7 minute read
I DID IT THIS WAY
SHOOT THE DAY PHOTOGRAPHY
highlights.
During COVID-19 they have been diligent about implementing safety precautions to protect you without detracting from the personalized, joyful experience that is bridal shopping. Many have fun surprises in store for brides and unique ways to celebrate your “Say Yes!” moment.
Shopping at an independent boutique isn’t just about picking out the perfect gown but rather having a complete experience. That’s a rarity in this day and age and 100% worth experiencing.
So many owners have interesting stories about how they came to work in this industry, but one common theme is a passion for bridal, often recognised from a young age.
Helping you find your perfect gown and all of the happiness that goes along with that is what makes them light up inside. Making an appointment at your local bridal boutique should be one of the first things you do as you begin planning your wedding. These owners and their amazing consultants stand excited and honoured to help you!
Yours
Shannon Hurd
Shannon has been the editor in chief of VOWS, the leading trade magazine for the bridal retail industry, for more than a decade. She maintains an extensive network of wedding professionals, including boutique owners, manufacturers, designers and consultants, and specialises in delving deep into pertinent topics that reflect her sensitivities to the issues of brides-to-be and those of independent bridal click and mortar businesses.
sabina motasen tells it her way
Designer, retailer and marketeer, Sabina has used the difficult past months to refine her own business, produce kit for front-line workers, and to get married. What she has learned is certainly worth sharing
We all need to remember, brides who are planning weddings for 15 people are not the same as the brides who are planning weddings with a 150 guests. As a wedding dress designer, who’s just had a very small and intimate wedding myself in September, with many of our brides opting to do the same or post-poning, I’m only too familiar with what brides are needing right now.
With unemployment figures edging towards the 2-million mark next month, many brides may find they suddenly have a smaller budget to get married in this everchanging world. We created our debut ready-to-wear range, The Green Collection, of sustainable luxe dresses at affordable prices in the same signature timelessly-chic style, without compromising on quality – so that we can help more brides look and feel fabulous on their special day whatever the size of their weddings.
With all the changing restrictions and everything that is going on right now, bridal boutiques and retailers need to be prepared to help and inspire the brides of today find their dream dress. At the moment, there are fewer brides who are able to commit to a dress with long-lead times. Brides need dresses with much shorter timescales. They need something now, something budget- friendly and perhaps something adaptable for a second ceremony too.
Nobody really wants to be spending more money on extra stock, so choose your collections really carefully and try to select styles which are available now. This is the trend that we are seeing with brides who have less time to plan their weddings as government rules are changing regularly. They are deciding to get married now and opting to having the big reception later. Brides are looking for styles without the usual six to eight months lead times. If you can accommodate this you’ll be dressing more brides.
Unquestionably, bridal boutiques with a larger selection, and that have pieces that are available now in stock, will be better prepared.
We asked some of our wedding industry friends, for their thoughts and we’ve compiled these ten tips to help retailers cater for Covid-era brides.
1 Dresses that can be easily transformed to create different bridal looks are perfect for a micro wedding with a big reception later. Choose styles with separates and lace or tulle over-dresses. The Sabina Motasem Elsa dress is one of our best-selling pieces and is so versatile. It can be worn as a slip-style dress with a silky sash to create a look that could be perfect for a city registry wedding and then can be completely transformed with the Margot lace over-dress for a more romantic, ethereal look. “There are still brides who want to go ahead with their ceremony. These bride’s feel like it’s a win win as they’re wearing their dress for both events. That way they get to wear it twice!” Sam Walsh at Sass & Grace
2 Stock versatile accessories, like beautiful hair pins and shoe clips which can create looks without costing more and are perfect for two different events. Hair pins can be clustered together to create the illusion of a larger head piece or worn spaced apart for a more delicate look. This can be really useful for a bride who may be planning for two very different events, and having a number of hair trials, or who might be doing her own hair on the day. Kelly Spence has a great selection of hair pins. “Covid-era brides are focusing on intimate weddings. They want it to be special and meaningful, but are willing to compromise for something that is already in stock. They are focused on the wedding itself rather than the extraneous details of a larger wedding.” Kelly Spence Bridal Accessory Design
3 Brides don’t need to buy two different pairs of shoes for two events. They can wear one and change them with different shoe clips. Freya Rose stocks a range of shoe clips. Invest in shoe styles with a block heel or mother of pearl heels, perfect for wearing outside on the grass, hardwearing and easily wiped clean.
“The mother of pearl heel is not only beautiful but also quite hardwearing and easy to wipe clean to look beautiful for years to come. Boots are trending right now and are popular with city weddings.” Freya Rose
4 Always have a selection of samples available to buy at discounted prices. We always have a range of samples available to buy online and you may have pieces from previous collections looking for beautiful homes. Now is the time to bring those samples out. You may even want to list the sale on ChicMi too which has a very large audience. Have your designers got samples they’re keen to sell which you can help sell for them? As well as having your own samples in a sale, look at ways you can add to your sale through the designers you stock.
the deal.
7 Include ‘ready-to-wear’ off-thepeg dresses that have little need for alterations. Brides will be willing to compromise on the style and details for a lovely dress, they look and feel amazing in they can wear now. 8 Diversify your bridal offering with styles that would appeal to all brides, who are planning weddings now and later including short gowns and suits too. Ask your designers what short styles they do. Think Keira Knightley’s wedding dress – a Chanel number that she had previously worn to a premiere paired with a jacket from the same house and a simple flower crown.
Clare Thompson, The Wedding Club
9 Smaller weddings means extra budget to splash out on accessories; stock up on more pieces to widen your accessory collection. Add new designers to your range, and include beaded belts and silky sashes and shrugs. Different accessories arean easy way to change a bridal look. 5 More brides are looking for ways they can be environmentally friendly. Choose sustainable styles to include in your range too. Quite a few designers are now adding eco-friendly options in their collections, due to the increasing demand from brides looking to have a more sustainable wedding. We recently launched The Green Collection of luxe, sustainable and affordable dresses which our brides are loving. 10 Bridal boutiques need to put a positive uplifting spin on their socials and content for brides. Brides are looking for help and need to feel inspired to create their beautiful micro weddings. We all know it’s a very tough time for weddings, but we need to maintain a positive frame of mind together to show our brides they can still have a beautiful and aspirational wedding if they want to, regardless of the 6 Stock pieces with shorter lead-times or available now. Speak to your designers and ask them which of their styles can be made quickly. Arm yourself with availability information ready for brides and have it to hand. You can direct them to the styles with the shorter lead times if it will seal size of the wedding party. Share as many expert tips and stories, take time to create engaging content and support your fellow retailers and suppliers. Use a platform like Planoly or Later to schedule your posts and save yourself loads of time and use Canva for great templates for social media.
