'How my wedding dress experience inspired me to help brides avoid breaking the bank'
Finding the perfect wedding dress can be an emotional moment that will be treasured for a lifetime.
It can, however, also come with a huge price tag that not every bride can afford or wants to pay for a gown they will probably only wear once.
But Claire Ingram, who runs With Love Bridal in Hagley, helps visitors to her boutique find the dresses of their dreams at down to earth prices.
She sells new and ex-sample designer dresses as well as a range of accessories such as veils and jewellery.
With almost 16 years of experience in the bridal industry, Claire prides herself on providing brides with a relaxed environment to try on dresses.
She started the business in 2009 in her spare room and to begin with sold second-hand dresses inspired by her own experience.
“When I bought my own wedding dress, my mum had a £1,000 budget, which was a lot of money 26 years ago.
“There was no eBay, your choices were between an expensive bridal shop and having one made.
"I bought my dress second-hand from a lady who sold designer second-hand dresses that she sourced from London. I never thought on the day that somebody else had already worn it,” recalls Claire, who is a trained marketer.
The idea of providing brides with more options without losing out on a memorable dress shopping experience stuck in Claire’s mind.
