Appointments at Pantiles Bride

Appointment Fees

There is a fee of £35 for all weekday & weekend appointments (whether a full bridal or accessories appointment – should you have purchased your gown elsewhere) and £45 for all trunk shows and designer days. You can pay by card over the phone or by bank transfer.

These fees are redeemable should you order your gown or accessories with us (unless combined with other offers).

Changes & Cancellation

We appreciate that plans change or people become ill.So should you wish to move your appointment to another date or time we’d prefer 72 hours notice (if it’s Covid related we’ll waiver this!!).As we are a small team please try not to visit if ill or have covid.

Should you cancel your appointment altogether then no refund is given.

Appointment Times

Bridal appointments last between 90 to 120 minutes. Should you find your gown with us we need the extra half an hour to complete your paperwork and talk you through “Next Steps”. Accessory appointments are an hour.

Your Visit

The Pantiles Bride ideally invite you and your 3 VIP guests to your appointment.

We have shoes sized 3 to 8, but please bring your own if you have the pair you prefer.

Nude seamless underwear is also very helpful.

Our Approach

The team collectively have over 80 years of bridal experience and the boutique opened back in 1997 when most other boutiques were selling satin, sequinned “meringues” worthy of Four Weddings and a Funeral! We’re still true to our original niche of specialising in designer gowns from British, European and international labels.

We pride ourselves on knowing our gowns, our designers and what our bride wants – even if she doesn’t know herself! We excel in finding a fit between a bride’s vision, venue, vibe and, just as important, finding a fit that flatters the figure.

We’re helpful and honest. If it’s “you” we’ll tell you and if it’s “not you” we’ll also let you know and that may be sugar coated or as brutal as “take it off we can do better”.

We’re flexible. Some boutiques insist that you try the 5 basic gown shapes when your shared Pinterest board shows slinky silhouettes. We don’t have a “one size fits all” approach to the appointment and certainly don’t limit you to a certain number of gowns that you can try on. If you need more time and another appointment then there’s no further charge.

We work together. We have selected our designers for their flexibility as well as their reliability and creativity. So if you want a bespoke creation combining the neckline of one gown with the skirt of another in the fabric of a third then we will make it happen.

We have an end to end service. From your first appointment to fittings and your gown collection it will all be here on the lovely location of the historic Pantiles.

We look forward to meeting you.

Request Your Appointment

Visiting Us

Our Tunbridge Wells store is situated in the historic elegance of the 17th century Pantiles.
Along with the nearby High Street and Chapel Place this leafy, pedestrianized area is filled with vibrant cafes and specialist shops making it the ideal destination for choosing your wedding gown.
The shop is on two floors, has spacious private changing rooms and has air conditioning which is a huge benefit as most gowns are fitted in the warm spring and summer months.
We strongly recommend that you make an appointment to come and see us, so that we can give you our best possible service when you’re here.

Make A Day Of It!

The Pantiles in Royal Tunbridge Wells is a very popular tourist and shopping destination. It’s an historic spa town that holds events and festivals throughout the year. The Pantiles is the ‘must see’ borough for all visitors. It has a lively outdoor café and dining atmosphere with excellent shops and art galleries. Try the waters of the natural Chalybeate spring that made it so popular with Royalty and the Gentry. It’s a great place to be and we’re right in the middle of it!

Read more about what you can do in Royal Tunbridge Wells, visit the official tourism website: Click here

Your “Homework”

We want you to get the most out of your time with us so we’ve found that it helps to gather as much information before your visit as we can. Our manager Alexandra refers to this as your “homework!” You’ll see that we even ask quite a lot of questions when you’re requesting an appointment!!!

Once you’ve booked and paid for your appointment the next step is that you will receive an e-mail asking you to choose your favourite looks and gowns from our collection.

Why do we ask you to do this? Over the years we’ve found that The “Ivory Sea” of gowns confronting you on our rails can be confusing and that it’s much easier to select gowns from the website than in the boutique. We will use this as a starting point and often try on many more styles and silhouettes than on your initial list.

If you can find time to do your “homework” then we get off to a flying start on your journey to find “The One” and it’s a good excuse (if you need one) to indulge in even more wedding planning!!

Other Information

Appointment Types & Fees

As outlined above all appointments (bridal & accessory) are £35 and the fee is refunded upon purchase (unless combined with other offers).

Location & Opening Times

Monday to Saturday 9.30 to 5.30 and out of hours appointments upon request.

The Pantiles Bride

34 The Pantiles

Tunbridge Wells

Kent TN2 5TN

For directions please click here

Practical Details

Please think about your underwear!! Nude seam free pants are preferable to black lacy thongs to avoid VPL (particularly if you’re wanting a close fitting skirt). Again a nude or ivory bra and preferably with straps.

Please bring your own shoes (easy to get on and off) if you want a very low or very high heel as our fitting room shoes have a 3 inch heel.

Please share our Covid information with your guests.

We want you to look and feel gorgeous at your appointment so please feel free to wear your normal make up.

Our sample sizes are size 8 to 14. Unlike the High Street we don’t sample every gown in all sizes. What we do is an amazing job with pins and plackets (we all have Phds in Pinning!!) to get your favourite gowns to fit – even if it’s 3 sizes too big or too small!

Our prices range from £2200 to £5000.

Public Transport & Parking

Train

We’re an easy 10 minute walk from Tunbridge Wells railway station and, if it’s raining, there’s a taxi rank there. Although in rush hour it could take you longer in a taxi than to walk,

50 minutes by train from London Charing Cross, London Bridge or Waterloo East with trains running every 30 minutes.

Finding us

We’re based on the Upper Walk of The Pantiles opposite Sankey’s fish restaurant and Trevor Mottram’s Cookshop.

Parking

There is free street parking close by for 2 hours (note the parking wardens are pretty efficient) and at Sainsbury’s for 3 hours maximum (a 5 minute walk away).

There are plenty of paid car parks as follows:

Linden Park Road TN2 5QL behind The Corn exchange (Ring Go code 28509)

Pantiles TN4 8HG Eridge Road (Ring Go code 28515)

The Old Coach Park TN2 5QL Linden Park Road (Ring Go code 28523)

Upper Pantiles, Major York’s Road, TN2 5TP run by RCP (code 4301)

Note in the Summer months and on market days the closest car park just minutes away at Linden Park Road can get very busy.

The Pantiles

Set in the heart of Royal Tunbridge Wells, The Pantiles is a leafy, pedestrianised area now known for its famous Jazz nights and a mix of popular cafes, restaurants and bars. So whether it’s a coffee or a leisurely lunch before or after your appointment or a glass of champagne to celebrate finding your dress you’ll be spoilt for choice.

Many of our brides make a day of it and book The Ivy just minutes away on The High Street and some book an overnight stay at one of the many hotels within easy walking distance.