications for bridal...

S

o what happened Mr Hammond?

Published on 29 October 2018, the budget report was all set to include changes to the 180-yearold marriage laws in an attempt to make wedding ceremonies more affordable. But after reading the entire budget (there’s three hours of my life I’ll never get back), it would appear nothing official has hit the statute books… yet.

Under the current laws (which have remained largely unchanged since 1836), civil ceremonies in England and Wales are prohibited on beaches, in gardens, or beneath marquees. They must take place in solid structures with a permanent roof if they are to be solemnised legally. Quite why leads us down an utterly baffling rabbit hole (so we won’t go there). But of course, weddings do take place outdoors in spite of this ‘rule’. In reality, so long as

a ‘venue’ has a wedding license, then an official marriage can take place. But costs of attaining such a license, given UK legislation on health and safety, fire codes, food and beverage rules, insurance etc, make obtaining a license prohibitive for many establishments – whether outside or in. It was the simplification of these rules in a bid to reduce the anachronistic red tape around marriages that Mr Hammond was expected to comment on.

But he didn’t. Or not yet anyway.

Because demands for such changes certainly continue apace with modern expressions of how and when people want to get married. And the costs of weddings today continues to spiral; the average wedding now costs between £20,000 and £30,000, including about £4,500 for venue hire (hotels currently account for about 40% of the 7,500 premises licensed

to conduct civil ceremonies).

Were these changes to come into play, what might the ramifications be?

Reforming the regulations could allow more pubs and restaurants to host the actual wedding service (as well as the after-party), saving couples from hiring more expensive venues. Since research suggests brides continue to set aside a healthy budget for their wedding dress, this could mean that brides could afford a more expensive dress. This might be good news for one branch of bridal, whilst potentially (albeit not necessarily) proving unwelcome news to the UK’s venue industry. We asked Country House Weddings for a comment and they said: “We welcome change and the opportunities it may afford us to offer our couples even more choice and flexibility within the grounds with a fantastic wet weather back-up plan!” countryhouseweddings.co.uk.

Should brides take up the anticipated, more readily available option of getting married outdoors, however, perhaps bridal gowns themselves would reflect a concomitant change in style… watch this (outdoor) space for more!

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In my opinion This might be our January issue, but it’s out before the festive season, and Laura Daly wants to get her Christmas wish list to Santa before he goes into overtime. A little something would be appreciated, she says

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Some other kind of daylight to the one I’m currently getting, as I’ve been informed that it’s not always possible to tell the correct colour of a fabric by taking it outside my shop.

need to be able to predict any future weight gain, pregnancies, erupting volcanoes and gown discontinuations.

I own a bridal shop and therefore I really should know these things.

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A pair of bridal heels that don’t A set of elasticated tape measures make the dress shorter when worn.

– one for each changing room and a They must be at least four inches in spare, please. Apparently, the numbers height and preferably with a platform. on mine don’t stretch out far enough and currently some customers are measuring up bigger than they are.

A season ticket for space travel with the destination blank as I haven’t yet worked out which planet Bridesmaids’ dresses that can some of my customers are from. make a size 28 bridesmaid appear the same size as a 6. My bigger sizes have too much fabric in them and it’s A selection of boob-tube bridal just not fair. And, while you’re in the gowns – I’m not too fussed if they Not Fair shop, could you also pick me are ivory or white, but please don’t up a pair of size 8 pointed-toe flats send me strapless ones. They NEED to be boob-tube with NO straps. If you that can be worn with a very fitted could also arrange for one of them to skirt, but not stick out the bottom have a nice long trail (!) and another a because this isn’t fair either. fish-scale skirt (!!), that would be fab.

A mind-reading device would be nice, because I’m currently relying If you find any gowns for above, can you make sure they have no bones, on what I’m actually being told and it turns out this isn’t always what’s corsetry, cups, elasticated panels or meant. I should know this because I lining, as this is all very uncomfortable for a bride. If the dress is made properly, own a bridal shop. then it needs no support to stay up on its own. I have this on good authority An expandable walls kit. Most from a customer’s nan, who used to of my customers now bring at work in bridal, so it must be true. least ten guests with them and I’ve got nowhere to put any extra chairs, so please could you send me one as A crystal ball – the bigger the soon as possible. better, please. At the very least, I

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Actually, if you can’t manage number 10, please just have a word with the reality television programmes that show brides shopping with ALL their family and friends at the same time. My customers now think this is the way to shop and, by the time they realise it isn’t, it’s often too late. They get confused and cry on my shoulder when their third cousin once removed doesn’t like the sparkly straps.

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Last wish this year: Santa, I’d like to make a gift of a pair of my shoes to the bridal wholesalers’ Christmas Appeal. Walking a mile or so in them might be very beneficial to some of them, I think. I’ll leave them out with your mince pies and Rudolph’s carrot.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you for the wishes that you HAVE granted over the years. The supportive industry friends – you picked the right ones!

The amazing, warm, funny and loyal girls that have sought us out for a job and become so much more than just employees in the process. As for the request for wonderful customers on my first-ever list – you keep on granting that one and I can’t thank you enough. If I could only have the things on this year’s list as well, I might just have cracked bridal retailing!

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Welcome back to mainstream bridal

Josephine Parkhill left the comfort of the longestablished award-winning house, Ellis Bridals, to join a retail start up, WED2B. Now, just a few years later later, she’s gone the full circle and is back at Ellis… and thrilled to be so. We asked her what she learned along the way on her journey First, a bit of background… YOU! I knew from a very young age that I wanted to design evening and bridalwear, and focused my education to help me achieve this. I completed a four-year Fashion Design and Marketing with 1st class honours, showcasing a collection of tailored evening and cocktail wear at Fashion graduate week in 2005.

When did you first join Ellis and what you were responsible for?

I applied to intern throughout the summer break after my first year at university when I was 19. I spent the majority of my time understanding and researching the market with our sales agents, swatch-making and working in all departments including box packing. This gave me an invaluable understanding of the whole company and how everything impacted on every department. I continued throughout the remainder of my degree, working one day a week, throughout the holidays and on a six-month placement in my third year, where I had the opportunity to work in our factories in the Far East.

I officially joined Ellis as Brand manager and junior designer straight after my degree finished.

Over the years I progressed to Head designer of Ellis and Kelsey Rose and designer for John Charles. No day was ever the same – multi-tasking,

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jumping from project to project across all the brands (from design to photoshoot production and direction to marketing), overseeing the design room, and communicating between departments.

We challenged the traditional concept of how bridal gowns were purchased, and offered larger brides a wider variety of styles to try on in their sizes. We were able to design hundreds of dresses per year over several collections, offering two to And then what? three styles every week, responding I left Ellis in 2015 to set up my own to the market trends and customers’ consultancy agency, which enabled needs quickly. There was no season. me to work flexibly around childcare, Instead, a continual flow of new with various brands in the luxury dresses to the market, and no sample sector, focusing on design and creative was wasted – everything was sold. We direction. Six months later, I received a created a separate label as a ‘one-off’ call from the MD of WED2B asking for exclusive. help with a new Signature collection launch and support for their junior While at WED2B, what did you learn designer. It was in the early stages of about modern-day retailing that the business after transforming it from traditional bridalwear specialists can The Wedding Dress Factory Outlet, benefit from?

Without question, the power of and their seventh store, in Milton social media and how to best use it Keynes under the Head office, was to directly target a specific market due to open soon. and align it to product stock and I consulted for several weeks on the project, in which time I was able to quantifying the success rates through to instore transactions. Interacting understand the business model, and directly to customers, posting new could see the potential and market gap it could fulfill. I was offered the role dresses and questions, allowed for instant feedback, which instantly of Creative Director/Head Designer, with the opportunity to create a design gained insight into the success of a style and guided future decisions. And studio, put together a young and there’s more: dynamic team, overhaul the supply – When you fully understand your chain and develop the brand image. customer, her needs and wants, you can connect and enhance interaction What most excited you about the with carefully selected images that will environment? connect and fulfill her needs. Creating I have always believed every girl a rapport of trust and alignment with should be able to have her dream who you are and how you are the best dress, regardless of budget. Joining and only place she needs to shop.

WED2B appealed to me because it – Social media and the Internet have presented an opportunity to design created a culture of everything being for, and retail directly to, the type of instant. Most brides are still unaware bride who may previously have there is a six- to eight-month wait for chosen a high-street dress over a the average wedding dress from order wholesale brand. and expect to try it on and take it away As a new concept there was no the same day. The appreciation of why comparison. It was a fusion of highit takes six to eight months to create street retailing and specialist bridal their special dress is not emphasized design. The retail stores enabled to brides enough. In order to compete us to control the brand image and with the high street and attract a wider experience from design inception to audience of this modern-day bride, final purchase. It fulfilled a gap where bridals shops could look to vary their brides could try on their dress in the offering to incorporate a variety of correct size and take it home the options, including off-the-peg, which same day, an opportunity that was are exclusive and limited to their unavailable except through the high immediate areas. street or online.

– Take more evaluated risks, particularly colour and sexier styles. At WED2B, we listened to our customers and understood which brands and celebrities they followed. That gave us confidence to design sexier styles and be more confident with colour.

– Offer choice in price points and looks.

– Add excitement to the mix – keep it fresh with something new to interact with your customers... give them a reason to visit a second time if they didn’t commit the first time round.

Or, if they’ve already purchased the dress, they may return to buy their accessories. At WED2B many brides came back for a second visit for those extras, possibly even buying an additional dress for the evening, which wasn’t in store on their first visit.

– Appreciate the power of customer service and deliver it consistently.

– Make larger sizes available for brides to try on. More happy brides equals more sales.

– Understand the percentage breakdown of silhouettes and sizes and the importance of stocking within these percentages.

What were the best lessons you learned while at WED2B? 1 How to increase ATV (Average Transaction Value) and ABT (Average Basket Transaction). Adding even small items to every basket… small margin increases, big effect, especially when the accessories can offer a larger % profit, which helps the overall margin calculated with the dress.

If a bride came in with a budget of £600, typically she would spend this on the dress, but having a variety of co-ordinated accessories to hand to help her create her ‘look’, adding a belt, veil, underskirt and dress bag, suddenly takes the total value a lot higher and increases the overall margin of the bride’s visit.

The accessories were priced very competitively, which offered the bride great value for money and an easy decision to add onto her dress purchase on the same day.

2 The importance of creating a consistent message throughout the company, from every touch point

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with the customer, through in-house customer service, across social platforms and ultimately in store.

3 The importance of a shared vision and mission to every person in the company, from senior managers to sales staff. Focus and investment was poured into staff training with a consistent brand message of who we were, how we differentiated from the competition and how we could best satisfy our customers. This created a company culture of confidence in the product and brand and is something every bridal shop can create regardless of size.

4 The need to train staff regularly to keep their product knowledge, and mostly confidence in their product, high. Setting staff incentives and rewarding them for exceptional results, was a great way to focus and push specific product throughout the year. Offering an in-store beauty pampering session to the best-selling shop of the month instantly uplifted ATV and sales, as well as recognising staff who had achieved outstanding results weekly throughout the whole company. I distinctly remember one sales assistant reaching nine items in one transaction during an incentive programme.

5 Working closely with an experienced merchandiser to quantify sales data, formulating purchase decisions into silhouettes and sizes gave a great insight into which silhouettes where most commercial and in what sizes.

The importance of having the correct stock on the floor in the right silhouette and size was crucial to optimise sales. Accessories were styled only with dresses that would drop together, meaning shoots, catwalks and social media could offer the full in-store experience allowing brides to re-create the look effortlessly.

This is something independent retailers can do... dress up a display, or sales assistant in a gown and style with only your accessories to hand – inspire your brides with your products and link your marketing to create unique looks that your brides can purchase from head to toe.

6 Marketing the limited availability of

each dress across the store network, encouraged brides to make faster purchase decisions, creating a sense of exclusivity and satisfaction they were one of the ‘lucky ones’ to ‘find’ their dress.

and single features. And sleeves... from detachable to solid and illusion in all lengths and shapes.

For Ellis there is a focus on ‘British design’– clean and regal, with new fabrics and laces that will include a wide variety of satins and cottons. It’s a Why did you leave WED2B timeless look... the bride will be able to The company grew rapidly, changing see value for money. the culture to a corporate environment, KR Bridal, meanwhile, will feature which shifted the vision I originally soft fabrics like chiffon, jersey, crepe, bought into. tulle and lace, whimsical pleats, cutout trim details and feature backs, So, full circle and back to base – what while John Charles boasts sassy appealed to you about rejoining Ellis? necklines and silhouettes, striking The opportunity to be part of a small, colours alongside classic hues, privately-run, fourth-generation family new jacket silhouettes, and a focus business and creating beautiful gowns on event dressing for a variety of that make dreams come true. occasions such as races and cocktail As with many British heritage parties. brands, it is difficult to keep up with large US companies that have larger Where do you source fabrics and volume power and investment. embellishments?

However, social media – if used The most beautiful, commercial bridal cleverly – evens the playing field so fabrics are made in Korea or Taiwan, you can connect directly with the while we source 80% of our fabrics target audience. Working closely for John Charles from Europe. We with James Ellis, we will be looking to regularly have fabric suppliers visit our enhance the Ellis experience online office with new collections throughout to support our amazing stockists, and the year and we attend the largest increase demand for an Ellis gown. fabric fair, Premier Vision, in Paris twice annually.

Describe your responsibilities now?

As head of design and creative, I am From the time you started in bridal, designing for all our labels (Ellis, John what have been the biggest changes Charles, Kelsey Rose, Kelsey Rose you have seen? bridal, and Eveningwear), managing When I first started, the fashion was the design team, and working closely very simple, with the majority of with Regine Ellis, our Creative Director, brides choosing A-Line strapless to devise the vision for each collection. dresses; satin and taffeta were the And I am working with fabric suppliers popular fabric choices. Today, it is and our factories to create beautiful, so much more exciting, with couples unique designs at a commercial price increasingly self-funding their point. I head up photoshoot production weddings, themes and venues giving and direction making each brand vast options, and the explosion of sexy stands out from our competition and I designers such as Berta and Inbal Dror work closely with James and our social who inspire brides to be daring. media team to focus our marketing Social media has transformed and communication strategies. the way brands can interact directly Connecting with our retailers and with their brides, and developments getting feedback on our designs is in technology mean that online sales are slowly growing, with high-street key to my role. retailers like Monsoon and Debenhams What do you peg as the key trends for among the largest to push online sales, stocking a limited offering the season ahead?

Feature trains, sexy fitted gowns, fresh in-store with easy returns and fittingroom appointments. Pre-loved dresses takes on the classics with clean lines

24 ♦ W E D D I N G T R A D E R ♦ J A N A U A R Y 2 0 1 9

Then and now Left, clockwise: Ellis Bridals circa 1968; the look today; Josephine at work; Kelsey Rose in the pink

are becoming more widely accepted, too, and a viable option for brides looking for a particular dress or designer they couldn’t afford brand new.

The fall of the GBP has affected everything across all UK businesses, putting costs up across the whole design process, from buying fabrics, CMT (cut, make and trim) costs, logistics and even travel for the design team. To keep the cost to the wholesalers and brides in-line with the average RRP of £1,200, profit margins have been drastically hit and silk has been limited for use by only higherend designers.

If you have three bits of advice for retailers today what would they be?

1 Don’t stop fighting! Create the buzz – put passion into what you do best.

Stand out and shout about how you are the best and only option for your brides. Know your customers inside out – understand their unique tastes, venues and price points, what they value and want.

2 Understand your products and support your selected labels.Link up with other businesses to create packages and benefits your customers will only receive through you.

3 Limit or increase your brands to those that offer your customer a variety of looks –something they will not find on the high street. Try some off-thepeg designs, hold stock of best-selling silhouettes for brides who want quick turn-around times.

J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 ♦ W E D D I N G T R A D E R ♦ 25

Letter from America Meet Peter Grimes, the voice of the industry in the US. As publisher of VOWS magazine he has first-hand knowledge of the business of bridal and he’s here, with us, sharing valuable insights every month

These numbers confirm the increasing impact and importance of the Shop Local trend emerging across all retail categories, and indicate that increasing number of brides are discovering the reality that independent bridal salons provide exactly what they want: A unique, personal and personalised experience from a locally-owned, independent salon that supports its local economy, has a stake in its local community, and that offers well trained, knowledgeable personnel.

I have to believe that these numbers are not unique to the US, and that this is also the reality for UK salons.

This positive outlook and the he 2018 Wedding Attire reality it represents, however, is at Study from TheKnot.com indicates that 69% of all bridal risk of being overshadowed in our customers’ minds by the impact of gown sales in the US were conducted in brick and mortar stores, recent US headlines and blog posts up from 58% in 2011; that 22% of gowns that parallel UK issues. Among them: sales were in chain stores, down from 33% reported in 2015, and online gown • David’s Bridal in deepening financial trouble files for bankruptcy protection, purchases declined modestly from and attempts to assure brides that 8% to 7%.

T

26 ♦ W E D D I N G T R A D E R ♦ J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9

their gowns are safe and that the filing will have no impact on the day to day operations of its chain of stores… announcements that spur a new round of short sighted (and unsupported) stories and speculation about the demise of bridal retail and the impending ‘retail apocalypse’ of our category due to “changing consumer demographics and online purchasing”; • E-commerce wedding players broadening their product offering into additional bridal categories, such as Azazie.com, the fast-growing e-commerce only bridal ‘boutique’, attacking the Mothers’ category by unveiling new inexpensive styles pitched with its Azazie Experience programme that enables moms to try on dresses at home and return. . . for $10 fee (a programme developed initially for bridesmaids that launched the firm in 2014) ; • Continued uncertainty regarding China and import duties and tariffs,

and the possibility that our category will soon be included in an effort to improve the US’s negotiating position.

According to the US Trade Representative’s office, US goods and services trade with China totaled an estimated $710.4 billion in 2017, of which $522.9 billion were imports.

Tariffs increased to 25% across all categories would detrimentally impact the wallets of all consumers (including brides) regardless of price point of goods or region from which they were imported.

Any of these can create a hiccup in our businesses, as each can affect how weare viewed by our customers. Together they (and what they potentially portend) can develop into a head wind that could buffet us all. . . especially if we do not stand together and allow these headlines, assumptions and attitudes to go unanswered and unaddressed.

Assuming you will be unaffected because you don’t compete in the David’s or Azazie price points

or category (or that you don’t sell Chinese-made goods) is folly. This is a crisis of confidence in retail that has the potential of injecting yet another layer of uncertainty in a normally emotionally charged transaction.

It’s particularly worrisome considering that the reality (both in the US and the UK), as described in my intro, is so very much different.

So what steps should you take?

At the risk of being simplistic, a twofold approach is needed: –In every interaction you have with brides, from first contact through to the completion of the sale and delivery of the gown, you must concentrate on communicating and reinforcing your unique story and reputation in your marketplace and industry.

Showcase your testimonials, community involvement, awards, recognition, reviews and membership with tasteful signage in your salon, within all point-of-sale materials, and prominently display each on your website ‘home’ and ‘abou’t pages, and

on all social media pages.

–Join and actively participate in industry associations.

Retail groups and organisations may have different agendas, but all work to combat unfair competition and support the independent brickand-click salon. Join them all. They deserve your support and need your participation. As with effort or cause, the larger the membership base, the more credible the organisation, and the more effective its message and effort.

If you’ve hesitated joining because you don’t see how it will benefit you individually… or because “things will never change”… I have a simple response: your industry reputation enhances your credibility, expands your story and sets you apart from the David’s and Azazies of the world.

We’re all in this together. By your participation, if it helps just one of us, it helps us all.

Calling all boutique owners!

Give this brilliant free wedding magazine as a gift to your brides!

ISSUE FOUR • OCTOBER 2015

STUNNING STYLES FOR EVERY TIME OF YEAR

Trend alert!

THE BEST DETAILS TO MAKE YOUR DAY WOW

REAL BRIDES

BEAUTIFUL WEDDINGS & REAL ADVICE INSIDE

ESSENTIAL PLANNING TIPS TACKLE THE BIGGEST PLANNING WOES WITH OUR HANDY GUIDE

PERFECT REAL-LIFE WEDDINGS

MADISON JAMES

DISCOVER MORE FROM THIS HOT NEW LABEL

FOUR REAL BRIDES SHARE THEIR BIG DAY STORIES, P58

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY THIS SEASON’S MUST-VISIT SHOWS

WIN TICKETS TO THE NATIONAL WEDDING SHOW!

BRIDESMAID HANDBOOK

‘I’m engaged!’

WE FOLLOW A REAL BRIDE-TO-BE ON HER WEDDING JOURNEY

EVERYTHING YOUR GIRLS NEED TO KNOW!

Gift ideas

FOOD IDEAS

GIVE YOUR NEWLYWED NEST A VINTAGE GLOSS WITH OUR BEST BUYS

TASTY DISHES FOR YOU AND YOUR GUESTS, P86

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03/08/2015 20:17

DRESSES FOR EVERY BODY SHAPE FIND A GORGEOUS GOWN THAT LOOKS & FEELS INCREDIBLE

Cute as a button

ADORABLE IDEAS FOR FLOWERGIRLS

GET AN AMAZING 25% OFF YOUR ACCESSORIES! PLUS-SIZE SHOPPING TIPS GREAT ADVICE FOR CURVIER BRIDES

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TIPS TO CREATE THE WEDDING OF YOUR DREAMS, FOR LESS!

ELBETH GILLIS HOW ONE OF SOUTH AFRICA’S BEST DESIGNERS IS SET TO WOW THE UK

Let’s celebrate!

NEW WAYS TO KEEP YOUR GUESTS ENTERTAINED

BEAUTIFUL WEDDINGS REAL STORIES WITH BRILLIANT IDEAS TO STEAL, P70

01/05/2016 18:20

ISSUE 27 • SEPTEMBER 2017

A little something extra for your brides Packed with top planning tips, dreamy details and bridal fashion, Love Our Wedding is the UK’s favourite free wedding magazine, and you can give this handbag-sized treat to your brides, free of charge!

Every issue can be delivered to your door in packs of 20, so you can distribute them to your brides as you wish. Proudly display them in store or put them in goody bags for your customers to take away. To become a stockist, email andy@meanttobemedia.com.

FLAWLESS NEW FROCKS FOR YOU & YOUR BRIDESMAIDS

• STATIONERY • DECOR • SHOES • JEWELLERY • CAKES &

MUCH MORE

Photo finish EXPERTS REVEAL THE BEST WAYS TO POSE FOR PHOTOS

Justin Alexander

THE SIGNATURE STYLES YOU’LL FALL IN LOVE WITH

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EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNTS INSIDE!

SO SASSI

SEE THE NEW STYLES FROM ONE OF BRIDAL’S FAVOURITE DESIGNERS

She’s the one

INCREDIBLE DRESSES FOR EVERY BRIDE, P14

31/08/2015 17:38

50 GORGEOUS NEW DRESSES

WE SELECT OUR FAVOURITE BRIDAL DESIGNS FOR 2017

He’s the one!

REASONS TO HIRE YOUR GROOM’S SUIT, P50 WORRIES OF A BRIDE-TO-BE SECRET THOUGHTS EVERY BRIDE HAS

BENJAMIN ROBERTS WHY THE NEW COLLECTION IS THEIR BEST YET!

HOT PLUS-SIZE GOWNS FOR FULLER FIGURES

FIND MY VENUE! WE DISCOVER THE UK’S BEST COUNTRY HOUSE VENUES, P115

Cute

couples 12 PAGES OF BEAUTIFUL REAL-LIFE WEDDINGS

HOW TO DE-STRESS BEFORE THE BIG DAY KEEP THOSE NERVES UNDER CONTROL WITH OUR TOP TIPS

TREAT YOUR LOCKS TO ONE OF THESE CUTE LOOKS

Catwalk chic

A BUMPER 1ST BIRTHDAY ISSUE!

SHOW TIME!

MUST-VISIT FAIRS TO ADD TO THE DIARY FINISHING TOUCHES MAKE YOUR DAY STAND OUT!

Seasonal food ideas DELICIOUS DISHES FOR YOUR MENU

OUR BIGGEST SELECTION OF BEAUTIFUL

WEDDINGS TO INSPIRE YOU

31/05/2016 17:49

REAL BRIDES

BRILLIANT IDEAS AND INSPIRING STORIES

The finer details

FROM STATIONERY TO BRIDAL ACCESSORIES, FIND HUNDREDS OF FINISHING TOUCHES INSIDE

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MINI MAIDS ADORABLE PICKS FOR YOUR FLOWERGIRLS

WIN A N HONEYMOO IN CRETE WORTH OVER £2,500 VENUE SPECIAL FIND THE PERFECT PLACE FOR YOUR BIG DAY

Wedding dress how-to FIND THE DRESS OF YOUR DREAMS WITH OUR BRIDAL GUIDE

You said

yes!

OUR PLANNING TIPS FOR NEWLYENGAGED BRIDES

READY, SET, CAKE! WEDDING CAKE TRENDS FROM A GREAT BRITISH BAKE-OFF PRO

Enzoani HOT 2018 STYLES FOR EVERY BRIDE

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Mini maids

PRETTY FLOWERGIRL DRESSES THEY’LL LOVE

DREAMY DISCOUNTS GREAT DEALS FOR EVERY READER!

02/10/2015 12:55

20/11/2017 16:30

Br ides REAL IDEAS, ADVICE AND DETAILS TO INSPIRE YOU

HOW TO PLAN YOUR PERFECT WEDDING!

WOW-FACTOR COLLECTIONS

THE LATEST FASHION TRENDS FOR YOU & YOUR BRIDESMAIDS

P lus-size gowns

A SELECTION OF GORGEOUS DRESSES FOR CURVY BRIDES

LOW6_Coveridea_RuthMilliam 4aa.indd 1

THE BEST OF BRITISH TOP HOME-GROWN DESIGNER NAMES TO LOOK OUT FOR

Hair ideas

TAKE THESE PRETTY STYLES TO THE SALON

Make a wish

THE BEST SELECTION OF DREAMY DETAILS FOR YOUR WISH LIST

ELLIS BRIDALS

WE FIND OUT WHAT THIS AMAZING TEAM HAVE IN STORE FOR 2017

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STUNNING WEDDINGS

REAL COUPLES, REAL BUDGETS, REAL IDEAS

WIN TICKETS TO THE NATIONAL WEDDING SHOW!

Theme ideas for 2017

NEW WAYS TO DO VINTAGE, BRIGHTS & MUCH MORE, P101

‘HOW I LOST OVER 3ST FOR THE WEDDING’ ONE BRIDE REVEALS ALL!

01/07/2016 15:12

ISSUE 38

• AUGUST 2018

TISSUES AT THE READY FOR OUR BEAUTIFUL REAL WEDDING STORIES

Travel special

FROM MARRYING ABROAD TO IDYLLIC HONEYMOON IDEAS – WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED

Blue by Enzoani WHY WE THINK THIS IS THE BEST COLLECTION YET!

OVER 100 GORGEOUS WEDDING GOWNS

Flower power!

WHICH BLOOMS WILL WORK BEST IN YOUR BOUQUET?

WIN YOUR WEDDING RINGS, FROM PURELY DIAMONDS! P71

Wedding trends 2018 EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR YOUR DREAM DAY

Fashion special THE DESIGNERS AND DRESSES YOU HAVE TO SEE

DIY WEDDING FLOWERS HOW TO CREATE PRETTY PAPER BLOOMS

We love curves!

GORGEOUS GOWNS FOR FULL-FIGURED BRIDES

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LOVEOURWEDDINGMAG.COM

GOLDEN GIRL ACCESSORIES FIT FOR A QUEEN

01/07/2018 12:19

SEE THE CHIC NEW DESIGNS

03/11/2015 14:22

SHOES, STATIONERY AND THEME IDEAS

Wilderly Bride WE VIEW THE STUNNING SPRING COLLECTION FROM ALLURE BRIDALS

NEW BRIDAL GOWNS FOR 2018

INSPIRATIONAL BRIDESMAID TRENDS ALL THE TOP LOOKS THAT YOUR GIRLS WILL LOVE

PUMP UP THE JAMS! HOT WEDDING SONGS FOR YOUR PLAYLIST

REAL-LIFE WEDDINGS

EXPERT ADVICE FROM A REAL-LIFE WEDDING PLANNER

100+ DREAM S DRESSE YOU AND FOR YOUR GIRLS

Suits you!

Elbeth Gillis FEARLESS, FEMININE GOWNS FOR 2018

WIN A WEDDING DRESS WORTH £1,500!

LET’S GO OUTSIDE! BEAUTIFUL OUTDOOR WEDDING INSPIRATION

05/02/2018 11:47

LOW34_Cover Modeca ideas 2aa.indd 1

• SEPTEMBER 2018

Gorgeous Weddings BE INSPIRED BY THESE THREE REAL-LIFE CELEBRATIONS

PRETTY BRIDESMAID DRESSES FROM SPRING TO WINTER

CURVY COUTURE STUNNING PLUS-SIZE STYLES TO WOW YOUR GROOM

Seasonal sisters!

BEAUTIFUL BRIDESMAID DRESSES FOR SPRING THROUGH TO WINTER

Martin Thornburg A MON CHERI COLLECTION THAT’S FIT FOR A PRINCESS

• OCTOBER 2018

Real-life Weddings THREE CELEBRATIONS JAM-PACKED WITH GREAT IDEAS TO STEAL

IT’S ALL IN THE DETAIL...

SHOES, DECOR, JEWELLERY, STATIONERY & MUCH MORE

Modeca 2019 THE NEWEST HOT BRIDAL STYLES FROM EUROPE

Love your shape!

FLOWER POWER OUR FAVOURITE FLORAL DETAILS FOR SPRING

Real

Stories

PLANNING PERFECTION!

SLIMMING INSPIRATION & A RECIPE TO TRY AT HOME

Party picks

FIVE FABULOUS BIG DAYS PACKED WITH IDEAS

PASTEL PERFECTION LAVENDER, BLUSH & MORE PRETTY SHADES FOR YOUR MAIDS

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FROM THE LATEST IN BRIDAL FASHION TO THEME IDEAS FOR YOUR RECEPTION

04/08/2018 19:57

TO DREAMY DETAILSTHE GIVE YOUR DAY WOW FACTOR

INSTAGRAM-WORTHY DETAILS PLUS 40 DREAMY DRESSES FOR 2019

REAL STORIES: FROM WHEN HE POPPED THE QUESTION, TO THE DAY THEY SAID ‘I DO’

Casablanca Collections

Allure Bridals

WHICH COLLECTION DO YOU LOVE THE MOST?

WEDDING FAVOUR IDEAS YOUR GUESTS WILL LOVE

STEP UP BRIDAL SHOES FOR EVERY BUDGET P50

SLIMMING WORLD RECIPES

FOR THE FESTIVE SEASON

LOVE YOUR SHAPE! GOWNS THAT MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR FIGURE

LOW30_Cover Chloe ideas 1aa.indd 1

Chloe Bridals

FRESH DESIGNS FROM CANADA’S HOTTEST BRIDAL BRAND

07/11/2017 11:16

FOOLPROOF TIPS TO ENSURE YOUR DAY RUNS SMOOTHLY

OUTFITS FOR MUMS, MAIDS & YOUR GROOM

HONEYMOONS & WEDDINGS ABROAD OUR PICK OF THE BEST LOCATIONS OVERSEAS

AMAZING PRIZES WORTH OVER £8K!

ALLURE BRIDALS

WHY THE CHIC NEW COUTURE COLLECTION IS A MUST SEE

w

WIN YOUR DRESS, MINIMOON, DETAILS & MUCH MORE, P126

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05/09/2016 18:41

LOVEOURWEDDINGMAG.COM

LOVEOURWEDDINGMAG.COM

ISSUE 36

• MAY 2018

Spring in her step CELEBRATE THIS SEASON WITH OUR BRILLIANT TIPS

Get the look GORGEOUS STYLES FROM VINTAGE TO GLAMOUR SO MUCH TO DO, PLENTY OF TIME! OUR CHECKLIST MAKES PLANNING A BREEZE

Allure Bridals

FALL HEAD OVER HEELS FOR THE NEW ROMANCE COLLECTION

ISSUE 42

• NOVEMBER 2018

WAYS TO IMPRESS

Darling details LOADS OF PRETTY BUYS INSIDE, FROM JUST £1

Real fairytales

TISSUES AT THE READY FOR THESE SUPER-CUTE WEDDING STORIES

30 BRIDESMAID DRESSES YOUR GIRLS WILL BEG YOU TO LET THEM WEAR!

GREEN WITH ENVY VEGETARIAN RECIPES THAT ARE HEALTHY AND DELICIOUS, P70

• JUNE 2018

Inspirational Weddings REAL COUPLES SHARE THE DETAILS OF THEIR BEAUTIFUL BIG DAYS

NICHE NECKLINES COOL LOOKS FOR YOUR BRIDESMAIDS

Finishing touches FROM SHOES & CLUTCHES TO STATIONERY & DECOR

ROCK THE DRESS! 50 FIGURE-FLATTERING STYLES WE ADORE – AND SO WILL YOU!

LOVEOURWEDDINGMAG.COM

FEAST YOUR EYES ON THE GORGEOUS NEW DESIGNS

• DECEMBER 2018

Maid to measure

GOWNS TO ENSURE YOUR GIRLS LOOK (ALMOST!) AS GOOD AS YOU...

GET A DECADENT LOOK WITHOUT THE HUGE BUDGET, P95

SHIMMER & SHINE!

Fabulous favours

Show time!

ESSENTIAL DATES FOR YOUR CALENDAR

HOT S HAIRSTYLE TO CHIC IDEAS TAKE TO THE SALON

‘I do’ overseas

TOP PLANNING TIPS FOR THE PERFECT WEDDING ABROAD

SHAPED TO PERFECTION STUNNING GOWNS FOR PLUS-SIZES

06/03/2018 11:11

THE FULL PACKAGE CHIC STATIONERY SUITES FROM SAVE THE DATES TO THANK YOUS

TICK OFF YOUR WISH LIST WITH THESE DREAMY DRESSES FOR 2019

29/11/2015 17:08

LOOK DREAMY IN YOUR DRESS WITH OUR TOP TIPS

LOVEOURWEDDINGMAG.COM

LOVEOURWEDDINGMAG.COM

ISSUE 41

Mum’s the word HOW TO GET YOUR MUM INVOLVED WITH THE PLANNING, P101

HOW TO TRIM BACK THE GUEST LIST, P103

SAVING TIPS

HOW TO GET YOUR PERFECT DAY FOR LESS, P77

16 PAGES OF AMAZING REAL-LIFE CELEBRATIONS

Beautiful bride

LOVEOURWEDDINGMAG.COM

@LoveOurWedMa g It must 283 LoveOurW edding be love!

She’s in Save in style fashion! get loveourwLet’s ed married! dingmag Trends for 2019 LoveOurWedMa g ISSUE 40

Making the cut!

AMAZING ACCESSORIES DELICATE DETAILS TO FINISH YOUR LOOK

FOUR INSPIRING BIG-DAY STORIES

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ISSUE 35

BRIDAL GOWNS TO SUIT EVERY BODY TYPE

YOUR DREAM DAY FOR LESS! MONEY-SAVING TIPS THAT EVERY BRIDE NEEDS

22/12/2017 10:26

LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE & GET MARRIED!

ISSUE 16 • OCTOBER 2016

• APRIL 2018

Stress-free planning

MENSWEAR TRENDS FOR THE NEW SEASON

Last-minute weddings

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A HANDY GUIDE TO MARRYING OVERSEAS

WHY WE ADORE THEIR CHIC NEW COLLECTIONS

LOVEOURWEDDINGMAG.COM

ISSUE 34

Dress up!

WIN AMAZING PRIZES WORTH £7,000!

‘I do’ abroad

SEE THIS YEAR’S CATWALK TRENDS

Allure Bridals

Follow us on social media, too!

• FEBRUARY 2018

Dreamy details

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GORGEOUS GROOMS GREAT IDEAS FOR YOUR MODERN MAN

RUTH MILLIAM

LOVEOURWEDDINGMAG.COM

ISSUE 30 DECEMBER 2017

Wowfactor weddings

LOVEOURWEDDINGMAG.COM

ISSUE 39

Finding the one

SAY ‘I DO’ IN ONE OF THESE IDYLLIC PLACES

USE OUR EXPERT TIPS TO CREATE A PRETTY WEDDING LOOK, P44

• MARCH 2018

LOVEOURWEDDINGMAG.COM

Love at first sight

AMAZING VENUES! Beauty ideas

LOVEOURWEDDINGMAG.COM

ISSUE SEVEN • JANUARY 2016

SHE’S IN FASHION

LOVEOURWEDDINGMAG.COM

ISSUE 33

HOW TO PLAN YOUR BIG DAY IN SIX MONTHS

30/07/2017 17:41

LOVEOURWEDDINGMAG.COM

THE BEST IDEAS FOR UK BRIDES!

LOVEOURWEDDINGMAG.COM

ISSUE 32

• JANUARY 2018

18 PAGES OF IDEAS AND INSPIRATION

YOUR DREAM WEDDING DAY

HOW TO PLAN THE PERFECT PARTY WITHOUT BLOWING THE BUDGET

STUNNING REAL-LIFE WEDDINGS &

WE REVEAL OUR PICK OF THE BEST WEDDING GOWNS

ALLURE BRIDALS TAKE A SNEAK PEEK AT THE NEW COUTURE COLLECTION

LOVEOURWEDDINGMAG.COM

Real-life weddings

LOVEOURWEDDINGMAG.COM

ISSUE SIX • DECEMBER 2015

ISSUE 14 • AUGUST 2016

Real Wedding Special LOW13_Coveridea Benjamin Roberts 8aa final.indd 1

ISSUE 31

Curvy couture

HOT NEW HAIRSTYLES

LOVEOURWEDDINGMAG.COM

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Dress to impress

TOP TRENDS, FASHION &

details

HOW TO CREATE THE WEDDING OF YOUR DREAMS

ISSUE 13 • JULY 2016

Perfect planning

LOVEOURWEDDINGMAG.COM

ISSUE FIVE • NOVEMBER 2015

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ISSUE 12 • JUNE 2016

LOV E OUR

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ISSUE THREE • SEPTEMBER 2015

DRESSES FOR EVERY SEASON

OUR GUIDE TO A HAPPY MARRIAGE PLUS THREE LOVELY REAL WEDDINGS

THE UK’S TOP WEDDING VENUES THE OUR PICK OF TO BEST PLACES SAY ‘I DO’ ACROSS BRITAIN, p89

GROOMED TO PERFECTION! IDEAS FOR YOUR MAN, STRAIGHT FROM THE CATWALK

HEAVENLY HONEYMOONS THE BEST LOCATIONS FOR YOUR RADAR

Soul sisters TREAT YOUR BRIDESMAIDS TO AN EXTRA SPECIAL GOWN

ISSUE 43

223

AMAZING NEW BUYS GET YOUR WHOLE WEDDING KITTED OUT WITH THESE FAB FINDS

• JANUARY 2019

New Year resolutions THE ONES YOU SHOULD (AND SHOULDN’T!) BE MAKING

“IT WAS JUST PERFECT!” TISSUES AT THE READY FOR THREE WONDERFUL REAL WEDDING STORIES

All that glitters

WHICH WILL YOU CHOOSE – SUMPTUOUS SILVER OR GORGEOUS GOLD?

GUILT-FREE FEASTS!

DELICIOUS RECIPES TO TRY AT HOME, COURTESY OF SLIMMING WORLD

FASHION FORWARD STYLES FOR 2019 BREAK TRADITION WITH A COOL BRIDAL LOOK

THEMES FOR 2019 HOW TO TAP INTO THE LATEST WEDDING TRENDS

LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED! GORGEOUS BIGDAY DRESSES FOR YOU AND THE GIRLS

Hen heaven

A GUIDE TO PLANNING THE PERFECT PARTY

WORK YOUR CURVES PLUS-SIZE STYLES YOU’RE GOING TO LOVE, P29

02/09/2018 17:16

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07/10/2018 20:39

J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 ♦ W E D D I N G T R A D E R ♦ 27

A L L U R E B R I D A L S . C O M

DETAIL ON DETAIL Feathers, motifs, beadwork, Anny Lin brings them all together to create a story

All about Anny Why follow others when you can lead the way? That’s the mantra of designer Anny Lin whose collection – and reputation – stretches across the world, keeping retailers, and their brides, very happy indeed 30 ♦ W E D D I N G T R A D E R ♦ J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9

D

esigner Anny Lin – she of the ravishing swirls of print and design exotica – followed her mother’s footsteps in the world of bridal, spending time in her early years in the atelier, surrounded by sumptuous fabrics and lavish trims. No question

way, inspired by possibility while still bridal was her future, her only career retaining a regard for commerciality. choice. She later studied at the In her first season, she started Fashion Academy and her first job, in her native Taiwan, was as an assistant off with a small collection of just 15 pieces, then increased it to 20, then to her mother, Judy.

35, then 40.

From that Her latest same atelier, Anny’s modern-day interpretation collection mother-anddaughter of the ballgown promises to be a boasts some 50 designs were big style story, along with A-lines gowns, offered, just each one occasionally, and chic princess silhouettes an exquisite to the big work of US brands design art that sees colour shadings, who looked to Taiwan for quality prints, fabrics with flow, and a certain manufacturing as well as design inspiration. But it didn’t take Anny long whimsical approach come together in to realise that working this way would a look that is very decidedly different simply never give her the freedom to and instantly noticeable. Think shining star, and you’ll get the feeling. express her personal sense of style, Today, with global distribution via realise the fullness of her imagination, some 90 stockists and a self-made or, indeed, put her name out there in niche here in the UK, the Anny Lin the bridal spotlight. name commands respect within the In 2011, Anny Lin formed her own industry and passion among brideslabel and built her brand in the UK. She did not choose to play it safe and to-be, who demand a special look and appreciate the quality that comes with stay within the confines of the tried a designer label. Ethereal and exotic and tested; rather, she did things her

COLOUR MATCH Layers and layers of softly shaded light-as-air fabrics are a signature

J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 ♦ W E D D I N G T R A D E R ♦ 31

DREAMLIKE QUALITIES Filmy, floaty fabrics add to the magic of cloud-like detailing over a hint of skin

time in mainland China where she has a stunning flagship boutique and it is business there that gives her real insight into what today’s Accessible pricing There are two ranges in her portfolio, brides want. Such an understanding the Couture Collection, which features helps shape each new collection so that it becomes an extension of fine French lace, luxurious silks and the glitter of multi-faceted Swarovski her distinctive signature look, and a statement of adventurous design. crystals, and retails between £2,500 What lies ahead? The newest and £4,000, and the Light Luxe collection, Infinity, priced to sell from a collection under the Anny umbrella features glittering elements that add highly-attractive £900 to £1,500.

Another aspect of huge appeal are shimmer and shine. Fabrics include vintage-style crepe and mikado the delivery dates – between eight and embellishments such as pearls and ten weeks – and that gowns can and embossed embroidery. Anny’s be customised not just in style and modern-day interpretation of the cut and decoration, but also in terms ballgown promises to be a big style of size. This is the sort of news that story, along with A-lines and chic makes many a retailer delight... and princess silhouettes. also hugely appreciative.

Celebs adore the Anny look and Anny herself, spends much of her are two of the adjectives that are frequently used to describe her work.

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NEVER SIMPLE The cuts are not just contemporary, they represent bravado

choose her first when heading for the red carpet. In China, that is high praise, and also high-level brand promotion, which is vital, as we all know, in bridal especially. Put a famous face and body in a particular designer label, and the resulting images have social media platforms working overtime.

There’s no better form of advertising to the consumer who is the true potential customer.

‘Dare to be different’ is the brand message at this house and we see Anny Lin continuing to pave the way.

Her label has personality, buzz, and a particular beauty. That’s what it is all about today. +44 (0)1524 220250 info@annylinbridal.com annylinbridal.com

www.propress.co.uk

Bridal

Styled by Steam

JUPON PETTICOATS THE 1 STOP ACCESSORY SHOP PETTICOATS LINGERIE BOLERO’S VEILS AND MUCH MUCH MORE Jupon Petticoats Ltd www.jupon.com info@jupon.com 01753622922

TIM TIME A big welcome to another new regular, Tim Oliver of Propress, who has been supplying products to all sectors of the fashion industry for over 35 years. He is a man with a view... and he has seen the light

I

can be a little overcritical, or obsessed so my wife Verity tells me. I can’t help it, it’s who I am.

My eyes are naturally drawn to shop windows, displays and people’s clothes (which I know can be off putting for the recipient of my stares!).

Whilst it’s obvious to me that every dresser and stylist needs a good steamer, it’s clear some of them have not yet realised this.

Recently, there was a TV drama about a wealthy family living in the South of France; I ended up watching it on my own because Verity was too stressed by my continual criticism of the cast’s clothes, and refused to watch it with me! Surely someone in this production should have realised that a crumpled suit with distressed lapels, ill-fitting dresses and some very questionable fabrics are not evocative of the rich and famous.

What I found most staggering was that the production clearly had a considerable budget. Please don’t get me wrong, I am also obsessed with all things good, and appreciate when things are done well.

As you might expect, when it comes to the wedding-dress experience, I may have something to say. So, what is it that turns us on? What sense is it that draws us to certain restaurants and shops that we know little or nothing about? Often it’s something personal to each of us, which may

make no sense to our nearest and dearest or even ourselves. It could be the colour scheme, the building or the way a shop name is written that evokes some sense of security and friendliness.

On the flip side, there are things that turn most of us off – the types of shops and restaurants that put themselves at a disadvantage by not going the mile, let alone the extra mile; they look the same when they have closed down as when they were open.

I believe light is a key influence in everyone’s decision making. Light is the King and Queen of senses –it can make or break; it can be the difference between a holiday snap and an awardwinning photograph; it can singlehandily create ambience, and it can just as easily destroy it.

Light enlightens: it helps us make the right decisions. Light attracts people, like insects to a lightbulb.

Without light we lack information – the more light there is the more detail we have and therefore decisions should be easier to make because we are fully informed.

Whilst everyone talks about Cinderella dresses, dream brides and fairy-tale weddings that conjure a soft focus and imaginary theme, what the bride needs from us are clear, focused facts. When you have something beautiful like the perfect bridal dress, show it off, don’t make the bride

have to guess what it looks like and then be disappointed; give them the information. All the dots joined.

You can probably tell where I am going here, although we have gone slightly off piste to get to this point.

I am often surprised how many bridal shops (and exhibitors at bridal exhibitions) just miss the obvious selling tool. You need to get the buyer into the shop in order to get the sale, so tempt them in, show them what you have, let them see the best bits so they have to come in and see more.

A well-lit and beautifully-designed window says come in, we care, we have nothing to hide and plenty to show, we want your custom, and if we are closed right now, you really should come back when we are open.

And it doesn’t stop there, Make sure your customers can see what they are looking at as they peruse the rails; it shouldn’t be necessary for them to take the dress outside to see its colour. The fitting area needs to be well lit, too. you need to show off the dress and make the bride look good.

Inconsistent light from above can cast shadows on the face and harsh light can flatten perspective. Test it yourself, and in this era of the selfie, check out how the lighting works for posting images on social media On a final note, make sure you have a well-lit space to steam your dresses, And oh... a really good steamer!

J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 ♦ W E D D I N G T R A D E R ♦ 35

YPOS

How to make your mark. Retailers and suppliers give their views in response to this month’s challenging question from a shop off the beaten track. Interestingly, opinions here have much in common...

BRIDES UP NORTH

YO U R P R O B L E M S O UR S O LU T I O N S “I’d like to know how others get their message out there, apart from using the obvious social media channels, to attract in local brides, mums and bridesmaids. I am tucked away a bit, off the main high street and do not having passing traffic, so I really need to ramp up my promotional skills (lack of them, actually). I have been open for a little less than a year and I know the brides we do serve leave happily, but I need more of them. Can I, for example, incentivise brides to send their friends in and how? Should I push my suppliers to promote me as a stockist, and how? I am happy to plan after-hours parties etc but just need a steer to get started. Any suggestions would be gratefully received.”

1

Simon Ryan Catherine Parry

Social media is increasingly key and enables retailers to promote their businesses and engage with brides easily and inexpensively.

However, there are other marketing activities that can be just as effective. When we had our boutique, our original premises were in a similar position to yours and had no passing traffic.

We overcame this by building partnerships with wedding businesses – florists, hotels, wedding venues and car hire

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companies – as well as local hair and beauty salons to cross promote each other’s services. We created a supplier directory on our website and gave leaflets to these ‘partners’ to promote our boutique in return.

Local wedding fairs can be a great opportunity to showcase the boutique and meet local brides-to-be, but it’s often worth speaking to other suppliers first to find out which ones offer the best value in terms of footfall versus cost.

Make sure that suppliers

have you listed as a stockist on their websites and talk to their marketing coordinators to see if they can promote your events – trunk shows, new collection launches or accessory evenings – on their social media feeds too.

At Catherine Parry we’ve recently revamped our website and each stockist now has their own page, allowing them to properly showcase their boutique, plus there’s an enquiry form that allows brides to contact their nearest stockist directly from our site.

years old and basically, I’ve used the same strategy from the beginning, although this information is now shared digitally through our website and social media channels..

It is, however, the same basic plan, based on excellence with good procedures in place, constant staff training, professional supplier relationships, extensive product knowledge, and the best customer service possible. (Our brides have Sharon McPherson once again nominated us Opus Ateiier and for the VOWS awards for the Opus Couture 14th time; we are the only West Kilbride business in Scotland who have been nominated every year consecutively across This is a highly appropriate question all sectors).

This does all take time for me, as we are in and is constant hard work. a very rural area with more There are no short cuts but sheep than brides. I also the basis of our marketing is have two very different our Word of Mouth referrals, salons, therefore two which is still our most very different marketing effective marketing tool. strategies.

Opus Couture, my upper- Now we use the same WOM references but publicise it middle end salon is now 15

2

on our social media, showing our character and heart for our customers.

Right now, customers have lots of choice. There are so many bridal retailers on our high streets, in our shopping malls, and in industrial estates, that small independents, in off-thebeaten-track places, need to set ourselves apart, ensuring that brides have good reason to make the trip to us from further afield.

By telling brides what we can do for them, what is different about us and our service, they can then make informed choices about where they want to shop.

Make your business the destination place they want to buy from.

I also take valuable time off the shop floor, to go to local events telling different groups, charity lunches, and venues about my business.

The local Chamber of Commerce, Business Groups and Associations, and

Womean’s groups can all be a great support. I also give talks and do prom events or projects in local schools.

Work with your suppliers.

Have trunk shows and promotional events. Invite the bloggers and wedding magazines along. Interact with your online audience; if you don’t have one, start right there and create one... there is lots of help out there.

Advertise. Brides will travel if they like you and your product, so show them why they should like you.

Offer prizes like a voucher for an afternoon tea in another local business.

Team up with other local businesses like hair and beauty salons, venues, and photographers. Do a photoshoot and get it on your local news website, in your regional newspaper or town events notices. Show your passion and knowledge to your future customer.

Everyone needs to know where you are, what you do and how well you do it!

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Maria Musgrove The Pantiles Bride Royal Tonbridge Wells

3

My first question would be: “Why isn’t your local bride buying from you?” She may already know that you’re

(if not thousands) of miles there but you may be too hairdressers, make-up artists, away. In which case, don’t cheap, too expensive, too florists, photographers and underestimate the power boho, too boring, too niche, venues to organise a local too mainstream, or you have of social media. Having event, I would invest in just attended the intensive too many one-star reviews! writing a series of blogs (yes, One of my I learned all about Irish clients them, too, at Digital I learned that brides look to is Indie cool, School!) – selling in a village in Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest the benefits to the middle of brides of buying nowhere and before clicking on your website! So locally. isn’t interested My main in her local why the resistance to social media? message to you bride as she is that the bride is isn’t her target embarking on one and inspiring Luxe Bridal customer. of the most emotionallyDigital School at Miss Bush, The next question would invested searches of her I learned that brides look to life (apart from finding be: “What do you mean by Facebook, Instagram and local?” Is it brides who are her perfect partner), so Pinterest before clicking on getting married locally, live wouldn’t it make sense to your website! So why the locally or both? Millennials find a local bridal boutique resistance to social media? are much more mobile and to have the most gratifying As well as the easy fix may be getting married and convenient shopping of collaborating with local locally but live hundreds experience?

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social. Through social media we promote our boutiques, their events and new arrivals to entice brides to visit them. These events and trunk shows are the perfect way for stores to promote collections and introduce themselves to new brides; we list all store events on our Facebook page to ensure a wide audience – over 50,000 brides are aware of everything that’s going on in their region.

James Waddington Facebook, Pinterest Romantica of Devon and Instagram are strong Promoting our stores B2C platforms, with Twitter is key to our success, being the best platform for B2B. Within Social’s and theirs, social evolution, Instagram is media playing an integral quickly becoming the most part in this development. important platform for quick As we live in an instantgratification age, the quicker success; Insta-stories give you can get the word out the you an interactive platform better – and there is no way to highlight key products and events. of doing this quicker than

4

Vivien Felstein Veromia

5

I know you said social media is obvious but interacting on your suppliers’ Facebook and Twitter pages will help.

Having a designer weekend will also help as long as you

Our Social following is then channeled to our website where brides can find stockists on our dedicated page. This drives them to stores in their area with contact information and a direct link to their website.

All of our retailers have access – via our media bank at romanticamedia.co.uk – to all of our imagery, logos and video content in a variety of resolutions to meet any marketing requirements.

There are many ways in which stores can improve the way they self-promote and increase their footfall.

Wedding fairs are great to showcase a store’s collections and personality, often putting brides at ease who are excited to explore without the commitment of a bridal appointment – this is often a positive way to meet

potential customers.

Social media is key.

Keeping brides up to date with gowns stocked, new arrivals, events, competitions, sales etc, and the frequency of posts is very important; you need to stay present on their feeds.

Getting involved with local advertising is also great; make sure you are on everyone’s radar and take the opportunity to feature in local newspapers, magazines and fairs.

Networking will also improve your presence and footfall. Think about stocking local accessories. Get in touch with photographers and florists – if you promote them they will be keen to promote you! a growing digital world don’t forget the human impact ‘word of mouth’ can have.

her feel like a princess, so Your current brides promote this in your local being upbeat and excited are a great source of help press and leaflet drop. for the bride and being to you as you tend to find Local wedding fairs are memorable is a good way that groups of friends get a must. Also, be aware of by giving spectacular local events like fêtes, take married around the same a stall and have advertising time, in clusters so to speak, customer service. This is the so a great experience is the approach you need to take matter on the stall and – as people buy into those key to further recruitment. a giveaway with your with a good vibe and details. It’s all upbeat positivity – and about promoting Leaving your leaflets in a glowing review that yourself in every is passed on is worth way you can. local jewellers, travel agents, everything.

Leaving Ask happy brides your leaflets in hairdressers, nail bars and even to recommend you local jewellers, to a friend and give travel agents, local supermarkets will help a £50 voucher for hairdressers, I remember my daughter- any that do. Also, ask for nail bars and even local a testimonial from them in-law when she got supermarkets on their if they are really happy. married bemoaning that notice boards will help.

Testimonials can then go on no one had made her feel Team up with a jeweller to your website - the brides special. She really wanted or travel agency to see if themselves are the best a glass of bubbly and a you can do a promotion form of advertising! sales assistant who made together.

We’d like more views on this topic. How do you best promote if you’re off the beaten track?

Email me, susi@meanttobemedia.com J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 ♦ W E D D I N G T R A D E R ♦ 39

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IVO RY & CO Style: Cassiopaea Materials: Multi-faceted crystals, freshwater pearls, bronze-plated enamel RRP: £95 +44 (0)1684 592030 sales@ivoryandcotiaras.co.uk ivoryandcotiaras.co.uk

RICH A RD DES I G N S Style: HV008 Materials: Rose gold crystal, hand-beaded flowers, diamante RRP: £139 +44 (0)1353 66160 info@richard-designs.com richard-designs.com

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ST E PHA NIE B ROW NE AUST R A L IA Style: Je t’Adore Materials: Gold or silver plated, mother-of-pearl shell and freshwater pearls RRP: £381 +44 (0)773 9518701 sales@barberinifashion.com stephaniebrowne.com.au

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www.morilee.co.uk

POPPY

Enzoani

Bridal is ready for something new... a sparkling new trade show arrives in 2019

Designed for tomorrow NEC BIRMINGHAM

1 2 - 1 4 M AY 2 0 1 9 U K B R I D A LW E E K . C O . U K

M E D I A PA R T N E R S LOV E OUR

F I ND YOUR

DREAM DRESS

THE WED D I N G TRADER GUIDE TO

Two Timers One dress, two looks… that’s what’s trending right now as brides want the best of both worlds and to ring the changes on their big day. A fabulous over-skirt, a nifty jacket, or detachable sleeves creates the next chapter

ANNY LIN BRIDAL Style: Harmony Fabric: Poly brocade crepe All change: Transparent cover-up and sleeves Sizes: US 0-26 RRP: £950 T: +44 (0)1524 220250 E: info@annylinbridal.com W: annylinbridal.com

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BEAUTIFUL BY ENZOANI Style: BT19-08 Fabric: Beaded embroidered lace and tulle All change: Lace and tulle cape with motifs Sizes: UK 6-30 RRP: Collection range £850-£1,300 T: +44 (0)1792 586615 E: infouk@enzoani.com W: enzoani.com

IAN STUART Style: Sri Lanka Fabric: Taffeta shark and multicoloured embroidery All change: Detachable train Sizes: UK 6-22 plus a madeto-measure option RRP: £1,235 T: +44 (0)20 8761 6302 E: enquiries@ianstuart-bride.com W: ianstuart-bride.com

CASABLANCA BRIDAL Style: 2302 Luna Fabric: Crepe organza with embroidered lace appliqués over sateen satin All change: Detachable ruffled crepe organza skirt Sizes: US 2-32 RRP: £1,235 T: +1 714 758 8888 E: marketing@ casablancabridal.com W: casablancebridal.com

CHARLOTTE BALBIER BRIDAL Style: Lolite Fabric: Jersey and Chantilly lace All change: Detachable overskirt Sizes: UK 4-20 RRP: £1,890 T: +44 (0)333 234 6420 E: cbsales@linzijay.co.uk W: charlottebalbier.com

J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 ♦ W E D D I N G T R A D E R ♦ 47

ROMANTICA OF DEVON Style: Sandra Fabric: Mikado All change: Detachable train Sizes: UK 6-32 RRP: £965 T: +44 (0)1823 674 412 E: enquiries@romanticaofdevon.co.uk W: romanticaofdevon.co.uk

ELLIS BRIDALS Style: 11467 Fabric: Sequin and mixed laces All change: Detachable train Sizes: UK 4-20 RRP: £1,349 T: +44 (0)20 8888 8833 E: info@ellisbridals.co.uk W: ellisbridals.co.uk

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SASSI HOLFORD Style: Yasmin Fabric: Lace over stretch crepe All change: Jacket and sash Sizes: Made to measure RRP: £3,495 dress, £675 jacket T: +44 (0)1823 256308 E: nfo@sassiholford.com W: sassiholford.com

KENNETH WINSTON Style: 1815 Fabric: Lace All change: Detachable train Sizes: US 2-18 RRP: £1,765 T: +44 (0)1765 530282 E: contact@privatelbelbyg.com W: kennethwinston.com

STELLA YORK Style: 6810 Fabric: Lace, tulle and chiffon All change: Detachable off-the-shoulder flutter sleeves Sizes: Standard and plus sizes RRP: £1,499 T: +44 (0)1792 586615 E: cs.uk@essensedesigns.com W: Stellayork.co

STEPHANIE ALLIN Style: Santa Barbara Fabric: Crepe All change: Feather top skirt Sizes: Made to measure RRP: From £2,600 T: +44 (0)20 7486 7310 E: london@stephanieallin.net W: stephanieallin.net

AMANDA WYATT Style: Dagney Fabric: Tulle and lace All change: Jackets to add Sizes: UK 4-30 RRP: From £960 T: +44 (0) 333 234 6420 E: amandawyatt@linzijay.co.uk W: amandawyatt.com

SECO N D TIME AROUND You swing me right round baby, right round… The merry-go-round of love continues! What does a growing appetite for second marriages and renewal of vows mean for the bridal industry?

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M

y parents have married one another four times.

Yep, four times. It baffles my husband (he and I have been married just the once 14 years ago – the experience was clearly traumatic enough for him never to want to do it again), but I remain truly my parents’ daughter: I can see nothing but the romance in this.

If the stats are to be believed, those who either commit to a second marriage or renew their vows to one another, are on the up. Whether it’s saying I do a second time around or saying I do Part 2 (or 3 or 4…), it seems none of us have given up on the idea of marriage.

What a wonderful, affirming leap of faith in the idea of love right there – and arguably excellent news for the bridal industry. And that got us thinking: what are the possible ramifications of this second-time around trend for those of us in bridal? With some illuminating insights from a generation of brides and grooms who kept saying I do, we go and find out…

Second The Best Brides walking down the aisle for a second time face a unique challenge: what should they wear that will reflect the mood appropriately? Gone is the notion that wearing white for a second time is somehow ill-advised or incongruous. In fact, of the 20 brides we spoke with who had re-married, 18 of them told us they bought another white wedding dress from a bridal boutique (although many admitted to cream or ivory!). Remarkably, over two-thirds of these women told us they returned to the same boutique they bought their first dress from (this is truly food for thought and a ringing endorsement of the value of your customer service).

Whilst they did admit, on the whole, to spending less on the dress the second time around, what really came to the fore was a sense of wanting to celebrate this second wedding on the same terms as the first. That is, the second wedding was given the same status and kudos as the first with one crucial difference: the benefit of

hindsight and experience.

The website dedicated to secondtime round brides, idotaketwo.com, encourages brides to learn from the first wedding whilst also feeling empowered to incorporate those aspects into their day that worked the first time.

In Jenni’s case, she applied this philosophy to the dress: “I spent a long time looking at my pictures from my first marriage and I realised that in all of the photos, I looked a little pained, like I was struggling to breathe. I definitely wasn’t comfortable and knew a corsetstyle dress just wasn’t an option for my second wedding. But I never once thought of not looking like a bride – I was a bride! – and I really wanted that look. It just meant that instead of feeling press-ganged into a very structured gown because it was so obviously ‘bridal’, I had the confidence for my second marriage to be very clear about the fabric and cut I wanted.”

And what about the boys? “I really don’t mind what the groom wears on our wedding day – it doesn’t

bother me at all…” said no bride ever.

Unsurprisingly, when we spoke to the second-time grooms-to-be, they (rather sensibly) were guided by the women in their lives and overwhelmingly wore a morning suit or equivalent, rented or bought in a similar fashion to their first weddings, and designed to complement and co-ordinate with the chosen theme (just as important for second-time weddings).

Renewing vows Matt Damon and Luciana Barroso, David and Victoria Beckham, Beyonce and Jay Z, Sharon and Ozzy, Jan and Chris Bird (my mum and dad)… for celebrities and brilliant parents alike, we are all of us in love with the idea of love. And marking an enduring love is surely a worthwhile cause for celebration.

With some 87,000 designated websites offering advice on everything vow-renewal-related, it seems there are no shortage of takers either. In fact, love remains most emphatically in the air for the baby-boom generation.

J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 ♦ W E D D I N G T R A D E R ♦ 51

A study from Saga found that one in 14 of those aged 50 and older either have renewed or are considering renewing their wedding vows.

What is significant here for the bridal industry is how these couples are choosing to renew their vows. The research found that people tended to renew their vows after 30 years of marriage, so already we’re talking about an older demographic of men and women. But significantly, and given the huge changes the wedding day itself has undergone now versus 30 years ago, a potential whole generation of people in their 50s and 60s may have missed out on planning their dream wedding.

David, aged 60, renewed his vows with wife Sandra after 32 years of marriage. “It was a way to celebrate our joint 60th but also to make good on the promise I made myself to give Sandra the wedding day of her dreams.

Planning our daughter’s recent wedding made it abundantly clear to me that our own wedding had been a

tiny, rushed affair. We had no money and Sandra didn’t even have a proper wedding dress. After our daughter’s wedding, what you could do to mark the occasion seemed so much more exciting and I wanted to give all that to Sandra. I even took her to a bridal boutique to look at dresses (she chose a cream suit in the end from their mother-of-the-bride selection, but the ladies made a huge fuss of her). I am so glad we got to say I do again properly, and with our children there this time!”

Getting the offering right Giving careful consideration to how best to cater for an older demographic of women in bridal boutiques would seem to be the smart play. Not only do some first-time brides choose to get married later nowadays, but those who renew their vows may also be a target group looking to be accommodated.

This could be as simple as ensuring the dresses you stock come with personalised options and alterations that include (for example) arm cover-

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ups. It could also mean you consider carrying a ‘mother-of-the-bride’ line and then give careful thought to how best to promote this (dispensing with ‘motherof-the-bride’ as a category definer would be job one: here, there is room for a massive re-brand!).

Absolutely essential, however, is that staff are trained to be accepting of, and empathetic to, whatever type of bride they see before them.

Being a bride today arguably comes in myriad forms – from lovestruck bright young things to second-timers who never gave up on love, to those who remain seasoned, lifelong romantics.

For successful bridal boutiques today, we know that keeping attuned with all brides – whatever shape or form (both literal and metaphorical) – is the name of the game.

The nature of love may take some surprising twists and turns but all stories are celebrating one thing: love. Be it a rollercoaster or a merry-go-round, all brides remain committed to the ride – and so do we.

CORNELIA

ronaldjoyce.com

SECOND TIME STYLE Second-time brides or those renewing their vows are in search of a distinctive bridal look. We get the low down and represent their views...

CARLA RUIZ

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scene (one bride we spoke to likened the bridal styles available - particularly the necklines – to a ‘flood of flesh’).

This is indeed food for thought. Even the age of first-time brides has now tipped over 30, and women choosing to say I do between the age of 55-59 have jumped 25%.

When we spoke with second-time brides (aged, interestingly, between 37-50), even if the emphais wasn’t quite on the big, white wedding, the brides themselves were almost unanimous that they would wear another ‘bridal’ gown, bought from a bridal boutique. The overwhelming consensus from second-time brides was that they would, this time round, opt for a less ‘busy’, less structured,

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and less revealing dress. Discussion centred around sleeves, cover-ups, and material and cuts that didn’t cling.

Others intended to try a completely different look - tea-length and ‘50s-styles were mentioned, as were a pop of colour.

Almost everyone we spoke with said they’d dispense with veils secondtime around and instead, look to wear a fascinator or birdcage veil. Clearly, being able to offer a variety of styles is a boutique’s best bet.

These brides said they want to revisit boutiques and being able to accommodate second-time brides through excellent customer care and attention to detail, is the smart play.

Time for a cocktail party?

AVENIR 35 LIGHT

ride Rachel, renewing her vows this summer and determined to find a unique look for the occasion – an occasion she cherishes as much as the wedding day she and husband Paul shared 25 years ago – tells us emphatically that: “I am absolutely not the mother of the bride!”

She continues, laughing: “I’ve been the mother of the bride and I wore the traditional ‘mother of the bride’ look (a classy two-piece), and yes, I felt sophisticated. But quite appropriately, I didn’t feel bridal and it certainly wasn’t an outfit that I invested in emotionally.

For my ‘I Do Part Two’, what I really want is to recapture that bridal feeling.”

Rachel speaks for a growing number of women who, whether getting ready to say I do for a second time or looking to renew their vows, may be a demographic of women we are overlooking. Certainly a little older, these women have articulated their frustration at being limited to what they perceive to be an age bias on the bridal

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TARIK EDIZ

NICOLE SPOSA

SAM AND LOUISE PHOTOGRAPHY

BIANCO EVENTO

A

NICOLE SP OS

cool colours, sharp silhouettes, jump to it!

JOHN CHARLES

RONALD JOYCE

CHRISTIA KOELHERT

CHARLOTTE BALBIER

MOIRA HUGHES

WILLOWBY Separates, boho, amazing fabric treatments

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LILLY

LINEA RAFFAELLI

HAYLEY PETIT PHOTOGRAPHY

DRESS CODE BY VEROMIA

RYAN GOOLD PHOTOGRAPHY

“I will admit I was nervous going into bridal boutiques for my second marriage. I was well aware of looking for dresses alongside younger women who were clearly excited as a ‘first-time-rounder’. If I’m honest, I felt a little intimadated and (ridiculously, I know) a little like a fraud. Perhaps there’s scope for assistants being a little more in tune?”

“I bought my second wedding dress from a fabulous boutique (exactly where I got my first!) because of their openminded approach and celebratory commitment to inclusiveness. I really got the sense from this boutique that mine was an occasion to celebrate, just like any other wedding.”

Out of the Mouths of (Bridal) Babes...

“As an older second-time bride, it was a little disheartening to be steered towards the ‘mother of the bride’ section.”

Love is love! Inspired by bridal second-timers and those who renew their vows, we canvas the opinions of brides and grooms who kept saying I do (see more on page 50). It makes for an interesting read...

Two schools of thought…

“It was important for me to give my second wedding as much focus, care and attention as my first. Anything less than a ‘proper’ wedding experience would have felt belittling - I wanted this experience to count on the same plain as my first. So yes, I absolutely wanted to be ‘bride’ again and to celebrate in a similar fashion, albeit 58 ♦ W E D D I N G T R A D E R ♦ J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9

in a way that made it unique and special for us as a new married couple.”

“I must admit I felt awkward going the whole hog and all-out, ‘look at me, I’m the bride’ again.

I’d had the big white wedding and wanted something different as a way to mark a different relationship. I wore a white dress but it was definitely less ‘bridal.’”

“I think there is a gap in the bridal market for catering for women who may be renewing vows or an a second wedding.

They still want to feel bridal but the mood has changed

represented. Too many times I was shown a token dress with capped sleeves amidst a sea of cleavage-enhancing showstoppers.”

“One of the shop assistants had been married a second time and that really helped put me at ease; I felt she understood what dress I’d be looking for and was able to empathise with me.

A second wedding is both so different whilst ostensibly remaining the same.”

“I have renewed my vows every year for the last fifteen years of marriage. Last year, we turned 50 together and wanted to throw a bit of a wedding bash and I absolutely wanted to rekindle that bridal feeling. I did pop in to a few bridal boutiques but I have to say, there wasn’t an awful lot of choice for women my age who want to wear white.”

“As a second-time-around groom, a lot of my friends assumed we wouldn’t do the big, white wedding again. But there I was in a morning suit with a blush-pink waistcoat to match the bridesmaids’ dresses! I guess traditions die hard...!”

GARY ROWSEL PHOTOGRAPHY

a demographic, we are under-

CHARLENE MORTON PHOTOGRAPHY

somewhat, and I wonder if as

“I wish I could have found more dresses that emphasised cover-up rather than exposure for my second wedding.”

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Learning Curves Rather than simply up-grading existing patterns, as was the norm less than a decade ago, today’s leaders in the plus-size sector have recognised the potential to be realised from cuts and structures that ensure perfect fit. Michele O’Neill knows this market and its needs better than most

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hen Callista was launched back in 2011 by its then Canadian owner, it created something of a stir, introducing a high-fashion approach and directional design tailored for the bride with real curves. Whereas then it was commonplace for manufacturers to tag on larger sizes to their existing range, Callista focused purely on all things plus and therefore never needed to clarify its offering by using the P word.

National stats show that the average UK woman is size 16, so it should come as no real surprise that Callista’s most ordered sizes fall in the 24-28 range, with made-to-measure options attracting a big audience.

“We think larger bride, not small bride and scale up; we think about covering the parts the bride would like to hide and showing off the parts she loves about herself,” says Michele O’Neill of Yorkshire-based family business, Ruby Productions, now owner of the label.

The acquisition of the brand came about as the result of the sudden decision by the former boss to withdraw completely – as a brand owner – from the bridal industry, giving Ruby Productions first refusal

to purchase the label. “This was in February 2018 and with no warning and, whilst the timing was not necessarily ideal for us, we were ready to meet the inevitable challenges ahead,” says Michele.

the driving force duo behind Ruby Productions, have already made many changes including significant reductions in both wholesale prices and delivery lead times, with a more customer, rather than product-focused strategy being adopted.

Time for change New, direct-to-market distribution “We had already taken over several channels have been established in strategic activities more than 18 the US, Canada and Australia to better months previously, including product service demand in these markets, and design and production management further expansion plans are now being and, having won the Bridal Buyer Best refined. “Callista Bride™ is now a proud Plus Size Collection award in 2017, we British label, where our 4S approach – Style, Structure, Support, and Supreme Fit – underpins everything We think about covering we do.” says Michele.

With a fast-growing stockist the parts the bride would network – currently at 200 – and a like to hide and showing off well-earned reputation for delivering the parts she loves about a quality product at the right price, this is a label of consequence, with around herself 150 styles in the collection. “Choice is vital in the market sector,” says saw a significant opportunity in taking Michele, and her advice to retailers is full control of the brand. Given that laced with experience: we already had strong operational “Not all retailers should consider capabilities, we were confident that stocking plus size dresses; they need by having full control, we could take to have sympathetic facilities, offer the new, re-branded Callista Bride™ private appointments, have a private label to the next level, to realise its full changing room and a wider selection potential, not just in the UK market, of gowns to try on than a size-10 bride but internationally, too.” might require. If a shop is going to Michele and husband Simon, offer plus sizes then they should have

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PLUS POINTS Since acquiring the brand, Ruby Productions has moved things forward dramatically

KEEP AN EYE OUT There will be lots to see at Barcelona – over 300 companies will be showcasing their wares

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samples in 22 to 28.

You have to remember that some brides may already have had a bad experience in a bridal boutique and their confidence needs a boost. I have come across shops that do not even have a plus-size mannequin! I think that it is so important for a shop to be able to display a plus-size wedding dress in their window from time to time. Retailers need to be proud to carry plus sizes, and to do special events for that audience.”

And the new collection that will be launched in the spring? “I’m still working on it so I don’t want to give too much away now, but whilst the collection will include the safe dresses, I am introducing more textural fabrics and colour,” Michele explains. “The collection will cover the silhouettes we are best known for, but I am expanding on the sexy and sparkle elements that our brides seem to love. Today’s brides like a break in tradition and are excited by different fabrics and colour. One of our most popular gowns currently is blue!”

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THE 4S SYSTEM

Style, Structure, Support, and Supreme Fit are what make this label a winner

吀攀氀㨀 ㄀㌀㔀㌀ 㜀㈀㌀ 㘀㜀㔀 簀 䔀洀愀椀氀㨀 攀渀焀甀椀爀椀攀猀䀀攀氀椀稀愀戀攀琀栀搀椀挀欀攀渀猀瘀攀椀氀猀⸀挀漀⸀甀欀 簀 圀攀戀㨀 眀眀眀⸀攀氀椀稀愀戀攀琀栀搀椀挀欀攀渀猀瘀攀椀氀猀⸀挀漀⸀甀欀

GETTING INTO SOC IAL MEDIA Daunting – that’s what it can be when everyone else appears to know far more about something than you do. Jupon’s Gary Wilkins is starting from scratch on the social media ladder and will be updating us each month, one rung at a time

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hat is Social Media, and why do we need it for our business?

Social media is the fastest-growing way of showcasing your business, a way to get the word out to a group of followers in an easy click. Think of social media as you would your shop; you do great window displays to encourage the brides through your doors but what about the people walking behind your building or to the side who don’t see the amazing display? This is where social media comes into play.

Your website will show most, if not all, of the products you sell, but do people scroll down page after page on websites anymore? No, they don’t. But you can showcase your offering across the social media platforms, and direct your audience back to your website.

This is how it works: You have a fabulous dress that you think will sell well; you put it in your window, photograph it, and post the photograph on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. A few hashtags later and you are displaying your window – and that dress – to a broad target audience of brides-to-be bride who will then click through to your website to see what else you have. And then, hopefully, they will contact you to make an appointment that will lead to a sale for you.

All of this is free advertising for your shop and the real beauty of it is that it only takes ten minutes of your time each day to set the stage for exposure and start maximising on potential.

All that said, social media can be a scary couple of words to those who haven’t been there, done it, and reaped the rewards. Yes, most of us all dabble in a little bit of Facebook, maybe even Twitter, but the rest of the social platforms seem to escape those of us who are not categorised as ‘the younger generation’. Well I am here to tell you this: please don’t be afraid… it’s not as bad as you think!

Social media for business is now a must-do; its popularity over the platforms has now increased and it is a free way of advertising and promoting your business, your products, and your service. Yes, I said FREE, so why waste that opportunity?

Many businesses think that you need to hire someone with specific training or experience to do the job

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for you, and this alone – in a climate where we all have to watch and control expenditure – deters most people from getting involved and moving forward.

But why do you need to hire someone? Who knows more about your business than you and the few trusted people that work with you?

Can you afford another wage? Do you want to grow your business? These are the questions you should be asking yourself right now.

From the beginning Jupon first started promoting on social media some three or four years ago.

I began with a Facebook business page and Twitter; the accounts are easy enough to set up but if you get stuck, another social media platform – YouTube – provides videos that are often far easier to follow than instructions via a lengthy read.

I would put up the odd post but didn’t really pay it great attention; this is where I failed. Social media thrives on new content; in other words, it is essential to put up posts regularly.

At Jupon we outsourced our social media to a small company. Great, I thought, it is out of my hands. Wrong!

The company who were doing the work did a great job, but I couldn’t help but sit there and think, this is something I can do easily; I have all the images and know my company, my products, and my industry well.

So I made the brave decision to take it over again.

This time Google was my friend.

When you hashtag an item such as that doing this on my phone, while I asked it a few simple questions to chilled on the sofa in the evening, was #weddingdresses your image will guide me through what I needed to be directed at a specific, and proven, do and then I was away, making posts the best time for me and also a time when my posts would get seen by the interested group. and tweets to my wall and building a Great! Jupon is now active on three audience I wanted. larger audience of followers.

I fast discovered that social media social media platforms, with one post I am a Facebook user myself that takes around five to ten and this was the easiest platform for me to operate.

Social media thrives on new content; minutes’ work in the evening, and being seen by hundreds When I designed the website in other words it is essential to put and thousands of potential some years ago I made two customers. entrances – one for the bride up posts regularly I now use Instagram to create and one for the trade – so the a post as there’s an option to bride can see our beautiful was becoming a massive influence on send it to my Facebook wall and range but not the prices. I made our business; I would post something Twitter feed. I tend to pick a trend myself easily contactable through Facebook messenger, so I could help in the evening and the next day I’d be or situation – for example, when we were having heavy rain, I posted taking orders for that product. a bride and advise her on what styles a photo of our lovely umbrellas, she needed and where she could using a few hashtags relevant to my Moving on purchase them, while being there for I decided, after hearing so much about business. I click a post and then have the retailer if they had any questions. it on three platforms, seen by huge their success rate, that Instagram Most social media platforms link numbers. When the phone rings or and Pinterest were the next best to each other so a post on Facebook the email pings the next day, I know I thing, so I created accounts for would also be copied and placed have generated free business for my both. Jupon is now on Instagram. on my Twitter feed – two platforms company. It’s a great feeling. covered with one post... that’s a bonus! Instagram is pictures rather than Next month I’m going to focus on You do need to log on to each account words, although the hash tag is a huge Pinterest and why I believe it is the regularly to read people’s comments, feature. In simple terms, the hash biggest platform for your business and tag is either your relevant key words answer messages, follow back, and a must-have for all bridal retailers. of course, to add new content. I found or what is trending at the moment.

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Blogger’s Best Emma Swain of Nora Eve Bridal has taken the plunge and started a blog on her own website

same time, always keeping traditional with an impeccable service and staff at our heart.

Congratulations as well on deciding to start a blog on your website! What prompted you to go this route? Was there a moment of inspiration?

Boutique based in…

As with anything new, the internet and You’re nominated as a Regional Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S40 1AG. social media are one of our largest Finalist for the Wedding Industry platforms for business, and in view of Awards. Great work! Can you tell us How long have you been open? about the journey you’ve been on to bloggers’ popularity being on the rise, The boutique has been open for six we thought it was about time we did make it this far? and a half years, and we’ve only just the same. A blog is such an incredible Nora Eve opened in July 2012, and launched our blog, which is exciting! fortunately it has been flourishing ever way to promote, share, and interact since. Our boutique is an embodiment with other businesses, customers and You describe yourselves as “reeveryone in between. writing the rules – traditional bride- of the passion we have for what we do. We constantly change our décor, style.” Tell us a little bit about Nora Eve Bridal and what makes you tick… dress styles, seasonal drinks, window Do you think more bridal boutiques should write blogs? displays and much more, but always At Nora Eve we know that the Absolutely! It’s our view that, like with wedding industry is an ever-growing, remembering to love and enjoy what people, every business is different, changing, and evolving sector. It is our we do. This is so important! We’re and has a unique perspective when aim to ensure that we are doing all we all normal girls enjoying life, and I can as a boutique to move and evolve believe this positivity is evident to our it comes to customers and products.

What better way to share and with the industry; this means keeping customers as soon as they enter our promote this than through arguably things luxe and modern, whilst at the store, and makes them feel at ease.

Blog/boutique name Nora Eve Bridal.

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our audience and customer base with too much information. By keeping a ‘monthly newsletter’ feel to our blog, it is much more lucrative in terms of piquing a prospective customer’s interest, and holding it there.

Do you use social media to contact and interact with your target market? If so, which ones?

We sure do. As I mentioned previously, social media is such a vast platform, that it has become integral to our success and is a part of our daily work routine, so much so that we have a dedicated social media apprentice who is able to work her magic! It’s mostly using our dedicated Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest pages.

While blogging is, of course, about the words first and foremost, it’s important to keep your offering visual, too. What do you look for in photos and images?

Image is everything – we look for and create our own images that are dynamic, relevant, beautiful and above all else, purposeful. It is vital that all of our images appeal and communicate with our audience. We feel images – more often than not –carry a key message to our target audience and capture an essence that words cannot. the world’s most powerful influencing business along with social media; it tool? A blog is a blank canvas for you is the eye through which all of our prospective customers see us and to make your mark on. is often the first point of contact and interaction with us. We feel our Blogging is a great way to website encapsulates the ambiance communicate to your audience.

Have you created a ‘blogging’ voice of our boutique and communicates to use when you write? Or does it all our message to our audience. come naturally to you ?

We believe there should be a balance How often do you plan on adding blogs to your website? Is it case of of the two. We strive to cater for all finding the time? Or should you make brides, so it is our belief that there is time to blog? a happy medium between a ‘natural’ We feel updating our blog once and a ‘blogging’ voice. Because all a month works well for us at this brides are so different, there is an art moment in time. Updating the to appealing to all of them through blog too often can become timeone voice. consuming, and we wouldn’t want to compromise the balance that we How important is your website to have. By blogging once a month it your business? means we are not constantly flooding Our website is the face of our

We strive to cater to all brides, so we look for a happy medium between a ‘natural voice’ and a ‘blogging voice’

Head over to noraevebridal.co.uk/ inspiration to see how Emma and her team are getting on with their new blogging adventure! In the meantime, have you felt a pang of inspiration of your own? Thinking of starting a blog on your website? If you’ve got questions you’d like to ask to blogging gurus, email them to me susi@meanttobemedia.com.

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Cushion The Impact From pastels to colour-pop, a blank canvas of brilliant, bridal-boutique white deserves a touch of personalisation. Say it with cushions...

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01 Personalise your boutique with these Hubby & Wifey cushions for your chance to reminisce with brides! £29.99, gettingpersonal.co.uk

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02 Beautifully botanical love birds in embroidered pale green. Jan Constantine Love Birds Cushions £120, janconstantine.com 03 Perfect against a white backdrop, take inspiration from the Glam Rock era and revel in Ziggy’s Stardust £98, janconstantine.com 04 The fluff of love: British sheepskin and Calon Wlan heart-shaped cushions £50, baastool.co.uk

05 Eye-catching and strikingly colourful, we say mix and match these cushions

by Santorus £135, limelace.co.uk 06 Arthouse’s Eastern Alchemy Cushions showcase floral and animal patterns in rich, sumptuous pinks £12, arthouse.com 07 Marbled hot-pink on a pure, silk-satin cushion anyone? Yes please! £95, penelopehope.com

08 Iconic Union Jack cushions with matching love hearts! £38.50, janconstantine.com

09 Oriental Botanica Velvet Cushions, in gold and pink £34, frenchbedroomcompany.co.uk J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 ♦ W E D D I N G T R A D E R ♦ 69

Money Talks...

w In 2019/20 you can still receive dividend income of £2,000 tax free and the dividend tax rates remain at 7.5% in the basic rate band, 32.5% in the higher rate, and 38.1% where total income exceeds £150k. w The Savings Allowance is the amount of savings income (eg interest) an individual can receive without paying tax on it. The available allowance in a tax year depends on the individual’s marginal rate of income tax. Broadly, individuals taxed at up to the basic rate of tax have an allowance of £1,000.

For higher rate taxpayers the allowance is £500. No allowance is due to additional rate taxpayers (ie where income is over £150k). Some individuals qualify for a 0% starting rate of tax on savings income up to £5,000. However, the rate is not available if taxable non-savings income (broadly: earnings, pensions, trading profits, and property income less allocated allowances and reliefs), exceeds £5,000.

GOING LEGAL

One question only this month, but one that covers dozens and dozens of queries. Michael Cahill explains the implications of Mr Hammond’s latest Budget... and he does it in a language we can actually understand!

The Chancellor’s Budget – there is always so much that doesn’t seem to affect me or my business. Am I failing to see the obvious?

The Chancellor’s Budget impacts all of us and whilst there may be large parts that don’t affect you, it is important to understand the impact of the bits that will.

Individuals w In the tax year 6 April 2019–5 April 2020, the personal allowance (ie an amount you can earn before paying any tax) will rise from £11,850 to £12,500.

The personal allowance is eroded where income exceeds £100k – £1 of the personal allowance is lost for every £2 of income over £100k. Individuals fortunate enough to have an income of £125k-plus will therefore lose all of their personal allowance and effectively pay income tax at 60% on incomes between £100-£125k. w The basic rate of tax has remained at 20%. However, the basic rate band will increase from £34,500 to £37,500.

This means that you can now earn up to £50,000 before paying higher-rate tax. w Where income exceeds £50k, an individual will start to pay tax at the higher rate (40%). They will also potentially be liable for the High Income Child Benefit Charge where this is relevant. w Where income falls between £50-60k this can be a particularly harsh tax band. Making personal pension contributions to reduce net income below £50k can be a particularly useful planning tool.

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Business w Corporation tax rates will remain at 19%, dropping to 17% from 1 April 2020. w There were significant changes to capital allowances (ie. allowances on capital expenditure) including: – Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) will increase from £200,000 to £1 million in relation to qualifying expenditure incurred between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2020.

If you are planning significant capital expenditure getting the timing right could be crucial for maximising the allowances available.

– There is a reduction in the rate of writing down allowance on the special rate pool of plant and machinery, including long-life assets, thermal insulation, integral features and expenditure on cars with CO2 emissions of more than 110g/km, from 8% to 6% from April 2019. Complex calculations may apply to accounting periods that straddle this date.

– An extension of the current 100% first-year allowance for expenditure incurred on electric charge-point equipment until 2023.

– A new capital allowances regime will be introduced and will apply to new non-residential structures and buildings.

Relief will be provided on eligible construction costs incurred on or after 29 October 2018, at an annual rate of 2% on a straight-line basis.

w The VAT registration threshold of £85,000 has been frozen until 1 April 2022. w The National Minimum Wage will increase from April 2019 to £7.70 per hour for 21 to 24 year olds, £6.15 per hour for 18 to 20 year olds, £4.35 per hour for 16 to 17 year olds and £3.90 per hour for apprentices.

Employer provided cars w Most cars are taxed by reference to bands of CO2 emissions multiplied by the original list price of the vehicle; the maximum charge is capped at 37% of that list price. For 2018/19 tax year there was generally a 2% increase in the percentage applied by each band. For 2019/20 the rates will increase by a further 3%. w A new development for the current tax year is an increase in the diesel supplement from 3% to 4%. This applies to all diesel cars (unless the car is registered on or after 1 September 2017 and meets the Euro 6d emissions standard) but the maximum is still 37%.

Property w Draft legislation has been issued to change the reporting of gains and the associated Capital Gains Tax (CGT) liability on the disposal of property for disposals made on or after 6 April 2020. The main change is a requirement for UK residents to make a return and a payment on account of CGT within 30 days following the completion of a residential property disposal on a worldwide basis. The new requirements will not apply where the gain on the disposal is not chargeable to CGT, for example where the gains are covered by private residence relief. This could bring forward the tax payment date by 22 months in some circumstances. w It is proposed that from April 2020 the government will make two changes to private residence relief.

The final period exemption will be reduced to nine months, and Lettings Relief will be reformed so that it only applies in circumstances where the owner of the property is in ‘shared-occupancy’ with a tenant.

The government will consult on the detail of both of these changes and other technical aspects but the change to lettings relief will mean the end of the exemption of up to £40,000 of gains for most sellers of residential property, which had previously been their main residence, as few owners will satisfy the ‘shared occupancy’ condition.

Find out more at albertgoodman.co.uk/wp/wpcontent/uploads/AG1244-Autumn-Budget-2018Summary.pdf. Email your business finance questions to susi@meanttobemedia.com in inclusion in the first available WT issue. To consult directly with Michael Cahill email michael.cahill@albertgoodman.co.uk

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ISSUE FOUR • MAY ‘18

My website journey

ONE RETAILER ON THE ROUTE SHE TOOK TO TO PERFECT HER ONLINE PRESENCE

SHOW NUMBERS SPECIAL FINDS AND NEW DISCOVERIES AT LONDON BRIDAL WEEK

GETTING IT RIGHT EVERY TIME THE NAMES AND THE LABELS YOU NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT

GROOMS WITH A VIEW WOW FACTOR DRESSING IS NOT JUST FOR FEMALES

If I was a retailer

VATANA WATTERS GETS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COUNTER

Two to one

WEDDINGTRADERMAG.COM

Your buying season starts here

Trying for a trophy?

WHICH AWARDS PROGRAMMES ARE THE WINNERS

WHO IS SHOWING WHAT... AND WHERE

BUYERS, BLOGGERS, MARKETEERS DELIVERING NEWS, VIEWS AND HONEST OPINION

BRIDES ON BOUTIQUES WHAT YOUR CUSTOMERS THINK ABOUT THEIR SHOPPING EXPERIENCE

YPOS

SERVICE LIFTS

NOT ANOTHER ONLINE OP! IT’S YOUR PROBLEMS, OUR SOLUTIONS. HELP AT HAND WHEN NEEDED

WHAT TOP SUPPLIERS ARE PROMISING THEIR CUSTOMERS

WHEN DOWNSIZING IS THE VERY BEST BET

WEDDING

ISSUE TWO • MARCH ‘18

WEDDINGTRADERMAG.COM

ISSUE EIGHT • SEPTEMBER ’18

UK Bridal Week A NEW SHOW SCHEDULED FOR 2019 PROMISES TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

HIGH STREET DEBATE WORKING TOGETHER TO WIN BATTLES

LONGEVITY HOW TO BE

LY PROUDTING SUPPOR BRITISH AR WE BRIDAL ERS RETAIL

DOING WHAT YOU’RE DOING MANY YEARS FROM NOW

A BIT OF BESPOKE GIVING YOUR PLACE A WHOLE NEW LOOK

SUSTAINABILITY IS THE BUZZWORD OF THE MOMENT – GET IT?

Have a ball

WE PICK THE BEST OF THE GOWNS

Trader Trader Trader

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03/04/2018 20:47

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WEDDING

WEDDINGTRADERMAG.COM

The High Street debate continues WE CANVAS OPINION ON THE FUTURE OF INDEPENDENT RETAILING

06/02/2018 14:53

ISSUE NINE • OCTOBER ’18

WEDDINGTRADERMAG.COM

THE NEXT BIG THING

Justin & Savannah INTRODUCING THE PERFECT COUPLE

WELL, WHAT’S IT TO BE?

SOLE MATES STEPPING OUT IN STYLE WITH THE LOVELY RACHEL SIMPSON

SAY HOLA TO THE BRANDS THAT MEAN BIG BUSINESS

WINNERS! WHAT IT FELT LIKE ON THE BIG NIGHT

SAME SEX WEDDINGS SOMETHING TO SERIOUSLY CELEBRATE

GROOM SERVICE ENTER THE NEW-AGE BOYS’ ZONE

SLEEVES

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04/09/2018 15:54

ISSUE TEN • NOVEMBER ’18

Changing the game plan

ADDING EXTRAS TO YOUR OFFERING THAT WILL PULL IN NEW BUSINESS

PROUDL SUPPOR Y TING BRITISH BRIDALW RETAILE EAR RS

Get togethers WORKING WITH OTHER SERVICE SUPPLIERS

OH KNICKERS! WHAT GOES UNDER THAT BEAUTIFUL DRESS

GOING TO NEW LENGTHS, AND ANYTHING BUT PLAIN

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07/08/2018 16:21

WEDDING

WEDDING

VIVA ESPAÑA

LY PROUDTING SUPPOR BRITISH AR WE BRIDAL ERS RETAIL

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WEDDINGTRADERMAG.COM

ISSUE ELEVEN • DECEMBER ’18

Survivial of the fittest WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? OPINIONS, ADVICE AND HARD-HITTING FACTS

PROUDL SUPPOR Y TING BRITISH BRIDALW RETAILE EAR RS

JEWELLED HEELS...

SIX OF THE ABSOLUTE SPARKLING BEST

FAMOUS FACES THE VALUE OF HAVING BIG NAMES ON BOARD

DISCUSSION: SHOULD YOU SHOW PRICES ON YOUR WEBSITE?

OUR GUIDE TO THE PRETTIEST PROM FROCKS

New York

THE STARS AND THE SHOW STOPPERS

09/10/2018 13:40

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06/11/2018 09:56

TO WORK W I TH US , CONTACT: Advertising Sales Consultant Nardene Smith nardene@meanttobemedia.com Mobile: 07957 372276

Sales Executive Martha Cooke martha@meanttobemedia.com Mobile: 07877 449122

Editor Susi Rogol susi@meanttobemedia.com

Finally, it feels that the gap has been bridged and suppliers and retailers are all on the same page, working and talking together. Susi and the fabulous team have recognised this in abundance and created a monthly handbag explosion of fascinating insight, construction opinions, hints, tips and captivating reads. Truly inspirational!

Jeanette Stevens, Managing Director, Enzoani Europe

W E D D I N GT RA D ER M AG .CO M J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 ♦ W E D D I N G T R A D E R ♦ 71

F IND YOUR

DREAM DRESS

MOST VIEWED… BRIDAL DRESS VICTORIA BY ELBETH GILLIS The gorgeous Luminescence collection has recently been added to the site, and it’s got plenty of attention! Especially this stunning gown with pretty lacecapped sleeves.

Digital snapshot

F I ND Y

DRE DRE

WHAT YOUR BRI DES A R E SHOPPING FOR O N LI N E We look at what trends brides are searching for this month on findyourdreamdress.co.uk MOST READ… BLOG FEATURE GORGEOUS MOTHER OF THE BRIDE OUTFITS This month, brides have been looking after the number one lady in their lives – mum! This new feature showcasing stunning John Charles outfits for the mother of the bride has been a huge hit on the FYDD website.

72 ♦ W E D D I N G T R A D E R ♦ J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9

WHAT IS FIND YOUR DREAM DRESS? Brides-to-be can use this super-helpful website that allows them to filter various categories in order to find their dream dress in among FYDD’s database. Then, the site tells the brides where the nearest boutique is to them that stocks their dress of choice. If you’re a designer and you’d like to see your collection of gowns featured here, or if you’re a boutique owner who would love to have your business included in the search results, then visit findyourdreamdress.co.uk to discover more. Alternatively, drop Martha an email at martha@meanttobemedia.com.

MOST SEARCHEDFOR… DESIGNER CASABLANCA BRIDAL Filled with an array of beautiful gowns that ooze sophistication, brides have been going crazy for the latest collections from Casablanca. With such diversity on offer, they’ve got every bridal style covered.

MOST SEARCHED-FOR… DRESS SHAPE FLOATY Lightweight skirts have been one of the most soughtafter styles this month. Perhaps brides are looking for something cool and light for the imminent Spring/ Summer season.

MOST VIEWED… PLUS-SIZE DRESS STYLE W396 BY ALLURE WOMEN This fit and flare design with an illusion off-the-shoulder neckline is oh-so pretty. We love the waist detail, too. Very figure flattering.

MOST VIEWED… BRIDESMAID DRESS STYLE RDM1109 BY RICHARD DESIGNS This pretty-in-pink gown is ideal for the upcoming season. The asymmetric bodice and layered skirt is really unusual. Finished with a little sparkle on the waist to one side. Easy to see why brides are loving this design!

J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 ♦ W E D D I N G T R A D E R ♦ 73

HARROGATE FASHION WEEK

27 - 28 JAN 19

FIRST SHOW OF THE SEASON ACCESSORIES | DAYWEAR | FOOTWEAR | KNITWEAR LIFESTYLE | OCCASIONWEAR

Maggy London

Michaela Louisa

John Charles

Ella Boo

Lizabella

REGISTER TODAY

Gabriela Sanchez

www.harrogatefashionweek.com

ALLURE BRIDALS

B UYING AGEN DA Make a note of these key dates

13-15 January 2019 TOP DRAWER OLYMPIA LONDON topdrawer.co.uk

27-28 January 2019 HARROGATE FASHION WEEK HARROGATE CONVENTION CENTRE harrogatefashionweek.com

3-4 March 2019 THE BRIDAL ROADSHOW HARROGATE thebridalroadshow.co.uk

10-11 March 2019 THE BRIDAL ROADSHOW BRISTOL thebridalroadshow.co.uk

30 March-1 April 2019 EUROPEAN BRIDAL WEEK MESSE ESSEN europeanbridalweek.com

17-19 March 2019

IDA TOREZ +38 073 009 92 90 / sales.pollardi@gmail.com

NATIONAL BRIDAL MARKET CHICAGO nationalbridalmarket.com

24-26 March 2019 LONDON BRIDAL WEEK EXCEL LONDON londonbridalweek.com

24-26 March 2019 ONE FINE DAY JJ WIMBOURNE, SHOREDITCH onefinedaybridalmarket.com

23-25 March 2019 ROME BRIDAL SHOW FIERA DI ROMA romebridalweek.com

13-15 April 2019 PARIS BRIDAL FAIR PORTE DE VERSAILLES parisbridalfair.com

14-16 April 2019 THE KNOT COUTURE SHOW NEW YORK coutureshow.com

4-6 May 2019 INTERBRIDE MESSE DUSSELDORF interbride.eu

26-28 April 2019 BARCELONA BRIDAL FASHION WEEK BARCELONA barcelonabridalweek.com

12-14 May 2019 UK BRIDAL WEEK BIRMINGHAM NEC ukbridalweek.com J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 ♦ W E D D I N G T R A D E R ♦ 75

COMING NEXT MONTH IN THE

February issue • Getting behind boho – the latest in laid-back good looks • Blogging... do you know how to make the most of it? Our experts set up the guidelines • Valentine’s Day – what he and she will want to wear and the likelihood of a proposal on the 14th • Doing it abroad... the growth in destination weddings, and how you can benefit from the trend

WILDERLEY

• Show time –getting ready for the big buying season ahead

J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 ♦ W E D D I N G T R A D E R ♦ 77

“Last month, a reader asked about prints and their saleability. Well, over the years I have bought gowns in bold printed fabrics and others with contrasting colours of embroidery that look like a print. They make for great window and website display and certainly get noticed. Brides have rushed to try them on, yes, but inevitably they order the same dress but opt for a traditional colour. I do find subtle colour prints, and lace layered over coloured linings, sell well.”

“With my focus on dresses, I often forget the importance of accessories and therefore the value they can add to a sale. Your Six of the Best picture story on jewel-heeled shoes has really awakened my interest. Apart from anything else, I want that Diane Hassall shoe for ME.” “What I am seriously enjoying about Wedding Trader is that it is advice-packed and that advice comes from respected sources. Keep up the good work, your magazine is informative as well as rather challenging and that’s what this industry of ours needs. You are not shy of telling it like it is, and we retailers shouldn’t be either.

Thank you so much for the ongoing encouragement.”

IVORY & CO

“I must say, with all the ups, and considerable downs, of 2018, I am now looking forward to a new year and new opportunities. I know we all have to work together to get those brides on our side and away from the high-street mega-stores and I hate to say it, but reading the news about the downfall of David’s Bridal in America, regardless of the reasons for it, actually made me feel that we independents have more solid ground to stand on. I for one will not be beaten.”

...and finally What’s the word on the street? We’ve rounded up who’s been saying what, whether it’s about Wedding Trader or the industry in general

“Prom has never been big business for me – at least not the traditional neon-coloured froufrou stuff. The guide you ran in your last issue, though, showed a very different perspective, much more elegant and occasionwear-style dresses that would be right for bridesmaids, too. That’s given me the idea of looking at prom as a merchandise sector. It would be helpful to know how other shops promote prom as it is a very different customer category.”

“I found it interesting seeing the dresses you featured from the New York shows.

Of course what goes on the catwalks of the world is not what necessarily sells, but you get a real feeling for future trends and also how something can be adapted for a wider market. I loved the really daring pieces... that’s what window dressing is all about.”

“No particular comment to make but I just wanted to wish everyone in the industry – retailers, suppliers, and you magazine people – a brilliant 2019.”

JANUARY 2019 ♦

W E D D I N G T R A D E R ♦ 78

NOW

AVAIL AB

LE IN

F IND YOUR

THE U

DREAM DRESS Use our handy tool to search through 1000’s of dresses online for all the bridal party, then click to find your nearest stockist!

www.findyourdreamdress.co.uk

SA