Planning a wedding in the future.

 It’s no secret this year didn’t quite start off the way we hoped it would, but that hasn’t stopped us having weddings and from making sure they’re ahead of the curve for 2022. I didn't really know what to expect, but my 2020 brides were back to planning their weddings and my 2021 brides wanted to get their wedding organised too. So it has been the most exceptional year when my workload was intensified but I wanted each girl to feel I was only working on her ensemble!

In the wedding industry we are always planning ahead, looking at forward fashion and wedding trends. As a creative person I love to create and be excited about new projects and future plans. But covid changed and interferred with our plans, our normal was turned upside down. Running my own business has meant that I have always had to adapt to what my customer wanted. My hands are good at creating so all I have to do is create was my customers ask me for.

Much of the last 10 years has been dominated by royal-inspired styles thanks to a couple of high-profile royal weddings during the decade - think long sleeves, flattering necklines and A-line skirts - but over the last couple of years there’s been a move away from this. 2020 only sped that up as almost every couple with a ceremony planned post-March had to change their plans to make sure it followed new (and ever-changing) rules.

So as couples pared down their wedding plans to celebrate just with their nearest and dearest, they wanted someone to personally listen and help them with what they needed for their Special day. It appeared as if the fashion followed suit, couples choose what was right for their unique Day. Whilst bridal wear trends tend to shift more so than grooms wear, it looks like simplicity and quality will be key wedding trends in 2022 for both.  It was a more relaxed look for brides in 2021. Simple understated dresses & soft tailored looks are a hot trend, as well as shorter & midi length dresses. I can also see  bigger, fuller, more detachable details like bows and trains being included next year – great for creating a more formal look during the day and easy to remove for a more casual look for the evening reception. In 2021 we went  back to basics – simplicity and delicacy. The covid crisis has pushed a reset button for all of us – not only for wedding and event suppliers but also for the whole fashion industry. Although prints and colour will be visible, I believe organic styles will prevail. Though 2022 will be a blank page for all of us...Just expect the unexpected!  Brides are looking for something special and something personal, something unique. Support for home made, environmentally friendly and a personal experience seem more important than ever.

What do you think will be the future for weddings?

New online store @joanneferguson.com

I have a new online shop that has been a work in progress while in lockdown. Should you wish to view what I have been working on please message me.

Selling products online has become more of a necessity since lockdown, people make it look easy, however I find it difficult. Recently I managed to sell my first headpiece online and I know that it has encouraged me to photograph more to show people what I make and hopefully they might want to purchase them. 

To do any of my items any justice, I need to take time to photograph them in the best light and setting.

All of this takes time just like my process of making things, so I hope you will stay with me and watch my progress.

To start with I have taken photos of some of my christening robe collection what do you think? It's really difficult to show the detail in a photo that shows the whole christening robe and then I feel you really need to see it on a baby.

Detail of one of my many christening robes.

The first headpiece sold online !

But just as I was working on how to sell things online a bride that I had been working for through the pandemic through a curve ball at me which hit me hard!!

I have been making dresses and accessories for 36yrs and experience has taught me to listen to people. Maybe my most important skill is to be able to read as best one can someone else's mind.  Yes I need to be good at the sewing and making but more importantly I need to be able to listen to what the customer is telling me or not telling me. Last year 2020 I was asked by a bride's mother to make the bride the "dress of her dreams".  I listened, I made what was asked, then I listened to the changes requested and managed them, then I embellished and beaded the dress to try to make the bride happy. As the wedding got closer the pandemics restrictions got worse which intensified the poor brides situation. Finally she seemed happy with the dress and couldn't wait to take it home, so I hand stitched the last bit and then once she had it home a week she paid me in full online. 

Exactly a year later less two days, the 2nd July 2021 one of the saddest days of my career the same bride and I were in court before a judge as the bride wanted a full refund for the bespoke dress I made for her. Part of her arguement was that  Facebook  states that if you want you can have a refund for something that wasn't used within 45 days you could get a full refund. Can someone please explain to me where this is on my facebook page? I have terms and conditions that set out my refund policies but how can someone expect a refund on an item that has been made bespoke to their requirements. So sad that this had to end up in court but the bride left us with no other option than to have a judge rule on the matter. The  Judge dismissed the brides claim after listening to the evidence from both sides and no refund was given. Then within a day of this court case the bride is now trying to damage my reputation. Social media and the internet can be so enlightening when used to educate and inspire us but when it is used to be defamatory and cruel it is vile. The damage this has done to my career is unknown to anyone, this has been my livelihood for 36yrs and I seriously question being able to trust my instincts with a bride again. so far I haven't taken the password off my new online store I'm not sure that I want to continue anymore! My faith and trust in people has been hit hard, it's going to take me time to get over this. Meanwhile the bride has taken to the internet to put defamatory reviews up about me after losing her case in court, it's so difficult to know what is the best thing to do next. 

Watch this space, no doubt I will write it here first. Joanne

Northern Ireland Dress Designer talks openly about her profession.

 Wow, I never quite know what to say when people ask me what I do for my living. I'm not a pushy, confident, self promoting character and thank fully to survive so far I haven't need to be. How do you best describe what I do?

  What does it take to be a dress designer?

I would say passion and professionalism. I didn't plan to do what I do so I don't know nor did I think before I started this job what it meant or what I needed, I was passionate about giving it a go. ( not the best business practice, nor a sound business plan. However I decided straight away if people were going to take me seriously I needed a proper business premises.

  Why dress design?

I went to Ulster University and studied embroidery as my specialist subject but naturally fashion was part of the course. When I started my career straight after my degree I would make bridal headdresses and bridal veils for clients. As to the dresses, well at the start I did the embroidery work for other designers on their dresses, it took a while for me to be brave enough to work directly for the client.

  Tell us about your first bridal dress commission.

My first bride was a lawyer, which when I look back now was a bit scary! However we had plenty of time and she and I knew if things hadn't progressed in the right direction we both had options. I can  look back at photos today and say that it is still one of my favourite dresses and I loved the flowers I made to go with her dress.

  What is it like being a dress designer?

Its exciting, its scary, every client is different. I feel I have to be good at sewing but maybe more importantly I need to be good at reading my client's mind. To be a good dress designer uses lots and lots of different skills, communication, patience, adaptability and a passion to keep up to date with everything from style to fabrics even social media and best business practises.

What do you like about being a dress designer?

The people I meet the people I help and they things that I learn from them and about myself each garment.The longer the time I spend in this job the more I learn. It was fascinating to learn when I watched David Emanuel on the TV programme "I'm a Celebrity" how he got on and communicated with the other contestants, then I thought that's what you need to be a good couturer!! ( which is really another word for dress designer) Just for those who need to know he created Princess Diana's wedding dress with his wife Elizabeth. One of Diana's other popular dress designer's was a lady called Catherine Walker. Why do I mention her, well it was the relationship that the pair built up. I know that by the time I design and make a dress for someone that we become very close and usually remain friends, that makes my job very special. While I'm writing this, it's the weekend of the funeral of Prince Philip and who is to be beside the Queen at the funeral, her trusted dress designer Angela Kelly. All this mention of the royals, I feel I need to explain myself. I grew up on the shores of Strangford Lough far from the influences of dress designers. My only knowledge or introduction to the subject was when an important occasion hit the headlines. Most of our headlines in Northern Ireland were about the troubles then, so any mention of fashion designers and it sparked my interest. I lived on a farm with my mother who had done a little sewing, her cooking was more her thing. Maybe sub consciously my great aunts who sewed and made things rubbed off on me. As a family we rode and competed with our ponies and horses all around Ireland meeting and interacting with lots of different characters. How did I ever end up doing what I do? Is your life mapped out for you or do you decide? Are we put on this earth to inspire and influence others? I always end up with more questions than answers! What about You?

Let's get planning Your wedding and let's look forward to an exciting future.

 

The future of the Bridal industry going into the second quarter of 2021  looks so different to that of the industry that I have been accustomed to for so many years. In many ways, thank goodness! Having learnt so much about the bridal business over the years, brides’ tenacity in general, and having become professionals in strategy and survival, the industry and our business suddenly looks a lot brighter, smarter, stronger and more strategically focused than ever before.

Now is the time to consider what things add value to the business and the bridal experience going forward, and importantly I am physically in a position to maintain - whether from a time, space or financial requirement.

Some of you may have have experienced a digital video call with you and your bridal parties, whether it was for pre-qualification, pre-visit or to include the wider party during the appointment. When you consider each of these and relate them directly to your numbers, figure out which of these directly impacted and improved the bridal experience. As I return to welcoming brides back into my shop things have become busier than ever. Service and the personal touch is the key to my success.

We all know the importance of regular, engaging, and informative social media posts across all of the relevant platforms. Retailers and businesses in all sectors have become incredibly savvy in the last year at targeting and engaging directly with their customer online. Retailers in bridal and fashion, have really excelled and used the time effectively to present a sense of brand recognition, trust, and transparency with customers through engaging interactive posts. Those Reels, Stories, Tik Tok videos and creative content have kept potential new customers engaged and committed to choosing you as there first choice store when things re-open. However, content creation is time consuming and requires planning and management to ensure the quality and continuity remains intact going forward, especially if you are currently active across all the different platforms. When I analyse how long brides and myself could spend on these platforms I realise that just getting on with doing the work I have is much more cost effective. Well I don’t like spouting off and I don’t like being in front of a camera so best behind a sewing machine or talking to you in person. Assess the analytics and judge what works best for you, I bet you want to have the best experience in person with the person that can design and make your dress to your specific requirements. Support local makers and let’s get this wee country’s economy back up and running.

The latest plea from the Northern Ireland Wedding Industry.

It may be April Fools day but things are getting more serious. 

Northern Ireland’s leading wedding venues are calling on The Executive to provide a clear reopening criteria, starting with indicative reopening dates, following a year of severe loss and devastation.

The wedding industry in Northern Ireland has suffered over 90% loss of business over the past twelve months due to a cycle of lockdowns and restrictions slicing the number of wedding guests and venue capacities.

In pre-pandemic times, the wedding sector contributed £250m to the Northern Ireland economy, with around 8,000 weddings hosted each year. Now, venues and vendors are working at 10% capacity with a cap of 25 guests for ceremony only per wedding. It is hoped that Stage 3 will see the return of receptions as venues open in line with socially distanced capacity.

Industry leaders are now asking The Executive to lay out clear reopening criteria, indicative dates, and to provide information on the necessary data that will inform the size and scale of the opening of venues.

With peak wedding season being the summer, wedding operators and vendors are hoping to see indicative dates that will save this summer’s season and allow for some couples to be wed from May onwards. The industry is calling on a timescale to be published to ensure the right planning and time is afforded to couples planning their weddings for Summer 2021.

 

Sarah Mackie, Joint Owner of the Larchfield Estate in Lisburn and member of The UK Weddings Taskforce said:

 

“Without doubt, this has been the hardest year for our business. We have gone from being booked out and thriving to devastation in the space of twelve months. The wedding industry is currently only operating at 10% of its usual capacity, and this is having a major impact on specialist wedding businesses like ours right down to small suppliers.”

 

“Many exclusive wedding venues that are not within hotels were not eligible for financial assistance from the Government, with some not having received a single penny to date. We ask for parity on this front. This lack of support coupled with the stress and anxiety of emotional couples has put immense pressure upon our sector with 94% of wedding business owners reporting that their mental health has been affected by the situation.”

 

“Clarity on what data is needed for the reopening steps is now urgently required for us to begin to plan out how best to reopen and recover in the safest possible way that would be viable for our businesses.  Weddings take time to plan, and precision is needed to ensure our clients have a memorable day.” 

 

“The speed of the vaccination programme is commendable. Now is the time for the Recovery Plan to kick into action and for businesses like ours to begin trading properly again.”

 

“The Executive now must provide us with some indicative reopening times so that we can begin this process. Much of the summer’s bookings have already been lost or cancelled. We need to ensure this summer’s wedding season can go ahead, and there are no more disappointed couples or suppliers who already are under huge amounts of financial and mental stress.”

 

Emma Donaghy from The Old Rectory added:

 

“The wedding industry has been impacted severely by the pandemic. As a sector dedicated to providing the perfect day to couples across Northern Ireland, to see it so badly impacted by the pandemic is really hard. We are now looking to The Executive to provide some hope and guidance on the next steps for the sector to help map out recovery.”

 

“The industry has reported that around 60% of business has already been lost for this year, with further uncertainty over the viability of large-scale weddings this summer. It is time for support measures to be implemented for businesses which 85% of their income is reliant on weddings. A reopening date would be a start.”

 

“As with many businesses, a clear directive is needed for the reopening of the wedding industry. The industry can no longer wait in hope for reopening dates. We need firm clarity on when we can reopen and how that can be done. Livelihoods and marriages are counting on it.”

 

Colm Shannon, Chief Executive of Newry Chamber of Commerce said:

 

“Spring is also an important time for the wider supply chain market, supporting couples at this important stage in their lives.

 

“Jewellers have a key role to play and are excluded from the click and collect scheme at the moment. There are the many florists, fashion boutiques, hairdressers and men’s outfit shops who depend on the wedding business at this time of year.”

 

Colin Neill, Chief Executive of Hospitality Ulster said:

 

“Like the wider hospitality sector, wedding venues and vendors have been decimated by this pandemic and the lack of Government support. The constant cycle of lockdowns and restrictions have meant any real opportunity for business has been virtually non-existent. Wedding venues have also been hit hard by the lead-in time for wedding planning meaning that venues could not sustain when restrictions eased in the summer due to the amount of business already lost.”

 

“A person’s wedding day is one of the most important days of their life. The Northern Ireland wedding industry does a fantastic job catering to a couple’s dream day and ensuring every detail and aspect of their wedding is provided for.”

 

“We cannot wait any longer to begin our long-term planning for reopening and sustaining business. Cash reserves, loans and furlough can only go so far. Now is the time for businesses across the hospitality landscape to begin their reopen journey and build back from the past twelve months.”

 

"Lives Reflected"

Over the past year our lives have been put on hold and  we have had restrictions on our lives in order to make sure of our future. 23/3/21 12 noon we stopped to remember those who lost their lives. Rainbows, daffodils, Spring time , vaccinations All giving us Hope for a Better Future.

Joanne Ferguson Bridal established in 1985 for the first time ever had to find a way to help her brides with new means of technology and new ways of communicating so virtual appointments became a new thing in order to reassure and alleviate the stress.

 Covid-19 restrictions as good as stopped all weddings and brides had issues to cope with that seemed so unfair.

The NHS fought the battle of a century as Covid-19 took loved ones and prevented others from the treatment and care that was considered "normal"

People were dying and loved ones denied their final dignified good byes.

21/3/21 a year to the day that I last saw my Dad who was in the Ulster Hospital after a fall and dyed some weeks later probably without understanding why we weren't allowed to visit him.

The strangest of times, cruel, desperate times which have effected us All.

The Covid 19 pandemic has impacted lives and livelihoods across our land and across the world. But one of the most painful aspects has been upon our grief and grieving. In hospital wards, Intensive Care Units, in Nursing Homes and in family homes lives have been lost directly to Covid 19, and many more lives have been lost within the necessary restrictions that our communities have followed to restrict the spread of the disease.

So much which helps us in the final days of the life of someone we love, know or care about has been denied to us: a hand held close, a whispered final farewell, a prayer breathed. We have not been able to gather together to share memories and tears. We have even been restricted in how we can gather for funerals. Each of these denials has added to our grief and made healing more difficult.

For others, lives have been impacted in very different ways. Those who have worked in hospitals and care homes have faced immense pressures. And from teachers and to shop workers, ambulance crews to delivery drivers, everyone’s working lives have been turned upside down. While for others home working and home schooling, short term working or the reality of redundancy has radically changed personal lives and circumstances.

It is into these very personal places that we offer “Lives Reflected”. With this Website, we invite you to make a personal tribute, in word and picture, to someone you have known or loved who has died, whether directly from Covid 19, or for any other cause since the start of Lockdown in our country. Your tribute placed within our on-line Book of Remembrance will allow you to share your memory of someone special in a precious and respectful place. Alternatively you may wish to share a longer personal story of the impact of the pandemic upon your life, or the life of someone special to you.

“Lives Reflected”, an initiative in these times of Covid 19 by those at the Belfast Cathedral, to remember and to reflect on the lives of people we have known and loved.

Thanks to one of my former brides Gillian Collins, for sharing this.

Happy St Patrick's Day 2021 from Belfast Northern Ireland

This St Patrick's Day will not be "Normal" Have Hope, Be kinder, Spread Love & Friendship.

Bridal Blogger

What do you do when weddings are postponed?

Well there is always something to work on.

 So it's time for a new post. They say we should write down our feelings, that writing a diary is good for people. However these days I feel that there is so much noise that sometimes the best thing we can do is to stop and listen. Listen to nature, the birds chirp away and just get on with life, listening to them can really cheer you up.

Have you found lockdown mentally difficult? I have been surprised as to how it has affected me. I have always credited myself with resilience and ability to cope with anything thrown at me, but this last year has tested me. It has been a year since my Dad fell and that seemed to be the start of all the things that seemed out of my control. Covid, cancer, do all nasty things start with a C. Well I thought I would start a group and call it the Creative C so that I could find some good in that letter C. But everything has seemed to get in the way of that so far.

I have been clearly out and cleaning through this Covid/ Coronivirus crisis and I came across an article written by Charles Swindoll that I want to share with you.

It is all about ATTITUDE!!!

The longer I live the more I realise the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than sucesses, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company...a church...a home. The remarkable thing is that we have a choice everyday. We cannot change our past...we cannot change the fact that people will act a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how i react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our attitudes'

Today branding is so important and it seems during lockdown everyone had time to stop and rethink what their present websites and online presence looked like. So me too I had time to stop and think while I had less sewing work to do.

Many years ago my Logo started with the back view of this bride with a tiny JEF hidden in her embroidery detail on her train.

These days I am still on a similar theme, still my poor brides back view, maybe it's because I don't like having my own photo taken that I always show her back view but it could be that I like buttons!!

 Where have the years gone? Do I tell people that this is how long I have been doing this??? Yesterday I joined in a seminar with some girls that run bridal shops in the UK. The good thing was they couldn't see me and so I really enjoyed the crack. Talking is something I didn't realise I was so good at. I know I am shy, but it seems nobody else really knows that!!

I have noticed some of my favourite designers just use their name but I don't think that really says anything to new brides. If I want someone to know which bridal place I am I have to say the one across from the Strangford Arms Hotel, not my name!!

My shop window has done all the work for me over the years but now its time to embrace online business, so I need to polish up my logo and everything else. A total face lift, sounds perfect.

My facebook.com/joannefergusonbridalshop

So I have been playing with this for years. Note the bride on my website.

www.joannefergusonbridal.com

The needle and the thread seem to stay there.

I could never manage to get her on my blog template, but maybe I should investigate Wordpress!

The mirror got a facelift and got some gold dots around it, it had had some gilt leaves and a hidden shamrock. As you saw from my last post the shamrock always gets a look in. I love the sentiment it means to me. So the shamrock is hidden in the bride's bouquet here, if your eyesight is good enough to see that.

I know what is going to happen the quality of my doodles will not come up good enough for me to be happy with them online

I tried this one on my Linkedin page

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanne-ferguson-18127692/

Or lets go for some fun! I put colour in my images on my forms for work, but online they distract me if they are not prefect for whatever platform I am using. However there is nothing like a bit of colour to give us all a lift.

Let me know all your thoughts, I miss my chats girls.

LOCAL BRIDAL DESIGNER IN NORTHERN IRELAND

 I have designed and made my products since I left Art College that's what I know and know well. In Northern Ireland word of mouth and my shop window have brought my customers to me over my years in business. I have taught myself to use computers and I have tried to keep up with technology but it's still a weakness so it stops my business from growing. 

Every day I try to learn something new.

Undoubtedly I could use advice and guidance on improving my old and dated website, adapting to E-commerce, help with the business's SEO and digital analysis. I have written a blog in the hope that it improves my Google rating. I started an online shop with Etsy so that could learn about selling goods online. I have studied photography to help me promote my products. Recently I started to use  Facebook shop and have put some products online, and likewise with a Shopify store. However I  know that I'm struggling to have enough knowledge to set it up properly, to know about coding, taxes and shipping, to understand SEO and all that it requires to get an online store up and running. I would like to use this unpredicted time to be more innovative and more efficient. I believe my business could grow with improved digital marketing as this is the first research medium for most young brides. E-commerce has the potential to grow my business further than the localised area which would in turn help welling and creative people in the local area find work.

The time seems right to learn more about the world of digital,  E-commerce and the web. Arts and creative people are what is going to help this province have something to sell to the rest of the world and also to attract them to come visit us here. If there is less money locally we will have to find customers anywhere in the world to sell to. Digital marketing opens up new possibilities and online sales opens  up  new markets so that my business is less dependant on the Shop window and passing trade and grows to employ people in the local area in a new way. 

So hopefully soon you will be able to shop via my new Shopify Store.

The Budget -Savvy Bride

It's usually this time of year that bride's run around all the bridal shops in Northern Ireland looking for a bargain. The Wedding Journal Northern Ireland tells newly engaged couples how to be savvy with their  wedding budget. They suggest that shops can sell their dresses at 80% less than the usual price. Stop and think about this bride's to be. Firstly how can you possibly drop a price so much unless it has been over hiked in the first place. If you buy this shop sample dress, can it be cleaned or at least pressed. What happens if you need more fabric or beads to replace what should be there. Who do you know that can best advise you on whether this is truly good value. This something sounds to good to be true, remember it usually is.

Some brides tell me how they were talked into a dress and that they regret buying it. A bargain is only a bargain if you can use it. Rushing to buy your wedding dress can cost you more in the long run, as some brides end up buying another one.

2021 is an odd year, things are definitely not the normal, if there is a normal when you are planning your wedding. This is a totally new experience for you. Please enjoy the experience and stop and allow yourself time to think before someone pressurises you. If I can be of help in some way, just arrange a virtual appointment for now on my facebook page

www.facebook.com/joannefergusonbridalshop

How to shop for your Bridal dress in 2021

Wow what a start to the New Year, 2021!! Ulster Bride's for 2021

are wondering how to shop if the Best Bridal Shops in Northern 

Ireland are closed. As usual my brides have provided me with the 

answer.

I am surprised what I can tell once I chat to you. 

Normally I get to meet you in person but even if we have to

just speak over the internet or the phone you would be surprise 

what a good conversation can do. Because I have been designing 

and making bridal dresses for 35years I can guide you with what 

you would suit. A sketch of the shape and style of the dress is 

confirmation that we have an idea of the look. 

Certain styles suit different bridal fabrics, different brides like 

different things. However if I ask the right questions and listen 

to the bride herself I can really help you. 

So why not book a virtual consultation today and we can convert 

those measurements into a plan so that you can start to look 

forward and get excited about that Wedding dress that you have 

dreamt of getting.

Make a virtual appointment on my Facebook 

facebook.com/joannefergusonbridalshop

or phone my mobile 07736069692

2021 How will things evolve?

 It seems very difficult to plan things with the present circumstances, however because all my life I get up and want to be as productive as possible I can always find things to do.

You can always learn something new each day.

So while weddings are limited and a lot are actually postponed what better time to get up to date with other ideas. Learning how to best adapt and improve is always part of any small business. Most of my time is spent with a needle whether it be doing hand sewing or machine sewing. Covid has made us appreciate the use of a needle in another way and I do hope that the vaccine they have discovered helps us on the road to recovery as soon as possible.

So while our lives sit on pins and needles I have been learning more about selling online and I hope you will follow me on this venture. Follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Shopify!!