An appointment fee for bride and MOB?

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My DD is getting married next year and we are shopping for her dress very soon. I have also
been looking at options for me for dresses and just wondered if it is usual to have to pay a consultation fee up front before securing an appointment?

I can understand an appointment being necessary for a bride as it takes a lot of time to get in and out of dress. I wasn’t expecting to have to pay £25 for a 1.5 hour time slot. I’m happy to be told this is normal but obviously I’m new to this and had no idea. The MOB shops I’ve looked at are £30 per appointment starting with a phone consultation and then they will select dresses for me to try.

I experienced being asked to pay a refundable deposit to prevent no shows, which is fair enough.

But it appears you mean that you won't get the money back even if you turn up on time? If so, I haven't heard of this, no. I would assume that it is because they are experiencing a high volume of people who aren't serious about buying a dress from their particular style/range and they've decided the time wasting is costing them more than the potential loss of some of their serious customers.

Nothing you can do about it though!

More places are doing this now but not everywhere. There are a few reasons for it.

1. No shows. That's an appointment someone else could have had. Many shops will deduct the appointment cost from your purchase.

1. Some people go and try on the dress, photograph they ones they like and then source them cheaper directly from supplier or a dupe of the design from China. They use the experience of the shop, their staf, their space but they don't see a penny for it. Again if you purchase they might deduct the appointment cost.

1. Many of these shops are now creating an experience, you get processco and photo ops and all that jazz. They're capitalising on people who want something for their Instagram.

I didn't know MOB shops existed. I would just buy a dress I liked from any shop. I wouldn't need someone to select one for me.

Same! How can there be shops specifically for mothers of brides? Maybe she worded it wrong

Yes, this.

Avoid poncey MOB /dress shops honestly it is a total rip off and the dresses cost 00s of £s, you can get nice dresses in Phase8 or hobbs, John lewis etc

I can see the bridal shops though my Dd had to give deposits to dress shops, it is to hold the appointments you get it back.

I think she probably meant occasion wear shops, we have a couple where I live, they say they are boutiques and try to appeal to "women of a certain age" they go on Facebook and talk about hiding lumps and bumps with the heaviest dress you have ever seen!

Just look for your outfit elsewhere.

Some shops really do promote themselves as MOB shops but yes, occasion wear. It’s a black tie dress code so not easy to find anything special.

Same! But our approach isn’t ’gram-worthy’ is it? 😂

Yes this shocked me too! It's not all shops some chains don't e.g. wed2be didn't from
memory

However, the nice boutiques in London did.

Its annoying but you could bring guests and have a prosecco and turn it into a girls day.