Testimonials

15 July 2008

Dear Michelle

Thank you so much for helping me to choose a dress on Friday. It was wonderful to have the time to try on so many dresses! You were so helpful and patient and really helped to make the experience even more special. My Mum and Aunt were so impressed!

Thank you so much

Alison Curtis

11^th JULY 2008

07 April 2008

Dear All at Brides

I just want to say a big thank you to you all that helped me with my dress. I loved the dress and so did my new husband!! Everyone that came to our wedding said what a good job you all did.The dress made my day perfect and i did feel like a princess. Once again thank you so much. I will recommened you to all i know .

 Cerie Pearson

22 February 2008

To Michelle

 Thank you so very, very much for all your help and advice in choosing my wedding dress.

I was such a pain not being able to decided which one to go for but you were so nice, helpful and very patient.

Thank you again Michelle

I hope you enjoyed your trip to Leeds

Love From

Claire

01 February 2008

Dear All at Brides

 I wanted to say Thank You for all your help with the alterations to my dress. Your seamstress is very expert and she has made the dress even better than it was.

I also found the staff in your shop very helpful and polite.

Thank you so much for your assistance.

Many Thanks

Sarah

18 January 2008

My daughter Laura bought her dress from you for her wedding on 8th September 2007 which was absolutely beautiful.   The service we received from Amy and Michelle was truly, second to none, they made Laura feel extremely special with their knowledge, experience and professional customer service. 

Thank you for your assistance   Nicky Sexton (Mrs)
 

04 January 2008

To Everyone at Brides

Just wanted to write and thank you all for the advice and guidness you gave me when choosing my dress. I certainly recieved the wow factor as i walked up the aisle and Paul said to me hello Mrs Christmas!!

 The wedding day was brilliant, the church service was veyr special and magical. The Barn dance was great and fun and managed to do all the dances with my dress on. We are now looking forward to our first Christmas together as husband and wife, plus our honeymoon a cruise in the caribbean when we can really relax and enjoy ourselves. When we get some photosback i'll pop in and show you.

Thank you again for making the day so special in helping me pick the perfect dress!!

 Best Wishes

Elly

10 December 2007

Hi Amy,
 
I just wanted to say thank you for all of your help both yourself and Shelley have given me. As i am sure you can understand, searching for Wedding dresses from abroad is a challenge! I guess, the good thing is that i have seen lots that i like....i'm just looking forward to trying them all on! I have had another look at the dresses on your website, and have seen so many nice ones. I really like the strapless style, not too fussy, but with a subtle pattern or rouching!

Look forward to visiting in January.
 
Many thanks again
 
Nadine 

27 November 2007

Thank you for all the help yo gave us on Saturday morning, you were so busy but remained calm throughout - I don't know how!

A Big thank you to Amy - a real star

 Regards

 Lesley Cleary

19 November 2007

Dear Shelley

A belated thank you to you and Michelle for all the help you gave to Allison during our recent visit.  We were all so impressed with the way you made her feel so special and with the attention for detail.

Best wishes

Dawn

Dawn Jones

30 June 2007

To All the team at "Brides"

A huge thank you to you all for helping me to make my wedding day so special, we had a magical day. I felt like a million dollars in my dress, it looked and felt fantastic so thank you! It rained a little on the day but we didn't even notice it! So my little white umbrella did come in handy! We still got some lovely photos.
Thanks once again for all your help!

Best Wishes

Mrs Elaine Betteridge

01 May 2007

Dear All,

I would like to say a big Thankyou to all of you for the attentive service we recieved when choosing and buying Rebecca's wedding dress. She was the most radient bride and I am sure that was due in part to her being so pleased with her dress.

Once again thankyou for all your help.

Best Wishes

Jane Jennens

21 February 2007

BRIDES: Parent-and-daughter firm has established a superb reputation

Family business has thrived on excellence

Brides of Southampton is a successful Bridal Wear business run by Shelley Jory and her parents John and Shirley Jory.

The business started in 1976 at 20 Addis Square, Portswood Road the culmination of an ambition of Shirley Jory to open and run her own bridal business using the 20 years experience she had previously acquired in the trade. The small business was primarily intended as an interest for Shirley and to provide an addition to the family income.

Brides took the bridal industry by storm and exceeded all expectations.In 1991 aged 21, after having worked in London to learn what the real world of work was about Shelley joined the family business as a junior sales assistant under the watchful eye of her Mother. On October 1, 1999, 23 years later to the day of the start of the business, Brides of Southampton expanded into adjoining premises, increasing the showroom by two thirds. Shelley was in charge of the project almost demanded by the growing band of loyal customers.

Shelley had learnt valuable lessons from her parents and tried to involve everyone in the expansion plans. Once again the team of Brides succeeded and the business grew instantly and very soon the new spacious showroom was full and they never knew how they had coped before with such small premises.

The family business is now in its 30th year and is the longest established bridal business in the south of England. It has established an outstanding reputation for quality and service with 90% of its customers arriving at the stylish shop through recommendation alone,
Shelley and her team are very proud to be serving 2nd generations of families.

Shirley and John are gradually trying to retire from their Bridal empire and leave Shelley to follow in their footsteps.

Kathryn Jones, who has now given 30 years of service to Shirley and John has become the manageress and works alongside Shelley and the other 10 staff, many of whom have also given long and dedicated service.

Shelley and her family are delighted that so many of the staff arrive at Brides and never leave.

There are always challenges for family businesses and lessons to be learnt but all of the Jory family thoroughly enjoy the business and still delight in talking through plans for the future.

20 January 2007

To All the staff at ‘Brides of Southampton'

Thank you very much for all your help in finding me my perfect dress for my wedding, which was on 20th January 2007. Big thanks especially as it had to be adjusted for my pregnant bump! This I did worry about but my dress was adjusted so well that the alterations were not noticeable!
We had such a lovely day and everyone said how beautiful my dress was!

Thank you

Love

Sarah and Paul Atherton

20 January 2007

To All the staff at ‘Brides of Southampton'

Thank you very much for all your help in finding me my perfect dress for my wedding, which was on 20th January 2007. Big thanks especially as it had to be adjusted for my pregnant bump! This I did worry about but my dress was adjusted so well that the alterations were not noticeable!
We had such a lovely day and everyone said how beautiful my dress was!

Thank you
 Love
Sarah and Paul Atherton

05 December 2006

5th December 2006

Dear all at Brides,

Thank you for helping me choose the most perfect wedding dress.

I came in and was impressed as soon as I stepped in to your shop and the way I was greeted was fantastic and all my nerves went away. As a new bride to be its actually very nerve wracking walking into a shop like this and from personal experience from other shops the treatment can be to say the least a little offish but this certainly was not the case from any of your staff they are so professional and caring and they certainly know their stuff.

I chose a few dresses out the books and then the fun bit came of trying on, but one of your honest staff did a "Trinny and Susannah" on me and said the dresses I had chosen were not for me, so I said choose me some that will suit me and so she did. The first one was a tie up and was a dress I certainly wouldn't have chosen, but there was something missing on the back, I wanted some detail and then she found me the greatest dress which was so perfect in every way, then we paid the deposit and my cousin who was with me asked what the dress was called and she said it was Marti, at this point we both burst into tears as that was My Uncle's name who passed away and was like a dad to me so it was confirmed it was my perfect dress.

I would just like to say that getting my dress through you was the most amazing experience in all my life as thee service is fantastic, honest but fantastic which is what you need so you look absolutely perfect on the most special day in all your life.

I felt like an absolute princess on the day and had so many lovely comments from al our guests and to you I am  truly grateful for you honesty and tremendous service which played a huge part in my big day.

With Thanks

Sharon McCarthy

26 November 2006

To All the staff at Brides

We wanted to write to say a huge ‘thank-you' for all your help and hard work for both our weddings this year.

We both found that the ladies at Brides were far more happy, helpful and honest that others we had experienced. No matter how many times we changed our minds, the ladies were extremely patient and knew exactly what we wanted to try next.

When we had made our final decisions, organizing alterations were no hassle at all. We were particularly impressed with the alterations to Becky's dress, as this must have taken great time and skill. We were especially grateful for her bridesmaid dress alterations which were requested at short noticed after someone else let us down. The quality of the work was fantastic and the speed at which they were finished was unbelievable!

In the future, we will have no hesitation in recommending you to any of our friends who are looking for their perfect dress. Your welcoming, laid back approach to bridal wear is one that many other shops could benefit from.

Thank you so much again,

Hannah & Becky Fakley ( now Hannah Gill & Becky Rivett!)                                                                                                                                                                                         

18 September 2006

To The Staff at Brides,

It has taken me some time to get round to putting pen to paper, but I

wanted to write to thank you for all your help in finding & obtaining

my perfect dress in time for my wedding on 15th July.
Thanks especially to Edna who helped me on my first visit when i came

on my own without a clue what i wanted & thanks to Edna's experience &

patience, we managed at last to find 'the' dress for me. The dress

lookked beautiful on the day & i had so many compliments about the

style, colour & sparkly bits! Thanks to the tuition given to my sister

by your staff, getting into it wasn't anything like as traumatic as we

thought it would be!
Steve & I had a fantastic wedding- the weather was beautiful and thanks

very much to you all for helping me feel like a million dollars!!

Best Wishes

Penny Kirk

19 April 2006

04 April 2006

Shelley and all at Brides

Thanks a million for all your help getting my bridesmaid dresses.
I tried many bridal shops- you were the only one who were able to secure he dresses I wanted.

Thanks again for all your hard work (on your day off) which ensured that I got the dresses of my dreams.

Thanks- I would recommend you to anyone

Best Wishes

Sarah x

27 November 2004

To All at Brides

Thank you for making my day so special, I felt like a princess in my dress and everyone commented on how beautiful it was.

I didn't think it would be easy finding a dress for a larger lady but Marilyn in particular took the challenge head on and you all truly surpassed yourselves. I have wonderful photos and memories of one of the happiest days of my life.
Enclosed is my hired underskirt, I hope it has reached you in satisfactory condition. You all do a wonderful job!
    
    Thank you again

    Keely Gerrard

02 December 1996

Dear Shirley,

We needed to say how much we appreciate the support you,
Shelley and the rest of your wonderful team gave our
daughter Penny in helping to choose the right wedding
dress for her marriage on the 2oth July 1996.

Not one of you failed in your efforts to ensure that
Penny's wedding was right for her and that once
chosen, was meticulously altered to be a perfect fit.

As someone that appreciates top quality service we
realized three years ago when our eldest daughter Debbie
marched us around to various bridal shows and shops, that
we may have difficulty in finding the right dress for our girls.

Walking into BRIDES lifted any thoughts of despondency,
your team responded magnificently.

The brides day is special. You and your team are aware of
that and you all focused every attention on the bride to
ensure that she was breathtakingly beautiful on her day.

What was also noticeable on our several visits was, that
Every potential bride enjoyed the same degree of personal attention.

You are to be congratulated on your Twentieth year.

May you continue to go from strength to strength.

Yours gratefully

Graham & Annette Hopkins

09 November 1993

Dear Shirley, Shelley, Marie, Marilyn and Kathy

Just a few words to say thank you so much for all your help and assistance with my wedding.

You gave me such personal treatment and helped me to feel a million dollars on my very special wedding day.

There wasn't one other wedding shop but yours that were so helpful, friendly and considerate to my feelings, down to all the advice and help with my fourteen bridesmaids. I truly couldn't have coped without help and support from you all.

I wanted a fairy tale wedding and you made that possible, with the beautiful dress you helped me to choose and the beautiful bridesmaid's dresses you provided including the very special one for my daughter Kirsty. With all the bits and pieces, the special little touches that you added to her dress she looked stunning.

You made Kirsty feel as though we were family with all the special treatment you gave; there surely couldn't be another wedding shop to beat yours.

A special thank you to Shelley too for helping me on my wedding day, dressing all my bridesmaids and myself, you were my rock that day Shelley.

Bless you all and thank you from the bottom of my heart, you helped make my day a day to remember.

Love

Lynn & Kirsty Rolls
( nee Jones)

08 June 1992

Dear Shirley, John and Shelley

We would like to thank you very much for all that you did for us.
We had a fantastic day and you helped to form part of that.
Thank you once again.

Lots of love

Lainya and Alan Shearer

21 May 1990

May 21st 1980

To all concerned

I'd like to take this opportunity to say how much I enjoyed visiting ‘Brides'. I not only speak for myself as I have heard from others how kind and considerate you all are. I haven't experienced such care and attention in any other shop.
A beautiful shop, fantastic service, with a smile, and very, very kind staff would help any bride-to-be feel beautiful and that's exactly what is achieved from ‘Brides'.
You can be assured that I will highly recommend you to ‘others'

Yours Truthfully

Jane Morris