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Yes! One of our experienced stylists will guide your shopping experience.
Bridal gown appointments are 1 hour. During sample sales, the appointments are half an hour.
Bring pictures of dresses you’ve seen on our website, on Pinterest and social media, or that you’ve tried on elsewhere. And bring an open mind: don’t be surprised if you find “THE DRESS” on your first visit!
Bring your closest friend or family member whose opinion you value. Someone who knows you well and with who you want to share the experience. Too many people can make the experience confusing.
Most of our samples are generally sizes 8-14. We also carry the largest selection of designer curve-size gowns which are 16+. Click here to view the collection.
Some special-order accessories have a lead-time of 3-4 months, so we recommend allowing plenty of time to give yourself the most options.
Absolutely! Not only do many brides find their dress on their first visit to our emporiums, but they also find all their accessories (veils, headpieces, jewellery etc) on their first visit.
No! You may walk in at any time to try on accessories.
Our collection is full of the world's most notable bridal talent, including Vera Wang, Berta Bridal, Pronovias and Oksana Mukha - these designers can exclusively be found at Raffaele Ciuca in Melbourne.
It’s best to allow 8-10 months before your wedding to order a gown to give yourself the most options.
Most of the gowns we sell are special-order based on your measurements. We'll take your measurements during your appointment and then order based on your chosen designers' size chart.
Once the gown arrives, our alterations team is available to customize the gown perfectly to your body.
Your gown typically arrives 8-10 weeks before your wedding date. The dress is delivered to us directly from the designer and we perform a thorough quality control check on each gown. Once we are satisfied the gown is perfect, we’ll call you to schedule a first fitting, arrange shipping and final payment.
We accept MasterCard, and Visa, as well as cash. If you're ordering a gown, we require a 50% deposit at the time your order. When the dress arrives at Raffaele Ciuca, we’ll contact you to let you know and to schedule a fitting. At that point, we require payment of the remaining 50% balance. If you are buying a sample gown off the rack, we require 100% payment and you can take the dress home with you that day!
Our special-order gowns start at $2099, but are more frequently in the $3500 range or higher. Off-the-rack samples can be much less, so be sure to check out our sample sale collection.
We’ll contact you when your dress is ready for you to schedule a fitting; generally, that'll be about 6 weeks before your wedding day.
Bring the shoes and undergarments you’ll wear on your wedding day to have your gown expertly fit through the bodice and hemline.
Usually, brides require 2-3 fittings to ensure a perfect look. After the final fitting, we will press and pack your gown for you, ready to take home and party!
Yes! We can ship a dress within Australia and participating countries. Contact us and we'll be happy to organize it for you. Shipping fees apply.
A trunk show is a special in-store event, lasting one to three days, where you can view and buy from a designer’s latest collection months before they hit the stores. If you find the dress of your dreams at a trunk show, be prepared to make a decision that day, as the gown will not be in the store once the trunk show is over. Click here to view our trunk show calendar.
No, it’s not too late, but every second counts! Your options include buying one of our samples off the rack or working with a consultant to determine which designers can meet your time frame for a “special order” gown, which could include an additional rush charge.
If your wedding date is sooner than the time we typically need to have a special-order gown made, we’ll need to consult with the designer and place a “rush” order, for an additional fee. In this instance, your gown may arrive 1-3 weeks before your wedding and details will be outlined in your contract.
That’s not acceptable: we want your experience in our store to be as memorable as your wedding day. If you find that you are not bonding with your consultant, please – ask to speak to a manager right away. We’ll make arrangements for you to work with someone else to make sure you have a memorable experience.
Please contact Raffaele Ciuca Bridal on info@raffaeleciuca.com.au we are here to guide you.
All Raffaele Ciuca designers are working to deliver gowns to schedule. We are working very closely with them and at this stage are not experiencing any delays.
YES! We can certainly ship your gown directly to you. Remember you are not allowed to kiss the postie when he shows up with your dream gown.
Please send us an email to info@raffaeleciuca.com.au to inform us of your new wedding date and we will update your file.