Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to the most common questions we get asked

Useful information to help save you time

Here at Elderberry Brides, we get asked lots of questions about lots of things by lots of brides - which is just the way it should be of course!

We all have questions to ask when we're in the process of making important decisions so we thought it'd be really useful to share the answers to many of our most frequently asked questions.

We hope you find the following FAQ useful.

Q. Do I need an appointment?

A. While we can help most brides who arrive without an appointment on weekdays, the same may not be true on a Saturday or during the busier times of year. We strongly advise our customers to make an appointment so that you not only get the full benefit of a personalised service but also avoid the inconvenience of having to wait unnecessarily. Our focus will be to assist those brides who have made a prior appointment.

Q. Why are no prices shown?

A. In short, our suppliers don't allow it. Most of them set recommended retail prices (RRPs) that we stockists are requested to stick to. You can, however, see our price guide for each of our labels on our bridal wear page. We also frequently run special offers and other discount promotions.

Q. How are dresses priced?

A. All of our wedding dresses are priced very competitively to suit all budgets starting from around £350 depending on the designer, the style, and the fabric. Our bridesmaids dresses start from around £130 although discounts are available.

Q. Do you have a payment plan?

A. Yes. We offer our customers a payment plan subject to our Terms. This arrangement is neither a formal credit agreement nor a finance scheme. Once a bride has paid her original 50% deposit, we'll accept further interim payments towards the oustanding balance over an agreed period of time.

Q. What size dresses do you carry?

A. We stock dresses of all sizes from size UK 6 upwards. We're also UK specialists in plus size bridal wear to meet the needs of the fuller figure bride with wedding gowns up to size UK 30. At any time we have a large selection of gorgeous, plus size bridal gowns available in store.

Q. Can I buy ‘off the peg’?

A. We are open to selling our gowns direct from the rail - or ‘off the peg’ - particularly if the time to your wedding day is short (3 months or less) and you need a dress quickly. However, if time allows, we generally prefer to place an order for a brand new dress made especially for you.

Q. How do I place an order and pay?

A. You can place an order in store either by cash or cheque as well as most major credit and debit cards. We can also accept orders in writing. We do not currently offer any forms of credit, therefore, all gowns must be paid for in full either before or on collection or before despatch.

Q. What's the delivery time for a wedding gown?

A. The delivery time for an ordered wedding gown varies slightly depending on the manufacturer. Typically, it takes between 16 and 20 weeks for the dress to arrive so we advise planning ahead at least six months to complete the order cycle. Don't worry, you'll be notified as soon as your gown has arrived along with details of what to do next.

Q. What's the delivery time for bridesmaids dresses?

A. The delivery time for ordered bridesmaids or flower girls dresses typically takes between 12 and 16 weeks to arrive so we advise planning ahead at least six months to complete the order cycle. Don't worry, you'll be notified as soon as your goods have arrived along with details of what to do next.

Q. Can I request fabric samples?

A. We accept requests for samples for bridesmaids gowns and keep fabric in stock specifically for this purpose. However, this is not always possible for every bridal gown collection as not all manufacturers supply them. Always get in touch with us first to see if we're able to provide you with a fabric sample for your florist or wedding venue.

Q. Can I request brochures?

A. Unfortunately not. Due to high production and distribution costs, most of our suppliers produce very limited quantities of brochures if at all. Some may even charge brides for their brochures preferring instead to use their respective websites as a communications medium for their gowns and accessories. We may, however, be able to provide you with good quality, digital imagery subject to availability.

Q. What if I need alterations done?

A. Elderberry Brides has a full, in-house gown alteration service for wedding dresses, bridesmaids dresses and other special occasion wear.

Q. What's the delivery time on tiaras and hair decorations?

A. Delivery time for a tiara or hair decoration can range from 14 days to six weeks.

Q. I like a particular tiara but can I have it as a comb?

A. Yes. This is possible on many designs.

Q. Are all tiaras and combs available in gold and silver?

A. No. Some designs lend themselves to just one colour.

Q. What's a hair vine?

A. A hair vine is a decorative length of jewellery that's intertwined in the hair or placed on or around your hair design to take the place of a tiara.

Q. What are the different veil lengths?

A. There are various standard veil lengths such as 54" which is to the elbow, 72" which is called a fingertip or hip length veil, 108" which is knee length or 126" which is the length of veil required to reach the end of your dress if you have a Chapel length train.

Q. Can I have a veil made to a specifc length?

A. Yes. Although you'd need to visit us to discuss your requirements.

Q. Do veils only come in ivory or white?

A. No. We're able to supply veils in many different colours including, champagne, red, black and pink and many others.

Q. I dont like tulle can i have a veil in another fabric?

A. Yes. There are other fabrics to choose from such as organza, chiffon or millinery net.

Q. Can I iron my veil?

A. No. We do not advise you to iron your veil. While it may be tempting, there are two good reasons why you shouldn't do this. Firstly, the heat-sensitive bonding will be permanently damaged if ironed or steamed and secondly, even a low-temperature iron can discolour, burn or even melt the veiling.

Q. What's the delivery time for a prom dress?

A. The delivery time is approx. 12 to 16 weeks for Forever Yours while a Tiffany dress takes approx. 12 weeks.

Q. Are all of the dresses available in all of the colours?

A. No. Each gown is only available in a selection of colours.

Q. Are prom dresses available in plus sizes?

A. Yes. We try to have both bridemaids and prom gowns available in larger sizes in store.

Q. Do you keep a prom register?

A. Yes. We do our best to never sell the same dress in the same colour to another person from the same school.

Q. Are the shoes in UK sizes?

A. Our bridal shoes come in the European equivalent of UK sizes. For example, a UK size 4 is 37, size 5 is 38, size 6 is 39 and so on.

Q. Are the shoes available in half sizes?

A. Yes. Although only certain styles are available in half sizes.

Q. Are the shoes available in both ivory and white?

A. No. Only selected styles are available in both ivory and white.

Q. Can shoes be dyed to match the bridemaids colours?

A. Mostly yes. The majority of shoes can be dyed to match the bridesmaids colours.

Q. Can Pink dye shoes from another supplier?

A. Yes. Although there are some limitations to this service.

Q. Where can I find the meaning of terms that describe bridal gowns?

A. Discover the meaning of some of the most widely used bridal terminology with our wedding dress jargon buster

Get in touch...

If you have a question that isn't listed above, not a problem! Either contact us now or telephone 01256 474 004 during normal shop opening hours.

Please note that an answering machine is in operation when the shop is closed.