South Tyneside's first 'off-the-peg' specialist bridal studio officially opens

Engaged Bridal Studio, on Horsley Hill Square in South Shields, has become the borough's first "off-the-peg" bridal studio after it officially opened on Saturday, November 11.

Owner Jade Richardson-Gage has had her heart set on establishing her own bridal studio after she struggled to find the perfect dress for her own wedding back in 2017.

Jade wanted to offer customers the chance to have a premium dress-fitting experience combined with dresses that are genuine value for money.

As a result, Engaged Bridal Studio is the only bridal shop in South Tyneside that is specialising in ex-sample, discontinued and "off-the-peg" wedding dresses and accessories.

Jade has revealed that the shop offers a wide variety of wedding dresses and aims to make every bride feel special in the hunt for the dress of their dreams.

She said: "Every bride deserves to be treated to that one-to-one appointment where they can invite their friends and family to see them try on a selection of beautiful dresses.

"But in a cost of living crisis, that’s not always attainable for brides-to-be. 

“At Engaged Bridal Studio we offer a broad range of wedding dress styles and that premium experience without the high price tag.

"Because we specialise in dresses that are discontinued, end of line or ex-sample dresses, we’re able to help customers choose from a range of stunning dresses that are within their budget.

“The only real difference is that our customers will be able to take their dress away the same day, rather than having to wait weeks for a dress to arrive.”

When trying to establish her business, Jade received help from TEDCO Business Support through the Start Up South Tyneside programme.

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TEDCO runs the programme on behalf of South Tyneside Council to help residents in the borough go self-employed and set up their own business.

Mark Johnston, TEDCO Business Advisor, has praised Jade for the effort that she has put in to go from a business plan to opening her brand new shop.

He commented: “Jade has found a valuable niche in the bridal market, providing a service that I can see will be valued by so many people in South Tyneside and beyond.

"It’s been a pleasure to work with Jade as she prepared for launch and made the transition from a career in teaching to one of being a business owner.” 

The TEDCO Business Support programme helps residents to set up their own business through a range of online courses, digital resources, document templates, one-to-one support, and more.

The Start Up South Tyneside is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Engaged Bridal Studio is open from 10am until 5pm on Monday, Friday and Saturday, with operating hours of 10am until 4pm on Sundays.

For more information, you can visit: https://www.engagedbridalstudio.co.uk/.