I don't make a habit of visiting wedding shops, in fact this is the only one I've ever been in and…read moreit's every girls dream. There are rails and rails of the most beautiful dresses. How people manage to pick just one is beyond me! Downstairs is where the transformation happens. There are light and bright and spacious dressing room to try on your dream dress, and even a catwalk like corridor for you to practice walking down! It was however a bit hot down there and the poor bride did once faint after standing there for some time in her heavy dress and probably not eating anything to slim herself down! The staff were all really friendly and helpful, especially the lady who was altering the dress and did everything to make sure the bride to be looked her very best, while keeping the costs down. Probably not the cheapest or the most expensive place to buy a wedding dress, but defiantly somewhere you should check out if you're shopping for the big day.

I visited this shop with my friend when she was wedding-dress-shopping…read more First off, it has plenty of space - and a lot of bridal shops fall at this first hurdle. The fitting rooms are really airy and spacious, with floor-to-ceiling mirrors, and there are plenty of accessories (shoes, tiaras, etc) to try along with the dresses. Secondly, the staff go out of their way to welcome brides (and their tag-along shopping buddies!) and help them find the perfect dress for their big day - and they also carry stock for bridesmaids, and for mothers of the bride and groom. And finally, the shop carries some beautiful dresses (although obviously this comes down to taste!) from some of the industry's most respected designers - including Ritva Westenius who has dressed the likes of Jane Seymour and Faye Dunaway. It's also an exclusive stockist of Amanda Wakeley, Hollywood Dreams, Lusan Mandongus, Charlotte Balbier, Stewart Parvin, Lyn Ashworth and Kate Sherford, and more. My friend didn't actually end up buying her wedding dress here, but only because she fell in love with one she found elsewhere - so I can't comment on their after-sales service.

This is a clothes shop opposite the Cardiff castle that sells suits and general menswear, as well…read moreas bridal wear. The suits are all very well made, and that's about all I can really say for them because I'm certainly not an expert in that area. What I will say though, is that they are all quite unimaginative. Meaning that if it's a snazzy silver suit you're after, this isn't the place! Their range of ties, also, leave a whole lot to the imagination, but if it's plain you want, then you'll be fine. They also have a wide selection of bridal wear and it's here I think the shop finally comes into its own a bit. The dresses they have on display tend to lean towards the traditional side, but manage to stay away from the meringues and lace too much. If I were to get married, I would certainly have a look in here, and I've heard great things about their bridesmaid dresses too. This store provides an interesting mix of good quality items, but often has nothing hugely inspiring.

The window display here always catches my eye thanks to their selection of men's hats (I have a…read moremassive noggin and can't really wear hats made for women's heads), so it was about time I went in and tried a few on. With a selection of suits and formal wear for both men and women, Calders offers a one-stop shop for those in need of special occasion attire. Many of the women's clothes are a bit conventional, so it's probably not the sort of place you'd bring your teenage daughter. They do, however, offer a wide range of bridal and bridal party dresses from some of the leading designers, including Benjamin Roberts and Stevies Gowns. They're not extortionately priced, either; some of the sale bridal gowns on offer were less than £400. The salesman was dressed like he was off to a wedding, but managed to be friendly without being oppressive (I don't know why, but I always expect staff at places like these to be snotty). It's also worth mentioning that Formal Affair, Calders's in-house hire specialist will beat any suit hire price in town, so it definitely merits a visit if you're on the hunt for the perfect wedding garb.

Friendly service, and quality alterations. I will definitely be going back. I had a dress taken in,…read moreand the ladies here really understood what I wanted, and executed the job to a high standard. Also nice and close to the city centre.

Jigsaw - another shop I can rarely afford to even step into. I just know the minute I go inside…read morethat I will find something I absolutely love and then all willpower goes out the window and I start irrationally talking to myself about how I don't really need lunch everyday anyway. Unless you have a spare £100 in your pocket I would suggest walking straight past as they have some really lovely dresses and cardi's in here. Obviously they have more than that, but those two items are my failing point. I also really like the lighting in there. It's dark, moody and kind of romantic. And most importantly they have well positioned lights so you can actually see what you are holding (those who have visited the new Hollister at Cabot will understand this point).

Another one of Park Street's fashion boutiques, Jigsaw is the dark red fronted shop near the top on…read morethe right of the street if you're walking up. The store is usually quite quiet; you can step away from the bustle of the street into a calm environment. The clothes here are really well made and certainly pricey (a mere scarf costs between £30 and £40), but definitely worth the investment. I particularly favour the accessories range, I dream of being able to afford the shoes, but for now I'll just treat myself occaisionally to the odd pair of luxury tights.