Your Questions & Our Tips

Yes. We welcome brides by appointment only. Our appointments are designed for brides who are ready to start making decisions about their wedding dress, ensuring every bride enjoys a relaxed, private experience with the dedicated support of an experienced bridal stylist. You can book your private appointment here

Each and every bride is different which is why there is no definite answer to this question. We would however recommend at least 12-18 months in advance of your wedding. This will allow for a smooth journey from purchase to alterations with no pressure.

This time frame does not mean we cannot cater for shorter time frames. We are lucky enough to stock some of the world leading names in bridal who, if necessary, can turn a dress around in a much shorter amount of time.

We also have some gowns which are ‘Off the peg’ which are available to take away on the day of purchase.

Your first appointment at ELBB will last approx. 90 minutes. Revisit appointments to try on your favourite dress are 60 minutes. 

ELBB is situated in the historic village of Hoole. Our building is accessible via an outdoor ramp, leading to the ground floor. Our fitting rooms are on the 1st floor, however we do our best to accommodate accessibility requests and can move appointments to the ground floor. Please email in advance if this something you require. 

Our sample gowns range from a size 8-16. It is important to remember that bridal sizes are very different to that of high street gowns. Remember style, not size!

We only stock one size in each sample dress. We do our best to pin and clamp each gown to show you what they would look like in your size. 

ELBB can accommodate up to 4 guests. Additional guests will be turned away. 

Side note from ELBB –  We know it’s tempting to invite everyone along, but we find that keeping your guest list small creates the most enjoyable experience. We recommend bringing one to four of your biggest supporters, those who know you best and will encourage you to choose the dress that feels right for you. Before your appointment, it can also be helpful to share your bridal inspiration with them, so everyone is on the same page and focused on bringing your vision to life.

At ELBB, we believe your bridal appointment should feel calm, personal and completely centred around you. We are a family-friendly boutique and little ones are welcome to join you, but please remember that all guests, including children, count towards your maximum party size of four.

As we are a working bridal studio, with delicate gowns, pins and accessories forming part of our everyday environment, we ask that children remain supervised by a dedicated adult throughout your appointment to ensure everyone’s safety and comfort.

We also encourage you to consider the experience you want to create for yourself. With 90 minutes dedicated to finding your wedding dress, younger guests can sometimes find the appointment a little long or become distracted. Many brides find that arranging childcare allows them to fully relax, enjoy every moment, and stay completely present as they search for the dress they’ll remember forever.

Our wedding gowns range from £1,800 to £3,800, with each designer offering their own unique price point depending on factors such as fabrics, craftsmanship, detailing and design techniques.

To give you a helpful guide, the average gown purchased at ELBB in 2025 was £2,300, with many of our brides finding their perfect dress within this range.

The most important thing to bring is you, come with an open mind, a little inspiration, and the excitement of trying on gowns that could become the one.

For the best view of each dress, we recommend wearing seamless, nude underwear with no visible panty line (VPL). The right underwear can make a huge difference to how a gown sits and looks on your body, helping you see the true shape and silhouette of each style.

Most wedding dresses are designed to be worn without a bra, but if you feel more comfortable with extra support, a nude strapless bra or nipple covers are perfect options.

We also ask that you avoid fake tan before your appointment, as it can transfer onto our gowns and affect our samples.

Above all, bring your ideas, your excitement, and the people who will help you enjoy this unforgettable part of your wedding journey.

From the moment you arrive at ELBB, you’ll be welcomed by one of our experienced bridal stylists who will take the time to introduce you to our boutique, our designers and the collections we have carefully curated.

You’ll have the opportunity to browse our gowns and select a handful of favourites to begin your journey. We usually recommend choosing around six to seven dresses to start with, but don’t worry if you need a little guidance, our stylists are experts at helping you discover styles you may not have considered and finding gowns that reflect your vision.

While you explore the collection, we’ll prepare your refreshments before heading into your private fitting experience. Your stylist will then guide you through each gown, helping you into each dress and using pins and clamps to create the best possible fit, before revealing each look to your guests.

Throughout your appointment, we’ll chat through what you love (and what you don’t), from the shape and silhouette to the finer details and finishing touches. Using our expertise and knowledge of our collections, we’ll then introduce you to other gowns that capture the elements you’ve loved most.

Our goal is simple, to help you feel confident, beautiful and hopefully find the dress that gives you that unforgettable “this is the one” feeling.

Once you’ve found the one, we’ll guide you through the next steps of ordering your gown and making it officially yours.

To secure your dress order, we require a 50% deposit at the time of purchase. The remaining 50% balance is then due once your gown arrives at ELBB and is ready for you to try on for the first time.

When your dress arrives, we’ll be in touch to invite you back into the boutique for your gown arrival appointment, a special moment where you can see your dress again and begin the exciting next stage of your bridal journey.

Yes! Have a look through our website and some of the dresses we stock. Make sure we stock designers and gowns you feel drawn too. We encourage you to follow us on social media to get a feel of the boutique and also who you will be greeting you on the day. Its not just about finding the perfect gown, its also about finding the right boutique for you!

If you have any questions prior to your appointment just give us a call! We would be happy to chat through your questions.

There are plenty of streets with residential parking in Hoole. There is also a car park on Westminster Road called ‘Bishop Street Carpark’ where you can pay 50p for 2 hours which will give you plenty of time to get to us, find your dress, and return to your vehicle!

We recommend downloading the JustPark app to save time.