I rarely offer out the 5 star red rating, not because i'm mean, but because almost all businesses…read morecould do with improving. Ocean Bride is a thankful exception, doing just about everything that my family asked of them. We have been to a number of bridal shops to try and find the ideal dress, while most of the service received has been very good, none were up to the standard of 'Ocean'. The eventual dress we bought was altered at request to fully suit what was wanted, this coming at no extra cost (although at £599, that is only fair). Very friendly and knowledgeable staff, a very pleasant experience.

This boutique bridal shop prides itself on the personal touch. They offer products for brides,…read morebridesmaids and prom goers all of which is available from size 10-30 and priced from £299-£999. Being a specialist they recommend you call in advance and book an appointment with your own personal stylist. From what I hear Ocean brides provides great value for money without sacrificing any quality. Apparently very reliable.

I accompanied one of my close friends for a fitting in this wonderful shop. I'm not a particular…read morefan of the classic wedding dress which is just as well, because this store offers modern yet chic designs made ethically and with low prices to boot. Every style can be adjusted and even the made to measure dresses start from just £650 including all fittings. Whilst my friend was getting super star treatment from the assistant I had a quick look at the bridesmaid dresses (always the bloody bridesmaid) and I have to say I was equally impressed that they've managed to give the dresses very simple and elegant cuts. Especially stunning are their vintage dresses from the 50s onwards that can be tailored to fit, a wonderful concept and 100% waste free.

I will make this brief as trading standards and rogue traders currently in the process of…read moreinvestigating the knock of dress supplied that had been worn chopped up and passed off as bespoke . Please feel free to contact me if you ever consider using this establishment . There is no part of this business that is ethical, except the fabrics are most certainly used again. Dresses lining hanging 2 inches lower than outer layer. Shoulder seams chopped off unevenly and crudely folded back on themselves. Zip insertion completely butchered with 4 joining fabric pieces a mixture cut on bias(in different directions ) and grain . A couple seams neatened the rest crudely cut to 2/8ths and unfinished and fraying badly . I could go on and on as there really was nothing right about this dress including the numerous stains all over the dress and lining . Jane Witham

I was a bridesmaid at a close friend's wedding recently and this is where we came together to pick…read moreout the bridesmaid dresses. Tucked away on Church St, we probably wouldn't have thought to come here but luckily this place has a great word-of-mouth reputation. The shop itself has a stunning collection of gowns and accessories and the lady who helped us listened exactly to what my friend wanted and pointed us in the right direction. Eventually we ordered a 4 Dessy chiffon cocktail dresses in a wine colour (or claret I think it was called). The assistant chose sizes based on measurements we gave her. All I can say is thank god we ordered well in advance (the order took 6 weeks) because although all the dresses fitted perfectly the 'wine' colour turned out to be more of a light pink. I have to say though that there were many apologies and great customer service despite this mistake!

I love walking past this shop and peer in at their racks of beautiful gowns- for a cosy little shop…read morethey have a large selection. I have only had cause to go in once to check out their bridesmaid's dresses, which I was impressed by, despite the initial impression when you walk in that most of the dresses are very traditional white/cream/ivory elaborate full-skirted affairs, they actually have a range of styles from the modest to the vintage to the more contemporary. The best thing about the shop is the intimate relaxed atmosphere- the staff are so helpful and give advice without being pushy. You end up chatting and taking your time to properly consider your options- I can imagine it would be a nice place to buy a wedding dress- which again came in a great range of styles.

Florence alert! Hope…read more& Harlequin is exactly the kind of vintage fashion boutique that Florence and The Machine would visit religiously if she lived in Brighton. Run by a devoted fashion lover, its an adorable store that specialises in unique, distinctive and gorgeous clothes from the late 1800s to the 1970s. If you're looking for a Celia Birtwell blouse, an Ossie Clark dress or Vivienne Westwood jacket, this is the shop. Price tags are pretty steep but we're talking about seriously special dresses, coats, capes and gowns that will bring out your inner goddess!

Hope and Harlequin is a gorgeous shop, there's no doubt about it. It feels more like a museum of…read morevintage ladies wear, than a real shop though, which can be a little off-putting. With beautiful dresses and evening wear from the '20s, '30s and '40s, much of their collection wouldn't look out of place in the Fashion museum or the V&A! There is always, without fail, an absolutely stunning dress hanging in the window, beckoning for me to enter the stylish boutique and part with more money then I have. If you're looking for a unique original vintage item, you need look no further. Beautiful dresses, stoles, shawls and more line the rails...many of the items are delicately embroidered and embellished. As well as original vintage items, they sell their own bespoke imitation pieces, which are equally as pretty, and probably a little sturdier! They also sell lovely little home decor items and specialize in vintage and new wedding dresses- they have an impressive selection and some of them are really unusual. In fact this shop is so pretty and pastelly, it would be a great place to look for wedding design inspiration in general!