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the who's who
meet the team
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THE MOTHER & daughter DUO
We get it... The thought of going dress shopping is scary enough without stressing about who you're going to meet and what they'll be like - so here we are!
Sit tight, we'll give you the insider info for everything you need to know about us, our boutique, what we do and why we do it!
We are Wendy and Ellie. We own and run the boutique together. We're also mother and daughter.
To answer your questions:
Yes, we love working together. Yes, sometimes its a nightmare. Yes, we are so lucky to be able to. Yes, we do often want to kill each other.
We make it work though! More about us later...
THE OLD BANK... WHAT EVEN IS THAT?
The Old Bank is the way we affectionately refer to the building we're based in, because its- er- well... it's an old bank.
I didn't say it was a clever name did I?!
It's Victorian (fancy!), built in 1874 and it ran as a bank all the way until 2017 when Barclay's closed it's doors. A few renovations later and now it's living it's best life as our little boutique.
''WORDS CAN NOT EXPLAIN HOW AMAZING MY EXPERIENCE WAS! I WAS MADE TO FEEL COMFORTABLE FROM THE SECOND I WALKED IN THE DOOR''
HANNAH
Our boutique is home to over 150 curvy wedding dresses, carefully curated to celebrate every bride, in a huge range of:
⚡ styles
⚡ shapes
⚡ silhouettes
⚡ price points
...and from lots of the leading designers in curvy bridal fashion.
Because (contrary to what the bridal industry might have you believe), not every curvy bride wants the same thing! Our collection is so varied so each of our brides can find a dress that truly feels like them.
Our sample dresses range in size from a 12 to a 40, with every size in between. We prioritise having lots of options that every curvy woman can actually try on here.
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We have one private changing room in our boutique, meaning your appointment is entirely focused on you.
No sharing. No awkward queueing. No watching other brides try on dresses and feeling self-conscious. Just a relaxed, one-to-one experience where you can truly enjoy your experience (and twirl to your hearts content! 💃)
It also means you get our full attention - no distractions or rushing, just proper styling time with your bridal stylist.
You are the main character of this story.
The boutique is bright, spacious and designed to feel comfortable from the moment you walk through the door. If you want to know anything specific about our boutique, check out our FAQ's or drop us a message via email or our socials and we'll be happy to help.
"I didn't expect to have so much choice!"
~ every bride ever
''THEY'RE FRIENDLY, APPROACHABLE AND GENUINELY KIND WOMEN, BUT THE BEST PART? THEY NEVER ONCE ASKED WHAT DRESS SIZE I AM''
EMMA
OKAY, BACK TO US
MEET WENDY
This is Wendy, and she does most of the talking in our duo (in the best way!)
She has a background in children's social work, but much prefers life as a curvy bridal specialist, helping brides find their perfect dresses - obviously.
She knows how to control a room so if your guests start misbehaving, give her a nod and she'll sort them out!
Wendy's priority in the boutique is giving brides a full choice of loads of beautiful, luxury dresses that have the perfect structure and design to keep you comfortable and secure all day long. She knows you deserve choice, and she's here to give you it.
Favourite bridal trend: Anything sparkly and twinkly, I just love anything that glitters!
Biggest bridal pet peeve: The promise of curvy when it isn't delivered.
Coffee order: Americano with cold milk, please!
Favourite biscuit: A dead fly biscuit.
Guilty pleasure song: Can I say the YMCA?!
Number of cats: Four! Angus, Lola, Stan and Alfie.
Number of tattoos: Fourteen, I think!
Where I'm daydreaming of: Tenerife in the sun ☀️
And it's only fair if we show you Wendy's wedding dress, right?!
She married Dave in 1991, and wore a dress that we might lovingly call "of it's time"!
With satin draping, sheet lace, 3D florals and those sleeves... let's just say there was a lot going on. And that's not even mentioning little Rob in his sailor outfit!
Dress aside, Wendy and Dave have now been happily married for 35 years and counting, and we are assured they wouldn't change a thing about that day.
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MEET ELLIE
This is Ellie, the behind-the-scenes driving force of The Silver Sixpence. You'll find her doing jobs like posting on our socials, and updating this website (hi!)
My background is in psychology, and I'd like to think I put it to good use both in and out of appointments. I tend to be the person who will stroke your hair and make sure you're okay when you need it!
I'm more of a listener than a talker, but I'm always on hand with something insightful when needed (that's what I tell myself anyway).
My priority in the boutique is to make sure every bride feels comfortable, confident and beautiful.
Favourite bridal trend: Satin dresses, especially with pockets, and I'm loving a Basque waist too!
Biggest bridal pet peeve: When shops put their curvy section right at the back - or worse, upstairs!
Coffee order: Iced latte with banoffee syrup.
Favourite biscuit: Custard cream - the only answer.
Guilty pleasure song: Anything ABBA 🪩
Number of cats: Three! Ted, Oscar and Toast.
Number of tattoos: Ten (and counting)
Where I'm daydreaming of: Disneyland - always!
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Ellie is actually the reason The Silver Sixpence exists! After getting engaged, the thought of shopping for her wedding dress made her feel so anxious that Wendy decided to do something about it... so opened a curvy bridal boutique!
She tied the knot with Mike in 2021 in the midst of all the 2020 chaos!
Her dress was a satin ballgown with drapey off-the-shoulder sleeves and a beautifully pleated skirt. She also had a crepe dress that she wore for a small socially distanced ceremony earlier in the year, and got changed into on the night of her big celebration!
Nearly 5 years into marriage, she still loves chatting all things weddings so she's your gal if you want to pick someone's brains!
THE STYLISTS-IN-TRAINING
It would simply be wrong to end this page without mentioning the newest members of The Silver Sixpence family.
Ellie had her twin babies in the summer of 2024, and has been running in circles (literally, mentally and emotionally) ever since!
If you find us responding to email's at 2am, forgetting what we're saying mid sentence or just generally staring off into the distance at any time - these two are probably the reason why! Luckily we wouldn't have them any other way!
