Care Factor

Our Bridal Boutique in Sydney treats each bride and family member as guests in our care. While you are in our care our bridal shop will try to look after you and your wedding gown needs. Each experience is unique since no bride is alike. We encourage open communication so we are better informed of your particular requirements. This helps us meet your expectations and make your bridal experience wonderful.

Initial Contact

Upon receiving your email enquiry or call, unless it's a long weekend holiday, we will usually call you within 48 hours. In our phone call with you, we try to learn more about your needs. We may ask you questions such as your name, your style preference, your size, your location and your budget for your bridal gown. In accordance to the government guidelines on social distancing, we will first offer you a comprehensive HC Bridal Experience over the phone and if you like, a video call service. We will attempt to address all frequently asked questions, and other questions that are unique to your requirements. When you are ready to commit to a physical experience, we will invite you in to our showroom to consolidate your order. We use information you have offered us to prepare for your HC Physical Bridal Experience. Having this information help us tailor a unique bridal dress shopping experience that is relevant to you. For example, we do not show you gowns that are out of your interests and price range, this will ensure that you and one other loved one have a smooth bridal dress shopping experience that is safe, productive and enjoyable.

Price

Your bridal dress style is priced according to the labour, time, materials involved in creating that gown. The creation of your gown from the sketch to the wedding date will involved in sourcing, pattern making, fabric dyeing, cutting, grading, draping, sewing, hand-beading, garment pressing, laundry, fitting hours, fabrication, beads, trims, construction methods, freight, duty and taxes, involved in bringing them all here to Sydney. All Helen Constance gowns are priced this way. Since we have many styles in our Helen Constance collection and Empress collections, you will find a variety of price points to suit your needs. The cost of your gown also reflects changes and additions you make to your gown order. We aim to provide you with pricing that reflects the value of the services and products that meets your needs. We keep pricing discussions transparent and straightforward to meet your needs. HC by Helen Constance bridal gowns are priced from AUD$2500 up, these are premium quality bridal gowns with high-end aesthetics using quality laces and excellent workmanship. Helen Constance Main Collection priced at $4400 up. Empress by Helen Constance is priced from AUD$9000 up. Empress by Helen Constance is a luxury bridal couture gowns collection, each gown is fashioned with over 700 hours of artisanal workmanship and beading. Empress By Helen Constance is only sold in HC Sydney showroom. Helen Constance gowns are sold around Australia and New Zealand. Prices for HC wedding gowns vary in different territories. Pricing is set at the discretion of your local stockists and is informed by the freight and logistical costs, local tax laws and service costs involved. Prices provided over the phone serve as an approximate guide only. Every order is quoted individually and every bride is provided with a price based on your needs, circumstances, changes and additions. No orders are alike.

Your HC Bridal Experience

A typical HC Bridal Experience can take between 40 minutes to 1.5 hours depends on your needs and requests. The first hour of your appointment is free-of-charge. The first 5-10 minutes we attempt to learn about you, your wedding plans and your gown needs through conversation.You are invited to share picture references of the dream gown you like to wear on wedding day. In the first hour, there is enough time for you to try on 3 gowns. After the first hour, a fee of $150 per hour is required from you for the continuation of service. This fee is inclusive of GST. You are invited to attend your HC Bridal Experience with clean hands, feet and body with appropriate undergarment in nude colour. Please do not attend fitting with a spray tan, bronzers and excessive makeup or perfume and body scents as these elements will cause ivory gowns to discolour and soil. You are welcome to bring your own shoes at the height that you are comfortable wearing on your wedding day. Should you have any other requests, please let us know before you attend, this helps us prepare to meet your needs and expectations. The goal of your HC Bridal Experience is for us to meet your needs. We aim to provide you and your family with a positive bridal dress shopping experience that is enjoyable. While you are in our care, we want to make sure we have answered all your questions and provide you with excellent service.

Quotes

At the HC Bridal Shop in Sydney, we show you HC bridal gowns that are in your specified price range. We aim to provide you with a quote and highlight the breakdown of your order and costs after you demonstrate intent to purchase at your bridal appointment. We do not provide photos or quotes for a gown unless you wish to commit to an order. We are not obligated to negotiate a price unless you wish to purchase the gown at your appointment. If you have specific changes and additions to your gown order after your appointment, we need at least 48 hours to get back to you with an accurate price quote. Any quotes provided to you will be honoured no later than 24 hours from the initial offer. After 24 hours, we reserve the right to withdraw our offer and if you wish to get a new quote for your order, you are welcome to contact us. For offers beyond 24 hours, we will provide you with a verbal agreement on a case-by-case basis. If you have yet to decide on a gown style to purchase, you are always welcome to make an appointment again to try the gown again at a fee of $150 per hour (Incl. GST). When you purchase a gown with us, we can waive your consultation fee of up to $150 (Inclusive of GST).

Style & Design

Helen Constance bridal gowns offer you style and function. From the construction of the support structure, to the trims that we choose, your couture style offers you maximum aesthetic performance that is empathetic to your size, and needs consideration. Your couture style is beautifully finished inside and out, offering you both comfort and beautiful wear. Our fabrics and laces are imported, and our craftsmanship is world class.

Photography

We pride ourselves on having sophisticated bridal dress designs that are sensual and glamorous. Our commitment to advanced research and development endeavours enable us to bring you the latest in designer bridal dress trends. For this reason, we do not allow photography of our couture styles in our showroom, unless authorised by our team members. If you wish to see Helen Constance bridal gowns online, you are welcome to visit our website www.helenconstance.com, under the main menu " Collections" or follow us on our Instagram. Our handle on instagram and facebook is @helenconstancebride, they also hold a large collection of galleries and images of our latest dress designs and real brides.

Lead Time

Often we get asks, how long do I have before I must put in my order? How long does it take to get a gown made up?

This is what we call the “lead time”. The lead time to complete a gown can vary up to 18 months. Most brides order one year, to one and a half year in advance.

Since we service brides and bridal stores, from across Australia and New Zealand, this keeps us busy. Seasonal demands and international freight logistics, also influence the speed at which we can deliver wedding gowns, and fabrics to make up your gown. Bridal gowns take a long time to produce because they are hand finished and usually accompanied by many changes. Beaded and embellished gowns, along with custom-made gowns also take a long time to produce. Each lace placement and bead has to be hand sewn, they are not machine sewn. When you multiply each unique orders with specified changes and hundreds of brides seeking orders, you will start to form a clearer picture of why gowns take so long to make.

You might like to order your gown as soon as possible! This is because you may need between 3 - 6 fittings, to get your gown fitting just right for you. Our experience suggests that most brides, often experience fluctuation in weight as they get closer to the wedding date. Even if they are not trying to lose weight, more often than not, brides drop weight due to the anticipation of the big day and stress from organising their wedding. It is not unusual for brides to drop two or three sizes, from their initial dress order. So the more time you offer us, the smoother your bridal journey becomes! If your big day is less than 6 months away, we encourage you to look for ready to wear bridal gown in your size with minimal changes!

Contact

Our bridal shop welcome calls, emails and messages during office hours, time: 10 am - 5 pm. After 7 pm on weekdays, your SMS /Facebook /Instagram /Whatsapp messages are not read till the following business day. We aim to respond to you within 48 hours. This is because we use the time to find the answers to your questions and call you when an accurate response is available to address your requests.

HC Fit & HC Fit Premium

Contemporary bridal brand Helen Constance offers you a transparent bridal shopping experience. The Helen Constance Bridal Experience makes you, the centre of the experience. HC Fit is a service product designed to simplify your bridal dress shopping journey. For one flat fee, HC Fit provides you with the guarantee that you can enjoy a stress-free bridal experience till your wedding day. What does HC Fit include? When you purchase HC Fit, it includes, your bridal gown resizing, hemming, hand-finishing, quality check, light cleaning and steam pressing, the packing of your gown, your fitting time and any bridal style advice which you may need to realise a total look for your wedding day. Now you can enjoy the incredible Helen Constance fit with your bridal gown and peace of mind. HC Fit & HC Fit Premium are sold in our Sydney showroom as separate service products. We reserve the rights to offer this service at our discretion. Unless otherwise specified, your gown order does not automatically come with HC Fit and HC fit premium. This service must be bought in along with your gown. You can also purchase an HC Bridal gown without buying the HC Fit and HC fit premium service product. When you do purchase an HC Bridal gown without HC Fit, we advise you to to find an expert to look after your fitting and gown resizing needs leading up to your wedding day.

Eligibility for HC Fit

• You may be eligible for HC Fit if you have bought or are buying an HC or Empress gown from our Helen Constance in our Sydney Showroom.

• HC Fit is currently available from the Helen Constance showroom in Sydney only.

• this product is suitable for you if you are concerned about your weight change and how the fluctuation in weight will impact upon the fit of your gown leading up to your wedding day.

• this product is also suitable for you if you are pregnant at the time you are shopping for your bridal dress.

• You may be eligible if you are on medication which causes your weight to fluctuate. Please discuss your needs with us.

• We reserve the rights to offer this service at our discretion.

• Gowns sold at our authorised stockists are not covered by HC Fit.

• HC Fit is not an insurance product. 

• Each HC Fit service you purchase is valid for one bridal product only. Please speak with us regarding your individual needs.

• If you have bought your gown from HC Sydney Showroom before 1st June 2018, your order is automatically covered under the new HC Fit product offering.

• From 1st November 2018, HC Fit Premium is available for sale. For one flat fee, we will include all HC Fit services plus a deluxe dry-clean service for your gown post wedding.

  Some examples of services that HC Fit covers include;

• consultation fees for resize fittings.

• adjusting length of hem front

• Fit of gown (taking in and letting out of gown)

• taking up shoulders

• we can provide you an tax invoice at your request, please email us your request with your personal details (to be included in the invoice) before your final pick up.

• adding bonings, bra cups or bra elastic

This product does not cover;

• your veil cost and/or changes relating to your veil,

• as well as any additional changes to your bridal gown that do not relate to the fit of the gown,

• Any required changes and/or additions after deposit has been paid.

You are welcome to speak with us for your particular needs.

Some examples of changes HC Fit does not cover after deposit has been paid include,

• change of neckline (e.g. from V-neck to sweet heart neckline) ,

• change of trim, belt or veil trim

• adding of sleeves post-purchase (e.g from 3/4 to full length or change a sleeveless gown to a gown with off the shoulder sleeves)

• change from lined sleeves to sheer

• change from sheer sleeves to lined sleeves

• change of fabrications of your gown, sleeves, lining, bodice and garment structure

• change of lace placements and or appliqués

• The additions of beads and trims or removal beads and trims

• change of train length (from 2.5 metres to 1.5m) or change train length from 2.5metres to 1.5 meters

• change your gown, lace or lining colour from original sample colour to another colour

• the designer dressing you on the day of your wedding at the location of your wedding (HC does not offer this service)

• Adding or removing a bodice.

• changing lace up to zip / changing zip to lace up at centre back

If you are other questions regarding HC Fit, please email or call us.

Final Fitting & Wedding Day

When you buy your wedding gown from Helen Constance bridal shop in Sydney. Your Gown price will include multiple fittings leading up to your wedding day. At these fittings, you are encouraged to voice your concerns regarding the fit of your gown. You are presented with ample opportunities to communicate your concerns and avail us a chance to respond to your questions. Before your big day, you will get a final fitting. This is a time for you to do a full dress rehearsal with us, and iron out any other issues which you may have. We will also share tips with you on how to wear your gown, and how to navigate yourself in it. Having a final fitting and pick up means, all your concerns are resolved, so you will not need a designer to dress you on the day of your wedding.

Helen Constance bridal does not offer a chaperone service for your gown.

Payment

Upon deciding on the gown you wish to purchase, you are invited to sign the contract to solidify your order. Orders under $10000 must be paid in full. We offer credit card facilities should you need them. For orders over $10000, you are invited to pay a deposit for your order before we begin garment creation. A deposit price will be provided to you. Balance owing on your order must be paid on the first fitting of your gown before resizing begins. The gown must be fully paid before final pick up. Transfer of ownership of the gown will be made to you after all payments have been paid.

Who to bring to Your Bridal Appointment

When you attend your bridal appointments, we encourage you to bring your mum or someone you can trust. You are invited to bring no more than 3 people with you because when its more than one or two loved ones, the focus of the consultation will no longer be about you but on their needs and agendas. For this reason, we advise you to bring only one or two family members that you can trust and that you know have your best interests at heart.

Interstate & Overseas Customers

If you do not live in Sydney, you have two options. You can call us and let us know the style you need and your size. We will inform you if this gown is in stock. If the gown is in stock, you can place the order over the phone with a credit card deposit, or direct bank transfer, and Paypal. Alternatively, if you can fly, you are welcome to visit us at our bridal shop in Sydney. The HC bridal boutique in Sydney is located 10-15 minutes drive from the Sydney Domestic and the International Airport. We are 2 minutes from Leichhardt. There is also parking and a bus stop outside our bridal shop in Sydney. You are invited to make an appointment in advance to let us know you are coming so we can prepare for your private appointment.

Fabric swatch

After making a purchase of your bridal gown from HC Bridal Shop Sydney, brides often ask us for a fabric swatch or a lace swatch of the gown. We will endeavour to help you with your request. Please let us know what you need, we will try our best to assist you with relevant fabric and lace swatch.

Shoes

When you place an order for your gown at HC bridal boutique in Sydney, you should ideally have an idea of how high your heel is. Even if you are planning to wear flat shoes, it would assist us during production to know the approximate heel height so we can provide you with adequate hem length for your wedding dress. You are welcome to ask for a swatch after you have committed to a gown purchase, to begin your shoe-matching journey. Once you have purchased your shoes, you are encouraged to bring it with you to every fitting.

Undergarment

Please wear nude-coloured undergarment or support structure garment (e.g. shapewear or related garments) when you attend your fittings, this should be the same type of undergarment that you plan to wear on your wedding day.

I am pregnant

We are very experienced with servicing brides that are pregnant or you are expecting. We are happy to assist you. Please contact us for an appointment now, E: info@helenconstance.com , we would love to learn more about your needs.

First Fitting

After a deposit has been placed and the contract signed at HC bridal shop in Sydney, you will be notified when your gown is ready for the first fitting. We will stay in touch with you over phone, sms or email to organise your first fitting date and time. This normally takes place 6-12 months after you placed an order, if your wedding is urgent you will be notified earlier.

Gown Try On

In your bridal consultation at our HC Sydney bridal shop, we take the time to learn about you. The more we learn about your lifestyle interests, needs and aesthetic preferences, we can offer you a tailored service that will resonate greater with you. Our experts will offer you a few suggestions on styles that will suit you. You are invited to try these gowns on. While you are in our care, we attempt to provide you with the best possible service. You are encouraged to provide feedback during the appointment. Your comments provide valuable insights for us, to help you arrive at your dream bridal gown. Our extensive experience assisting countless brides will ensure you enjoy a positive bridal journey. When you come with an open mind, you will be delighted with the rich experience we can provide to help you find your dream gown.

Changes

For specific gown changes and customisations, they are best negotiated before you purchase your gown. This service is available at HC bridal shop in Sydney only. If you have bought your HC gown at an authorised retailer, you may apply for changes with the store. Changes are at the discretion of the authorised stockist. All changes must be submitted in writing. After your bridal gown contract is signed and a payment is made, additional charges will be incurred for any changes and requests. Costs are determined based on your requests. The stage at which your gown is being made will determined whether your requests are possible. For example, when the fabric is already cut, and your gown is being sewn up, it will be too late for changes such as your necklines shapes and depth.

Gown Pick-Up

When you order a gown from HC bridal boutique in Sydney, we ask that you inform us of the expected delivery date and your wedding date. Wedding date in your function date. The expected delivery date is when you expect to finally pick up your wedding dress. Some brides request for an earlier expected delivery date. This is because they might be flying to another country to get married and need to depart two months before the actual function date. We work with you to ensure that your gown is delivered on your expected delivery date. If your function date has changed please kindly inform us asap. This will help us meet your new expectations.

Scents

At HC Sydney bridal shop, we invite you to try on our high-quality bridal dresses without fragrances, scents or odours. We reserve the rights to discontinue our service if we feel like your scents are too strong and will soil our garments. You are invited to make another appointment should you wish to attend your appointment with clean body and scents-free.

Your HC Bridal Journey

When you email us for a bridal appointment, we will call you on the phone to confirm your appointment. This call may take 10 minutes. The phone call helps us learn more about you so we can prepare and tailor your shopping experience with us. The phone call will conclude with an agreed date and time for your bridal experience. We will follow up with an SMS sent to you, with your appointment confirmation (date and time), with our contact details. On the day of the HC Bridal Experience, you are invited to meet with one of our experts. We will listen to your choices, and styles of interest, followed by a fitting of a variety of bridal styles. You are invited to provide feedback on whether they suit your needs and discuss options for customisations, and a breakdown of the cost involved when you wish to purchase. This process helps you understand what you are buying and what you are paying for. Throughout the consultation, you are encouraged to ask lots of questions. If you wish to go proceed with the order, we will go ahead and take your body measurements and photos. After this stage, you are invited to pay the agreed price and confirm the details of the gown order by signing a contract. This contract protects you and our company. It is a standard sales contract that describes both our responsibilities. After you have paid for your gown and signed the contract, the appointment will conclude with a photograph of your family. When your gown is ready for your first fitting, you will be notified by phone. Your first fitting usually takes a month before your wedding if you have a longer lead time. If you are wedding is urgent, and you have a short lead time(i.e.less than 6 months), you will be contacted as soon as we are able to deliver your gown. Read about what to expect in the first fitting: above.

Why Buy HC?

Helen Constance offers you luxurious wedding gowns that are sensual and glamorous. Our bridal designs are creative and contemporary, supported by the highest integrity in design aesthetic, and luxurious fabrics. We have multiple brands and large collections of bridal styles, to offer you a myriad of price points, so you can look fantastic on your wedding day at a price range of your choice. Our service proposition aims to deliver you an excellent experience, supported by our team of experts and artisans in couture and bridal designs. We have over 100 Brides that rated us five out of five, for an amazing bridal experience from start to finish. We demonstrate our commitment to your needs, by curating a bridal journey that is uniquely yours. We are empathetic of your desires and family obligations, to bring you a glamorous outcome, that is also celebrated by your loved ones.

Quality

The success of Helen Constance Bridal is supported by a strong system of stage-gates quality checks. We double and triple check your order to ensure it’s completed with the utmost respect for accuracy and privacy.  Our communication with you and your family form a feedback loop that helps us deliver a smoother bridal experience to meet your needs. Any queries which you may have can be forwarded to us via; SMS, phone, or email. Multiple stage-gates in quality checks help us deliver consistent positive outcomes for you with confidence. Your open communication throughout the bridal dress journey will help us address your unique requests. We aim to bring you a stress-free journey that is both memorable and enjoyable.

Fit & Concerns

When you purchase your Helen Constance Bridal gown at an authorised stockist, your purchase contract is with that store. Any concerns you may have, should be addressed by the store that sold you your gown! HC Sydney Showroom customer can direct all concerns via email! We will write or call you to answer your queries within 48 Hours. When you purchase your Helen Constance Bridal gown at an authorised stockist, your purchase contract is with that store. For more related answers on "Fit and concerns", please refer to answers on "Final Fittings and wedding day".

The HELEN COnstance PRinciples

Whether you are a bride or our valued partner, while you are in our care, we aim to provide you a positive experience that is guided by the following five principles;

Creativity & Innovation - Helen Constance and team work tirelessly to bring you designs that are sensual, glamorous and contemporary. We believe our cutting edge designs and creativity form the cornerstone of our brand promise. We aim to bring you high quality designs and beautiful bridal dress styles that not only offers you variety but also helps you express your own individual style. We also aim to implement creativity to assist you in problem-solving during your journey with us.

Transparency – Before, during, and after your decision making journey, we aim to speak plainly and conduct your experience with us in a transparent manner. This helps manage expectations and illustrate responsibilities for all parties involved.

Integrity – Our actions with all stakeholders are guided by integrity and fairness. We aim to treat all our partners and brides, equally and conduct your experience with us with the highest moral and ethical integrity.

Respect – Helen Constance and Team pledge to deliver valuable experiences that is respectful of your needs and wishes. Guided by respect, we aim to co-create positive outcomes that are mutually beneficial for you and your family.

Commitment – When you choose to work with Helen Constance, we are committed to deliver what we promise, arriving at a positive outcome that will delight you and all stakeholders involved.

Pre-loved Gown

If you have your mother’s bridal gown that you wish to update and wear it on your wedding day, please go the drop down menu under “Shop”, then click on “other services”, and click again on “HC Circle Programme” . HC Circle programme explains our premium customisation programme for preloved and heirloom gowns.

Buy Now, Pay later

Helen Constance does not offer discounts or buy now pay later services. Any gowns under 10k must be paid in full. For orders over $10000, you are invited to pay a deposit for your order before we begin garment creation. A deposit price will be provided to you. Balance owing on your order must be paid on the first fitting of your gown before resizing begins. The gown must be fully paid before final pick up. Transfer of ownership of the gown will be made to you after all payments have been paid.

Buy My Gown

Helen Constance Bridal Boutique in Sydney does not buy any preloved gowns or second-hand wedding dresses. We are not a preloved gown retailer.

Urgent Orders

We can accommodate brides with urgent deadlines, we have serviced brides with as little as 2 weeks to their wedding date. While we do not advise you to leave it till last minute, we can assist you in our HC Sydney Showroom. Please contact us immediately for your appointment. e: info@helenconstance.com , M: 0424393818

Weight Fluctuations

Weight fluctuations leading up to your wedding date is common. Even if you are not consciously trying to shape up for your wedding, the excitement and anxiety leading up to your big day may influence your dress size. Our wedding experts are confident to service you. You will be happy to know that when you purchase the HC Fit with your gown order at HC Bridal boutique in Sydney, you are guaranteed for fantastic fit up to your wedding date. Learn more about HC Fit above.

Gowns Left

Whether paid or unpaid, wedding gowns that are left in our bridal boutique in our sydney store for longer than 3 months after your pick up date will be professionally disposed of. You are not entitled to a refund.

Consultation Fee

Helen Constance charges a consultation fee for your appointment. When you purchase a gown with us at your first bridal experience, this fee can be credited towards the costs of your wedding gown. Please send us a bank transfer receipt before your first appointment. You can also pay with a credit card over the phone, or pay us online with a debit and credit card.

Made-to-order Does Not Fit

If your made-to-order bridal gown does not fit correctly, but was made accurately according to your order specifications and your measurements, this is not grounds for a refund. We do not offer refunds for made-to-measure gowns. Please work with one of our bridal shop team members to find the best solution for you.