Meet Maria Claydon of Eternal Weddings in Camberwell
Brides looking for a personalised wedding dress fitting experience should head to Eternal Weddings in Camberwell.
With one of Melbourne’s largest ranges of wedding dresses, in-house alterations and a beautiful selection of accessories, this store promises to make buying a wedding dress enjoyable.
Owner of Eternal Weddings Maria Claydon said she started the business because she wanted to give brides a genuinely welcoming and personalised fitting service.
Back when Ms Claydon was a bride looking for her own wedding dress, she recalled feeling so overwhelmed with where to start and equally unimpressed with the level of service.
After several years’ experience working in the bridal industry in London, Ms Claydon returned to Australia with an idea to start her own bridal shop that offered exceptional service and on-site alterations.
She opened Eternal Weddings with her mother, who does the alteration work, in Carnegie before moving to a temporary location in Burke Rd, Camberwell and finally settling in at their spacious studio in Riversdale Rd in September 2015.
A complete wedding look
Eternal Weddings stocks a range of international and local wedding gown brands, and is the exclusive stockist of Australian label Connie Simonetti.
Pronovias and La Sposa, both made in Barcelona, are styles that tend to have more lace work.
“The detail is more in the fabric and the folds in the fabric rather than on the bling,” Ms Claydon said.
“But then we have designs from America, including Morilee by Madeline Gardner, who love incorporating a bit of sparkle in their gowns.”
The Connie Simonetti gowns are designed and made in Australia, and sit at the higher end of the market because the styles are more couture.
Ms Claydon said her studio offered wedding dresses to suit any bride, at any budget.
“We’ve got dresses that start at $500 and go right up to $12,000. So there is something for everybody. Our seamstresses can also make custom dresses for those brides who can’t find something ready-made that they like,” she said.
Eternal Weddings also sells accessories to add the finishing touch to a wedding outfit, including waist belts, head pieces, veils and jewellery.
“It means you can put the whole look together in store and you’ll know that it all matches,” she said.
The veils sold at Eternal Weddings are all custom-made to ensure the bride gets the length and shade that they want.
“Often when a bride gets her veil from somewhere else and brings it in, nine times out of ten it’s the wrong shade – it’ll be too white or too yellow and doesn’t match the dress,” Ms Claydon said.
Finding a dress to suit
For brides who have no idea what kind of dress they want, fear not.
Eternal Weddings can assist with finding a wedding gown to suit just about any body shape or style of wedding.
“It’s actually easier if a bride comes in with no idea of what kind of dress they want. That’s because when they have a preconceived idea of what they want they become very set on that style of dress, even if it doesn’t suit them,” Ms Claydon said.
“If someone comes in who has no idea what wedding dress they want we’ll try them in a princess style, a mermaid style, a lighter ivory and a more creamy ivory. Usually by the third or fourth dress, she’ll know which styles she likes most.
“My top tip for brides searching for their wedding dress is: be open to trying on different styles even if you think you won’t like them.”
A personalised experience
Ms Claydon said the concept at Eternal Weddings was to make the wedding dress fitting experience something that family and friends can be part of.
“That’s why we have the sofa and chairs so they can sit down enjoy a coffee or drink while the bride is trying on a dress. Then the bride can come out and show off the dress. We like involving everybody,” she said.
The studio also offers a high tea experience as part of the bridal gown fitting. The exclusive 1.5 hour appointment allows the bride and her guests to enjoy some champagne and nibbles before beginning the consultation with a stylist.
“After the fitting, and once a bride chooses the dress she wants, we take the measurements and send it off to the designer and they’ll make it to the closest size. Then four weeks out from the wedding, the bride will come in to meet with our seamstresses in store and they’ll check how the dress is fitting. We’ll work with the bride right up to just before the wedding day,” Ms Claydon said.
“We do all gown alterations in-house, meaning we can do them at an affordable price, with seamstresses who know the designs well.
“We’re here to create a stress-free and enjoyable experience for brides.”
VISIT THE STORE
841 Burke Rd, Camberwell
Phone: (03) 9882 0861
Visit their website: eternalweddings.com.au
A lingerie store in Camberwell is giving women the chance to try a unique and intimate fitting experience they’ll never forget.
Family-owned and run business Dickory Dock started in 1946 and has been based in Camberwell from the beginning.
The store, located at the Burke Hill end of Camberwell, specialises in fitting and selling imported lingerie including bras, briefs, bridal undergarments, corsetry and bodysuits, swimwear and bras for women who have undergone breast surgery.
Buyer and Associate Director Tiffany Steele is the third generation in the family business and said the essence of Dickory Dock is still the same as when it established nearly 70 years ago.
Garments are sourced from abroad, including countries in Europe, the UK and Northern America, to ensure the highest quality fabrics, styles and brands.
“For us it’s all about the fit and the quality. When people come to us, that’s what they want,” Ms Steele said.
Customers who visit Dickory Dock for a personalised fitting will be greeted by a corsetiere who will then take them into the fitting room for measurements.
Dickory Dock's interior fitting rooms.
The store is intimate and calming – pretty boudoir fitting rooms with luxurious, pink curtains, beautifully decorated walls and a stunning chandelier all add to the special experience.
Customers are then asked what kind of bra they are interested in and the corsetiere will bring out a range of styles for them to try on.
The customer can then decide which styles they prefer and, with the help of the corsetiere, determine whether any alterations are required.
“It’s a one-on-one private consultation. Consultations can last from half an hour to an hour or more. That’s why we don’t take appointments because we don’t know how long some people will take. It’s all walk-ins and we serve everyone for as long as they need,” Ms Steele said.
“It’s all about you and we bring out garments to suit your needs.”
The store also has in-house seamstresses to do alterations of garments to create the perfect fit for every woman.
Whether a customer needs a section of the bra tightened, loosened or adjusted for comfort, Dickory Dock can solve common and even more complex issues with bra fittings.
“Generally we can always do something. Sometimes ladies are allergic to all elastane and we can line the bra with cotton for them,” Ms Steele said.
Corsetiere Evie Goode said all stock was kept at the back of the store to eliminate the overwhelming task of customers standing in front of a wall of bras and having to make a decision about what to choose.
“Because we know our range so well, sometimes we’ll throw in one or two styles we think the customer will like. They’re often pleasantly surprised,” Ms Goode said.
“We keep records for every customer, including their history of fittings, garment sizes and styles so they can come back and reorder similar pieces. Or we can mail out garments to them if they’re not able to get to the store.
“It also means family and friends can come into the store to purchase a gift for a customer as we will have all their sizing and style preferences on file.”
Ms Steele said Dickory Dock was a “destination store” that attracted generational customers, with some who began shopping with them in the 1960s still regular customers today.
“We want women to be happy, comfortable and feel like they’re wearing a beautifully-fitted bra,” she said.
Visit the store
945 Burke Rd, Camberwell
Phone: (03) 9882 1575
Visit: dickorydock.com.au