Terms of Use

01. About the website

These Terms of Use relate to the website at thegowndirectory.com, referred to as “The Gown Directory” or “the website”. They describe the permitted use of its pages, directory, editorial content and submission facilities.

The Gown Directory is an independent bridal discovery and editorial website featuring designer profiles, wedding dress collections, guides and related content. It is not a bridal retailer, booking service or agent for the designers and businesses featured.

Separate written agreements may apply to advertising or other paid services. These general website terms do not replace those agreements.

02. Information and directory listings

Content is provided for general information and inspiration. We aim to present accurate information, but profiles and articles may rely on information supplied by brands, representatives or publicly available sources. Information may change after publication.

The directory is not exhaustive. Inclusion, omission, ordering or categorisation is not an award, certification, ranking of quality or guarantee of a business’s reliability. Style descriptions and editorial opinions are intended to assist discovery and may involve subjective judgement.

Before relying on information for a purchase or appointment, confirm prices, sizing, materials, stockists, availability, alterations, delivery times and ordering conditions directly with the relevant business. Guides do not replace an individual fitting or advice from a suitably qualified professional.

03. Dealings with designers and retailers

Any purchase, appointment, payment or other arrangement you make with a featured business is between you and that business. The Gown Directory is not a party to that transaction and does not take responsibility for fulfilling the business’s contractual obligations.

Check the seller’s identity and terms, including deposits, cancellation, returns, alterations, production schedules and delivery arrangements, before committing. Questions or disputes about an order should be directed to the seller, without limiting any remedies available to you under applicable law.

04. Intellectual property and permitted use

Original content created for The Gown Directory is protected by applicable intellectual property laws. Designer names, trademarks, photographs, collection imagery and other third-party materials remain the property of their respective rights holders. Their appearance on the website does not transfer ownership or grant visitors a licence to reuse them.

You may browse the website, share links to its pages, and print or save pages for personal, non-commercial reference, subject to applicable law and any specific restrictions on third-party materials. Please retain credits and copyright notices.

Except where permitted by law or the relevant rights holder, you must not republish articles, redistribute photographs, reproduce substantial parts of the directory or use protected content commercially without permission. Crediting the website or a photographer does not itself provide permission.

Nothing in these terms restricts lawful quotation, criticism, review or other statutory exceptions. Contact us about reuse of our original content; permission for third-party content must come from the relevant rights holder.

05. Designer submissions and supplied materials

Designers, representatives and readers may suggest a designer for editorial consideration. Submission is free unless a separate paid service is expressly agreed. A submission does not guarantee inclusion, a response, publication by a particular date or a particular placement.

When submitting information, provide accurate details to the best of your knowledge, state your relationship to the brand honestly and avoid supplying confidential or unnecessary personal information.

Only supply photographs, text or other materials that you own or are authorised to provide for the proposed use. Include photographer credits and any restrictions. If you are suggesting a brand as a reader, official website links are sufficient; do not offer publication rights to material you do not control.

Where you expressly supply materials for publication and have the necessary authority, you grant The Gown Directory a non-exclusive, royalty-free permission to reproduce and display them on this website for the relevant listing or editorial feature, and to make reasonable formatting edits such as resizing. Ownership remains with the rights holder. This permission does not include selling the materials or using them in unrelated advertising.

Specific restrictions or alternative permissions should be agreed before publication. Simply linking to a website does not grant a licence to its content. We may request clarification or additional permission before using materials.

We may edit submitted text for accuracy, clarity and house style, or decline publication. Contact us to request a correction or discuss removal of supplied materials. We will assess requests in light of the rights involved, applicable law and any separate agreement.

06. Advertising, sponsorship and commercial content

The Gown Directory offers paid visibility opportunities, which may include sponsored designer placements, collection presentations and editorial partnerships. Paid content and placements will be identified as advertising, sponsored content or an equivalent clear disclosure.

Payment may influence the visibility or position of a paid placement. It does not purchase an undisclosed editorial recommendation, guarantee a designer’s products or services, or require readers to make a purchase.

Editorial submissions and advertising are separate. Submitting a designer creates no obligation to purchase a paid service. Any affiliate relationship, where we may earn a commission through a link, will be disclosed alongside the relevant content.

Advertising scope, duration, fees, approvals, cancellation and any agreed reporting will be set out separately in writing. No particular number of visitors, enquiries, sales or search-engine results is guaranteed unless expressly agreed.

07. External websites and links

The website may link to designers, retailers, social platforms and other external services. These websites are operated independently and have their own terms and privacy practices.

We do not control their content, security, availability or subsequent changes. A link is provided for reference or discovery and does not, by itself, establish a partnership or endorsement. Review external websites before sharing personal information or making a payment.

08. Acceptable use

Please use the website lawfully and respect the rights of others. You must not:

• Submit fraudulent information, impersonate a person or falsely claim to represent a brand.
• Send spam, malicious files, unlawful material or content that infringes another person’s rights.
• Attempt unauthorised access to the website, its accounts or infrastructure.
• Disrupt the website or use automated requests that impose an unreasonable load or bypass access restrictions.
• Collect personal information from the website for unsolicited marketing or other unlawful purposes.

We may take proportionate steps to address misuse, including restricting abusive requests or access where reasonably necessary for security or legal compliance.

09. Corrections, credits and rights concerns

If a listing is inaccurate, a credit is missing, or you believe content infringes your rights, email contact@thegowndirectory.com.

Please include the relevant page URL, identify the information or material concerned, explain the requested correction or your rights claim, and provide suitable contact details and supporting information. If acting for someone else, explain your authority to do so.

We will review sufficiently detailed requests and take appropriate action, which may include correcting, crediting, temporarily restricting or removing material. This contact process does not limit any legal remedies available to you.

10. Privacy and personal information

Our Privacy Policy explains how personal information is handled. Cookie information and consent controls, where applicable, are provided separately.

These Terms of Use do not constitute consent to marketing or to non-essential cookies. Please avoid sending sensitive personal information through designer submissions or general enquiries.

11. Website availability and responsibility

We aim to keep the website useful and accessible, but cannot promise uninterrupted access or that every page will always be complete, current or free of errors. Maintenance, technical problems and editorial updates may affect availability.

To the extent permitted by applicable law, we do not guarantee the accuracy of third-party information or the performance of independent businesses featured on the website. Our responsibility for loss or damage is determined by applicable law; these terms do not create a blanket exclusion of liability.

Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability for fraud, death or personal injury caused by negligence, or any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited. Nothing removes mandatory consumer rights.

12. Updates, applicable law and your rights

We may update these terms to reflect changes to the website, its services or legal requirements. Updated terms will be published on this page with their effective date, and additional notice will be provided where required by law. Changes will not retrospectively remove rights already accrued or alter separate agreements without the legally required process.

Applicable law and the courts with jurisdiction are determined by the relevant legal rules. These terms do not impose an exclusive court or remove protections available to consumers in their country of residence.

If a provision is found invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue to apply to the extent permitted by law.