How to Plan a Non-Traditional or Queer Bridal Appointment
A wedding is a celebration of love between two people, and here at the Bridal House, we believe that you should be feeling the love from your first appointment with us. We pride ourselves on being an inclusive bridal boutique in Leeds, and we are here to support queer, non-binary and non-traditional brides and couples with appointments tailored to you. Here are a few ways we can make your experience comfortable, fun and pressure free.
Before your appointment
The preparation for your appointment is one of the most important things. Whether you’re putting on some makeup to feel your best in the mirror, or opting for a slow and quiet morning to get in the right headspace, how you prep sets the tone for your whole experience.
In the run up to your appointment, you can tell us a couple of things to ensure that your appointment goes the way you want it to. You can let us know if you would like something more relaxed, less formal, or different to a typical bridal appointment, share your pronouns and let us know if you’d prefer not to be called ‘bride’. If you would prefer a fully private appointment, we can also organise your appointment for a time when we can close the other side of the boutique to ensure you have the space to yourself and let us know if you’d rather be alone in the changing room.
During your appointment
We believe every appointment should feel like a safe, affirming space — here’s how we make that happen. If requested, we can use gender neutral language throughout the appointment. We can also ensure that the appointment is strictly 1-1, so you can get comfortable with your stylist, and you don’t have to worry about any new faces during your appointment. If you would prefer, you can request an LGBTQ+ stylist, and you can request a specific vibe for the music in the shop to make you feel comfortable, as well as changing the temperature.
In the Changing Room
Your changing room is your space in the shop. If you would prefer to bring a friend to help you in and out of the dresses, rather than one of our stylists, or if you would prefer that our stylists wait outside while you dress, these are all available options. When trying on dresses, we generally recommend wearing the undergarments that you’d be wearing on the wedding day, however you can try dresses on over leggings or vest tops to get an idea of the style. If these fit close to the body, we can get the best feel for the fit, and we may need you to be in tighter clothing for us to take measurements, but we can make it work.
In terms of your undergarments, wear whatever makes you comfortable. Whether this is a binder, sports bra, boxers or shapewear, we will never ask you to remove anything you’re not comfortable with. Whilst many gowns have built in support for those with a bust, we can recommend how your dress can be altered to hide any important undergarments or gender affirming underwear. We can also recommend specialty underwear and shapewear for gender non-conforming bodies to ensure that you can feel your best on the big day, without worrying about any of the groundwork failing.
Bridesmaids
For bridesmaids, whilst you may not be the one in white on the big day, we still want to make sure that you can enjoy this big day. We celebrate all forms of bridal parties, so whether your bridal party is wearing suits, gowns, or a mix of both, we’re here to help them feel cohesive, confident, and completely themselves. Many of our bridesmaid dresses have matching groomsmen accessories available, so we can style these however you need to ensure your bridesmaids are comfortable together.
Come as you are.
The most important thing to us is that you bring your authentic self to your appointment. This is a very exciting time for all involved, so we want to ensure that everyone involved can feel comfortable and relaxed whilst celebrating. We believe that there are no rules to how “a bride should look”, and we’re committed to helping you execute your vision however we can. We are here to celebrate you and your individuality. Wedding dresses are not one size fits all, and neither are our appointments.
Ready to book?
Ready to book your appointment, your way? Head to our appointment page or drop us a DM @thebridalhouseleeds — we can’t wait to welcome you.