Meet the expert: Patricia Ireland founded Test Valley Textiles in 2016, a small business offering clothing repairs and commissions, before merging with Burleys Bridal Boutique in 2018 due to an increase in requests for bridal alteration work. The business has recently been renamed the Test Valley Bridal Boutique, stocking a range of quality dresses from Victoria Kay that can be altered to fit perfectly. Patricia can store a bride's dress safely ahead of the wedding, free of charge, and she has now introduced her dressing of the bride and bridal party service where, for a small charge, she will attend the venue and dress the bridal party on the morning of the wedding. Patricia says: If you're searching for a quality bespoke dress for your wedding day then you should ideally start looking 12-18 months beforehand. Our main supplier, Victoria Kay, has a lead time for bridal dresses between 16 and 20 weeks from the date the order is placed by us. If you've purchased an off-the-peg style, it's best to allow three to four months before your wedding for the alterations to be completed. Even bespoke dresses will require small alterations to make them fit you perfectly for the special day. We complete all alterations as close to the wedding date as possible to ensure a perfect fit.