Frequently Asked Questions Before Your Visit To City Prom

Price Point

Our starting point for prom dresses is £399, the average price being £520, but then there are a few that although pricey we just loved, these can be up to £800. Therefore, we have something for everyone including a few left-over sale items too. For more info about a particular style or price just give us a call, we may be able to find you a similar style within budget from our varied collections. Remember these dresses are designer prom dresses and are not available in the high street, as an authorised stockists of the brands Mori Lee Prom,  Ellie Wilde Prom, and Colette by Daphne, and award winning designer brand Sherri Hill, and Amarra Prom, we are the only boutique stocking these dresses in Cardiff.

Appointments at City Prom -when and how to book?

Once you have a confirmed date for your prom then book your appointment at City Prom too. We offer appointments Tuesday to Friday 12pm-6pm, 10-6 on Saturday & Sundays. Securing your dress four months before your prom date is advised although some families prefer to plan earlier. It has also been known for customers to purchase on prom night, although we do not recommend this.

Is there a charge for appointments at City Prom?

Only during peak season, you will be advised if your requested date is during peak season. (February half term and other special promotional events) 

Due to the seasonal nature of the prom business our busy times are from January to July. School holidays and special promotional events do get extremely busy, and we need to limited appointments during these times. To avoid no shows and cancelations we occasionally find it necessary to charge for appointments during these peak periods. We have learnt in over fifteen years in the prom business that a quality lengthy appointment in one store, where the gowns are beautifully displayed and in excellent condition is the preferred choice of the City Prom customer. You will be advised at the time of making your enquiry if an appointment is within our peak season. 

If required the appointment fee of £15.00, is for your first hour long private appointment. This covers a private style consultation which is invaluable even if you choose not to purchase on the day. If you do find your dream dress with us, then this amount is fully redeemable against any purchase made on the day of your appointment or at a second follow up appointment.

 

To Make appointments at City Prom 

Three ways -Use the form below to request an appointment or make enquiries, call 07813 133794 or book online now -click the button below

Style enquiry. Best time to call. Any special requests.

Appointments at City Prom

What to expect at appointments at City Prom?

Firstly, we cannot wait to meet you. Your appointment will be a relaxed affair. We have been styling prom girls since 2008 so have seen many girls in all shapes and sizes and all personalities.

Privacy is paramount, you will have the boutique to yourself and your family. We will start with a chat about your ideas and inspiration. Have your screen shots to hand as this will assist us in selecting similar looks from the rails as a starting point. If you don't have any ideas yet, that's great too as we can narrow your search by selecting silhouettes to suit your body shape, hair and skin colour. Additionally we may just pull those gowns that you are drawn to when you browse the rails. We will discuss price points as we view the dresses, as a guide most dresses are at the £520 mark with a few very special ones around £800. Our starting price is £399, but you may also find a sale item on the rail too. (check out our sale blog here)

Who to bring with me

We suggest you bring two or three guests with you to your appointment. Bring the decision makers. Those who will really assist you in choosing between those two final favourite dresses. Sometimes this is a best friend or sister more often this is mum or nan. We all have that person whose opinion really does count.

Styles to choose from

We keep a variety of dresses in stock. Many styles have been chosen in certain sizes as they are best suited to certain body shapes. We would not for example stock a smooth clingy satin jersey, form fitting dress with a thigh split, and cut outs in a size 22. However, we would stock a dress with a fitted and boned bodice, stretch lace applique fabric that would enhance the curves of the same size 22.

There is a dress for every body shape, trust us, but it may not be the one you had imagined. Be open minded compare and eliminate as you go through the appointment after all you can only wear one on prom night. The final decision is easy, it is the one you feel amazingly confident in and you do not want to take off, you will know! 

How many dresses can I try?

We do not put a number on how many dresses you can try on during your appointment at City Prom. For some a small selection is great. Others prefer to race through all the no's first then linger between the last two. No customer is the same. So we adapt to you not the other way round. After all its your choice to make not ours.

We do ask girls not to wear fake tan and limit your makeup to avoid transfer onto the dresses. Think about your underwear, simple plain knickers work best under fitted dresses. If you are planning on wearing shapewear then buy before you try. A good strapless or backless bra can also be a good idea. Many dresses do have enhanced bust cups in the dresses so bras are not always necessary.

Alterations

Most prom dresses will require slight alterations to the bust line, straps and hem line, once the final decision is made we can offer advice on any adjustments needed and put you in touch with local seamstresses. We do not offer an in house alteration service.

Will my dress be ordered or taken on the day?

Unlike wedding dress boutiques, the dresses in store at City Prom are not sample dresses, all dresses are available for sale and as such can be taken home with you on the day. This means you start matching up accessories and book in for any alterations in good time before your prom date.

Special Orders

If your dream dress is not available in store we may be able to source it for you in the required time for your prom date, all options will be discussed at your appointment.

Any special order either at a designer trunk show or to secure a specific style, size, or colour not in store will require full payment in advance.

We will always go out of our way to source your favoured style, our long relationships with our suppliers often assists us in securing certain styles within tight time scales.   

Payment Methods

We accept all mayor debit and credit cards, including American Express and cash payments (no personal cheques). All sales are final and form a contract between you and City Prom. We are able to offer a holding contract where a 50% part payment will hold the dress for 4 weeks with the balance payable in full and collected by an agreed date. If not collected on time the dress is returned to the rail for sale and our contract cancelled. Any previous payments held by us including any appointment fee is retained by City Prom. Full Terms and Conditions will be given and are available here

Events

From time to time we do have designer trunk show events when sample dresses are available and orders are taken. These special orders can take 16-20 weeks for delivery so are generally organised for early in the season. (October-January)

Exclusivity of dresses - The School Prom Record Book

We keep a record of every dress sold to each school prom and we will never sell the same style to the same school. As these dresses are not sold on the high street the chances of other girls having the same dress are reduced, but not guaranteed. We do like to point out that if families travel far and wide to other boutiques there is more of a chance that another girl could buy from another store selling the same collections as we do, so we advise you to shop local and tell all your friends about us so we keep school groups within one boutique.

Can you hire dresses from City Prom?

I am afraid we do not hire dresses, it’s not ideal to hire as most dresses need slight alterations, generally to the length and straps to get the perfect fit, a hired dress wouldn’t allow you to do this. Do consider looking at one of our sale rail dresses as an option with prices from £99, they are a great buy.

Do we have a Sale?

City prom has an annual sale the last Saturday in September. Throughout the year we keep a limited number of reduced items on a sale rail in store. These items are greatly reduced with many priced at £99.

 

Do we buy back dresses?

Unfortunately we are unable to buy back or sell your pre-worn dress from you. Our commitment to selling the amazing brands we stock, means we need to purchase new stock for the boutique every season.

Many of our past customers do sell on their City Prom gowns, on Instagram, Gumtree and eBay, obtaining on average 50% of the purchase price. When placing an advert mention it was purchased from City Prom.  Its also worth quoting the designer brand, style number and purchase price, as this confirms it authenticity and quality. 

 

What to do now, first steps

Take a look at our website CityProm.co.uk for ideas. Follow the links to Mori Lee prom and EllieWilde.com to view all the dresses that may be available to order. Take screen shots of any preferred styles. At your consultation this will help us pick dresses for you to try and give us a preview of your style.

Have a sensible chat with your family about what prices they are happy to pay for your dream dress. Think about how you too could contribute to the cost. Decide who you would like to bring to your appointment. Who will help you the most to make your decision? Mum, nan or best friend? You want someone whose opinion you trust but also someone whose approval you really want. If dad's approval really matters then he should be there with you.

Need more information about appointments at City Prom or other general information?

Finally, if you still have a question or you or a parent wants to talk things over with us give us a call or send a text to 07813 133794. The best time to have a general chat is mornings till around 3pm, when the boutique is less busy. Then book your appointment and let the prom excitement begin. 

Call now 07813 13 37 94 for more info or to book your appointment.