10 mins with..........Amanda K Bridal

The second of our stockists features Amanda K bridal. With a brand new boutique in Truro Cornwall, and designers such as Mori Lee, White Rose and Maggie Sottero I think you will all agree this is one beautiful boutique.

The stunning Mansion House in Truro where Amanda K is based.

How did I get into the bridal business?

It is a cliché but when shopping for my own dress I was disappointed with the local bridal shops…. Tiny changing areas, mediocre customer service and no passion to be seen. I have a business background and a lot of experience in sales and customer service, teamed with my interest in fashion and passion for dressing to suit your body shape, I said to my friend Carmen “ I could do better than this!” – she agreed and that was the day Amanda K was born!

How did you feel the day your boutique opened?

The day my boutique opened was wonderful – I had so much support from family and friends and although we started small with just two designers I was proud and threw myself completely into making it the success it has become today.  The opening of the new boutique was completely different with great support from suppliers in the industry and generally an altogether more upmarket evening! I feel proud of how far we have come and what we have achieved.

What makes your boutique different?

Along with our friendly service, what stands out is that brides come to us not to just buy a dress… but to be styled. According to our brides we are the only boutique who suggest styles that flatter and try out different looks that we know will compliment our brides weddings. We have also introduced our own “Signature” Collection where we can change the design of a dress to suit each bride. We try to create an environment that is about more than just a dress, it’s an all-encompassing experience for the bride that we want her to cherish forever.

The best and worst thing about running your own business?

The worst not knowing when to switch off – I am a keen Facebooker and find myself on social media when I am supposed to be relaxing. 

The best  - making changes and improving the business as I see fit because I can make my own decisions that comes with running a business, and above all sharing such personal moments with my brides and their families – we are honoured to be involved and many come back to share pregnancies with us and anniversary details which we love.

What 3 things would you take with you to a desert island?

My IPAD so I can keep in touch with my brides - not sure about the Wifi connection though!

Something to read – I love the fashion magazines such as Vogue & Elle (and perfect time of year for it, just in time for the Autumn Winter collections)

A bottle of bubbly – a desert island sounds like a break away from it all so I would want a bottle of fizz. There is a local vineyard in Cornwall named Polgoon who do the most amazing Elderflower and sparkling Raspberry Aval – I always make sure I have a bottle chilled in the fridge as you never know when you might need to celebrate!

10 mins with….The White Collection

We are very lucky to have welcomed lots of fabulous new stockists to Flo & Percy over the past few months. We would therefore love to share some of these beautiful boutiques with you in the coming weeks, hopefully you will find one in your area!

Store: The White Collection, Clevedon, North Somerset

Owner: Lea Watson

How did you get into the bridal business ?

A few years ago, after several unfulfilling years studying and pursuing a career in litigation, I decided to develop my hobby of designing jewellery. This soon moved towards designing bridal accessories, but things didn't stop there, my love of all things bridal got the better of me and when the opportunity arose for me to open my own bridal boutique I couldn't resist. It's a wonderful business to be in and I love all the different aspects associated with running the shop. Meeting people at such a happy and important time of their lives is a privilege to be part of.

How did you feel the day your boutique opened ? 

Over the moon! Getting the shop ready and open was a gradual process and took time but when the first few customers came in and commented on how beautiful the shop is and what a wonderful experience they’d had, it was really lovely to hear and reassured any nerves I had!

What makes your boutique different ?

Any business is a reflection of it’s owner, I’d like to think that my boutique has a strong identity that represents my values and style. It can be daunting making an appointment to try beautiful designer gowns in an exclusive boutique. I want Brides to genuinely have a fabulous time when they visit, in a relaxed and welcoming environment without feeling uncomfortable or pressured to purchase. The aim is for them to have fun and enjoy the process of finding their dream dress and accessories in a luxurious environment. With a background in accessories I love helping to style the bride from top to toe and offer consultation appointments purely to try different accessories. The collection of dresses we stock are carefully chosen and all fabulous but equally, accessories are so important in finishing the look and often appear in every photograph on the wedding day so, I feel that it’s important that the bride loves them as much as her dress. I take pride in ensuring that visiting brides have the best choice of accessories available and time to indulge in trying different options.

What's the best/worst things about running your own business ? 

The best thing - the sense of personal satisfaction from knowing that you’ve helped create happy memories for the bride and their party when they’ve visited the boutique. I love hearing the squeal of delight from the Bride and seeing the hugs from her loved ones on the pavement outside when she’s just left the shop after an appointment.

The worst thing-life’s a balancing act, running your own business can be very time consuming and especially if you love what you do as it can be hard to turn off in the evening and leave the business behind for a few hours. I have a family so have to make sure that I’m not just giving the best of myself to the business.

If you were stuck on a desert island what 3 things would you take with you ?  

Assuming the basics are covered like food and drink…I would take my family, I have a husband and four children (can I include our dog here too?!), some way of playing music and a camera to capture the memories.

Many thanks to Lea for being our first features boutique, if you are not tempted to visit already then please see below for images of her beautiful shop!