Lets start at the beginning…

You have been googling, Instagram stalking and contemplating booking for a while, so what’s the best way to do it? If you have any queries that you want to discuss in more detail before booking your appointment such as fit concerns, quick turnaround dresses etc, just drop us a mail at hello@rollinginroses.co.uk. We respond to every message and no question is too small. If you are happy you have all of your info (the best place to start is on the FAQ section of our site) then book your appointment through our super easy and manageable booking tool. It lets you know our availability and the time slots available ,and you can just book your appointment there and then. The great thing about it is you have the flexibility to amend and upgrade in case your plans change, we just ask that you give us 24 hours notice of any cancellations if at all possible. The appointments are chargeable, the charge of your appointment is deducted from your dress total if you decide to go ahead and get your dress with us.

Why do we charge for appointments?

We functioned without a charge for a long time and were genuinely reluctant to add a charge to our appointments, unfortunately we had innumerable no shows or guests who were just popping in with friends as they were already in town, and although it’s an incredible experience and we love hosting you, adding the charge has helped to minimise cancellations and it includes refreshments, the boutique to yourself and our full attention for up to 2 hours, bit of a bargain really! The charges are as follows; 90 minute consultation £15, 120 minute consultation £25 (this includes prosecco and tea /coffee / soft drinks) Virtual appointments are £5 and Sample Sale appointments are £5. We offer revisit appointments free of charge for brides who have visited before and whittled the dresses down to a couple of winners, these appointments are to retry the favourites with a friend or trusted family member and last 45 minutes.

Ok so you have booked your appointment, what’s next?

Once you have your confirmation email we ask that you read the documents that come with it, these cover directions and what to bring with you; I will cover most of it here too. We are located in the historical city of York, 9 minutes from York Rail Station which has arrivals from all over the UK, if you fancy making a weekend of it there is a Travelodge directly opposite our building, and innumerable boutique hotels and Airbnb’s in the area to choose from. We can also recommend shops and eateries at your appointment (we really love discussing food and drink!) it’s worth noting we can’t always accept brides earlier than their allotted time slot as we have bookings that run back to back and we want every party to have a relaxed appointment without any overlap, there is a lovely café at the bottom of our building if you are super early. We are based in a beautiful (but really old) listed building, because of this we have no lift access and we are on the 3rd floor with steps, they are not steep and there is no rush to get to the top so please take your time. If you have pushchairs you are welcome to leave them downstairs.

Guests

We have hosted brides individually and brides who want to bring a big group of friends with them, sometimes brides who have brought their partners with them, it’s entirely up to you if and how many people you want to accompany you. What I would say is to think about if you are inviting someone as an obligation and if you actually want them there. We want you to enjoy the experience and that means having a supportive and constructive entourage that will give you feedback if you ask for it, but also make you feel 100% about your choices too. We tend to suggest no more than 3 guests (4 including you) as it can get quite overwhelming, especially if part of your entourage are particularly opinionated but if you want more guests just let us know pre-appointment and we can help you to accommodate. I am also on hand to give you non-biased opinions, because I am on the side lines I can normally see if a bride is particularly loving a dress and if they are 100% comfortable in it, so if you want some feedback just let me know.

What to wear to your appointment

Most importantly we want you to be comfortable and relaxed, nude coloured underwear and a supportive and comfortable bra will help you envisage how you will look on the day, but don’t panic if you don’t have anything perfect, you will still look amazing! We have heels at the boutique that range from a size 3-9, but they are 4 inches high so if you would feel more comfortable bringing your own that’s absolutely fine too. Other than that just bring yourself, we have refreshments available, and a snack before you arrive is never a bad idea. We really want you and your guests to enjoy the process, and that means no rushing and no stress. If at any point you feel overwhelmed, hot or emotional, or all three, I am there to support you and slow things down.

Ok so you made it up the stairs!

And you are welcomed into our boutique, we have a beautiful room for you and your guests with a comfy sofa, lots of mirrors and the period features of the building. We always have a playlist of top tunes in the background and still and sparkling water if you need a quick drink before we get going. I (Rebecca) host most of the appointments at Rolling In Roses, I am incredibly chilled and will make sure the experience is relaxed and laid back. Whilst you get adjusted to your surroundings I initially like to just get to know you, find out how you found us, what you are looking for, where and where you are getting married and if there is anything specific you have come to see. From there I will talk you through our ethos, big on sustainability and passionate about design, our small team, about the making of our dresses and how because we are a small team based in the one building together, we can make many adjustments to our gowns, such as sleeve length, neckline changes dress length and everything in between. From there we will head into the showroom for you to get your hands on the collections, and we can start pulling out your favourites. It’s entirely up to you if you want to bring your guests in with you, if you value their opinion and would like some help it’s not a problem at all, and I will be on hand to take dresses into the fitting room and help with any queries. The prices and sizes are all clearly labelled on each gown and there is no set limit to how many dresses you can try but I will give you a heads up if you are getting a bit heavy on selects so that you are not rushing your appointment.

Sizing

We try to make our samples in varying sizes but there is no set structure to what size we make samples in, some are an 8, some 10’s, some 12’s and some 14’s, 16’s and 18’s. Most sizes have a variable each way so a size 12 would fit a size 8/10 and 14, that’s where I come in with my pins and clips. I always say to brides before we even head into the showroom that these dresses are samples, it’s likely they won’t fit you perfectly BUT if you choose to go ahead once I have pinned you in there and you have the vision to see yourself getting married in that dress, I guarantee your dress will fit you perfectly. What Ellis and Sophie do is a skill I will never underestimate and we have never let a bride leave the boutique without a dress that they love and that fits them 100%. What I always suggest is to try on all of the dresses you have pulled out, I will do some quick clipping around the waist and shoulders if needed, and then towards the end retry on your 2/3 absolute favourites and I will then pin you in these so you can get a really good idea of how it will look. Some dresses don’t need pinning at all but I always like to give brides a heads up before they start trying on dresses, it’s also worth noting that the hems on most of our pieces are long too, I will pin these up to the right length when you retry your favourites. Rolling In Roses is an inclusive safe space, body positivity and zero-pressure are our thing, we truly believe a bride should be able to wear whatever they want, not what other people think they should wear.

Trying on the Gowns

Once we have your selects racked up it’s time to step into the fitting room and start trying on! All of our dresses are best over the head and I will talk you through each dress in terms of best access and zips and buttons etc. I am more than happy to step into the fitting room and button you up if you would like me to, it’s worth noting that I have seen pretty much everything and I genuinely don’t mind if you haven’t shaved or you are feeling a bit sweaty. Absolutely no judgement from the RIR team, it is a safe space where you should feel free to express yourself. When you are comfortable it’s time to step out and have a look in the daylight in front of the full length mirror. I will talk you through the dress features and grab a mirror to show you the back, and if needed pin and clip. Once we have done this a few times and you have tried everything on that you had racked up I always suggest trying on 2/3 of your favourites. It can really quickly help you eliminate dresses and settle on the one, sometimes there are tears, sometimes dancing and sometimes just quiet joy, don’t put pressure on yourself to feel something specific once you have found your dream dress, just go with it.

If you want to go ahead

I will talk you through next steps, so the deposit process, when your fitting will be and what is included, and any alterations we think you will need. This is also a good opportunity to discuss any customisations so they can be done in the pattern cutting process as sometimes this is easier than doing it once to dress is made. If you sit between sizes or are particularly short or tall I will take your measurements and we can decide on what size you would be comfortable in, and then that’s it! You walk away knowing you have your dress and hopefully head out to have some fizz or a pint to celebrate! If you are unsure there is absolutely no pressure to buy there and then, it’s a big purchase and we completely understand you need some time to process and commit. What I routinely do is mail our brides after their appointment with a reminder of the dresses they tried on and sizes, and discussions we had about sizing and customising. At that point if you sleep on it and really want to go ahead just drop me a mail back and I can get the invoice over to you which is payable via bank transfer or over the phone, alternatively you can use the booking tool to head back and retry your absolute favourites to make sure before committing. If you find your dress elsewhere, please don’t worry about it, having an appointment is not a commitment.

I hope that was insightful and has answered any queries you may have had, the next article will be all about what to expect from your fitting and what is involved in making your dream dress!

Your Rolling In Roses Appointment - what to expect

Your Rolling In Roses Fitting - what to expect

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