FAQ’s
When should I order my dress?
There is no set rule as to when you can buy your gown. As long as there is enough time before your wedding for it to arrive, you can find your gown whenever you are ready. Most brides tend to start looking between a year and 8 months before the wedding. It is best not to overload yourself with trying on hundreds of gowns, you will only end up confused. Do your research and your bridal consultant will guide you through finding the perfect style!
How long will my gown take to arrive?
As a rough guide, the gowns take up to 20 weeks to arrive. Each designer is different but this is a good time scale to bear in mind, some designers can offer rush orders depending on the style and dates. Once your gown has arrived in store, it is thoroughly checked, and a letter is sent out to you with all the details of what to do next. Your first appointment is to look at all the beautiful accessories such as veils and tiaras, most brides try to go to the hairdressers for a trial run first so you can come with a better idea of the overall look in your gown. At this point we can get you booked in for the fittings closer to your wedding.
How do I pay for the gown?
When you chose your gown, you are required to pay a 50% deposit. The balance is due when the gown arrives in store, this can be paid no later than when you come in for your first appointment to try accessories. Most people pay for the gown by credit card or a cheque. We accept all major types of credit or debit card.
Can I pay in instalments?
At Ava Rose Hamilton we can offer an interest free payment plan. This can allow you to pay for your gown in instalments and chip away at the deposit and/or balance. Your bridal consultant will tailor make a plan suitable for your needs, making it an easy and affordable way to pay for your gown.
How do I transport my gown?
When it comes to the day you collect your gown, your bridal consultant will advise the best way for you to transport the gown, this will all depend on the size of the gown. If you are getting married abroad, as part of our service, we will pack your gown into a suitcase for safe travel. It will be wrapped in acid free tissue paper and carefully folded to fit into the case. We recommend having a case or box the size of your hand luggage allowance in order to keep it with you at all times!
What do I do with my gown after the big day?
If you wish to store your gown correctly in order to preserve it over time, we offer a dry cleaning and boxing service. Simply bring your gown back to us and we will have it cleaned by specialists and then boxed up for safe storage. The gown will be carefully wrapped in acid free tissue paper and stored in a box designed especially for this job. The prices for cleaning will depend on the value of your gown as it is fully insured when at the cleaners.
Isn’t a dress maker or the internet cheaper?
At Ava Rose Hamilton we can work within any budget. We sometimes have to rescue disappointed brides who have either bought a gown online or gone to a dress maker. The results may not live up to expectations or they are victim of an internet scam. With a reputable retailer you can buy safe in the knowledge that you know exactly what you are purchasing and that you will receive excellent service throughout the entire process.
If you are thinking about buying from the internet
Please consider these points – will your dress be the right one, the right colour, will it fit, will already have been worn, where will you go for any alterations and what happens to your Consumer Rights ?
As a test, our bridal trade organisation the Retail Bridalwear Association, (RBA), ordered two famous name dresses online and when they arrived both were counterfeits – inferior quality fakes. The RBA is constantly taking calls on their Helpline from disappointed brides who have been let down by fraudulent online traders. The Sun newspaper recently featured a bride who had been let down in this way and were immediately swamped with calls from brides citing similar cases.