Entering the Swale Business Awards for the first time this year is Victoria Grace Bridal, a Bridal Boutique based in a gorgeous 400-year-old listed building in Standard Quay in Faversham. The store provides bridal gowns, bridesmaids’ dresses, wedding accessories and prom dresses.
Sisters Emma Wallis and Hayley Freeman, who founded Victoria Grace Bridal in 2017, run the business. It truly is a family affair as their mother Julie also lends a hand in the shop and looks after the company accounts.
Hayley discussed what she felt set her business apart from the competition: “One of the most important focuses in our business is customer service. With the increased presence in the industry of bridal shops where customers can purchase a cheaper off the peg gown and take it away that day, we have to give people a reason to want to come to us to purchase. For us this comes down to the customer service we offer. Brides visiting us receive a personal appointment with the use of the whole shop for two hours. The bridal party are offered an afternoon tea style setting, with a range of refreshments and nibbles to make their experience with us more relaxed and enjoyable. Any bride that decides to purchase with us becomes part of the Victoria Grace Family. They receive a folder with lots of details about what happens next, our seamstresses and other services we offer along with a gift for buying their gown with us. Throughout their experience we will offer any help and advice we can and once their dress arrives and has been fitted, they leave us with a bouquet of flowers, and a card is sent to them to congratulate them on their wedding day.”
Although the business has only been operating for two years, Emma and Hayley have big plans for the future. Not only do they have plans to expand to bigger premises, but they are keen to develop their website further so that they are regularly writing blogs about wedding dress shopping to try to give future brides more information about the experience. They hope this will help to make the process much less stressful and ensure it is seen as the enjoyable activity that it deserves to be.
Emma concluded by explaining why she felt that her business should be recognised at the Swale Business Awards: “At Victoria Grace Bridal we care about our customers. Although dynamics in purchasing gowns is changing, we believe that some ladies still see the purchase of their dress as being the most important dress they will ever buy. This purchase no matter how big or small should be special and we trying to make that happen for them. We work so hard to make sure that they are happy and the experience of visiting us is special for them and we feel this is reflected in our reviews on Facebook and Google. We listen to our customers and do our best to adapt the business to cater for them and we firmly believe this is reflected in how people view us. Winning a Swale Business Award would be the icing on the cake for us!”
Victoria Grace Bridal
4a Standard Quay
Faversham
ME13 7BS
01795531275
www.victoriagracebridal.co.uk