How does a sample sale online work? Bridal sample sales are a wonderful opportunity to find your perfect wedding dress at a gentle price. They also have the added benefit of being available straight away which makes them a great option for any bride who has a short lead time. Our sample sale days used […]
How does a sample sale online work?
Bridal sample sales are a wonderful opportunity to find your perfect wedding dress at a gentle price. They also have the added benefit of being available straight away which makes them a great option for any bride who has a short lead time. Our sample sale days used to be bustling affairs at our London Studio, lots of lovely brides-to-be would come to see us and we would have all of our dresses available to try on in store. At the moment we are unable to operate our sample sales in the same way but we still wanted to create an accessible and easy option for our brides to purchase our wonderful samples that need new homes.
Our online Archive Sample Saleallows you to view all of our sample wedding dresses for sale online, each dress is listed with sizing, condition and the price. We do understand you may need a little more assistance before you buy which is why we have set up our online chat or you can e-mail us at studio@andreahawkes.co.uk to ask any questions you may have about sizing or the condition of the piece. If you have any questions it is always best to ask us straight away so that we can help you in the best way possible.
Our sample wedding dresses are normally a non refundable/returnable item but we will accept returns during UK lockdown restrictions from 4th January. Samples can be returned at this time if we receive notice of return within 7 days of receiving samples. This will allow you to try your chosen sample at home for size and shape, if it is not quite right you can return the item to us. Read our Delivery & Returns information for more guidance.
What is a sample wedding dress?
A sample sale wedding dress is a collection piece that has been used in store for brides to try on, they may have been in store over a period of time or they may be fairly new. We take pride in keeping our samples in good condition but they may have some minor defects such as light pulls, pin marks or make-up marks all of which will be disclosed to your before buying and are reflected in the price. Some samples will be in almost new condition, these dresses are from when we have made multiple sizes for photoshoots or truck shows with our stockists. All sample sale dresses will be at a discounted price.
What Size are sample wedding dresses?
We have a wide variety of sample sale dresses from a size 8-20. We are regularly updating our sample sale with dresses in different sizes. If there is a particular sample you love but you are unsure on sizing please contact one of our stylists and they will be able to guide you with measurements to help ensure the fit works for you. It is important to bear in mind that it is likely you will need some kind of alteration for your dress whether that be a shortening of the hem or a taking in of the bodice. If a sample sale dress is a size or two bigger than your size, this is absolutely no problem at all and can be altered to fit. If the sample is smaller than your body measurements we would suggest speaking with us prior to purchasing so we can give you the best advice.
Do I need to Dry Clean my sample sale wedding dress?
Depending on the condition of the sample we can help advise, for any dresses in good or ok condition we would generally suggest to dry clean as they have been tried on in store by other brides. This will freshen up your dress and help to reduce any light marks on the piece. If an item is listed as new or like new you may not need to dry clean the dress as they have not been tried on or have maybe been used once or twice. It is of course up to you whether you want to proceed with cleaning, here is the link to our Dry Cleaning Services and pricing.
Do you offer alterations on sample sale wedding dresses?
We do offer in house alterations for our sample sale dresses that are purchased online or in store. If you are local to Islington or are able to travel to see us we can be of assistance. We will be in touch to offer this service once you have purchased your dress. Alterations vary in price depending on how much work is needed, we will be able to provide you with our alteration package prices. Please note that we may have set times of the year where we can alter sample dresses, this is dependent on our workload.
How much are sample sale wedding dresses?
Our sample sale dresses range from £400-£1,500 depending on the style, fabric and condition. We also offer bridal accessories such as tops, veils & belts.
We hope that answers all of your wedding dress sample sale questions but we are always here to provide you with any help you need. Contact us at studio@andreahawkes.co.uk.
All photography by Sean Elliot Photography