Kersey Mill Bridal launch, near Hadleigh, achieves founder Jess Nicoll’s 10-year dream of running own wedding dress business

The opening of a new wedding dress shop in Kersey, near Hadleigh, has achieved a decade-long dream for its owner, who is excited to make the most of her unique setting.

Kersey Mill Bridal launched at Church View, in Kersey Maltings, on Thursday, offering a wide range of dress options for brides-to-be of all shapes and sizes.

Named after its host venue Kersey Mill, known for hosting businesses across various sectors, the shop is the brainchild of Jess Nicoll.

She said: “It has been a dream of mine for about 10 years. I worked in bridal for a few years in Colchester and I loved meeting people, having the excitement of dress shopping and being a part of their special day.

“I’ve built friendships and relationships from 10 years ago, from being with them while they were buying their dress.

“It’s lovely and nice to see, especially with those who are not confident, but then they start trying on dresses and feel beautiful. It’s a feel-good profession to be in.

“I came across an empty unit at Kersey Mill. They have a lovely little commercial centre there, with all sorts of different businesses, so I thought it would be the perfect location.”

Jess said a key market she wanted to serve was women who are of a larger build, as she felt that many bridal shops did not cater well to them, with only a small number of dresses available.

To fill this gap, Kersey Mill Bridal will provide dresses from sizes 8 to 28.

“I have friends who are larger ladies and I’ve been to shops that only have a couple of generic styles,” said Jess.

“One of my friends hated dress shopping because they didn’t have anything that fit her, so I’ve been really inclusive with sizing.”

She added: “It’s lovely over at Kersey Mill. You can enjoy the grounds and then come to the shop and be treated really well.”