One of the most frequent questions we get asked is what is the difference between our sister bridal stores Peggy and Dotty?
The only difference is Peggy is a sample wedding dress shop and Dotty is a bridal boutique where the dresses are made to order.
Firstly, What is a sample dress?
If you are buying a sample wedding dress, all that means is you are taking the dress with you that is tried on in the store by other brides in their bridal appointments.
At Peggy, our gowns are not pre loved, they haven't been worn by other brides to their wedding. They either come from Dotty as samples, or more often than not are ordered brand new. This means some of our gowns have only been tried on a couple of times and are being sold for a fraction of the original price. We take good care of the gowns at Peggy to ensure there are as little defects if any, as possible so that you are getting a gorgeous dress at a lower price point.
Why should I buy a sample wedding dress?
1. You're on a budget
If you are on a budget when it comes to finding your dream dress then buying a sample gown is the perfect option for you. Since the dress you are taking away with you is a sample you will get that gown at a highly discounted price. Many of our dresses are brand new and have hundreds of pounds discounted off them!
Take this stunning gown Julliette by Sarah Alouache for example, that we have at our York Peggy store, it was originally £4400 to order in brand new, the sample is priced at £1500 whilst remaining in immaculate condition.
2. You're getting married soon and don't have a long lead time
If your wedding date is fast approaching and you don't have the recommended 12-18 months to wait for your dress to be manufactured then buying a sample dress is the way to go.
When you find a dress at Peggy, you pay in full for the dress and take it away with you on that very day. Basically you have your dress there and then! The only thing left to do is to get your gown altered by a seamstress so that it fits you perfectly.
Whether you order a dress at Dotty or buy a sample from Peggy, in both instances your dress will need some alterations. A dress will never fit perfectly everywhere to start with since everyone's body shape and proportions are unique.
Your first fitting with your seamstress usually takes place 8-12 weeks before your wedding date. You will then have a second fitting 6 weeks before the wedding and if needed a third fitting, 4 weeks before the wedding. We know a lot of bride's are on a weight loss or weight gain journey when they've found their dress so it is important that you maintain your weight from the time of your first fitting. This way you avoid stress for yourself and your seamstress so no last minute drastic changes need making to your dress.
Your stylist in your appointment will always advise you to book your dates in with your seamstress pretty much as soon as you leave your appointment. This is because seamstresses get booked up really quickly and need you booked well in advance.
3. You still want a premium Bridal Experience
A common misconception brides have is that the overall experience of a sample shop won't match up to that of a bridal boutique like Dotty.
This could not be further from the truth. More than anything else we want our bride's to have the most positive, memorable and relaxed experiences with us at both Peggy and Dotty therefore we ensure the quality of appointments is of the same highest level. This should be an incredibly exciting, stress free time for the bride and we want to make sure you are feeling comfortable, confident and above all enjoying yourself.
At both stores you have your own highly trained bridal stylist who will help advise and break down what kind of style you are wanting. Both appointments are 90 minutes long so you won't feel rushed or under pressure to make any quick decisions, the dresses are by the same designers, both offer a wide range of styles, shapes, silhouettes and the overall appointments are run in the same way. Whether you're buying a sample dress or not, we want the experience to be memorable for you!
The Peggy Dress journey Timeline
Bridal Appointment - Choose either our Holmfirth or York Peggy store to attend your bridal appointment. The dresses are different at each store so make sure to check out the website to browse the dresses before choosing a location. We recommend booking your appointment through our website too:
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Take your dress away with you! - Congratulations, you've found your dress! Now it's time to book your fittings with your seamstress - you will be given contact details of our recommended seamstresses who we have worked with for years at the end of your bridal appointment.
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Store you dress until your fittings - at your appointment you'll be given the choice to take you dress away with you in a gown bag or a Peggy storage box
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Dress fittings start - It's now 8 weeks until your wedding! From here on out it's about getting your dress fitted perfectly to you. Your seamstress will work with you and every bride's journey is a little bit different here getting it fitted.
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Your big day!
As you can see buying a sample dress saves you time and money and if those are important factors to you on your wedding dress journey then it is definitely worth paying a visit. Above anything else at Peggy, we want to ensure that you have the best bridal experience that'll be one you never forget!
Lots of love always
Team Peggy
xxx
