Personal touch (From The Oxford Times)

Personal touch

12:10pm Friday 4th September 2009 in IMAGO / Intuition By Joanna Rogers

Every bride wants to look sensational on her Big Day, and choosing the perfect wedding dress is top of the ‘to do’ list. Bride-to-be Hannah Mitchell knows all about the challenges of finding the perfect gown, and she has put a positive spin on her experiences by opening her own shop in Witney.

Mae Bridal, at 78 High Street, opened in August and, says Hannah (pictured right), offers designer wedding dresses to suit all tastes and budgets.

“Brides-to-be will be made to feel completely special during their visit to Mae Bridal, with personal service and time to try on dresses at their leisure,” promises Hannah, 24, who was brought up in Eynsham and now lives in Witney with her partner of six years, Harry Bathe. They will marry on December 12.

Working on an appointment basis, brides will receive one-to-one attention, with a whole shop of dresses to choose from. The new shop has plenty of room for mums and bridesmaids to join in the fun too. Dresses from leading bridal designers including Trudy Lee, Phil Collins and Veromia are available in the latest styles and colours, in a range of sizes, and to meet most budgets.

Hannah said: ”I am getting married myself this year and was so disappointed at the whole experience of buying my dress that I decided to open my own shop. Choosing your wedding dress is a very special, once-in-a-lifetime experience, and one that you should really enjoy. My goal is to ensure that brides have a stress-free and pleasurable experience when they make that all-important purchase.”

Former PA Hannah decided to take the plunge and open Mae Bridal after her boss asked her “where do you see yourself in five years time”, and it struck a chord.

“All I can say is what a year — but if I didn't do it now, I never would!”

Hannah Mitchell

“I decided I wanted to do something exciting with my life, but what? After discussions with Harry it came down to the fact that I wanted interaction with customers, and a job that would reward me, as my own boss.

“In the process of finding my own wedding dress I felt disappointed with the lack of service that seemed to be fairly consistent in a number of the shops I went to, many of which did not take into account what I wanted. I eventually found a fantastic shop in a local village and I was inspired by them — a fantastic service with complete attention to detail, and they asked me what I wanted from my wedding dress, and listened.”

Hannah sought to emulate her experience and decided to open her own bridal shop. She said: “I sat down and wrote a detailed business plan before heading off to the bank to see what they thought of my new idea. My business manager was so excited for me. With the Marriotts Close shopping centre opening in October, I believe that people who would not necessarily have visited Witney in the past will consider it a great shopping and leisure venue, and more new faces will be passing through.

Hannah found vacant shop premises in Witney High Street, previously occupied by Cuticles beauty salon, and the builders moved in.

“With my own wedding rapidly approaching in December, I knew I had to almost have that finalised by the time the shop opened, so that my focus could remain on the shop,” she explained.

“Not only was I trying to finalise everything in the shop and keep the builders in line, I was also dealing with florists, photographers, bridesmaids and so on.

“All I can say is what a year — but if I didn't do it now, I never would!”

Mae Bridal, 78 High Street, Witney, OX28 6HL, 01993 706556