5 minutes with... Victoria of Kent's Victoria Elaine Bridal

Tell us about yourself and Victoria Elaine Bridal

Hi everyone, I’m Victoria and I own Victoria Elaine Bridal in Maidstone. We opened our doors to brides in October 2018 and provide brides with a luxury bridal experience, with gowns priced from £1,000 to £4,000. We're really proud to be the only Kent stockist of the Hayley Paige collection too! I decided to open my boutique as I have been wedding and bridal obsessed since the age of seven, and having reached all my goals in previous careers, in both bridal and as an art teacher, it was the right time for me to open my own boutique.

What does a typical day look like for you?

My typical day begins at 7am when I get woken up by my two crazy dogs. Once they're fed and walked, it’s time to get ready for work and open the boutique at 9:30am. I am lucky to have a fantastic team so work is always fun. We welcome brides for their 90 minute appointments and love helping them find their dream wedding dresses, this is by far the best bit about our job. We close at 5:30pm most days, so my evenings are filled with another dog walk and catching up with my family and friends.

What are your top tips for brides looking for their dream dress?

Our top tip for brides is: try to shop for your wedding dress a year in advance of your wedding. This way, you give the designer plenty of time to make your gown and the alterations process can be done at a pace that's comfortable to you. Our other advice is to find the dress that makes you feel amazing - don’t worry that your arms aren’t covered or it isn’t what you expected to find, if you feel like a goddess, you'll look like one too!

What are your top trends for 2020 and beyond?

We're thrilled that ultra-sparkly gowns are coming back with a bang this year so if you love a twinkle and sparkle then you're in for a treat. We're also noticing that designers are adding lots of low and barely-there backs in their gowns, along with runway-worthy trains.

How have you been coping during lockdown?

I've tried to keep a positive outlook during lockdown and have taken up running. I've kept busy and reminded myself daily that this isn’t forever. Looking ahead to the new normal and figuring out how this will work for our team and our lovely brides has taken some time too, but we're putting in lots of protocols that will keep our customers and team safe. We can’t wait to get back to work and see our brides again!

Find out more about Victoria Elaine Bridal at www.victoriaelainebridal.co.uk