Answering 27 Questions on Your Post-Lockdown Wedding Dress Appointment

This blog post was updated on May 19th 2021.

It’s almost time to reopen! And honestly… we’re a little nervous.

We’ve studied the coronavirus, scrutinised government guidelines, consulted with other boutique owners - even contacted our local MP for guidance!

But the fact is that all anyone can do right now is use their best judgement. Since “best judgement” looks a little different to everyone, we know it’s important to explain what changes we’re making, and why.

The Experience

We take pride in offering a wedding dress shopping experience like no other. We don’t do the large entourage/prosecco pop/hard sell thing. It makes entertaining TV, but doesn’t always lead to a happy customer.

Instead, our focus has always been on the individual. What matters to you? What makes you happy? What outfit will it delight you to see yourself in, on your wedding day and in your photos for years to come?

That moment when we nail it, and you see yourself in an outfit that ticks every box… That moment can be truly magical. And we don’t want you to miss out.

That’s why our decision process has been led by two questions:

1. What will keep both our clients and our staff as safe as possible?

2. What compromises can we make to offer the experience we’re used to while keeping the risk acceptably low?

So you won’t see us in hospital gowns and face shields, taking your temperature before we allow you in the door! These would technically keep us slightly safer, but at the expense of the warmth and connection that makes our appointments so special. For us, that price is too high.

Instead, we’ve made other compromises. And, as with any compromise, not everyone will be happy with it. Some will tell us we’ve gone too far, others that we’ve not gone far enough.

We understand. There is no perfect solution. But we’ve done our best, and we hope the changes we’ve made will work for you.

The Science

To keep everyone safe, we’re following these evidence-based principles:

Keep close face-to-face interactions to a minimum

People are at most risk of transmitting and receiving the virus when face to face. As such, we’ll be using a combination of social distancing, mask-wearing, and a remote pre-consultation to keep this to a minimum.

Minimise the number of people in enclosed spaces

The more people in a small space, the higher the risk. This means limiting the number of people in our studio at one time, and also the number of people in a changing room.

Sanitise regularly and methodically

The coronavirus is easily killed with soap and good hand hygiene. We have come up with a cleaning routine for our hands, surfaces, and objects between appointments that follows best practices to keep our environment as safe as possible.

Ventilate as much as possible

We are very lucky to have beautiful large windows in both our studios, so we will ventilate throughout the day and especially after each appointment.

We have also included some rescheduling guidance, for anyone who thinks they may be at greater risk of contracting or transmitting COVID-19. Our guiding principle for this is that we trust you to err on the side of caution and reschedule if there is even the slightest cause for concern. 

This merits emphasis: we are a small team, and work closely together. If any one of us develops COVID-19 symptoms, we will all be forced to self-isolate and close the store, cancelling all appointments for several days and causing distress to anyone who had appointments with us over the previous week.

We need our clients to work with us to ensure first and foremost that everyone stays safe, and secondly that we can carry on doing the work we love.

So please read through all 27 answers and feel free to email us with any further questions you have. We will, as always, do what we can to make your visit the best experience it can be!

The Answers

BOOKING APPOINTMENTS

When will you be open for appointments?

We are open - and we are busy! If we need to prioritise appointments, we will give preference to those with 2021 weddings and those who have already purchased and now need to collect their dress. This is only likely to be necessary at weekends though, so we recommend booking midweek appointments if you can.

When should I schedule my appointment?

If you have a wedding date in 2021, we recommend you book an appointment as soon as possible. If your wedding date is later in 2022, you might prefer to wait a bit until the initial rush has died down.

MEASURES WE WILL TAKE

What is a pre-consultation, and why do I need one?

If you book an appointment with us, you may see us talk about a ‘pre-consultation’. This is actually something we have always done! We’ve just moved it online.

We normally start each appointment with a chat. What your wedding plans are, what shopping you’ve done, how you met your partner, and so on. We love getting to know our clients, and it makes it easier for us to help you find your dream dress!

However, since it’d be a bit awkward having those conversations from 2m away, we’re going to hold these chats on Zoom about a week ahead of your appointment. As a bonus, this will give you time to get comfortable with us and build up some excitement for your appointment.

When you book an appointment we will send you a confirmation email with a link in it to book your pre-consultation. Please book your pre-consultation for around one week before your appointment, and add it to your diary - with reminders if you think you’ll need them!

How safe will the studio be?

As safe as we can make it! We already have two completely separate consultation rooms, which now have entirely separate kit. The staff member assigned to each room will sanitise all high frequency touchpoints (e.g. handles, keyboards, card machines, desk surfaces, etc) between each appointment.

We will also ventilate the studio regularly and especially between appointments.

In addition, all staff will be wearing face coverings, keeping a safe distance of 2m where possible, and practising good hand hygiene.

Will you have hand sanitiser available?

Yes. When you arrive we will ask you and your guest to wash or sanitise your hands in our bathroom before we begin the appointment. We will also have hand sanitiser available in different spots throughout the studio.

Will you be social distancing?

Where possible! We know that the coronavirus can’t easily travel from one person to another at a distance of two metres. So when face to face, we will do our best to give you 2m of distance.

Obviously this won’t always be possible, and we still want our clients to feel relaxed and comfortable! This is why we will rely on face coverings and hand sanitisation alongside social distancing, to keep overall risk low.

MEASURES WE NEED YOU TO TAKE

Do you need me to wear a face covering?

Yes please! Face coverings have been proven to prevent the spread of viruses when worn by infected people. Since people with COVID-19 may not show symptoms, it’s safest for everyone who enters our studio to be wearing a face covering at all times.

As such, our staff will wear a face covering during your appointment, and we will ask clients and their guests to arrive wearing a face covering. Please keep your face covering on during your appointment, securely fastened to cover both your mouth AND nose fully.

What if I don’t have a face covering?

If you can’t get a face covering in advance, we will have reusable face coverings available to purchase for a small fee that will be donated to charity. This sustainable solution feels like the best balance between our values and safety. We have purposely decided not to go down the disposable mask route, because as a business we are conscious of our environmental impact and have been taking big steps in the last few years to drastically reduce that.

But we really recommend you have your own reusable face covering ahead of time, that conveys your personality and style! Face coverings are the new normal, and treating them like accessories gives us a way to enjoy that.

What if I get too hot in a face covering?

We understand that face coverings take some getting used to, and can be uncomfortably warm for some. We will gladly adjust our environment to make you comfortable, just let us know at any time if you think you’ll need this.

Do I have to wear a face covering even when trying on dresses?

This is a tough one… We talked about it as a team. We consulted with other boutiques. Finally, we asked you on Instagram for your thoughts.

The response blew us away. The vast majority of you are completely supportive about wearing a face covering if it makes our staff feel safer in their place of work. It means a lot to us to know how highly you value our staff’s sense of safety - we’re so grateful to have such an empathetic community around us, especially in such challenging times. So we have decided to ask that you keep a face covering on for your full appointment, including in front of the mirror.

Do you need me to wear gloves?

No. Our research shows that using gloves is no better than simply practising good hand hygiene. Instead of wearing gloves, we will be washing & sanitising our hands regularly and ask our clients to do the same. When you visit, we will ask that you wash or sanitise your hands before we start the appointment. Pretty bottles of hand sanitisers will also be scattered throughout the studio for easy access at any time.

YOUR SHOPPING EXPERIENCE

Can I still bring guests?

Yes! We know how important it is for many to be able to share this experience. We can’t safely accommodate large groups due to the size of our space, but two guests can join you for your appointment. Of course we will be keeping on top of government guidelines and adjust this if and as necessary.

All we ask is that you point your guests to this post in advance of your appointment so they clearly understand what we will be asking of them (washing hands at the start of the appointment, keeping a face covering on throughout, bringing no drinks, etc).

For anyone that wasn’t able to join, we welcome those all-important video calls!

Can I still use the lift?

For security reasons, it’s the type of lift where a building resident needs to be present to make it work, and current guidance in our building is that only 3 people should be in the lift at a time. So depending on how many people you bring, it might be better to take the stairs to reach us.

If anyone in your party has mobility issues, just let us know in advance of your appointment, and we’ll make the necessary arrangements.

Will you serve any drinks?

To make it easier to keep your face covering on the entire time, and to avoid the risk of cross-contamination when handling used cups or glasses, we won’t be offering any refreshments for the time being. Please come fully hydrated (or caffeinated, if that’s what you need!), finish any drinks completely and dispose of or put away all containers before coming inside. Please make sure you relay this info to your guests too. Needless to say, this will apply to any food as well!

If you have a health condition that will make this difficult for you, just drop us a line in advance of your appointment. We’ll be more than happy to talk it through, and see if we can come up with a solution you’re satisfied with.

Can I bring my own food or drink?

We really want everyone to keep their face covering on for the entire appointment when possible, so ask that you finish all food and drink before coming into the shop.

If you have a health condition that will make this difficult for you, just drop us a line in advance of your appointment. We’ll be more than happy to talk it through, and see if we can come up with a solution you’re satisfied with.

Will I be able to browse your collection?

We love our collection, and showing it off and seeing your reactions is our favourite thing… but we need to err on the side of caution. Your consultant will be glad to bring you any item you want from our collection, but browsing will be limited on the day.

Instead, we’ll ask you during your pre-consultation to select around 5 outfits to try, which we will have ready and waiting for you at your appointment. Our entire collection is always online and up-to-date, and we’ll always be available to answer questions on sample sizes or fit.

You’ll still have access to our full collection on the day, too! Discovering and refining your preferences throughout the appointment is the magic of wedding dress shopping (and not to brag - but that’s also what we are really good at!). So you’ll be pleased to know that hasn’t changed! We expect that many of you will be surprised by what looks good on you, and change your mind on what you want to try.

But this is where our skill and experience as consultants come in handy. Like any appointment before lockdown began, we’ll listen to your feedback and bring you new options to try on, options you may not have noticed even if you had been able to browse. Please make sure your guest also knows they will not be able to browse the collection and pick up/touch any merchandise like accessories etc.

Will you have shoes for me to try with the outfits?

All the samples in our collection come in a standard length, so we would normally provide heels to give you a better idea of how the dress falls once hemmed to the right length. However, under the current circumstances we will be unable to provide you with heels. So we would encourage you to bring a pair of your own heels for trying on with the dresses, regardless of the type of shoes you are going to be wearing at the wedding. Heels are simply instrumental in visualising the all important final fit of the dress.

Will you help me put the dresses on?

As the smallest space in our studio, the changing rooms are the areas we need to be most mindful of keeping safe. As such, we will ask you to get dressed as best you can on your own, then leave the changing room for us to do up any fastenings you have been unable to reach.

If you have a health condition that means you need assistance to change clothes, just drop us a line in advance of your appointment. We’ll be more than happy to talk it through, and see if we can come up with a solution you’re satisfied with.

Can I pay by cash?

We will only be able to accept card payments, even for a reusable mask. (We will be sanitising the card machine’s keypad after every use.)

RESCHEDULING GUIDANCE

I’ve had COVID-19, but recovered now. Can I still come?

If all your symptoms have gone, or the only ones remaining are a cough or changes to your sense of taste or smell, it’s fine to keep your appointment.

If you have any more symptoms, even to a mild degree, please stay at home - we will gladly reschedule your appointment for no extra fee.

I’ve got some symptoms, but it’s probably not COVID-19. Can I still come?

Please stay at home - we will gladly reschedule your appointment for 14+ days later, and there will of course be no extra fee!

Again, if one of our staff members develops any symptoms we will have to close and all of us self-isolate for at least 7-14 days. It doesn’t have to be COVID-19 to shut us down temporarily.

I’ve got no symptoms, but someone I met with in the past 14 days now has symptoms that could be COVID-19. Can I still come?

Please stay at home - we will gladly reschedule your appointment for 14+ days later, and there will of course be no extra fee!

It’s known that people can be carriers of COVID-19 and show no symptoms. Even if you feel fine, you could actually have COVID-19 and inadvertently infect someone vulnerable on your way to our appointment.

I’ve got no symptoms, but I’ve just travelled from abroad. Can I still come?

Please stay at home - we will gladly reschedule your appointment, and there will of course be no extra fee!

There’s just no way to be certain that someone you interacted with while travelling hasn’t since developed symptoms. Per NHS guidelines, we recommend you only book appointments for after you have been able to self-isolate for the recommended amount of time.

Can I bring my children? We’re all healthy.

We love children, and have them ourselves - which is exactly why we know how challenging it can be to get them to wear face coverings, keep their distance, and practise good hand hygiene.

It’s common for children to seem perfectly healthy and show no symptoms but be infectious with COVID-19. It’s safest for everyone if we keep our appointments child-free for now.

If your circumstances make it difficult to find childcare during our opening hours, just drop us a line in advance of your appointment. We’ll be more than happy to talk it through, and see if we can come up with a solution you’re satisfied with.

I’m shielding, but really want to go wedding dress shopping. Can I still come?

This is entirely at your discretion… but if you have the time to wait, we strongly recommend you wait. We’ll do everything we can to keep our studio safe, but it’s impossible for us to eliminate all risk entirely. Please, please protect yourself.

My mum’s shielding, but really wants to come to my wedding dress appointment. Can I bring her?

This is also at your discretion, but we beg you not to bring any vulnerable person to your appointment. We’ll do everything we can to keep our studio safe, but it’s impossible for us to eliminate all risk. Your wedding dress experience is not worth a loved one’s life, should the worst happen.

The Alternative 

If sharing this experience with a vulnerable loved one is so important to you that you’re even considering the risk, we gently encourage you to consider pushing back your wedding date. That way you should be able to have the full wedding experience you imagined without the spectre of COVID-19 looming over you.

And this is actually what we recommend to anyone who is unhappy with any of the requests we have made in this post. With no judgement - these are terrible circumstances, and it’s unfair that you should feel pressure to sacrifice the experience you imagined.

But we don’t want anyone to regret any aspect of their wedding planning.

If you think you’ll look back and wish you’d been able to have all your best friends at your appointment, or browse through the collection, or try on dresses without a face covering - consider postponing. Talk it through with your partner, your family, your friends, and of course your wedding suppliers. Don’t just get caught up in the planning process. Take a beat to reflect, and consciously decide whether getting married now is what’s really right for you.

If it is, just remember: the right outfit will still light you up from the inside.

It will still make your heart jump every time you try it on and see it in photos.

It will still make your loved ones misty-eyed to see you in it.

And we will still do everything in our power to find that outfit with you.

We’re all a little nervous right now, doing our best in challenging circumstances. But some things don’t change, and our commitment to you feeling amazing on your wedding day is one of those things. So even though we’re nervous, we’re also excited to start welcoming clients to our studio again, and getting to do the work we love.