Frequently Asked Questions
YOUR APPOINTMENT
Booking: Book your appointment at least a few weeks in advance. Since this is a small, boutique shop, we will be closed to other customers during your appointment, to ensure a private and comfortable atmosphere. When you schedule your bridal appointment, we'll ask you for a list of your favorite songs and bands to build a customized playlist for your time in the shop.
Your first bridal appointment will be scheduled for 1hr45mins, while your dress pick-up day will be scheduled for 30 minutes (15 minutes for prom). Bridesmaid appointments are scheduled for 1.5hrs, Prom and Special Occasion appointments are scheduled for 1 hr, while Accessories appointments are 45 minutes.
What to wear: We suggest that you bring your own nude undergarments. This may include a strapless bra, underwear, and/or shapewear. Also bring along shoes similar in height to what you’re hoping for in your wedding shoes. You may also want to bring a hairband or clip if you plan to wear your hair up. Please wear minimal makeup, as the product can stain and damage the dresses.
Who to bring: Due to Covid-19, we are only allowed to have groups of 3 in the shop (you + two guests). Select people who will have your best interests at heart. It can be an emotional day, so we recommend to surround yourself with people who will be full of love and encouragement. You are more than welcome to have other family members and friends join via Facetime or Zoom.
Photos: So as not to interrupt the flow of your appointment, you and your guests are welcome to take a photo once you have "Said Yes!" to your dress.
PRICING & PAYMENTS
Bridal Gowns: $1200 - $3000 (average price: $1600-$2400)
Bridesmaid Gowns: $189 - $420 (average price: $325)
Prom Gowns: $300 - $1000 (average price: $600)
We require a non-refundable and non-transferable 50% payment at the time you order your gown. The remaining balance is due when the dress arrives.
If you are buying an off-the-rack gown, we require 100% payment and you must take the dress home with you that day.
Bridesmaid dress orders: all bridal party members must be measured (or provide measurements if out of town) and all deposits paid before we place the order. This will ensure that all dresses are made from the same selection of fabric (colours can vary if ordered separately).
Payment types: Debit, etransfer, Visa & Mastercard
Rush Orders: If your wedding date is 5 months away, we may need to consult with the designer and place a "rush" order, for an additional fee. Each designer charges a different fee ($150-$300). Not all dresses are available to be "rushed".
Bridal industry standards state that all dresses are non-returnable. This is to protect every bride, bridesmaid and prom girl who deserves a dress that has never been removed from a store.
SIZES
Special occasion gowns typically run 2 sizes smaller than regular clothing. For example, if you are a size 16 in regular clothing, you may be a size 20 in bridal, or bridesmaid brands.
- Bridal sample gown sizes: 6 - 30 (the majority are size 14, but can be ordered up to size 28, and some up to size 32)
- Bridesmaid sample gown sizes: 6 - 24 (the majority are size 12-14, but can be ordered up to size 28, and some up to size 32)
- Prom sample gown sizes: 0-30 (great selection of all sizes during prom season: November-April)
Once you have found the perfect dress, your measurements will be taken and we'll work with you to determine the best size to order.
Prom dresses can be purchased off-the-rack if it's a near perfect fit, or we can special order a dress in your colour choice and size.
TIMING & ALTERATIONS
Most bridal dresses take 5-6 months to arrive from the designer. It's ideal to order your gown 8-12 months prior to your wedding to allow time for proper fittings and alterations. Don't be discouraged if you can't find the perfect fit - 99% of dresses need to be altered in order to achieve the perfect fit.
Bridesmaid dresses should be ordered 5-6 months prior to the wedding.
Special Order prom dresses (if you don't find your perfect fit off the rack) take 3-4 months to arrive, with the last order date of February 15 each year.
Upon the arrival of your dress, we will schedule you for a second appointment (30 minutes) to try on your gown. This is a great time to try on your dress with your accessories and shoes. You may want to schedule your hair and/or make-up trial on the same day to see your entire look.
We will provide you with a list of reputable seamstresses in your area.
STORE POLICIES
All special order sales are final – no returns, refunds, exchanges or cancellations. Deposits due at the time of ordering are non-refundable and non-transferable.
All ship dates are approximate; Lena & Mae Bridal is not responsible for delays out of our control, such as the manufacturer going out of business or being unable to meet the order specifications.
You are required to try on and inspect your dress before it leaves Lena & Mae Bridal. All claims of damages will not be accepted after merchandise has left our premises.
In an effort to keep our gowns clean, Lena & Mae Bridal requires that customers remove their footwear. Please bring clean socks to wear during your appointment.
COVID-19 + Current Shop Policies
UPDATED MAY 6, 2021
Please read this section in full, prior to coming to the shop, and share the link with your guests to review.
These policies are in effect during YELLOW. Policies are subject to change. Please call us with any questions. 506-328-4376
Pre-booked private appointments are recommended. The door will be locked during your appointment.
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WALK-IN HOURS
Available Walk-In Hours are announced daily on Facebook + Instagram. If there are no Walk-In Hours announced for a given day, we are fully booked.
Walk-Ins are not permitted during a private appointment. In order to try on Bridal or Bridesmaid gowns, you must book an appointment. This allows us sufficient time to sanitize dresses after being tried on.
We can have a maximum of 5 visitors in the shop during Walk-In Hours. If we are open for Walk-In Hours, but the door is locked, we are at capacity. Please wait patiently, but do not block the door. Washroom facilities are not available during Walk-In Hours
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BEFORE YOU BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve you! While we never assume that a customer will purchase from us, we do hope that you thoughtfully consider your intent of finding your dress when you book an appointment. We are eager to work with brides who are ready to have their YES moment.
We recommend shopping for your gown 8-12 months prior to your nuptials. Most designers require 6+months to create your dream gown. If your wedding is in 2021, all gowns can be purchased right off the rack, and can be taken home with you on the day of your appointment. If your wedding is in late 2021, we can still special order your gown!
The number of appointments that we can have in a day has decreased due to the strict cleaning and disinfecting schedule that we must adhere to, between appointments. Because of this, we encourage you to book your appointment for a weekday, if at all possible. Saturdays are booking up faster than normal.
Brides + Grads can bring a maximum of 3 guests with them to their appointment. They must be from their Steady 15. You are encouraged to Facetime and Zoom with your friends and family members who can not attend your appointment. Please do a quick test call prior to your appointment – your Great Grammy may need some pointers!
Bridesmaid appointments are still possible. If you have more than 3 bridesmaids, we will need to book in 2 appointments to accommodate everyone safely.
We will no longer be able to accommodate the trying on of bridesmaid dresses during a pre-scheduled Bridal appointment. A separate appointment must be booked if your guests wish to try on clothing.
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PRIOR TO YOUR APPOINTMENT
We will contact you 3-5 days prior to your appointment, to ensure that you and your guests are healthy. If you are feeling unwell, please stay home to avoid infecting others.
If you, or someone you have been in contact with, have traveled outside of NB in the past 14 days, please stay home. If you are feeling fine, but have been in contact with someone who has traveled, please consider that you may be asymptomatic. If you live in a zone within the Red Phase, or under Lockdown, you will need to reschedule your appointment.
Should your health (or the health of a close contact) change prior to your appointment, please contact us to reschedule. I have worked with a few brides in the past (prior to Covid-19) who have not been feeling well, and while they pushed through their appointment, it was not enjoyable for them. We can always re-schedule – no questions asked.
Prior to your appointment, please visit our Facebook albums to view all current inventory, and save 3-5 favourites to your phone. In your appointment reminder email, we will ask you to supply photos of your fav dresses – those dresses will be ready for you to try on when you arrive. If your dream dress doesn’t end up being in that group of gowns, have no fear – we have an amazing selection of gowns, and your consultant will continue to select dresses based on the elements that you love.
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WHEN YOU ARRIVE
Please arrive for your appointment ON TIME. If you arrive early, please return to your vehicle and TEXT us @ 323-1956. We will let you know when the shop is ready for you.
Since it is impossible for us to maintain 6 feet of distance from our clients during a private appointment, all staff and shop visitors are REQUIRED to wear facemasks for the duration of the appointment. Please bring your own facemask. Visitors must put on their masks with clean hands, prior to entering the shop.
Hightouch surfaces will be disinfected prior to each appointment, and gowns tried on will be steamed between each appointment.
All visitors must remove their shoes upon entry. Please bring clean socks as bare feet are not permitted.
We will be taking your temperature upon entry to the shop. If you register with a fever, you will need to leave and reschedule your appointment.
If possible, please leave your jacket in your vehicle. All jackets, purses and bags are to be hung on the coat rack in the entryway. Coat rack will be disinfected after each appointment.
All visitors are required to wash hands upon entry. Hand sanitizer will also be available during the appointment.
No outside food or drink (except for medical reasons). Bottled water is available for all customers.
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DURING YOUR APPOINTMENT
Your guests will be asked to remain seated for the duration of the appointment. Browsing the racks while the bride is in the changing room will not be permitted.
To limit the number of people handling the gowns, only consultants will be allowed to remove dresses from the racks, and adjust the gowns on the bride to be. All clipping, fitting, adjusting, fluffing of trains, etc., will be done by the consultant ONLY. Some guests can be quite hands-on, which can be very stressful for the bride – we hope that this rule will allow your guests to relax and just enjoy the show!
We will be limiting the trying on of a gown “just for fun”, as that gown will then need to be steamed, prior to being put back on the racks. For example, some guests want to see the bride in a style that they would never normally wear, and they say “come on, just try it on for me”. Most often the bride doesn’t want to try it on, but they do, to appease the crowd. We’ll be your back-up in these situations, and remind your guests that our extra Covid-19 precautions would require that dress to be steamed again. Don’t worry – we’re always on your side.
Since we’ve had to increase the amount of cleaning and sanitizing between appointments, all time must be focused on finding your perfect dress. For this reason, we will be limiting photo-taking to your final gown selection. This will allow the appointment to flow, uninterrupted, and typically makes for a more relaxing, low pressure appointment. Don’t worry - we’ll reserve time at the end of your appointment for your “I SAID YES!” photo moment.
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THANK YOU FOR READING!
We know that reading this must be very overwhelming. Planning your wedding during a pandemic was surely the last thing on your mind when you fell in love and said YES to your fiancé. We promise that your appointment will be an exciting and memorable experience with your nearest and dearest.
We want to ensure that every single person who enters our store will stay healthy. We are making the best of a strange new normal, and hope that you will come along for the ride!
Please reach out to shop owner Katie, directly, if you have any questions or concerns, prior to your appointment.
Email: hello@lenamaebridal.com
506-328-4376
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