Good morning Cwtchers!
Today on the blog we have our fabulous Lush Listers CocoMio Bridal Boutique, Cardiff who firstly let us know what they do that is a bit different and also their top ten tips for you lovely brides-to-be when choosing THE DRESS. Grab a cup of tea, sit down and enjoy!
Three Aspects that Make CocoMio Bridal Boutique Different to Other Stores?
When it comes to getting married, your wedding dress is the most important dress that you will buy in your life and when it is the correct one then you will want to cherish it and have any excuse to put it back on again afterwards. Your bridal gown should be an extended view of you as a person and every girl wants to surprise their teary loved ones while looking absolutely gorgeous when walking up the aisle.
Photography by Prendergast & Wilson
In our bridal boutique we work closely with brides to help them choose a beautiful wedding dress and to provide that personal service so they get to go away smiling after enjoying their shopping experience.
We offer a large selection of dresses in different fabrics from fishtail to slinky, trumpet to drop-waist, a-line to princess gowns and each dress has a different neckline, beading, detailed design and will also have a modern or vintage feel to each dress.
Photography by Prendergast & Wilson
So there are a lot of bridal dress shops and what makes us different to other stores?
Appointments to Suit You!
CocoMio Bridal supplies flexible hours which is the core of our success. We work late five evenings a week, open every afternoon and mid week morning appointments are available on request. We are also open Saturdays 9am-6pm but at times we work late until 8pm due to the demand and accommodating each customer is key to success. We are open Sunday 10am-2pm and only close this day when we attend wedding shows to meet & greet with new and existing customers.
Weekends are always our busiest time so we highly recommend booking in advance as we don’t allow bridal parties who have not made a booking to browse while an appointment is taking place. We pride ourselves on giving a personal experience and the same applies to every bride so we won’t permit another bridal party into the store when you are enjoying your time in the private appointment.
For us, the starting point is our customers and the reason we have gained a great reputation is because our excellent service and hours are wanted by the customer.
Privacy & Facilities
The bridal store is broken down into four main areas and two private staff areas.
The main showroom hosts some of the best designer bridal dresses and this is a shared space when you walk into the store. Designers include:
Rosa Clara- Aire Barcelona,
Rosa Clara- Adriana Alier,
Pronovias- San Patrick
Phoenix Gowns- Danielle Couture
Jasmine Bridal
Jasmine Bridesmaids
The private bridal suite is the main, private room which accommodates first time appointments. This room has a beautiful settee, floor to ceiling mirrors, pedestal and the changing room is kitted out with shoes, hoop and veils to make the experience effortless.
Photo By Prendergast & Wilson
The second bridal suite is an open plan room which accommodates retry appointments, collections and bridesmaid appointments. The beauty of this room is that the bride and/or bridesmaids can use the whole showroom to walk up and down the store in the dresses. This reinforces different light on the dress, seeing the train glide across the floor and also the comfort factor.
Photo by: Prendergast & Wilson
In February 2016, we will be renovating this room to make it similar to the main suite. This room is completely private to the main room as damask, heavy, curtains blocks off the entry point. Yes you can hear the excitement from the other room which brings a rush of joy to others in the store but visually privacy is the main key here as not every bride wants to show off her gown before the big day.
Toilets are the next aspect which many people complain are not offered in other stores. We provide a tea service for bridal fittings and we believe toilets are a necessity as part of the service.
Photo by: Prendergast & Wilson
Knowledge
I run the business sole heartedly and my knowledge for the industry, styles, fabrics and what works is down to four years experience in a previous bridal store in Ireland where we won awards for customer service. I am hands on to ensure every customer is happy during their appointment time and I know my collection inside out. Frequently, I get asked if I try on the dresses when nobody is in the store and the answer is no I don’t because I would be creating a biased opinion based on my taste and my shape. I get my friends to visit the shop when new styles arrive into store and they act as guinea pigs. In return, this allows me to take a bird’s eye, unbiased view to see what works and how can a dress transform with the use of accessories including hoop, belts, jackets, veils etc. Many girls love the sample dresses as they are intended and others may want to make a dress unique to them.
I am quite open and honest to my customers on when I go choose my new collection and when those dresses will be in store so brides can have so many options at their fingertips.
Photo by: Prendergast & Wilson
The most important thing for us is to help bride’s find their dream wedding dress and in the process offer an excellent service so if they find a dress elsewhere then they will have no problem highly recommending us to their friends and family. To date, we have only received positive feedback and our social media rating is at five stars. Of course if any bride has any feedback to help us improve then we will also take this on board also. Being involved hands on can sometimes allow customers to see something we may miss so please if you have something to add then you can contact us directly.
Photo by: Prendergast & Wilson
We measure our success on feedback, social media reviews and of course the hugs and tears when a bride finds her dress with us. We have just completed year one and it has been a success for us as we got awarded Best New Wedding Business East Wales and Best New Wedding Business in all of Wales 2015. The plan for 2016 is to expand with the second room and have staff working at CocoMio Bridal. Tune into our Facebook page if you would like to see when the recruitment opportunities arise.
Photo by: Prendergast & Wilson
Aoife’s Top Ten Tips for Brides
My job is to put every single lady immediately at ease but for those of you that really are wondering how to prep ahead then read my tips below
1. Book Early: If you want a particular time slot on a particular day then book weeks in. In certain periods of the year the demand for Saturdays, Sundays and evening slots is higher than the rest of the year because everybody is starting to shop or everybody is ready to buy and wants to retry. Do not just walk in on a whim as you may be told there are no appointments available and may feel deflated being turned away.
2. Inspiration: Many brides search styles and get inspiration from Pinterest and other sources of media before shopping. This may narrow down your search but may not suit your shape. Do not narrow it down to the stage where you will find shopping difficult. Keep an open mind as you may surprise yourself and that one wild card you refused at the start could be your wedding dress waiting to be tried on.
Photo by: Prendergast & Wilson
3. Makeup & Tan: Girls of course wear makeup but don’t overdo it. Go natural and don’t wear tan. Most dresses are showcased in champagne, ivory or white and if you put tan on a dress the shop can ask you to pay for it due to the damage. You don’t need tan on you as the dresses will show off your skin colour naturally.
4. Clothes: Wear comfortable clothes that are easy to get in and out of. Wear your hair in a style similar to what you would like on the day so you can see the look better. Example: up-style, half up, half down or fully down. Bring a bag of essentials with you. Bobbles, deodorant, shoes and if you are borrowing an item like a veil or hoop bring this also. Showing up without these items can leave you frustrated during or after the appointment as you may need it with you to help with the look. Bridal shopping can be a quick and tiring process so keep fresh with basic essentials
5. Budget: Set your budget. Again many stores won’t ask if you are on a set budget but they will emphasise the price range of their dresses. If you don’t speak out then the store assistants be inspired to know what you are thinking. It doesn’t help if you choose one of the most expensive dresses in the store which leaves you upset as you can’t afford it. The designers set the prices for the dresses so the store usually cannot move on price but may be able to help with add-ons such as veil or hoop. Again be prepared a lace dress or sparkle dress will be more expensive than a simple one and also a lace veil will always be more expensive. Be realistic as you may want the champagne dream but you may be on a lemonade budget and may need decide the dress is important and something else can be cut back to get the dream.
Photo by: Prendergast & Wilson
6. Who? Avoid bringing bridesmaids and added people with you on your first trip. Make the focus about you as the bride rather than showing up and everybody getting excited to try on dresses. You can always discuss bridesmaid’s colours, styles and prices with staff in future appointments but doing two appointments at the same time will ruin your experience and put the attention on them. Concentrate on one aspect which is your wedding dress & experience.
7. How many appointments? Try not to do more than two bridal boutiques in one day. Brides suffer from what I like to call “dress blindness”. This is where they can’t remember their first dress from the last they tried on. Eliminate dresses down to maximum of two favourites per store. Remember these dresses as many stores have a no photograph policy. Revisit the favourites and then make a decision.
8. Opinions: Give your friends and family a strict warning to not give their opinion before you give yours. Honesty is the best policy but sometimes it may not be the best circumstance if you really love the dress. You will have to decide if you want to take their opinion on board or tell them where to go.
Photo by: Prendergast & Wilson
9. Movements & action in your dress: Take a walk in the dress. Standing on the pedestal is fabulous but a walk with a hoop underneath will give you a feel for the dress and will allow you to see the dress in different lights and envisage what it will be like to wear throughout your wedding day. Also take the seat test and dancing test so you can go away smiling that every aspect is perfect.
10, Love Your Dress!! Remember, the most important opinion is your own. Everybody will always have a different opinion on favourites, styles and different aspects but that is what makes us all unique. You can take advice but you have to be happy. You have to feel amazing, love your dress and be comfortable.
To find out more about CocoMio Bridal then take a look at our website www.cocomiobridal.com or book your appointment on 02921670482
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