FAQ'S
Is an appointment with Babushka Ballerina required?
Absolutely, an appointment with BB ensures that one of our stylists is available to assist you with garment knowledge, style advice and general service. Some of our gowns are tricky to tie and get into, so having one of our team members assist you can make the whole process much more fun and relaxed. We have a range of appointment styles to choose from, but if you’re unsure of which appointment style you should select, our BB team are always available to help in selecting the best possible appointment type.
Do I need two appointments if my bridesmaids want to visit?
You certainly will, we suggest making an appointment for any product that you wish to try on, an appointment with BB will ensure that one of our stylists is available to assist you with garment knowledge, style advice and general service. Due to the variety of style variations and colour options our stylists are trained to help you achieve the perfect styling for your wedding party. Please note that if you have a large bridal party, we suggest requesting more time and a larger space within the Boutique. If you’re not sure on how to proceed, contact your local Boutique for more advice.
Do appointments with Babushka Ballerina require a booking fee?
Here at BB, most bookings are free of charge, especially during Monday to Friday. If you wish to visit during a Saturday, a $25 booking fee is required, this is due to our Saturday’s booking up around 2 – 3 weeks in advance.
Who should I bring to my appointment?
Here at BB, we are quite limited with space within the changing areas, so we suggest that 2 to 3 guests will also ensure that your guests are not crowded within the area provided. With this in mind we find that too many opinions can also cause the bride to become overwhelmed on which gown she truly adores, so bring someone with you who will offer you an honest opinion but be mindful, ensure they will also support you within your own choices and not pick something solely on what they personally like.
What will happen if I’m late for my appointment?
With any appointment with BB, we always suggest to arrive 5 to 10minutes prior to your appointment start time, similar to if how you would treat a Hair appointment. This gives you time to leisurely browse the collections and settle in within the store. If by chance you get stuck in traffic and struggle to arrive in store on time, try not to panic, your appointment will still go ahead if you are only 5 to 20minutes late. If you are running 20 to 30 minutes late however, please be mindful that the appointment may not go ahead, depending on how the Boutique’s schedule is booked. For example, if the Boutique have a busy day, they will take appointments back to back. To ensure the bookings run smoothly, your appointment will be cancelled and another time or date will be offered to you.
What do I do if I need to cancel or reschedule my appointment?
We do prefer at least 24 hours notice to cancel or reschedule your booking to allow for other brides to book in.
What is the price range of Babushka Ballerina gowns?
Most gowns within BB are priced between $2,500 and $4,000. There are a variety which are above and below this price point however, so for brides who have a lower budget, we can offer you a range of our BB bridal separates which can be combined for around the $2,000 to $2,500 mark. Our BB Sydney Boutique also host a range of Luxe bridal wear, which is priced above $6,000 – these pieces are available to try if your budget is above this price range.
When is the best time to order my gown?
This can depend solely on the designer you choose, however if you were to order around 7 to 8 months out from your wedding you will have sufficient time no matter which designer you chose. Most BB products in store can take around 4 to 6 months to produce, this does not include delivery or time for alterations so as a bride you should always give yourself more time which will eliminate stress and anxiety in the lead up to what can already be a stressful time.
Will I need alterations on my gown?
Yes, you will find you may only require a few nips and tucks here and there, but to make the gown perfect, we always suggest visiting a Tailor if you’re unsure. Alterations required can depend on the type of gown you’ve chosen as well as the sizing required, so always seek advice if you’re ever unsure.
Will Babushka Ballerina alter my gown for me?
Neither of our Boutiques offer in-house alteration as we have found it is more cost effective for our clients to outsource this procedure. We do however have great recommendations whom you are welcome to use if you do not know of anyone.
What can be done if my wedding is in a few months?
If your wedding is between 2 to 4 months we can offer a range of rush order options, these are an extra expense, however it will ensure that a product is produced within a quicker time frame for you. The rush order option is not available on all designers, so please enquire with a BB Ballerina to find out more. A rush order also only speeds up the production process, the rush does not include delivery or alteration time.
What can be done if my wedding is in a few weeks?
If your wedding is within a few weeks, each Boutique have a sale section of ex samples which are available to purchase at a discounted cost. There are also an option to purchase in house stock should we have some available. This can often be limited but possible non-the-less. Contact your local Boutique to find out more.
How long will I have to wait to receive my order?
This all depends on the designer chosen. Most designers within BB take between 4 and 6 months, however we do have some which are quicker and some which are longer than this. We suggest ordering at least 2 months out from the date we suggest, for example our own BB brand can take between 4 and 5 months to produce, so you should be ordering at least 8-10 months out from your wedding.
What happens if my wedding is cancelled or postponed?
If this were to happen, we would offer our deepest condolences for the cancelled wedding or if you were to postpone, situations like that can become quite stressful. If you have already placed an order with us, we will continue with the production process and the order will arrive per the previously discussed scheduled dates. Here at BB we do not re-sell gowns via consignment, however we can certainly offer advice on where you could sell your gown personally.
Is there a production time on formal wear and bridesmaid’s dresses?
Absolutely, all garments within BB are made to order, most of our formal wear products are produced in the USA, so it can take up to 4 months to produce and receive in store. Not to worry though, we also offer rush order options on certain designs.
Do I need to order bridal accessories in advance?
In most cases yes, however we do sometimes have stock available, it can all depend on which item you are interested in. If you require assistance in finding the perfect bridal accessory please ensure you visit our bookings section to secure yourself a 20minute accessories appointment.
What do I wear or bring to my appointment?
Well, we love a happy smile and great attitude, but we definitely suggest that you wear nude underwear though and either wear or bring a strapless bra, some designs require good structured underwear so it’s best to bring something along just in case. We also request all brides to wear minimal make-up to alleviate any make-up being transferred onto our gowns, this also includes fresh spray tans as the chemicals used can damage the beautiful silks within our gowns.