-
Your shopping cart is empty!
MENU
Your shopping cart is empty!
This page is designed to give additional information and to answer some of the most frequently asked questions. If you can't find an answer to your question, please contact us on live chat or send your question to us and we will be more than happy to answer your questions.
Why are your prices so low?
Simple! We cut out all the "middle men", make to order and sell directly to our customers. When you think about it, most big manufacturers and designers sell their dresses through thousands of bridal stores around the world. That means that for every new design, they must manufacture thousands of each design and in a range of sizes. If they have 30 different styles, that's a lot of dresses to make, to ship and to store. The dresses are shipped and stored in warehouses awaiting onward distribution eventually to the high street stores and for each stage of the process, there are additional overheads and somebody else takes a "cut". The manufacturers and designers have their profit margins and they spend large sums of money on advertising, promotions and PR. All these costs are built in to the final price they sell to the bridal shop. And of course, the high street store has big overheads to run the store and by the time they take their "cut", you end up paying a premium price.
Our process is simple! We custom make your dress to order and ship directly to you with no storage costs, no middle men, no high street overheads and no big promotional or PR / Advertising costs. We cut out the "waste" and give you superb designer quality at really low prices. And we are always available to discuss your needs and advise you. We can be contacted on Live Chat or Skype and also by email.
Custom Service
When you order from Monroe Bridal / Laila Monroe, we keep it simple to make sure you get top quality but at affordable prices. The process begins when we receive your order. Unlike high street stores who supply standard sizes and styles, we can supply custom made as well as standard sizes. A big advantage of our process is the flexibility to change or "customize" elements of the design to suit your requirements. For example, you might like a particular dress but want sleeves or a higher back. Just tell us and in most cases, we can do this for you at no extra cost.
Now to a few other questions ...
About Monroe Bridal / Laila Monroe
Where is Monroe Bridal based?
Laila Monroe is an Irish owned and managed company based in Dublin, Ireland. The company was founded in 2011 by our CEO Michael MacMahon. In recent times, we have begun to transition the branding from Laila Monroe to Monroe Bridal but it is still the same business. Customers can avail of high quality designer clothing at amazing prices and have the security, comfort and protection afforded by European law.
What are the origins of the Laila Monroe brand?
We are long time fans of the "golden era" of Hollywood and feel inspired by the grace and style of icons such as Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn. Our dream was to provide style conscious women around the world with beautiful, stylish, high quality and affordable designer clothing. With our team of talented designers and our attention to every little detail, we produce beautiful quality designs we would be proud to wear ourselves.
Why the change to Monroe Bridal?
We have been online since 2011 and from a small start, the company has grown and continues to grow and evolve. As the years have gone by, we have been joined by many exciting new bridal gown designers and, since bridal "fashions" tend to be be subject to the "seasonal" trends of the regular fashion industry, we decided to brand our collections under names linked to the design teams behind them rather than by "annual collections", which are not really relevant in the bridal industry. Yes, there are some trends from year to year but many classics are still as relevant today as they were 50 years ago.
What makes Monroe Bridal different from other online retailers?
The ethos of Monroe Bridal / Laila Monroe business is to focus heavily on give customers great quality product with excellent value and an unbeatable level of customer service. Our aim is to always be within reach of customers via online Live Chat, Skype or by Phone.
YES - we have real people who will answer your questions and whose brief is to serve our customers in a polite and efficient manner so that every customer has an enjoyable experience dealing with us. But we go even further! We have all had experience of trying to contact a real person to resolve an issue or answer a question and find so many barriers in the way. In some cases, it is impossible to speak with anybody to discuss our question or concern. And in many cases, the person we finally reach has no authority to resolve any issue we may have.
At Monroe Bridal, all our staff have the authority to make decisions on almost any issue. If they feel they can't make that decision, then the guarantee to get back to you within 24 hours. If you want to speak directly with our CEO, you can do so! This is unusual in any company but we are not just "any company". We care about our customers because without our customers, we don't have a business. For that reason, the phone number on our web site is a direct line to the desk of our CEO Michael MacMahon.
There are hundreds of web sites with .com / .ca / .co.uk / .de / .com.au domains claiming to be in the U.S.A., Canada, U.K., Germany, Australia and so on and some even have telephone numbers for these countries. But the truth is that many of them buy a local number and the calls are redirected back to their office in the country they are located in. It's very misleading. We are who we say we are and we are happy to prove it. If you have any doubts, just contact us and you will see that we are different.
Monroe Bridal Quality
Do you use Swarovski Crystals on all your wedding dresses?
Where a wedding dress design requires crystals, we only use Swarovski. Inferior quality crystals might look fine at first glance but they lack the Swarovski "sparkle". Swarovski cyrstals have more than 30% of lead which gives it that very brilliant shine. Where as more inferior crystals does not have that much lead. The Swarovski creations entered the haute-couture world by decorating bags, shoes and dresses of famous designers. In the world of Monroe Bridal, we only want the best for our customers and in this case, we give you only the very best!
Why do you use Swarovski Crystals?
Because Swarovski Crystals are the best. If somebody produces better quality we would consider them but Swarovski has been making the best for over a hundred years so we don't think we will be looking for a new supplier any time soon.
Would you consider sourcing cheaper materials to bring prices down?
We achieve very good prices for high quality materials and our prices are among the best around. A prime example is our use of Swarovski Crystals on garments. We don't buy any other brand for the simple reason we know Swarovski is the very best and our customers deserve the best. Of course we could buy "cheaper" materials but this goes against our stated principals of providing exceptional quality at reasonable prices. Goods made with inferior materials might look fine in a photograph or when worn a few times but they quickly lose their looks.
Are Monroe Bridal products high quality?
Yes! Our business is based on producing beautiful designs to the highest possible standards. We use only quality materials including Swarovski Crystals and high grade fabrics. Our manufacturing processes are first class with regular production process quality inspections as well as a final quality check prior to shipping to customers.
Payment and Security
What payments do you accept?
We accept most international credit and debit cards via PayPal and Stripe.
Are my details secure?
Yes. We use PayPal and Stripe so your details are very secure. PayPal operates a first class processing system with industry standard encryption to ensure any personal information is as secure as possible. We also have SSL encryption with Extended Validation on our site and this can be verified as being up to date by clicking on the "Verified & Secure" link at the bottom right hand side of the page.
Can I make a part payment on an item?
Yes. We have devised a system of "Vouchers" that can be purchased and used as part payment against a later purchase. Vouchers are at a fixed price of $50 (converted to your chosen currency) and a customer can purchase any quantity they wish. This is particularly useful in the case of a high value item like a wedding dress where the payments can be spread in advance. The decision on which actual dress is being purchased does not have to be made until the final order is placed. We also suggest you check out our "Refer a Friend" program where you can earn substantial "credits" that can be used against purchases.
Tax and Duty
Is VAT payable for goods shipped to the EU?
Monroe Bridal / LailaMonroe.com is based in Ireland and as part of the EU, VAT is included on the price you pay for goods shipped within EU countries.
Is VAT payable outside the EU?
VAT is not included in our prices for customers outside of the EU.
Are goods ordered subject to tax or import duty?
We don't add any tax and there are no other hidden charges. You pay what you see at Checkout - You pay for the goods + Shipping cost. If there are any customs or import duties payable, these are charged once the package reaches its destination country. These charges must be paid by the recipient of the package. Unfortunately, we have no control over these charges and cannot tell you what the cost would be, as customs policies and import duties vary from country to country. We suggest you contact your local customs office for current charges before you order, so you are not surprised by charges you were not expecting.
Returns
What happens if there is a problem with my order?
Monroe Bridal / Laila Monroe is dedicated to providing top quality products made to the highest possible standards with the best materials available and at a price that represents real value. We conduct very stringent quality control checks to ensure our customers get the best quality available but in the unlikely event of you receiving an item that is not as ordered, please let us know straight away by contacting our Customer Care Team. We will aim to resolve any issue as quickly as possible but we need you to tell us as soon as you discover any problem so we can resolve the issue for you.
What is your returns policy?
Our business is built on providing high quality gaments at low prices and we believe that our customers deserve the best. In the unlikely event of you having to return the garment due to an error on our part, we will either replace the garment or issue a full refund. Please note that we carefully check and record details and photograph every garment before it is shipped to ensure it is exactly as ordered. If you are not 100% satisfied with your purchase, we operate a "Money Back Guarantee" policy. Terms and Conditions vary slightly between items that are standard sizes and custom made sizes.
The following "Terms and Conditions" apply to all Standard Size items:
The following "Terms and Conditions" apply to all Custom Size items:
Shipping and Delivery
Has my order been shipped?
As soon as your order is dispatched, you will be sent an email to confirm that it's on its way and giving you an estimated date for delivery. We will also furnish you with full tracking details.
Can I track my shipment?
Yes! In most cases, we ship with DHL, FedEx, UPS, TNT or EMS and the shipments are normally fully trackable.
Other Stuff
If your question is not covered above, please contact us and we will be happy to answer your questions.
