FAQ

Yes we can. We would recommend that you book this service as soon as you purchase your dress to reserve a space in our busy diary and to allow sufficient time for us to do the work.

Depending on the amount of work needed and also the time of year. Allow for between 4 weeks to 12 weeks.

This depends on the amount of work involved, the details, the materials used and the way the dress is made - Average spend for bridal gown adjustments is around £360.00 (this could be less or more depending on the gown and the alterations.

When you buy a dress that is ready made, this is known as 'Off the peg', where the wedding dress is made in the nearest size to your measurements so the cost you pay is for the dress only. Bespoke wedding dresses should not (generally speaking) incur any additional charges as the dress is made to fit you. Do check with the store what the alterations policy is so that you are not caught unware.

A professional dressmaker will need to see you for at least 2-3 fittings to ensure that your dress fits like a glove and also to maintain the high quality workmanship

We highly recommend booking a place with our dressmaking team and fitter, as soon as you purchase your dress. 99% of wedding dresses will need to be altered to fit you even if that only requires shortening the hemline. Booking early means that you have a confirmed space and availability to do the work. You will need to book an appointment to discuss the alterations with the seamstress and to obtain a quote for the work, and to schedule for its completion. Allow yourself extra time if it is needed.

This depends on how busy the workroom is at the time of receiving your dress. As a guide, the average turnaround is from 4 to 8 weeks for booked work. Alterations can be completed in a couple of days but allow yourself time to schedule appointments and further corrections to be made if needed. If you need your dress back sooner, be prepared to pay extra for the service. Why? Because extra hands will be needed to get the work completed on time

Get recommendation from brides who married the previous year as they will have gone through the process and be able to recommend highly the services that they used. Alternatively, we recommend researching professional reviews website to determine if the business you intend on using will meet the standard required and deliver on time.

Take a pair of heels with you similar to what you plan to wear on the day. Wear nude or flesh toned underwear and a well fitting and supportive bra. If you wear padded bras, then take one with you as an option for different dresses.

Discuss and agree a schedule with your dress fitter that allows you to lose weight and for the dress to be fitted closed to the wedding date. If you have a fluctuating problem due to medication or pregnancy, then probably better to work with a dress designer who will be more flexible and help you to address your needs without the worry.

To shorten a wedding dress usually involves working with multiple skirt layers and each layer has to be individually shortened. Also the type of material will be an added factor. It is best to get a quote for the work based on your wedding dress.

Usually around 2 dress sizes maximum. Beyond this scope will require a major re-cut of the garment so that the balance and details are redistributed equally. This is a detailed, time consuming and costly process so think very carefully before deciding to make a snap purchase because it is on sale.

Shopping online at Cynthia Grafton-Holt Couture is easy: Pick an item fromthe products page and click on the 'ADD TO SHOPPING BAG' button on the product page. Review the items in your shopping bag by clicking the 'SHOPPING BAG' link at the top of the page. Click on 'PROCEED TO PURCHASE' to complete your order. A member of the team will contact you and arrange a separate appointment to record your measurements so that the correct pattern can be used to create your design.

We recommend purchasing your regular UK/European size. Please request our Size Guide for an overview of our size measurements. Sometimes, you may find there are small variations in fit. This is normal for garments that have been purchased without the in-house studio fitting experience. Any minor alterations can be carried out locally at the tailor or specialist dressmaker of your choice. We accept customised orders online and we will arrange for a member of the customer care team to get in touch to discuss all options available to you. You will also receive an appointment to attend a virtual fitting to have your measurements recorded by a trained specialist.

We would be more than happy to take your order over the phone. Please call our Customer Care team on +44 (0)203 026 0689 <h6 class="font_6"> </h6>

<h6 class="font_6">We supply samples for most orders depending on the bridal package that you have commissioned.</h6> <h6 class="font_6"> </h6> A sample cutting of the fabric may vary in size but, is usually at least 3cm x 15cm minimum, depending on the value of the fabric). A sample will give a true representation of colour, texture, pattern, weight and handle of a fabric. There is a charge of £5.00 – depending on the value of the fabric requested. This charge is to cover the time and manpower needed to locate the fabrics within our inventory and therefore fulfil the many requests for samples received from our clients. Alternatively, please feel free to book your bridal consultation at our studio where, we will happily demonstrate the requested fabric free of charge. If when you receive your sample, you are satisfied and place an order for a bridal gown in the same fabric, we will refund you the £5 charge. If you require more than a small cutting, we recommend purchasing 10cm of fabric instead. Please note, this is not an official sample and therefore does not fall under our samples policy.

No matter where in the world you are, we'll ship your order to you. We offer one standard service via DHL as well as express delivery within the UK. UK orders are sent via DHL and usually take around 2-3 working days to arrive. European & international orders are sent via DHL and usually take 3-5 working days to arrive. During busy periods, such as the summer season, these timings may take longer than usual. Please let us know as soon as possible if your order is urgent.

We ship to all countries worldwide via DHL. All orders to countries outside of the EU, will be shipped on a DDP (Delivery Duties Paid) basis. This means that any duties and taxes incurred in the country of destination are paid for by Cynthia Grafton-Holt Couture. Product prices displayed are inclusive of all taxes and duties.

To track the progress of your parcel please contact customer care on +44 (0)203 026 0689 or email us on customercare@CynthiaGraftonHolt.com. If you have a tracking number in your dispatch confirmation you can follow the progress of your order online at DHL.com. For items ordered online, the shipping cost is applied during the checkout process. We offer Standard UK delivery is £5.95 or free on orders over £200. All orders will be sent by UK RECORDED Mail and will require a signature on receipt. Your goods will be delivered in 1-2 working days from day of dispatch. For International delivery rates, your will receive an email notification of the cost once your order has been placed. please visit EUROPEAN & INTERNATIONAL DELIVERY rates link at the top of the page.

All of our products are handmade to order and the production process carefully manged to ensure you are 100% satisfied with the finished product, therefore we do not accept returns. If you’re not completely satisfied with an item(s) on your order please contact us within 5 working days of receipt at customercare@CynthiaGraftonHolt.com Please be aware that we can only discuss ways to amend your custom order so that you are completely satisfied. Bridal accessories and jewellery Items must be received unworn with all original packaging intact, tags attached and unbroken. You will be responsible for the full cost of returning items to us. To return your items in the UK please contact our Customer Care team who will provide you with a returns label. You can then book a collection with DHL or drop off your parcel at your local service point. If you are returning an item from outside of the UK please use your local postal service. We ask that you handle local postal charges. We always recommend keeping a proof of postage receipt to avoid any delays to your refund.

We will process your refund as soon as we receive your items (if the items are unused and resalable). Please be aware that it can take up 5-10 working days for the funds to clear with your bank. Payments made using American Express can take up to 15 working days

We accept Visa, MasterCard, America Express, Delta, Maestro, Electron and PayPal credit and debits only.

We are unable to cancel bespoke orders where fabrics/trimmings ordered and sketches completed and discussed with the client. However, if your order have not yet been processed then we may be able to cancel your order for goods and services. Please contact Customer Services on +44 (0)20 3026 0689 for immediate assistance.

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We know how precious your wedding dress is so we recommend cleanign your dress as soon as possible after the big day. Using a specialist dry cleaner for your dress along with packing it away in a clothing bag to ensure it stays as gorgeous as the day your wore it. You can contact our bridal team by email for more advice on how to care for your wedding dress. Please note that unless there is a genuine fault with the fabric, we can't accept responsibility for any issues in the dry-cleaning process. Our dresses are labelled with dry cleaning instructions to protect your investment.