Becci's Bridal Designs

Delivery & Lead Times

Handmade with care, then safely delivered to you

Most items from Becci’s Bridal Designs are handmade to order. Your estimated arrival therefore includes two separate stages: the time needed to create your order and the time needed for the delivery service to transport it.

This page explains current production guidance, shipping services, tracking, international customs and what to do if your parcel is delayed.

Please remember: choosing faster delivery does not shorten the handmade production time unless a rush order has been discussed and agreed with me before purchase.

Contact Me About a Deadline

The difference between lead time and delivery time

Lead time

Lead time—also called processing or production time—is the period needed to make, finish, check and package your order before dispatch.

Delivery time

Delivery time begins only after the completed order has been handed to the postal or courier service.

Your estimated arrival

Production time + delivery time + a sensible contingency = the safest ordering window.

Carrier estimates are not guaranteed delivery dates. Bad weather, public holidays, industrial disruption, customs checks and seasonal demand can all affect a parcel after it leaves my studio.

Current handmade lead times

The lead time shown on the individual product page when you place your order is the most relevant estimate for that design.

As general guidance:

Product type	Typical current lead time
Handmade bridal shoes	Approximately 8–10 weeks
Boots and complex shoe designs	Approximately 8–10 weeks; complex designs may take longer
Veils, capes and handmade accessories	Approximately 3–6 weeks
Highly embellished, bespoke or made-to-measure pieces	Confirmed according to the individual design
Ready-made items	Dispatched according to the time shown on the product page

Times can change according to material availability, the complexity of the design, current workload and the time of year.

Some products may have a shorter or longer stated time. The product listing and any written agreement made before ordering take priority over this general table.

Why handmade orders take time

Materials and base components may need to be ordered specifically for you. Shoes move through artisan construction, colour or fabric work, embellishment and final finishing. Veils and accessories may require hand-cut lace, individually positioned crystals, handmade flowers or personalised details.

Every completed order is checked and photographed before dispatch.

How Your Shoes Are Made

Wedding dates, fittings and travel

Please provide your wedding or event date when ordering, but also tell me about any earlier date that matters, including:

A dress fitting or alteration appointment
Travel to a destination wedding
Departure for a holiday home or venue
A hair or make-up trial
A photographer or styling appointment

The date you leave home is often more important than the wedding date itself.

I recommend ordering as early as possible. A comfortable buffer allows time for delivery, trying the item on and resolving an unexpected issue without unnecessary stress.

If your deadline falls close to the advertised lead time, contact me before ordering. Do not rely only on adding the wedding date to the order notes.

Rush orders

Rush orders are accepted only in limited numbers and must be agreed before purchase.

When contacting me, include:

The product or design
Size and colour, where relevant
Any personalisation
Delivery country and postcode or ZIP code
Wedding date
The earlier date by which the item must be in your hands

I will check the making schedule and required materials before confirming whether the deadline is realistic.

A faster postage service alone does not create a rush order. If a shortened production time has not been confirmed in writing, the standard lead time applies.

Delivery prices

Current prices are shown at checkout

Delivery charges are calculated and displayed during checkout after the delivery address has been entered. This is the most accurate price for the destination, parcel size, weight and service available at that time.

I do not recommend publishing a fixed price table on this page. Postal and courier rates change, and shoes, boots, veils, jewellery and large accessories require very different parcel sizes. A static table can quickly become inaccurate.

The checkout price is the price that applies to the order. You can review it before completing payment.

Why prices vary

The delivery charge may depend on:

Destination country and postcode
Parcel weight and dimensions
Product type and protective packaging required
Number of items in the order
Tracking, compensation and signature requirements
The services currently available for that destination

If no suitable delivery option appears, contact me with the product and full destination before ordering.

UK delivery

UK orders are normally dispatched using a tracked Royal Mail service.

Royal Mail Tracked 48

Tracked 48 is the standard service used for many UK orders. Royal Mail aims to deliver in approximately two working days after accepting the parcel, but this is a delivery aim rather than a guarantee.

Royal Mail Tracked 24

Where available, Tracked 24 aims for delivery on the next working day after acceptance. It changes the postal service only—it does not shorten the making time.

Special Delivery

For genuinely time-sensitive UK parcels, Royal Mail Special Delivery may be available by prior arrangement. Contact me before ordering so I can confirm whether both the production schedule and the service are suitable.

Availability and the current charge will be confirmed at checkout or in writing.

UK delivery guidance

Most tracked UK parcels arrive promptly, but please allow additional time around public holidays, severe weather and peak postal periods.

Orders cannot be collected from my studio. It is a working studio and collection is not available under my business insurance arrangements.

International delivery

International orders are normally sent using a tracked service appropriate to the destination, parcel size and current import requirements.

Typical delivery guidance after dispatch is:

Destination	Typical delivery estimate after dispatch
United States	Approximately 10–14 working days
Europe	Approximately 5–10 working days
Canada, Australia and other international destinations	Approximately 10–20 working days

These are estimates, not guarantees. Customs and local delivery networks can add time without warning.

Express international courier options are not available for every product or destination and may be temporarily restricted by customs or import changes. Please contact me before ordering if you need an express service; do not assume that one will be available at checkout.

Working days

Delivery estimates use working days and normally exclude weekends, UK public holidays and public holidays in the destination country.

Customs, duties and import taxes

International orders may be subject to customs duties, tariffs, import VAT, brokerage charges or local handling fees.

Unless the checkout expressly confirms that these charges have been collected in advance, they are the buyer’s responsibility and are not included in the product or delivery price.

I cannot mark an order as a gift, declare a lower value or provide inaccurate customs information. The parcel must be declared truthfully.

Customs authorities may hold or inspect a parcel. I am not responsible for customs delays, but I will provide available shipping documentation if it is needed to help resolve an enquiry.

If import charges are refused and the parcel is returned, any refund will be considered only after the parcel has safely returned to me. Original delivery costs, return charges, customs fees and any loss in value may be deducted where permitted.

How your order is packaged

Every item is packaged according to its materials, structure and embellishment.

Shoes are individually protected and nestled inside their shoe box with tissue paper. Veils, jewellery, flowers and other delicate accessories are supported so combs, crystals, lace and three-dimensional details cannot move unnecessarily in transit.

Packaging is eco-friendly, recyclable or made from recycled materials wherever possible, including recycled-card outer boxes, card shoe boxes, tissue paper, paper shipping labels and recycled paper tape.

If the parcel appears crushed, torn, wet or opened on arrival, photograph the outer packaging before opening it further.

Multiple items in one order

Items ordered together are normally dispatched together unless another arrangement has been agreed.

Where products have different lead times, the complete order will usually follow the longest lead time. For example, a ready-made accessory ordered with handmade shoes may be held until the shoes are complete.

If you would like available items sent separately, contact me before ordering. Additional delivery charges may apply.

Large or unusually shaped orders may need to be divided into more than one parcel for safe transit. If this happens, you may receive more than one tracking number.

Dispatch and tracking

Before dispatch

Every order is checked and photographed before it leaves my studio. It is then wrapped, labelled and handed to the selected carrier.

Your dispatch notification

You will receive a shipping confirmation with tracking details when the label is created or the parcel is prepared for collection or posting.

A dispatch notification may appear before the carrier’s first scan. Parcels posted through a Royal Mail parcel box or accepted in a collection can sometimes show no movement until they reach the main sorting hub.

Tracking updates

Tracking events are controlled by the carrier. Gaps between scans do not necessarily mean that the parcel is lost, particularly during international transit or customs processing.

For international parcels, the same tracking number may continue on the postal website of the destination country once the parcel clears customs.

Delivery addresses

Please check the complete delivery address before paying, including:

Recipient’s full name
House or building number
Apartment or unit number
Street
Town or city
County, state or region
Postcode or ZIP code
Country
A working telephone number where required by the carrier

Contact me immediately if an address is wrong. I may be able to correct it before dispatch, but an address change cannot be guaranteed once a parcel is in the carrier’s network.

If paying through an accelerated checkout or payment provider, check that it has not automatically inserted an old address.

I cannot be responsible for delays or losses caused by an incomplete or incorrectly supplied address.

Venues, hotels and holiday accommodation

Confirm that the venue or accommodation accepts parcels and knows the recipient’s name and arrival date. Allow a generous buffer; never plan for an important handmade order to arrive on the day you travel.

Safe places, neighbours and delivery instructions

Delivery preferences, safe places and nominated neighbours are normally managed directly through the carrier’s tracking service where available.

Choose only a genuinely secure and weatherproof location. A parcel recorded as delivered to a safe place or neighbour may be treated by the carrier as completed delivery.

If your building has gates, access codes, a concierge or several apartments, make sure the address and delivery instructions are as clear as possible.

If tracking says delivered but you cannot find the parcel

First:

Check the tracking photograph and map or GPS information, if supplied.
Look in your nominated safe place and around every entrance.
Ask household members, neighbours, reception or building management.
Check whether the carrier has left a card or sent an email with different instructions.

If the parcel is still missing, contact me promptly with confirmation of the delivery address. I can raise or support an enquiry with the carrier. The carrier may ask the recipient to confirm information directly.

Please do not open a payment dispute while a carrier investigation is still active unless the applicable deadline requires it, as this can prevent the order from being resolved normally.

Delayed parcels

Delivery estimates are not guarantees, and a parcel is not considered lost simply because it is a few days late.

Check the tracking first. Customs, weather, local postal delays and missed scans are common reasons for a delay.

For international orders, allow up to 28 working days beyond the estimated delivery date before treating the parcel as potentially lost, unless the carrier’s published rules require a longer period.

Carriers will not always accept an investigation or compensation claim until their official waiting period has passed. I will help with the appropriate enquiry as soon as the service allows.

If your order is for a wedding or event, contact me as soon as a delay becomes concerning rather than waiting until the event date.

Damaged parcels

If the parcel or item arrives damaged:

Do not discard the box, tissue, labels or outer packaging.
Photograph the parcel before and during opening where possible.
Take clear photographs of the complete item and the damage.
Photograph the shipping label and every damaged area of the packaging.
Contact me promptly with your order number.
Do not wear, wash, alter, glue or repair the item while the issue is being assessed.

The photographs are needed to determine whether the damage occurred in transit and to support a carrier claim, repair or replacement.

Incorrect, refused and unclaimed deliveries

If a parcel is returned because the supplied address was incorrect, it was not collected, import charges were refused or delivery attempts were not rearranged, additional postage will normally be required before it can be sent again.

Made-to-order and personalised items are not automatically refundable simply because a parcel was unclaimed or refused.

If a carrier asks you to arrange redelivery or collect from a delivery office, please do so within its stated holding period.

Delivery questions

Is UK delivery free?

Any free-delivery offer or charge currently available will be shown on the product page or at checkout. The checkout total is definitive because rates and promotions can change.

Why is the price different for boots or large items?

Boots, large hats, shoe boxes and structured accessories need larger protective cartons. International services often calculate charges using parcel dimensions as well as weight.

Can I pay to make my order arrive sooner?

A delivery upgrade can reduce transit time after dispatch, but it cannot shorten production unless a rush order has been separately agreed.

Can you guarantee an arrival date?

I can commit to an agreed dispatch date where this has been confirmed, but I cannot guarantee the performance of a postal carrier or customs authority.

Can I collect my order?

No. Collection is not available from my working studio under my insurance arrangements.

Why has tracking not updated?

The first scan may not appear until the main sorting hub. International tracking may also pause while the parcel travels between countries or waits for customs clearance.

Will you send a replacement as soon as tracking is late?

Not immediately. The carrier’s investigation and lost-parcel waiting period must be followed first. Handmade replacements also require production time.

Where can I see the current delivery charge?

Add the item to the basket and enter the delivery address at checkout. You can review the available service and charge before paying.