Thank you for your interest in 1st Call for Weddings.

I am frequently asked a wide range of questions, so I have prepared the answers to some of the more common ones below:

What do you do?

I sell bargain designer bridal gowns, some may be once worn, some are samples that have never been worn and some are brand new.

There are hundreds of dresses in our showroom in Workingham near Reading and many more on my web site nationwide. You can visit the showroom by appointment or make a private sale with one of our advertisers whose dresses are in their homes throughout the country.

Brand new shoes, tiaras, veils, storage boxes etc. are also sold in my online shop.

Suppliers of other wedding services nationwide also advertise their businesses with us. You can visit the suppliers section to find a photographer or cake maker or hotel near you for example.

Where are you based?

1st Call For Weddings office is situated in Pangbourne near Reading The showroom is now in Workingham Reading it has over 200 dresses and is open by appointment with Katherine who runs it.

For those of you travelling from farther afield, Reading is close to Heathrow airport & Workingham is near the main Reading railway station which is less than 30 minutes from London Paddington & also is on the main line via Oxford to Birmingham & to the West Country & Wales.

Do you have a brochure?

I am sorry that I do not have a brochures because our dresses are constantly changing. Please do however keep an eye on the web site and print out information from there.

Once you know what sort of dress you would like you will be able to search for it by designer, style, size or price.

How can I book an appointment?

Katherine will be pleased to help you on the telephone or email and make an appointment when you are ready. Our home sellers can also be contacted direct. The email link & phone number are given within the details of each dress.

Will you take my dress in your Showroom?

Yes, just select Showroom when you complete your registration details & you will then receive instructions on how to deliver it by courier or in person.

How do I sell my dress in your Showroom?

This is the "Rolls Royce" for brides who appreciate the extra Showroom service and are pleased to save time by being able to see several dresses in one easy-to-reach location. Just select showroom as you register your dress.

1st Call For Weddings is still small enough to care and take personal responsibility for our work but thanks to the web we now have the biggest presence in the once worn wedding dress market.

I want to buy, what should I do next?

In our Reading Showroom all of our dresses are bargains to clear & so the stock is constantly changing. Some dresses are brand new, some have been worn & dry cleaned to a high standard whilst others might be ex samples that have been tried on in a shop but never worn by a bride. No matter what the reason the dress is here they are all bargains & all only available in the size mentioned at the time & so when you see one you like you should try to buy it quickly before someone else does.

Before booking your appointment, please search our database to select the dresses that are right for you, up to 6 is ideal, & then telephone to make an appointment. If you need help using our search system please telephone & we will be pleased to help. You will be able to take the dress away with you as the dress you try is the only one we have & therefore you cannot order it in the future & so please time your visit to when you are ready to buy rather like going to the sales. If you cannot visit the showroom we will do our best to check your measurements against your chosen dress & having established that it will fit you we will send it by post for a small extra courier fee. If it is not suitable we will refund the cost less the courier fee.

We will give you the best service & make the experience of choosing your dress a pleasure. All our appointments are one to one in the comfort of our showroom. By putting in time on the website before you come you will feel much more confident that you know what is available & hopefully will find it easier to make a good decision within your price range.

Buy from homes nationwide. Many brides are now advertising their dresses for sale privately on our website. When you search for your dress you will see whether it is in the showroom or whether it is owned by a private seller & can contact her direct.

If you cant find the right style when you search you can complete a dress wanted form and any bride or shop that has that dress for sale will be able to contact you direct.

I can't find the dress I'm looking for, what should I do?

If you can't find the dress you are looking for, you should first try our search form, specifying the designer's name or dress style you are looking for. If that doesn't work, you should then post a message on our Wanted! page.

How should I care for my dress?

Have a pure white absorbent kitchen roll available at the reception to absorb stains. Do not put water, wine or anything else on them (white wine applied to red wine stains only helps while the red wine is still wet).

Arrange to dry clean immediately after the wedding giving notes about any stains there may be.

Our dry cleaner will treat the stains before they go in the machine and repeat the process without charge if a second application is likely to bring about better results. As with washing, some stains will not come out but you should use a cleaner who will try to treat them and tell you if he doesn't succeed.

Special wedding boxes are available for those wishing to store their dresses rather than reselling them. The secret of successful storage is to avoid sunlight, extremes of temperature, bugs, and damp. The box and tissue & box or storage bag should be acid free. Please see our on-line shop.

How should I transport my dress?

Dresses coming into the showroom for sale should be sent after agreeing it by email with Katherine who will give you the full address.

Most clients use Parcelforce & can insure the dress during transit, although touch wood we have never had one lost or damaged in transit.

Dresses can be packaged in boxes or polythene as long as you are satisfied they are well protected.

Please do not send packaging that you might want back, as we cannot keep it with the dress. They are all stored in clear zip bags to keep them clean and fully visible while on show in the Showroom.

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Ruth Paul
01189842755
ruth@1stcallforweddings.co.uk
www.1stcallforweddings.co.uk
PO Box 4066 Pangbourne Reading RG8 7FL