Terms and Conditions

AGREEMENTS & PAYMENTS

Ideally 6-18 months is required to make  wedding dresses, though shorter time scales can be accommodated.  The sooner you place an order the better to avoid disappointment. 

Once the design specification is finalised a written quotation, contract and other paperwork will be sent to you.  This quote will be held for 4 weeks from the date of issue.  If I have not received the signed contract by the end of the four week period I will assume that you do not wish to continue with the order.  After this four week period I reserve the right to amend the quote to take into account for rise in material costs.  I also reserve the right to change the original quote at any time in line with any major design changes from the original agreed design.  There is a 14 day cooling off period from the date the contract was signed in case you change your mind.

A 25% minimum payment of the total fee cost will be required along with your signed contract as confirmation of your booking.  This first payment is non-refundable after the 14 day cooling off period and covers costs incurred up to the first fitting. Upon receipt of the first payment I will deem this as your acceptance of my terms and conditions

The cost of the materials chosen is due on completion of the toile fittings before I can order the fabric in and start making the actual garment. 

The balance is payable in full or by instalments as agreed between ourselves. The balance must be paid in full in cleared funds by a minimum of two weeks before the wedding. All garments remain the property of Susie Grist Couture until paid in full in cleared funds. All payments must be made by collection day.

If due to unforeseen circumstances, you are unable to proceed with the order, any outstanding payment or refund will be at my sole discretion. Please notify me as soon as possible if such an incident should occur. However, if the garment(s) has reached completion or fabric stage then full payment will be required.  

The process of made-to-measure garment making is a time consuming one. The following is included in the price; 

• All consultations/fittings at my premises in Abingdon Oxford (petrol and travel time costs will be incurred if elsewhere) 

• All chosen fabric 

• All labour costs 

• All reasonable alterations necessary to ensure the perfect fit. 

Anything intricate, involving lots of hand stitching, embroidery or beading will be time consuming and will be charged accordingly. Brocade or lace fabrics can be very expensive.  

FITTINGS 

You will be required to attend at least 3-6 fittings depending on the complexity of the design. You should allow 1-1.5 hours for each fitting. 

It is preferable for you to bring along the same undergarments that you will wear on your wedding day to all fittings, and shoes the same height as those that you will wear on your wedding day to at least the final 3 fittings. 

It is advisable that you keep the number of guests you bring with you to your consultation and fittings to a maximum of two.  This will ensure a more intimate and calm environment. 

It is preferable that babies and young children not attend the fittings unless they are having a garment made and being fitted themselves or, if it is unavoidable I kindly ask you to consider that any children will need to be looked after by a responsible adult at all times, primarily for safety as my working environment is not child friendly.

TIME PERIOD

This process is generally started 2-3 months prior to your wedding

We arrange a first fitting at my studio in Abingdon Oxford with your wedding dress shoes and underwear to establish what alterations are required.

A quote will be sent to you describing the alterations discussed and the estimated cost of these. 

Once the first payment has been paid I will start work on the alterations. 

There will be an interim fitting to finalise the alterations before the hems are cut and fiished off or the embellishments sewn back onto the dress.

A final fitting will be arrange about 1 month - 2 weeks before your wedding date when everything will be completed and ready for you to take away.

It is advisable that you keep the number of guests you bring with you to your fittings to a maximum of two.  This will ensure a more intimate and calm environment.     

 It is preferable that babies and young children not attend the fittings unless they are having a garment altered and being fitted themselves or, if it is unavoidable I kindly ask you to consider that any children will need to be looked after by a responsible adult at all times, primarily for safety as my working environment is not child friendly.

REMODELING & EXTENSIVE ALTERATIONS OR ADDITIONS

If you have bought a dress that is not quite the dream dress you where after and require a complete re-model or extensive additions put onto the dress like, for example, an illusion bodice, sleeves etc then this is something that can be arranged. 

A quote will be sent indicating the costs of this work and any estimated material costs incurred in doing this. 

In paying the first payment your are excepting responsibility that if the end result is not quite how you had imagined it with the dress you provided that I will in no way be held to the costs of the dress worked on or a replacement dress.

I will endevour to do my best to make your vision a reality. If I have to find the fabric then we will look for the best match possible. But in the end I can not absolutely guarantee that what you want to do with the dress will work to your satisfaction.

PAYMENTS

After the initial fitting a quote will be sent detailing the alterations required and estimated cost. A non-refunable first payment will be indicated on the quote and will be 50% of the alteration costs. 

Upon receipt of the first payment I will deem this as your acceptance of my terms and conditions

The remaining balance and any other extra material costs incurred will be due for payment on completion of the work after the interim fitting and the balance must be paid in cleared funds before the dress can be collected.

After your final fitting on completion of the alterations, once the garment has been taken from my premises I will deem this as the end of the alteration agreement and that you are 100% happy with the work completed. If at a later date you decide to return the dress for further adjustments on the alterations already carried out or additional alterations then I reserve the right to make extra charges for the additional work to be completed. 

STORAGE & STEAMING

If you have your dress a long time ahead of your wedding and have booked to have your alterations done with myself then it may be possible to arrange to store your dress with me up to 6 months before your wedding day. I do not have a huge amount of space so it will depend on how busy I am and be on a first come first serve basis. The three months leading upto your wedding will be considered part of the alteration time and will be free of charge as I would normally have your dress at this time anyway, but anything over this time will incur a cost of £20 per month.

It will be possible to arrange to have your wedding dresses steamed and collected closer to the wedding day but this may incur an extra cost.