About us
Opened in 2015 Betty McCaul Bridal set out to offer sample sale prices with a boutique experience. I strongly believe that saving on your wedding dress shouldn't mean sacrificing your experience. (And let's face it, weddings are expensive!). In the years since opening my aim has also expanded to ensure that you experience a relaxed and friendly environment in which you, and your friends and family, are comfortable.
I originally envisioned around 70 sample sale dresses, but with my love for shopping and the wonderful suppliers that I've been lucky to work with, I never want to turn down a great dress that I know our brides will love! That means there's usually well over 200 sample dresses, along with our three made to order brands available at any time for you to choose from, with the sample dresses under £1,000 and the made to order under £2,000.
Our outlet styles are available to buy "off the peg" on the day of your appointment - you can even take them home on the same day! Dresses start from as little £699, and are up to 65% off of retail price! By sourcing ex- sample and discontinued wedding dresses and bringing them directly to you, you can access these amazing deals. I personally hand pick each dress to make sure that it is in great condition, so that you can have an exquisite wedding dress at huge savings!
I never planned to add designers whose styles could be ordered to the boutique, but seeing the styles and quality of the dresses on offer from Justin Alexander, Sincerity Bridal and Adore by Justin Alexander I felt that these were too good to miss. They offer an alternative to the outlet dresses as you can select them in different sizes, and sometimes colours, but remain under our maximum price range of £2,000.
Since reopening after lockdown I have just one appointment at a time so you will have the boutique all to yourself, and your appointment will be with me! (I'm the bridesmaid on the far right at my wonderful friends Claire's wedding. Although that photo was pre-Covid....!!).
Hope to see you soon!
Amy xx
WHO IS BETTY MCCAUL?
The question that I get asked most, and I love it! I love getting to tell people that Betty McCaul Bridal is named after my two Nan's, it's one Nan's first name and the other Nan's maiden name. (The combination didn't quite work the other way round!).
These two ladies were such a big part of my life growing up and I was increibly blessed to be their grandaughter. The epitome of everything you could have ever wished for, they were kind, patient, loving and incredibly strong in their own ways.
Naming the boutique after them meant I set out from the start to ensure that they were honoured and I hope that Betty McCaul always does them proud!
APPOINTMENTS
We're currently offering both Virtual Consultations and In Store Appointments. Have a read below to find out more!
VIRTUAL CONSULTATIONS
A new addition to our "Bridal Menu" is a Virtual Consultation. This may be perfect for you if you are a bride who:
- has already tried dresses, narrowed down what you're looking for and want to see if we have that in store
- have a bit of a distance to travel to us and want to get a feel of the dresses we have in store before committing to that journey
- want to get to know us or our stock a little better before committing to an in store appointment
Our Virtual Consultation can be done two ways; via a quick call on Zoom, Whatsapp Video or Facetime, or via a small set of questions on email. Whichever way you choose, it'll be a short discussion to find out more about you, your wedding, and what you're envisioning for your dress. It's ok if you don't have a set vision of this in your mind, if this is the case then we can then show you a range of styles and see what you're drawn towards.
Following our consultation, I'll personally pull a selection of dresses and email these to you. You can browse the selection in the comfort of your home, with a glass of bubbly if you like and decide if you'd like to visit us in person!
IN STORE APPOINTMENTS
I can't wait to welcome you into our shop to find your perfect dress! With over 200 different styles to choose from in our outlet collection alone, discounted and all immediately available- you've come to the right place! All of our wedding dresses are under £2,000, with our off the peg dresses under £1,000, so you can find an incredible dress whilst staying on budget.
We also offer three designers whose styles are available to order in. These are Justin Alexander, Adore by Justin Alexander and Sincerity Bridal. Head to our wedding dress page to see the full range of styles that we stock. Unbelievably, these designers come in under £2,000 too!
You'll have the boutique to yourself as only one appointment takes place at a time so you, your friends and family, can relax and enjoy!
I believe that your bridal appointment, whatever your budget or timescale, should be a fun and relaxed experience, so:
- During your appointment you will be able to try up to six beautiful dresses of your choice. Brides have told me that this is the perfect number to stop you getting overwhelmed and keep the experience of finding The One fun!.
- We also offer accessories to complete the look, so you can get that bridal feeling with your choice of headpieces, veils, belts and boleros.
- We know there may be people whose opinion you value when searching for your dress but who cannot visitfor whatever reason, so you are free to take as many photos, videos and video call during your appointment. We just suggest consulting them to ensure they're available for the appointment you choose, so that if you find The One they can join in the fun! We don't have any chargers in store so don't forget to charge your phone up beforehand!
ALTERATIONS AND SIZING
As many of our dresses are ex-samples, the most common sizes are 12 and 14. The dress sizes generally range from a UK 8 to a 18, however you should bear in mind that bridal sizing can come up quite small. A sample dress can comfortably be taken down a couple of sizes by a reliable bridal seamstress.
If you require a larger size please do get in touch, as although we don't stock these as regularly we may have some available. We are able to recommend independent seamstresses who can assist with your alterations, or you are welcome to make your own alterations arrangements. Please bear in mind that although we can offer great discounted prices on the dresses, we are unable to do anything about the pricing of alterations- so please do factor this into your budget!
WHEN SHOULD I VISIT?
There is only one of each design in stock of our outlet dresses, for this reason I strongly advise scheduling any other appointments at other stores you'd like to attend before you come and visit us. This puts you in an informed position to a make a decision on your dress during your appointment with us, rather than risking your favourite dress being sold whilst you attend other appointments.
Justin Alexander, Sincerity Bridal and Adore by Justin Alexander dresses can be ordered in. Although they keep a small number of designs in stock, which we're happy to nab for you if available, full order times can be between 4-6 months depending on the style. With global shipping delays currently affecting alot of the bridal industry we therefore advise shopping for these designs well in advance.
HOW MANY GUESTS CAN I BRING?
Currently we can accommodate up to three adult guests with you to your appointment. Our boutique is a cosy space so I'm afraid that we simply can't squeeze anymore than this in! Brides have also told us that this number of guests works best for them.
We regret that we cannot currently accommodate buggies or small children.
