I must apologise to all of you for how long it's been since I wrote my last blog entry.
You might remember that in my last post I was talking about going to the wedding of a very close friend. The day went perfectly, the weather was kind to us, the bride looked absolutely stunning in her designer dress, and my daughter Olivia was a flower girl and looked really gorgeous in her little dress that our seamstress Bryony had made for her. The guys scrubbed-up well too! The groom made a lovely speech which made everyone cry, and he said that because we'd provided the bride and bridesmaids dresses, as well as the outfits for both mothers, his sister and all of the guys, he felt he should have had a sign that read "wedding courtesy of The Wedding Shop Colchester".
The menswear is going really well and I have to say us girls could learn a thing or two from them. I love the camaraderie they seem to have with each other and I suppose it's easier for them to have a more light hearted approach as they feel the spotlight will be elsewhere! It's really great seeing a huge grin on the grooms face when he comes out of the changing room all dressed up. You can see our menswear collection on the web site now.
We've been and chosen all of the new collections for next year and I've gone meringue mad, I couldn't help myself as they all looked so pretty and romantic. Also, lots of dresses with shoulder straps and shrugs, and for those of you who cringe at the thought of yards of fabric we visited the Jenny Packham evening wear store where they also have a showroom for their collections. The boutique is simply amazing, it was an old bank and as a listed building they had to keep a lot of the original features and they've designed it beautifully to fit in with the fab' evening wear dresses. I especially like the door engraved with 'Acquisitions'. The dresses are classic Jenny Packham, very feminine and floaty in silk chiffon, and the charmuse silk-satin like liquid over the skin. I just can't wait for them all to come in.
24 April 2009
07 March 2009
Ready Steady Show
Well, it's show time! At this time of year the shows come thick and fast. Almost every weekend there is a show of one kind or another. Last weekend we were at Olympia for the National Wedding Show and this is always busy. It's really nice to be at such a buzzy show and it's great to see what all the other stands have on offer. This weekend we are off to Harrogate where we do our buying of wedding dresses for next year. I'm really excited to see what the new designers will be showing and maybe look at some new designers. It's always good to get fresh new ideas.
The weekend after that is our Mother of the Bride and Groom Fashion Show at the Marks Tey Hotel in Colchester. This is a real highlight of the year for me. I really love seeing all the models in the stunning new outfits parading down the catwalk, they look so good it really brings a lump to my throat! I feel like a proud Mum watching her daughter at the first school play!
I've had some really lovely customers in the shop over the last few weeks, and Jodie, if you read this you look really fantastic in your Ronald Joyce dress. It's such a wonderful feeling when you help a bride find her perfect dress. On the April 4th my daughter Olivia will be a bridesmaid and I can't wait, she's only three and she's so excited, Bryony is making her the prettiest ballerina style dress with massive tuelle skirt, the only trouble is she thinks she's marrying the Groom!
Nicola Garton
www.theweddingshop.co.uk
The weekend after that is our Mother of the Bride and Groom Fashion Show at the Marks Tey Hotel in Colchester. This is a real highlight of the year for me. I really love seeing all the models in the stunning new outfits parading down the catwalk, they look so good it really brings a lump to my throat! I feel like a proud Mum watching her daughter at the first school play!
I've had some really lovely customers in the shop over the last few weeks, and Jodie, if you read this you look really fantastic in your Ronald Joyce dress. It's such a wonderful feeling when you help a bride find her perfect dress. On the April 4th my daughter Olivia will be a bridesmaid and I can't wait, she's only three and she's so excited, Bryony is making her the prettiest ballerina style dress with massive tuelle skirt, the only trouble is she thinks she's marrying the Groom!
Nicola Garton
www.theweddingshop.co.uk
08 February 2009
E-commerce, Catwalks & Fire!
January has whizzed by and I can't believe we're in February already. Saturdays continue to be the busiest day and we're open some Sundays so make sure you ring for an appointment.
The website is going from strength to strength and I must say a huge thank you to all the brides who have given me such a positive feedback about my blog! We have just introduced on-line sales for the mother of the bride and groom outfits in the sale section and it's being received really well. We're hoping to expand it to the rest of the occasion wear range. All the new outfits are starting to come in now and I really love the new Linea Raffaelli and as our best man is now getting married in April I think I'm going to have a hard time deciding which one to have!
We are having a fashion show just for the Mums on Sunday the 15th March at the Marks Tey Hotel. We have two show times 11am & 1.30pm. It's really good fun and it's great for the mums to have a special day that's just for them with no brides dresses or bridesmaids. After all they put such a lot of time and care into the planning of the wedding.
I have to say this week has been a bit out of the ordinary, on Monday there was snow so all of our evening and fitting appointments cancelled but then we gained some from people who had the day off due to the snow. Then on Tuesday the Chinese restaurant across the road caught fire! There were fire engines everywhere and I have to say they did a brilliant job and put it out within minutes. Before you ask I didn't see any hunky firemen but then I am happily married so obviously wasn't looking!
Nicola Garton
www.theweddingshop.co.uk
The website is going from strength to strength and I must say a huge thank you to all the brides who have given me such a positive feedback about my blog! We have just introduced on-line sales for the mother of the bride and groom outfits in the sale section and it's being received really well. We're hoping to expand it to the rest of the occasion wear range. All the new outfits are starting to come in now and I really love the new Linea Raffaelli and as our best man is now getting married in April I think I'm going to have a hard time deciding which one to have!
We are having a fashion show just for the Mums on Sunday the 15th March at the Marks Tey Hotel. We have two show times 11am & 1.30pm. It's really good fun and it's great for the mums to have a special day that's just for them with no brides dresses or bridesmaids. After all they put such a lot of time and care into the planning of the wedding.
I have to say this week has been a bit out of the ordinary, on Monday there was snow so all of our evening and fitting appointments cancelled but then we gained some from people who had the day off due to the snow. Then on Tuesday the Chinese restaurant across the road caught fire! There were fire engines everywhere and I have to say they did a brilliant job and put it out within minutes. Before you ask I didn't see any hunky firemen but then I am happily married so obviously wasn't looking!
Nicola Garton
www.theweddingshop.co.uk
16 January 2009
You've Got Male!
It's been a very busy start to the year, Saturdays are the busiest day and we're going to open on some Sundays to try and accommodate everyone who wants to come and see us, so please ring and make an appointment. No sign of the credit crunch here! If you're reading this Richanda you looked really stunning in your Suzanne Neville dress and the jacket is going to set it off perfectly. It's funny how it all clicks into place and you know you've found 'the one'.
We are busy renovating the menswear floor as I write this. It will be housed at number 38 St Johns St, just down from The Wedding Shop and will give the groom and his party their own space away from the brides and bridesmaids to choose their suits without a wedding dress in sight. I'm very excited about this new development, for the first time in nearly 30 years we will be dressing the guys! I'm told by friends in the industry that the men are much easier than brides as they know exactly what they want but the thought of dressing 6 men at once sounds like no mean feat to me! It's going to be great to be able to offer everything under one roof, no more having to pick lots of outfits up from different places.
It'll be ready for the end of January so if you'd like to make an appointment to bring in your Groom then just let us know. We thought long and hard about which brand of menswear and decided on Cameron Ross. The managing director came down personally from Scotland to make sure we met the standard he requires for his label and he has a real enthusiasm for his business and genuinely cares and the prices are very reasonable (more money for the bride to spend on her dress!).
The best thing about writing my blog is being able to share such wonderful true stories with you. On Saturday a lady bought an outfit from our occasion wear department to get married in. She told our manager that both her and her fiance had been widowed and that she met her new husband to be in Tesco. Tesco?! my manager inquired. She said that as she was leaving the store she happened to say to the gentleman next to her that her basket was heavy and it would be nice to be able to put it in his trolley to get it to her car. He said 'no problem!' She said she was only joking but he took the basket to her car, and it was obviously meant to be as they're now getting married. And to top it off, his name is Mr Keys, and her name... Mrs Lock!
Nicola Garton
www.theweddingshop.co.uk
We are busy renovating the menswear floor as I write this. It will be housed at number 38 St Johns St, just down from The Wedding Shop and will give the groom and his party their own space away from the brides and bridesmaids to choose their suits without a wedding dress in sight. I'm very excited about this new development, for the first time in nearly 30 years we will be dressing the guys! I'm told by friends in the industry that the men are much easier than brides as they know exactly what they want but the thought of dressing 6 men at once sounds like no mean feat to me! It's going to be great to be able to offer everything under one roof, no more having to pick lots of outfits up from different places.
It'll be ready for the end of January so if you'd like to make an appointment to bring in your Groom then just let us know. We thought long and hard about which brand of menswear and decided on Cameron Ross. The managing director came down personally from Scotland to make sure we met the standard he requires for his label and he has a real enthusiasm for his business and genuinely cares and the prices are very reasonable (more money for the bride to spend on her dress!).
The best thing about writing my blog is being able to share such wonderful true stories with you. On Saturday a lady bought an outfit from our occasion wear department to get married in. She told our manager that both her and her fiance had been widowed and that she met her new husband to be in Tesco. Tesco?! my manager inquired. She said that as she was leaving the store she happened to say to the gentleman next to her that her basket was heavy and it would be nice to be able to put it in his trolley to get it to her car. He said 'no problem!' She said she was only joking but he took the basket to her car, and it was obviously meant to be as they're now getting married. And to top it off, his name is Mr Keys, and her name... Mrs Lock!
Nicola Garton
www.theweddingshop.co.uk
02 January 2009
New Year, New Dresses
I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and New Year, and are now ready to turn your undivided attention to your upcoming wedding! We've had a very international Christmas with brides coming from Dubai and Singapore.
The new Jenny Packham dresses have just arrived and I have to say they are absolutely gorgeous. Some of them are really bo-ho style in lovely soft chiffon's and others are the height of sexy sophistication in luxurious silk charmuse. For those of you that have visited us, you'll know that our shop goes over a set of steps and people can walk underneath you. One bride was trying the Jenny Packham dresses on and was wolf-whistled! We couldn't stop laughing and I told her she must have looked fantastic as the last comment we had from a passer-by was "Don't do it!".
January is very busy in the shop, we don't have a sale as such but we do sell our samples with a discount, so lots of the brides that have been in through the last year will come back and maybe buy the sample, or order their new dress in for the summer.
The Suzanne Neville dresses are also really lovely, the corsetry is fantastic and they give a stunning shape. She has been busy designing for the X-Factor and also for Alisha Dixon and the dresses looked fantastic. Beverley Lister is the latest designer we have added to our collections, if you're looking for a vintage lace style dress, but with the corsetry you would expect from a Suzanne Neville dress, then you'll love Beverly's dresses. From the outside they look soft and feminine but on the inside they are working hard at holding everything just where it should be!
Menswear is coming...
Nicola Garton
www.theweddingshop.co.uk
The new Jenny Packham dresses have just arrived and I have to say they are absolutely gorgeous. Some of them are really bo-ho style in lovely soft chiffon's and others are the height of sexy sophistication in luxurious silk charmuse. For those of you that have visited us, you'll know that our shop goes over a set of steps and people can walk underneath you. One bride was trying the Jenny Packham dresses on and was wolf-whistled! We couldn't stop laughing and I told her she must have looked fantastic as the last comment we had from a passer-by was "Don't do it!".
January is very busy in the shop, we don't have a sale as such but we do sell our samples with a discount, so lots of the brides that have been in through the last year will come back and maybe buy the sample, or order their new dress in for the summer.
The Suzanne Neville dresses are also really lovely, the corsetry is fantastic and they give a stunning shape. She has been busy designing for the X-Factor and also for Alisha Dixon and the dresses looked fantastic. Beverley Lister is the latest designer we have added to our collections, if you're looking for a vintage lace style dress, but with the corsetry you would expect from a Suzanne Neville dress, then you'll love Beverly's dresses. From the outside they look soft and feminine but on the inside they are working hard at holding everything just where it should be!
Menswear is coming...
Nicola Garton
www.theweddingshop.co.uk
15 December 2008
Christmas Cheer!
Hello to Katie and all the other brides out there who have read my blog and have noticed that I haven't written one for a few weeks! I honestly didn't think anyone would notice.
Its been a lovely week in the shop, lots of fittings being done. Before Christmas is a very quiet time in most wedding shops, so if you're still looking for a dress, now is a fantastic time to have the shop to yourself, after Christmas is quite another story.
I've been really touched by some of the lovely comments that brides have made this week about the service and quality of care they feel they receive from us. It's such a lovely feeling to know you are doing your job properly. Sometimes things just touch you, from one of our brides who's just lost her Dad to the bride who had a bowl of tomato soup tipped down her dress on her wedding day, the way both of these brides have conducted themselves is a credit to them and their families. It helps to keep perspective on what a wedding should be about, not just the dress!
We all went out for our Christmas do last Wednesday and there was a power cut! We ended up eating our dinner by candlelight! Having said that a great time was had by all.
Well, merry Christmas to all of you and I hope you can take a well earned rest from your wedding plans. We are open between Christmas and the New Year, so if you fancy coming to try on some dresses and have a mince pie we'd be pleased to see you!
Nicola Garton
www.theweddingshop.co.uk
Its been a lovely week in the shop, lots of fittings being done. Before Christmas is a very quiet time in most wedding shops, so if you're still looking for a dress, now is a fantastic time to have the shop to yourself, after Christmas is quite another story.
I've been really touched by some of the lovely comments that brides have made this week about the service and quality of care they feel they receive from us. It's such a lovely feeling to know you are doing your job properly. Sometimes things just touch you, from one of our brides who's just lost her Dad to the bride who had a bowl of tomato soup tipped down her dress on her wedding day, the way both of these brides have conducted themselves is a credit to them and their families. It helps to keep perspective on what a wedding should be about, not just the dress!
We all went out for our Christmas do last Wednesday and there was a power cut! We ended up eating our dinner by candlelight! Having said that a great time was had by all.
Well, merry Christmas to all of you and I hope you can take a well earned rest from your wedding plans. We are open between Christmas and the New Year, so if you fancy coming to try on some dresses and have a mince pie we'd be pleased to see you!
Nicola Garton
www.theweddingshop.co.uk
13 November 2008
Always the Bridesmaid
With so much attention focused on the bride and her wedding dress it's easy to forget that the bridesmaids will play a huge part in the wedding day and that the bridesmaids dresses can be the finishing touch, bringing together the whole wedding party or a fashion disaster leaving your guest wondering what you were thinking of!
Read the full Focus on Bridesmaid Dresses article.
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