This year, Bridal Indulgence celebrates its 10th birthday, and honestly, I'm not quite sure where those ten years have gone.

When I look around the boutique today, it's hard to believe what this little barn looked like a decade ago. Over the years it's welcomed hundreds of brides through its doors, witnessed countless happy tears, nervous mums, emotional "yes" moments and so many unforgettable memories.

As I reflect on the last ten years, I feel incredibly grateful. Not just for the business that Bridal Indulgence has become, but for every bride who's trusted me to be part of one of the biggest moments in her wedding journey.

So, I thought I'd take you behind the scenes and share how it all began.

Bridal Indulgence when it first opened in 2016, before becoming the calm countryside bridal boutique near Farnham it is today.

Where it all started

People often ask me whether I always wanted to own a bridal boutique, and the answer is yes.

My love of bridal began while I was studying Fashion & Textiles at college before going on to study Fashion Promotion and Illustration. Alongside my studies, I worked in a bridal boutique, and I absolutely loved it. There was something so special about helping brides find the dress they would wear on one of the most important days of their lives.

After university, I moved into fashion PR and marketing, but I could never quite let go of the idea of opening my own bridal boutique. Even while working elsewhere, I found myself imagining how I'd redesign the boutique I'd worked in and thinking about how I'd create an even more memorable experience for brides. After some encouragement from my husband Matt, I decided I was going to go for it and have my own bridal boutique.

When the opportunity finally came to open Bridal Indulgence, I knew exactly what I wanted it to be. More than anything, I wanted to create an experience. I wanted brides to walk through the door and immediately feel relaxed. I wanted them to forget about the outside world for a little while, feel inspired, enjoy spending time with the people they love and make wonderful memories while finding their wedding dress.

That's exactly where the name Bridal Indulgence came from. I wanted every appointment to feel like a little indulgence - calm, welcoming, personal and completely centred around the bride.

The Bridal Indulgence barn before it became the countryside bridal boutique.

From cows to couture

Long before it became a bridal boutique, it was a barn where cows lived. By the time I took it on, it had been converted into offices complete with bright blue carpet tiles, strip lighting and very little character.

Needless to say, it wasn't exactly bridal!

Before I could welcome a single bride through the door, there was a lot of work to do.

The first six weeks were spent stripping everything back, building the fitting room, painting and slowly transforming the space into the boutique.

Bridal Indulgence when I first got the keys

Starting small

People are often surprised to hear that Bridal Indulgence didn't open with rails full of wedding dresses. In fact, I started with just one designer, Wtoo (now Locket) along with their bridesmaid collection. Like so many independent businesses, Bridal Indulgence grew gradually. Every new designer, every new dress and every little improvement came as the business evolved.

I still remember my very first bride. Her name was Lauren, and she chose a beautiful gown called Thandie by Wtoo. I was incredibly nervous before her appointment. Excited too, of course, but mostly hoping everything would go perfectly. Thankfully, it did.

Watching Lauren say yes to her dress was a moment I'll never forget because it marked the beginning of everything that Bridal Indulgence has become today.

My first Bridal Indulgence bride, Lauren, wearing her Wtoo wedding dress.

Growing alongside our brides

Over the years I've refreshed the décor, updated the colour scheme and added lots of finishing touches to make the space feel even more welcoming.

One of my favourite improvements happened during Covid, when I finally replaced the original strip lighting. I'd been wanting to do it for years. Then I spotted two beautiful vintage-style chandeliers on Facebook Marketplace. They had come from a fish restaurant in Brighton that had sadly closed down, so I jumped in the car and drove all the way there to collect them.

The difference they made was incredible. It's amazing how something as simple as lighting can completely transform the atmosphere of a room.

Although Bridal Indulgence has evolved over the years, I think what I'm most proud of is that it's never lost its original purpose. From day one, I've wanted it to feel warm, relaxed and welcoming rather than intimidating. Somewhere brides can completely be themselves.

Having said that... there may just be another exciting transformation on the horizon!

How Bridal Indulgence found its style

If you've followed Bridal Indulgence for a while, you'll probably remember when we became known for our boho wedding dresses.

The funny thing is... that wasn't actually the plan.

I decided to take a chance on a few more alternative designs because I loved them, and it quickly became clear that brides loved them too.

Before long, Bridal Indulgence had become a destination boutique for brides looking for effortless, bohemian wedding dresses, with people travelling from all over the UK to visit my boutique near Farnham.

Adding Willowby to our collection was a huge turning point. They created some truly iconic gowns, including Orion, which became one of our most memorable dresses.

Of course, bridal fashion has changed enormously over the last decade, and so has our collection.

Some wonderful designers have been part of our story over the years, including Katya Katya, Savin London, Vera Wang, Wtoo, Willowby and Edwin Oudshoorn.

Today, Bridal Indulgence has evolved into a carefully curated collection of romantic, elegant and fashion-forward designers, including House of Flora, Jenny Yoo, Grace Loves Lace and Watters.

While styles continue to evolve, one thing hasn't changed.

Today's brides still want exactly what brides wanted ten years ago; to feel like the very best version of themselves on their wedding day. And helping them discover that feeling is still my favourite part of the job.

The brides

Although the boutique has changed over the last ten years, it's always been the brides who have made Bridal Indulgence what it is.

People often ask if I have a favourite appointment, and the truth is, I couldn't possibly choose. Every bride has her own story, and every appointment is different.

Some are full of laughter, some are wonderfully chaotic, and some are incredibly emotional.

There are so many moments that have stayed with me over the years, but one appointment will always stand out.

A bride completely fell in love with a dress and, when she found out its name, she burst into tears. It turned out the dress shared the same name as her mum, who had sadly passed away.

It's moments like that which remind me that choosing a wedding dress is about so much more than lace, fabric or beautiful design. It's about memories, family and celebrating the people who mean the most to us.

One of the loveliest parts of this job has been seeing brides come back through our doors years later with their sisters, cousins or best friends. There's something really special about being recommended by a former bride and becoming a small part of another family's story.

I've even had the privilege of helping my own sister and some of my closest friends find their wedding dresses, which are appointments I'll always treasure.

Hundreds of brides later...

If there's one thing I've learnt from helping hundreds of brides over the last ten years, it's just how hard we can all be on ourselves. So many women arrive at their appointment worried that nothing will suit them or convinced they'll dislike certain parts of themselves.

Then they find the dress.

Their whole posture changes. They stand a little taller, smile a little wider and suddenly see themselves in a completely different light. I never get tired of witnessing that moment.

People often ask me if hearing a bride say "yes" still feels as exciting after ten years. The answer is always yes. That feeling hasn't changed since Lauren walked through the doors for my very first appointment, and I honestly don't think it ever will.

What you don't always see

Running an independent bridal boutique is the most rewarding job, but there's a lot that happens behind the scenes that people don't always realise.

One of the biggest misconceptions is that designers simply send us their dresses.

In reality, every single wedding dress hanging in the boutique has been bought by me. Each collection is a significant investment, and designers also have minimum order requirements each season. That's why independent boutiques carefully curate their collections rather than stocking every dress that's available.

Every gown has earned its place on the rails because I truly believe in it and because I know it has the potential to make a bride feel incredible.

Running your own business also has a funny way of following you everywhere.

The day after I gave birth to my son, I found myself on the phone from my hospital bed to a courier, making sure one of my brides' dresses would arrive in time for her wedding.

Looking back, I probably should have switched off for a day... but I also think that's what happens when you genuinely care about what you do.

The people behind Bridal Indulgence

Although Bridal Indulgence has my name above the door, I've certainly never built it on my own.

I've been incredibly lucky to have a wonderful team over the years who have cared just as much about our brides as I do.

Dee joined Bridal Indulgence in 2019 and became such a huge part of the business before leaving in 2026. Sarah and Ellie have since brought so many fresh ideas, new skills and enthusiasm, and it's been wonderful watching the boutique continue to evolve with them.

I'm also incredibly grateful to Linda and Edie, our talented seamstresses. Linda has taken a step back in recent years, but she's still creating beautiful veils for our brides, while Edie continues to work her magic with alterations.

And then there's my husband, Matt.

He's been there through every high, every challenge and more than a few tears over the last ten years. Running your own business can be an emotional rollercoaster, and I honestly couldn't have done it without his constant support.

One of my proudest achievements

There have been lots of moments that I'm proud of over the last decade, but launching our own collection, Studio B, will always hold a very special place in my heart.

Not only because creating our own collection had been a dream for so long, but because it allowed us to give something back.

To date, Studio B has raised over £3,000 for Bowel Cancer UK, a charity that means so much to me. Knowing that our brides have played a part in supporting such an important cause makes me incredibly proud.

Looking back and looking ahead

Perhaps the biggest lesson I've learnt from helping hundreds of brides is that people rarely remember every dress they tried on. What they remember is how they felt. That's exactly what I've always hoped Bridal Indulgence would be. Not just somewhere to buy a wedding dress, but somewhere brides feel relaxed, supported and excited from the moment they walk through the door.

As I look ahead to the next ten years, my hopes haven't really changed.

I still want brides to gasp when they walk into the boutique. I still want them to feel completely at ease, and I still want Bridal Indulgence to continue offering one of the most beautiful and carefully curated collections of wedding dresses in Surrey and Hampshire.

And, of course, there are a few exciting plans in the pipeline that I can't quite share just yet...

Finally, I just want to say thank you.

To every bride who has chosen Bridal Indulgence over the last ten years, thank you for putting your trust in me. It has been the greatest privilege to help hundreds of brides find the dress they'll wear on one of the most important days of their lives. Want to read some of our brides stories? Then head to our real brides blog.

And to my wonderful team, our designers, seamstresses, friends, family and especially Matt- thank you for believing in Bridal Indulgence and helping make it what it is today.

If you’d love to become part of the next chapter, I’d be so happy to welcome you to Bridal Indulgence for your own private bridal appointment.

Here's to the next ten years...

Kerri xx

10 Years of Bridal Indulgence: Our Story So Far