Frequently Asked Questions

Got questions? We've got answers!

Want to learn more about shopping for the perfect wedding dress in Ottawa? Here are the answers to your most common questions. If you don’t see your answer here, please contact us directly and we will respond to your concerns and enquiries!

Do I Need an Appointment?

Revelle Bridal Boutique operates on a by appointment basis only. By booking a consultation, we can focus on providing a personal and exceptional bridal experience. At this time, walk-ins are not permitted but feel free to give us a call at the Boutique if you are interested in a same-day consultation.

When should I start dress shopping?

The lead time varies by designer but usually we recommend shopping as early as 10 to 12 months before your wedding date to ensure that you have enough time to order your dream dress while factoring in production and delivery timelines as well as alterations.

Who should I bring with me to my appointment?

Choosing your wedding dress is a huge, emotional decision and often times it can be overwhelming. We want you to enjoy the process so we recommend you bring the key people in your life whose opinions you value and trust. Our main bridal suites are configured to accommodate the bride plus 4 adult guests. Should you wish to bring more than 4 adult guests, consider our Luxe Bridal Experience option.

What happens during my bridal consultation?

We schedule our initial bridal consultation in 1.5 hour time slots in order to give you the personalized service that you deserve. A bridal stylist will be assigned to you to find you the perfect dress according to your style preference and budget. We encourage our brides to do some initial research prior to your consultation as this helps our stylists better prepare. You will be asked to complete an interview questionnaire before your consultation but also feel free to share your Pinterest boards and other inspo with us.

Can me and my guests go through the dress racks?

In order to protect our gown collection and to respect other bridal consultations going on at the same time, it is our policy not to allow guests to look through our guest racks. An experienced stylist will be assigned to you and will choose the gowns that fit the specifications you indicated in your pre-consultation questionnaire. It’s your stylist’s job to help you find the one so trust in her to choose the perfect gowns fro you to try on.

Where should I go for dress alterations?

Your wedding dress is a very special purchase so we only recommend the best when it comes to alterations. Revelle Bridal Boutique works with some very talented seamstresses who have extensive experience when it comes to wedding dress alterations. Once you have chosen your wedding dress from the Revelle Bridal collection, we would be happy to refer you to an experienced seamstress near you. Please contact us for more details.

When should I order my wedding gown?

Giving yourself 10 - 12 months prior to your wedding day is a stress free way to order your dream dress. All of the wedding dresses at Revelle are made to order and can take anywhere between 6-10 months to create depending on the designer. When factoring in alterations time it can take up to 10 months to have your gown in-hand and fitting perfectly for the big day. That being said, we are often able to place rush orders for your wedding dress at an additional fee. We strongly encourage you to start your wedding dress shopping journey as early as possible to avoid unexpected delays and additional fees.

What is the price range of the gowns in store?

Our special order designer collection ranges in price from $2,500 to $8,000 with most of our gowns between $3,500 to $4,000. If you need your gown right away or have a limited budget, we have partnered with our friends at Never Knew I Needed who will be featuring former Revelle sample gowns that will be available for purchase off the rack. Please contact Never Knew I Needed directly for more information or to book an appointment.

Follow us on Instagram or Facebook, or view our events page, as we periodically have trunk shows that may accommodate different budgets.

What are the sample sizes in store?

Our sample gowns range from size 8 to 20. We do our best to buy average sizing to be able to fit as many brides as possible. Many of the designers we carry offer plus sizes as well even if we may not have specific plus sizes in store. Our stylists are able to show you how each gown will fit even if it is not in your exact sizing. Do not hesitate to contact us with specific questions about sizing.

Do you carry every gown in each Designer’s collection ?

As an intimate boutique, we do our best to create a curated selection of gowns that represent our typical bride’s style. While we carry a number of different styles by designer, we may not have every single gown from a designer’s entire collection. That being said if there is a specific gown that you are looking for, please contact us and if we don’t happen to carry it in store we will let you know what options are available to possibly get you a sample to try on. Depending on the designer, they may have a loaner program available that allows stockists to temporarily borrow a specific gown for clients. Please note that there are loaner fees involved with this option that are charged to the bride. For more details, please contact us.

Do you charge for appointments ?
Due to the highly personalized nature of our bridal shopping experience, there is a non-refundable booking fee of $40 (including HST) for most of our in-person bridal consultations. When completing your booking online, you will be asked for your credit card information and you will automatically be charged for consultations that incur the booking fee. For those consultations that do not require a fee, your credit card will only be charged the $40 fee if you do not cancel within 24 hours from your consultation or if you no-show.  Please view our services page for more information on each bridal consultation type that we offer.
Why is there a charge for bridal consultations?

In order to ensure we provide the very best experience during your bridal consultation at Revelle, we charge a minimal booking fee to reserve your bridal consultation. The fee, which is credited towards the purchase of your wedding dress, covers the 1.5 hours that a bridal stylist dedicates to helping you find the one and is aimed at deterring no-shows or last minute cancellations. We feel that the time our stylists devote to your consultation and the exceptional service they provide is well worth every penny you pay towards your bridal consultation.

What is your cancellation policy?

As we operate by appointment only, we schedule our staff accordingly and therefore last minute cancellations or no-shows negatively impact our small business.If you do not show up to your scheduled consultation or you fail to cancel 24 hours before, you will be charged $50. If you are unable to attend your consultation, please make sure you contact the boutique to let us know.

What is the process for ordering a gown?

You found the one and we are thrilled that you chose Revelle. Once you’ve said yes to the dress, we will take your measurements and discuss sizing with you as well as any customizations you may want to add through the designer. We will then review the sales agreement with you in detail and you will be required to pay 100% of the payment upon ordering. If you require a rush order, you will also be required to pay your balance in full at the time of ordering. While you’re waiting for your gown to arrive, start looking for your shoes and thinking about the accessories you want to complete your wedding day look.

Once I place my order, how long does it take before I receive my gown ?

Depending on the designer, your gown typically arrives 6-8 months from the date you place your order. It seems like a long time but don’t worry we will stay in touch with you throughout the entire time to keep you updated along the way, Once your gown arrives, we will arrange for you to “meet your dress” and ideally we aim to have that happen 3-4 months before your wedding date.

Is there anything I should bring to my appointment?

Other than your favourite people and an open mind, you can bring a pair of heels at the height you plan to wear on your wedding day if you wish. We recommend wearing light or nude undergarments and if you wish, bring some shapewear if you intend to wear it on your wedding day. It's best to avoid wearing full makeup or self-tanner to avoid getting our sample gowns stained.

Is there parking available nearby the boutique?

There is lots of parking right in front of the Boutique on Richmond Road as well as on the side streets near us. There is also a paid parking lot off of Winona and Picton which is free after 5:00PM and free on weekends.

What is your return policy?

Revelle Bridal does not accept any returns, refunds, or exchanges once you have ordered or purchased your dress and/or accessories. At time of purchase, your Bridal Stylist will go over your sales contract with you in detail and we recommend that you carefully review the contract and ask any questions before you sign off. This policy is strictly enforced and there are no exceptions.

Can I bring children to my appointment?

This is always a touchy subject but our boutique policy is that we do not allow any children under the age of 12. Unfortunately, we’ve made exceptions in the past for babies to attend only to have a baby crying throughout the entire consultation or a child running around the shop. In consideration of other consultation that may be going on at the same time as well as for the benefit of the brides we find it best to keep bridal consultations to adults only.

Can we bring champagne or snacks to our bridal consultation?

In order to keep our Boutique in pristine condition and to protect our beautiful gowns and accessories, we do not allow outside food or drink so please make sure you refrain from bringing these to the boutique during your consultation. We know the bride’s “say yes" moment is a joyous occasion so rest assured that the Revelle team will make sure it’s extra special for everyone even if alcohol isn’t involved.

Is the Boutique wheelchair accessible?

We are pleased to say that all of the bridal suites in our Boutique are wheelchair accessible as well as our bathroom. If you need special arrangements, please contact us via email or call the Boutique directly.

Do you have tipping available?

Yes, we do have a tipping option available when your transaction is being processed. While tipping is always welcome but never mandatory, if you feel your stylist provided an exceptional experience and deserves a gratuity we will ensure it gets to them. If you enjoyed your experience at Revelle and choose not to tip, leaving a wonderful Google Review is very much appreciated. 

What is a trunk show and how do I book to attend one?

A trunk show is a special event when we host a specific designer’s newest collection for a limited time. During the trunk show period, there are usually discounts and/or special pricing and promotions available to brides who purchase from that specific designer. We host a number of different trunk shows throughout the year so if there is a designer you are interested in, be sure to book your consultation for that time to enjoy all the special perks. To see a list of the trunk shows on our schedule, please visit our events page and to book your consultation for a trunk show, simply book through our online calendar and specify which designer trunk show you are interested in. 

We can't wait to meet you!

Ready to start your wedding dress shopping journey?
Our experienced bridal stylists will help you find THE ONE.