High street wedding dress (in store try on)

[Manorcedar]

Hi all,

Looking for recommendations for high street bridal wear, and preferably available to try on in store. I have seen lots of lovely dresses online but would prefer to try on in store first.

I'm based in Ireland and the selection of high street bridal in store is nearly non exisist, but will be in Newcastle this weekend and then Manchester a few weeks later. If anyone has other locations in mind I'd be happy to get a cheap Ryanair flight over.

We are eloping to Italy in May so I don't want the traditional wedding dress you would typically see in bridal boutiques.

Wed2B or Monsoon

Coast?

Or Phase Eight!

Monsoon. But they have closed the Newcastle and Metro shops. The nearest now is Durham.

Manchester has Selfridges and Harvey Nichols.

Perfect thanks for the suggestions! I'll make a list of stores to to visit.

I got my dress from wed2be

I got my from Whistles. It was beautiful and looked far more expensive than it was.

Ghost. There may be a concession in Fenwick's on Northumberland Street, Newcastle but you'll definitely find one in Manchester. Their bias cut gowns in oyster or cream are lovely for brides. A bit sexy, very elegant.

Yep.

100% recommend

Check out some styles online when you go in you can try 3 or 4 per session.
I found mine on the second dress all 3 looked pretty good though....

Mine was £650 and looked like a £2-3k or whatever they are supposed to cost dress.

No messing about and minimum alternations

I also got mine from WED2B!

Def have a look at their website and make a long list of ones you’d like to try on, as they won’t have all of them in one store and won’t have all of them in all sizes, so it’s good to be flexible.

Thanks everyone for the recommendations amd help!😁
I've a plan now for Newcastle and then Manchester if needed.

If you're in Ireland have you tried folkster. I love their dresses, they do typical wedding but also alternative more casual ones, not sure what stock they keep in stores though.

https://www.folkster.com/collections/alternative-wedding-dresses

Another vote for Wed2b. I liked the fact that they had so much choice but unlike other bridal shops, I was able to walk away with my dress the same day and then could arrange alterations myself. I found it was a nice balance between high street shop and actual wedding dress boutique experience.

Second what others have said about having a long list in mind based on their website or at least an idea of style in advance as there is a lot of choice. If you fall in love with a particular one online, it's worth calling them in advance to see if they have it in stock.

There is a shop in lobley hill (near Newcastle) called exquisite Elle, you but and take the dress home on the day, it's an independent shop so only had one of each dress but all are under £799. I got my dress from there a few months ago. There's also wed 2 be at the metro center and wed 4 less in scotswood road.

There is a Wed2B shop in Drumcondra in Dublin. You don't have to travel to the UK to try on dresses in that store.

Angelo Bridal is also on Dorset Street in Dublin (a bit further up the road from Wed2B) so you could manage both in the same day trip to Dublin

Maybe Pastiche couture inside the Manchester arndale also wed2b

Some charity shops have bridal boutiques where you can try on a variety of things without the fuss of a regular bridal shop. I think Oxfam and Barnardos have them in Dublin?

I eloped too and got a tea-length dress from a vintage/retro brand (I had it in a different colour so knew know it fitted, and found the 'bridal' version online pre-loved) which might not be your specific style, but it's worth considering places that don't have a specific bridal range. Otherwise I would have looked at Wed2Be. I really did not want to go to an actual bridal shop - hate being fussed over, didn't want to spend that much as I was eloping, and chances were that they would only have a sample size and I'd just have to guess what it might look like on me?

They aren't in the shops yet (I'm looking too!)! But was told in phase 8 they should have stock in 2-3 weeks, delays in shipping. Wed 2 be sell off the rack do a good starting point, I'm going there tomorrow

Congratulations OP. I wish the high st sold off the peg wedding dresses when I did 20 years ago. Monsoon have lovely ones. Also look at frock and frill. Beautiful dresses and well made. I bought one, as a guest, for my neices wedding last summer for £15 on Vinted RRP £200.
I know you'd rather try on in store but they are very good with returns. Once you find your size you could have a look on Vinted.

Wed2b ... They have a shop upstairs in the next in the Arndale (Manchester city centre).
Good luck and congrats!

Completely agree with this comment about it being between a high street store and a bridal boutique. It's funny. I walked away with my dress that day but had to wait a few months for my bridesmaid dresses. Be aware that they will do the hard sell on the storage package with bridal dressing gown etc. I did buy the boxes to carry my dress in though. They were worth it.

@Manorcedar I got married in a dress from Self Portrait. Went to their store in central London. It’s not a specific bridal store but they do a bridal line and so the staff were lovely and v helpful to me and my friend in picking things out. Was able to try on in lovely changing rooms and they weren’t pushy, we had an obvious favourite but were able to go off and meet another friend and discuss over cocktails and make a decision. Also, as it’s high street they aren’t precious about you taking photos.

Got loads of compliments on it. They are small sizing though so size up. If I’d not gone for self portrait I would have gone with Rixo. Congrats and good luck!

Oh, and reformation too. They do a nice bridal collection, esp for the type of wedding you’ve described but you’d probably need to check what stores stock the bridal stuff