Dorchester Town Council and Dorchester Business Improvement District (BID) are pleased to announce that Wedding Time Bridal Salon and Men’s Formalwear on Dorchester’s High East Street are the Spring 2026 winners of the Shopfront of the Season Awards.
This spring’s competition drew an impressive 190 nominations, reflecting the enthusiasm residents have for the independent businesses that brighten the town.
Finalists were nominated by the public based on the following criteria:
- Sympathetic to the heritage setting and conservation area
- Accessible and inclusive
- Inviting and welcoming
- Well maintained
- Attractive and distinctive window display
The five businesses with the highest number of nominations were shortlisted. They were Wedding Time Bridal Salon and Men’s Formalwear, Nikki’s Little Play Café, Bells Hair Salon, The Wooden Floor Specialists (Dorset) Ltd, and Loving by Nature.
The judging panel—comprising the Mayor of Dorchester, representatives from Dorchester BID, the Chair of the Town Centre Action Group, and the winner of the Winter Awards (Creative Image Studios) visited each finalist on Monday to judge and select the overall winner.
Neil Strudwick, Chair of Dorchester BID said “For me, Wedding Time Bridal Salon and Men’s Formalwear is one of the best window displays I have judged in this competition overall since it started last year. You can see so much has gone into it to make stand out and added with the original frontage being maintained makes it a worthy winner.”
Cllr Les Fry, Chair of the Town Centre Action Group congratulated Wedding Time. He said “The shop is a very deserving winner. They have created a wonderfully inviting window display for Spring and their window always looks fantastic throughout the year. The shop building is well maintained with a recently painted frontage and beautiful Victorian tiles.”
Wedding Time Bridal Salon and Men’s Formalwear received the highest number of nominations from the public in the nomination stage. Residents praising its elegant seasonal displays, the charm of its Grade II listed frontage, and the joy its spring window brings to passers‑by.
Tracy Carroll from Wedding Time said “We are delighted and honoured to receive the award for best Spring window. Wedding Time is a Grade II listed building has so much character and presence and is an ideal surrounding for our brides and grooms.”
The prize includes:
- A cash prize jointly funded by Dorchester Town Council and Dorchester BID
- A printed certificate and digital winner’s badge
- An invitation to serve as a guest judge in the next season
