On one hand, you can see the point of the booking charge - it is a professional service that you are getting and it is really is more to do with cutting out time wasters which can be very costly for a small boutique to give up a few hours on a busy Saturday. But on the other hand, Bridal dresses can be an expensive purchase and not one that any bride takes lightly so they will usually shop around a few bridal boutiques - even if they see ‘the one' in the first shop they go to.

We spoke to Sugahfix.com readers and Bridal boutique owners to see what the opinions on this trend are in Northern Ireland.

Bride-to-Be Leanne McCarroll from Omagh notes, "The whole process of finding the ‘perfect dress' is without a doubt one of the most enjoyable things about planning your wedding! It's an experience that you never forget and one that you share with your nearest and dearest! Shops that charge brides to be to try on dresses are sucking the romance and ‘butterflies in your tummy' type moments out of getting married. It's a commercial enough industry that can too easily forget what getting married is all about."

Jemma Quinn from Newry got married last year and would have been out £300-£400 in booking fees if the shops she visited had been charging. "I went to four different shops. The shop assistant makes a huge difference as some of them are really pushy. I tried on a dress twice and when I still couldn't make up my mind one particular assistant started getting really fed up of me saying things to me like if I didn't order today I wouldn't get a dress in time. The shop where I eventually bought my dress, Protocol in Belfast, were so lovely. I went three times before I decided and even when I had decided Joan told me to take as much time as I needed and there was no rush as I had loads of time. I went to try on Vera Wang in Brown Thomas and they were so helpful, couldn't do enough for me. I can't believe shops would charge, the dress is a big investment so you need to make sure you are 100% happy with it."

Sugahfix.com Editor Katrina Doran commented "Personally, I never had the ‘trying wedding dresses' on experience. I knew exactly what I wanted and - I designed and made my own dress and although I was tempted to have the fun day out with my girlfriends, the thing that stopped me was the idea that I would be wasting the shops time, as I had no intention of buying. I have styled bridal photoshoots and know the amount of fake tan and make-up damage that can happen with samples on photoshoots when we are being super careful so I can imagine the dry cleaning bills might just about get covered by the concept of a booking charge, although I don't agree with it."

"Blush isn't charging but they have considered it." Aileen Wilson, owner stated; ‘There have been times when I have considered charging brides-to-be to try on dresses in Blush, but I decided against it. Unfortunately it is just part and parcel of the business, every blushing bride has the right to try on as many dresses as they see fit, however there are some chancers who aren't even engaged that can become a waste of time - that's when it gets frustrating! At the end of the day, I can see where some bridal boutiques are coming from when they charge; it is a professional consultation along with a trying on session they are receiving, we would jump at the chance to pay only £50 for a 3 hour consultation at the beauty therapists!'

Aileen also goes on to say ‘We can't tar all customers with the same brush, there are genuine brides out there who are yearning to find that special dress, while others will come in and get an eye for what style they would like and then go away and get someone else to make it! Blush treats every customer as genuine, we love bringing the most gorgeous dresses to our customers, and enjoy helping them find the perfect style from the perfect dress. It would be a shame to take the joy out of such a beautiful occasion.'

Let us know what you think on the Sugahfix Forums.