There could be a hidden charge when you’re wedding dress shopping which might set you back £50

EVERY bride knows tying the knot can be an expensive business but when it comes to shopping for their dream dress, they could become even more out of pocket.

Not only do bridal gowns at some boutiques come with price tags of thousands of pounds, some stores charge you just to step into the shop to see them.

The charge can be as much as £50 in order to make an appointment.

Wedding etiquette expert said boutiques may charge a fee to cover their costs and put off any “time wasters”.

She explained: “Brides can often spend several hours in a bridal boutique, especially when researching the style, design, and colour of their perfect dress.

“Some boutiques charge a fee to cover the staff time of such appointments and to ensure their clients are not time wasters who have no intention of purchasing a dress.”

Many of the stores which levy such fees are in London.

One charges a £20 “consultancy charge” on Saturdays, which is redeemable against the purchase of any gown.

Another charges brides £20 on weekends for a “private and personal service”.

Again it’s redeemable against a dress purchase, but it won’t be refunded if an appointment is cancelled with less than 72 hours’ notice.

The same happens outside London, with some boutiques stating the fee won’t be reimbursed if an appointment is cancelled without 48 hours notice.

Lisa said brides should do their research to see if they will be charged to visit their favourite boutique and shouldn’t be afraid to barter.

She said: “Some bridal shops will be more open to negotiation than others depending on competition levels, how busy they are, how much staff time they’ve factored into sales prices, and so on.

“Some may drop the fee if they believe the bride is very interested in purchasing from them.

"Brides may be able to ask if the fee can be off-set against a wedding dress, a bridesmaid dress, or even accessory items such as veils, tiaras, and shoes.

"Alternatively, try visiting a wedding fayre or wedding show. Here, you will be able to try on dresses free of charge."

Previously, a bride found her wedding dress shopping stressful when her "Kardashians of Kent" family told her one gown made her "look like a sausage skin".