This could get lengthy so make sure you are sat with a cuppa
(or a glass of fizz if you have stumbled across this, post 5pm when doing some wedding planning!)
Dotty Bridal is a boutique that goes against the norm to ensure that their brides feel incredibly special from the start of their journey i.e. now, before you have even booked your appointment, to the day you collect your dress and even beyond this.
We understand what it means to go on this journey… I sit here now as Dotty Bridal’s biggest advocate. I actually found my dress at Dotty back in 2019, before I went on to join the team as one of their Bridal Stylists and subsequently linked up with them in my new profession as a Bridal Coach. So trust me, I know just what it means to find your dress here and to go on this incredible journey with them.
I come from a place of speaking bride to bride. I know the feeling of wanting or thinking you need to go to umpteen shops, I understand the feeling of being wary of committing out of fear of finding something else, better? elsewhere? I know the feeling of worrying you have jumped too soon and may regret your choices, I also know about whether or not to invite everyone to these bridal appointments or keep it small. I chose small but I still had those thoughts. I want to share my journey with you, I want to bring other Dotty brides’ experiences to your attention and I want to reaffirm to you that by doing your research, like you are now, really envisaging your day coming to life, that the gown you always knew you’d wear could be and is most probably sat on one of the rails within Dotty Bridal.
The minute you decide you want to visit the boutique is when our communications with you begin; we are so invested in you and your journey. I wrote a buying guide for all of our brides to help when trying to navigate your way around dress shopping. One of my biggest tips is to not associate this journey with stress – as it needn’t be! As long as you do your research and keep your vision at the forefront, you can and most probably will find your dress in your first shop!
Your wedding dress is the single most expressive garment you will ever wear, so doing your research prior will really help you decide what it is that you want. It is about forming that emotional connection with a dress, not rushing and racing to try on as many as you can. Your language is key, so if you say things like, ‘my gosh where do I begin, this is so hard’ guess what? It will seem hard. But if you say things like….’I am so excited to find the one, I can’t wait to go on this next part of our journey towards saying I do’…likelihood is you will have a totally different and more enjoyable and controlled experience, where you feel empowered making the decisions.
Dotty Bridal not only provide you with a buying guide to help you, we are also on hand prior to your appointment through our busy and proactive Instagram and social media channels. We will also be in touch with you prior to your appointment to ask you some questions, answer any queries you may have and of course get you excited before you visit us!
Did we mention… We now also have our own educational YouTube channel! Here you can find a wealth of knowledge and support to help you with every step of your journey. So, if you haven’t already, head to our channel and subscribe!
Top tip: If you haven’t decided who to bring with you to your appointment yet, watch our video ‘Who to bring with you to your bridal appointment’ as your first watch!
We absolutely can’t wait to welcome you to your appointment with open arms, we hope you leave feeling like you have just had an additional best friend in that appointment with you. Our job as skilled, passionate and professional bridal stylists is to really tap into your vision, help you uncover it and bring it to life. Our job is to help you find the dress that makes you feel incredible, like no other gown could. You will form an emotional attachment to one gown and when you do… That’s it! Don’t worry about going elsewhere to compare, we have seen it happen over and over, this only leads to confusion and dilution of that very special and irreplaceable feeling and moment. Keep it special, keep the moment unique and go with your gut, as you did when you said YES to the most answerable question when your best friend asked you to marry them…
So will you choose our Luxury Bridal appointment, or will you choose to upgrade and treat yourself and your guests to the ‘Cloud Experience’. Our entire boutique has that welcoming and luxury vibe running throughout. Our ‘Cloud Experience’ gives you access to an additional floor where you will change and then descend down the stairs and wow your guests in the gowns you have chosen, both appointments have their perks, and we list them all on the booking section of our website, so you know which appointment type is best suited to you!
Within your appointment, not only will you be made to feel instantly at home, you can also access our cocktail menu. Dotty does in fact have an alcohol license meaning your celebrations can start as soon as you sit in one of our plush chairs and begin discussing your bridal vision with your designated consultant. You will browse our high-end and world-renowned designers before trying the gowns on and deciphering which is for you. We will talk to you about your day, we will ask questions throughout to really make you think about how the dresses feel and whether or not you can see yourself wearing that particular dress on one of the biggest days of your life…
We will help you overcome concerns, we will help you expand your vision and we will help you create custom changes and from there, you will naturally come to your own decision. Knowing in your own mind that you have found your dream dress, with the support of those around you is the most empowering feeling. One dress will make you feel slightly different to the others but remember, how you feel will differ to any other bride, so just be true to yourself and your feelings at all times.
Once you have found the gown that makes you feel different to the rest, some may think that is it, the journey is over… However, we see it as only just beginning. Not knowing what dress you are going to wear can actually hinder and halt the rest of your plans, until you can really picture your day, so now the fun really does begin. Your flowers, your venue visits, your chosen colours, your cake, your bridesmaid dresses will all now become a lot easier to envisage with your dress chosen. We as a boutique also don’t stop there…once you have said YES to your dress, you will be invited to continue your celebrations in our exclusive and secret Dotty Bar, kept just for our Brides that say YES. We also have links with local businesses to help you continue your celebrations that day so do ask us and we will help you forge a plan for how your day can continue in the picturesque town of Holmfirth.
You will leave our boutique with your Dotty Bridal memory box filled with goodies including our famous ‘Dotty Bride’ mug which we have brides travel up and down the country for. You will leave feeling on top of the world knowing you have just found your dream dress in a boutique that loves your wedding journey as much as you do.
Think your journey is over? It couldn’t be less from over. Once your dress is made and back with us, you will be invited to accessory appointments where you will have access to our Dotty Bridal fitting suites! These are located just around the corner from the boutique in which you found your dress, in our sister boutique. The experience starts again, with an entire floor dedicated to accessories, you really can explore your bridal vision some more and see whether a veil is for you or not, whether a tiara will make you feel like a princess for the day (and I mean why not? you are the bride!) and we also have a plethora of gifts for your bride tribe that you can purchase to either ask them to be a part of your special day or they can go towards gifts you may be thinking of gifting to them before or on the day of your wedding.
We also offer all of our brides our in-house seamstress service, meaning you could be visiting Dotty Bridal an additional three more times, so the journey really doesn’t ever end. It is continual, it is special, it is one we never want you to forget. We really are so excited to be a part of this with you. As I said at the beginning, I know first-hand just how passionate and invested this team are and now I get to witness it daily. Our brides really do fall in love with the boutique, their messaging, their ethos and their offering for the same reason I did. Our weddings mean as much to them as if it was one of their own. Every bride is unique, special and individual and every bride’s needs and concerns are heard. When you choose to become a Dotty bride, it really will become one of the best decisions, when you look back on your wedding journey.
We can’t wait to welcome you and if there’s anything you need, we really are just a message away!
Love always, from one bride to another and on behalf of a boutique that can’t wait to help your dress dreams come true.
Alex & Team Dotty
xxx
