I’ve just been to get a preview of a new boutique opening in the cathedral precincts and this time it’s wedding bells.
Bridal Reloved owner Lucy has just put the finishing touches to her dream and will be opening her boutique tomorrow on Sunday for all to see.
What is it about? Bridal Reloved is all about no waste. Whether it’s sample designer dresses, ex catalogue dresses or even dresses preloved from a previous wedding… they are all beautiful.
Not everyone has a huge budget for their wedding and dresses can normally cost over £2000, so why not reduce that cost and have less money worries as you’re starting out your new life with your new husband or wife. The dresses here are greatly reduced in price – an example is a stunning floral designer dress that was originally £1900 now reduced to £900 which is a whopping saving when you’re thinking about your wedding budget.
Lucy’s boutique is part of the Bridal Reloved franchise with over 21 other boutiques around the UK. Their belief is that there is so much waste of material and water use in the creation of brand-new dresses that pre-loving something which has only been worn for probably 4-7 hours is a great recycling idea. They are also part of carbon neutral Britain.
Bridal Reloved is one of the UK’s largest bridal chains and the world’s only chain of award winning bridal boutiques specialising in sample and preowned, high-end designer wedding dresses. All the dresses are five years and under and if preloved they are thoroughly checked and cleaned before adding to the rail.
At the moment, Lucy is working on an appointment only basis, so she can ensure that you have the time you need to make your choice of your perfect dress. Looking on the rails there are a complete array of different styles from lace to satin, from flowered to sequinned, from cream to salmon pink… the choice is yours.
Now don’t be thinking that there may not be a dress for you because your size is 16-32 as Lucy also features a plus size range called Terra Bridal, one is featured on the stand. These are gorgeous brand-new dresses which are made to order, if there doesn’t happen to be any preloved ones at the time of your visit in the boutique.
It doesn’t stop with just the purchase of the dress though, she will also be supplying veils and other accessories and if there are any alterations to be made to your dress, then Lucy can give you some recommended wedding dress seamstresses.
She will be selling top designers like Jenny Packham, Maggie Sottero, Ian Stuart, Justin Alexander and Claire Pettibone to name just a few. The turn over is very fast and she expects to have new dresses in every week.
A question you’re probably also going to ask is – does she buy wedding dresses? She personally doesn’t….what happens is that you should go onto the Bridal Reloved website enter all the information of your wedding gown and then it will go through the right channels in order to sell it, if it’s accepted.
If you’ve got a wedding coming up, go along and see Lucy either alone or with your bridal entourage for the experience and get inspired. It’s all about spending less on your wedding, reusing something beautiful, which should not be hidden away in a loft for years.
We wish her good luck in her new venture in the fabulous setting of the Cathedral grounds in the heart of the city.