Wedding Forum - Normal to charge for wedding dress appointments?

Wedding Forum - Normal to charge for wedding dress...

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The Big Day > Wedding Dress: Normal to charge for wedding dress appointments?

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- CommentAuthorHoxxyhula
Hi

One of my bridesmaids is coming down at the end of march so I was trying to make some appointments with wedding dress shops today. My first ones!

Apart from the fact that most places did not have appointments on Saturdays until April (!) one of them said there is a £25 charge to even have an appointment there. Is this normal? is annoying because the only central London stockist of a designer I like.

Jx
- CommentAuthorMrs (Dove) Pidgeon
Its not unheard of... but its uncommon.

Now a extremely happy German housewife and now a Mother!!!!
Islay Jean born 24th June in Hannover.
- CommentAuthorsbride
Hmmmm never heard of that before hun. Been to quite a few bridal shops and never had to pay for an appointment. Bloody cheek if u ask me!

I am now Mrs Stacey Stiles and loving it!
- CommentAuthor
Jesus - I never ceased to be amazed at those wedding shops! There are lots of shops which don't charge but if it's a designer you want then it's a difficult one.
- CommentAuthorMoggle
That sucks! I tried on at quite a few shops and didn't get charged. Come to the countryside, it's cheaper!

- CommentAuthorsbride
What designer is it?

I am now Mrs Stacey Stiles and loving it!
- CommentAuthorHoxxyhula
Charlotte Balbier - there are stockists just outside of London but I am being lazy!

She explained it as a charge in case I didn't turn up, so I asked why they could not just take my card details and charge if and when that happened. Not so clear on that!
- CommentAuthorHappy2bme
Hun, I've been fairly outspoken about this before.... Dont pay to go and look at dresses!!!
You have got enough to pay for without giving some puffed up berk the license to print money!!!
Cant stand these rip off merchants who see 'Ditzy wedding drunk bride' coming!!!!

GRRRRR!!1
Sorry...... rant over xxxx
- CommentAuthortorialou
I went to every shop in the Swansea/Llanelli/Neath area and never once got charged to look!!
Does that designer have any other stockists even an hour away? I wouldn't want to pay on principle!!!
- CommentAuthormrsr2b
what did she say when u said about ur card details hun??
xx
- CommentAuthorDrunchPunk
It's That London for you. We simple country folk don't have such problems :)
- CommentAuthorHoxxyhula
Yep - I'm not paying that. It's ridiculous. 'Oh please let me pay you to accept my custom for a very expensive dress'. Fuck off!
- CommentAuthorMrs (Dove) Pidgeon
Plenty of good shops in London who don't charge!

Now a extremely happy German housewife and now a Mother!!!!
Islay Jean born 24th June in Hannover.
- CommentAuthorsbride
  
  edited
EDIT -LINK HAS BEEN REMOVED ,THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED ON THE FORUM. PLEASE READ THE RULES THREAD .

This is a shop in romford, not far from london. I think they stock that designer.

I am now Mrs Stacey Stiles and loving it!
- CommentAuthorHoxxyhula
Not very clear on why they can't just take details rather than charge just in case...I will either go to the stockist just out of London or forget about it. Plenty more dresses in the sea....
- CommentAuthorHoxxyhula
Thanks sbride!
- CommentAuthorDrunchPunk
You don't want one of those sea dresses, think of the barnacles..
- CommentAuthorHoxxyhula
and I suppose they might smell a bit damp...
- CommentAuthorMrs (Dove) Pidgeon
If you like I'll post the shop I went to in London to your wall- I recommend it to anybody!

Now a extremely happy German housewife and now a Mother!!!!
Islay Jean born 24th June in Hannover.
- CommentAuthorHoxxyhula
That would be great - thanks!
- CommentAuthorHoxxyhula
P.s I also have an appointment at Ritva Westenius who were absolutely lovely on the phone!
- CommentAuthor
They are gorgeous though - very expensive looking. Romford is only 20 minutes or so from Liverpool Street on the overground.
- CommentAuthorHappy2bme
Good luck Hoxxyhula.... hope you get your dream dress in a shop you dont have to pay them to shop in! xxx
- CommentAuthorHoxxyhula
I will probably go and have a look in the Romford one, but not when my bridesmaid comes down as we have to pack as much dress shopping and champagne drinking into one day as possible! No time for trains that day, but will go with my other bm who is also London based.

They do look lully

x
- CommentAuthorsbride
Plus that one in romford does out of hours appoinments so might be able to get one on a saturday evening hun x

I am now Mrs Stacey Stiles and loving it!
- CommentAuthorMrs (Dove) Pidgeon
I've sent you a friend request Hoxxyhula.

Now a extremely happy German housewife and now a Mother!!!!
Islay Jean born 24th June in Hannover.
- CommentAuthorHoxxyhula
That's a good point - I wonder how much endurance my bridesmaid's have?! I'm sure they could cope with a trip to Romford to round off the day :)
- CommentAuthorHoxxyhula
Got the friend requests - thank you ladies!
- CommentAuthorjojomc5
ive tried on in about 6 or so dif shops an not once had to pay,they obviously make money on the dreses them selves so charging to even try on is a complete joke!! i'd ring back an say ya can stick ya shop up where sun dont shine i'll take my money else where!!tryin the dresses on for some girls is one of the most exciting things about the whole wedding lol .where ever ya go i hope you enjoy it xx
- CommentAuthorPossum
I can understand taking a deposit, to make sure you keep your appointment, but they should give you the money back!
I wouldn't pay to go somewhere to spend around £1500!!
- CommentAuthorCelestineH
I want to resurrect this thread to get peoples' advice please. I am based in central London two blocks away from london bride couture so I called them to see if I could have a look at some dresses. The woman who called me back was quite abrupt and I wanted to tell her to forget it but I'm getting married in May and have no time to mess around finding dress shops further away. When we agreed the appointment date/time she told me that there is a £20 charge. Is this normal, or should I tell them to forget it and refund me the £20? It seems odd to me. The woman seemed very snotty. I work in an investment bank but people are a hell of a lot more pleasant there ha ha!
- CommentAuthorVelcro
I would of told her to stuff off at the first sound of snottiness, never mind charging for it. Cheeky cow.

Wibbly wobbly, timey wimey
*Kelbel* is my wedding twinny!
- CommentAuthorWhovianbride
Its very uncommon,but what I know of it normally if you buy a dress the appointment charge comes off the cost of dress, i think ots to try and put off copy cats!

Met June 2009 on my Birthday,Met again July 2009 and got
together, May 2010 Moved in,Jan 2011 got pregnant,
August 2011 Got our own place, 2011 Had our Baby Girl,
Dec 2011 Got engaged, July 2015 Getting married! Yay!
- CommentAuthorMrsThomson2B
It is uncommon but some high end stores will charge an appointment fee to try and stop time wasters coming in and taking an appointment that a genuine bride could be using. Saying that, many stores which charge for an appointment will take that charge off the cost of any dress or accessories that you rgo on to purchase x
- CommentAuthorInDreamland
I know that v3r@w@ng in the department stores charge to discourage time wasters but I believe they may take off the charge from the cost of the dress if you buy one.

There's plenty of bridal stores in central London though who don't charge and aren't snooty.

Married the love of my life on Saturday 11th May 2013 xxx
Had our dream perfect honeymoon in Hawaii!
- CommentAuthorclairenina
I have only heard of charging for alterations, not for appointments
- CommentAuthorCatherineR
I would refuse on principle to pay. You are going to be paying them a massive amount anyway on a dress so they hardly need more! The only time I've heard of payments mentioned is if you want a Sunday or evening appointment ie out of hours and that's fair enough xx

Married my wife on 15.08.15
Honeymooned on the Isles of Scilly :)
- CommentAuthor*KelBel*
  
  edited
I wouldn't pay for an appointment, yes it's good if it comes off the cost of the dress but you may not like anything and that's not time wasting,it's like going shopping in a mall looking for a dress for Saturday night and not finding something you like!absolutely ridiculous....just more of a money making scheme! I went bk to the shop I bought my dress from 3 times before I made a decision to go with them (after trying other shops also) would they charge a fee three times if u had to go back again then? ..... I'm just completely flabbergasted!! It seems that you'd be getting rushed into a purchase from them just to get your charge bk,and nobody should feel pressured!

Velcro...my wedding day twinny! The Two Kel's!
Got engaged 14/10/12 in Central Park NYC!
Became Mrs Macdonald 13th September 2014
Mummy to 4 girlies and baby blue boy Due 10/05/2016
- CommentAuthorBethanyS
^^ I agree with KelBel, I wouldn't pay for a appointment either. If you don't buy anything from there, then you're just going to feel a little ripped off, as much fun as it is to put on wedding dresses, I wouldn't try them on for £25! x

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