2be Bride spring 2010 line

I just got home from the first buying trip of the 2010 season. It’s hard to say at this point what the trends will be, but I saw some beautiful gowns, and my appétit for knowledge about all things bridal was fed! In fact, at the moment I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed but with time it will process – just like a good meal.

We traveled to St. Louis to see the 2be Bride spring 2010 line. This line has it all. Everything from simple fitted gowns to much embellished “princess” dresses.

The slim silhouette is still prevailing. Don’t worry if fitted gowns are not your thing – we’re seeing the emergence of some great ball gowns including one of my favorites from the new line. A simply embellished, dropped waist gown with a wonderful skirt called a circle skirt. Circle skirt: yards and yards of fabric cut in a way to twirl (in a manner that would make five year old girl envious) but also cut to drape amazingly smooth at the hip. It gives you the best of both worlds!

I look forward to seeing all of what the spring 2010 season has to offer and of course look forward to seeing the gowns arrive at the shop!

Happy Planning,
Jeri

Busting Out

Last week - I was happy to get the chance to help a beautiful bride who was busting out of her wedding gown. Her “bust” was literally busting out of her gown.

The above mentioned bride had found and purchased her dream gown at a Portland bridal shop that had recently decided to close up shop. One thing led to another and in order for her to get the gown she loved she was forced to purchase the store’s sample gown. The sample gown was smaller in size then the gown she had originally ordered but she was hopeful it could be altered to fit – she loved the gown.

The story has a happy ending. This bride ended up meeting with her seamstress at Charlotte’s for alterations. With creative solutions, proper undergarments and a good seamstress we were able to help her make the gown look perfect.

Here are some ideas if you find yourself with a gown that’s too small for your bust line:

• You can add a cuff of fabric at the top of the bodice to build it up. This works best with a strapless gown. If the gown is a v-neck you can add a modesty panel at the bottom of the “v” to heighten the neck line.
• Sometimes you can just let the gown out at the side seams or make the gown larger with gussets of fabric inserted in the side seams. You could also change the back of the wedding gown to have a “corset back” allowing you to adjust the gown.
• The right undergarments make a huge difference. Don’t under estimate the power of a good bra and slimmer.

Do you have a gown that's just not fitting right? Feel free to email me with your concerns and maybe I can help!

Happy Planning!

Wedding Gowns 101: Where to start

Once you have the ring it is time to start your bridal gown research. Start by purchasing a magazine or flipping through gown pictures on the internet. Rip out or print gowns that interest you even if you do not like everything about the gown. Be open minded. You will not know how they will look on you until you try them. Be realistic about your body and the types of gowns that will flatter you. It is also important not to eliminate too many styles before you actually get a chance to try them on.

Time to go shopping! When possible get personal recommendations of shops to visit in your area. Make plans to try on gowns at two or three bridal shops. Call or check out the shop’s website before visiting to get an idea of the type of gowns and price ranges they carry. You may also need to make an appointment. Some tips to remember when planning your shopping trip:

Bring only a few well trusted friends or family members - the type of person who will be honest with you but also respect your vision.
Bring your gown ideas - the pictures you’ve torn from magazines or printed from the internet.
Bring your camera. Photographs will come in handy when you are comparing your favorite gowns. However, not all shops will allow pictures.
Don’t visit more than two or three shops in a day. Gown shopping is supposed to be fun, not torture.
Make sure to take time for a lunch or snack break during your day of shopping.
Don’t settle on a dress you don’t love or a shop you don’t feel comfortable with. Shop until everything feels right. If you’re in love with a dress but don’t care for the store you’ve found it at, find another store that can get the dress and offer you the service you want.

Happy Planning!

Bridesmaidzilla!

This week I encountered a bride who was facing a bridesmaid mutiny. All of the bridesmaids do not like the bridesmaid gown that was chosen and purchased for the wedding. One of the bridesmaids is even refusing to be in the wedding if she has to wear the dress. Whaaaat? Seriously, this day is about the bride (and the groom).

I myself have paid way too much money for a bridesmaid dress picked out by the bride. From the first moment I saw the photo of the dress, I didn’t like it. I wouldn’t have picked it for my wedding and I would never have chosen the style for my body type or fashion sense. And what did I do about it? I did what any good bridesmaid should do:

When she chose the gown and told me she loved it, I said “were should I buy it?”
When she told me it cost over $200 (eight years ago) and was a (very unflattering) shade of light green, I said “I can’t wait to see how beautiful the dress will look with the flowers.”
When I received the gown and the need for alterations was obvious, I told her it would be ready for the wedding.
When she turned into a crazy stressed out shell of the women I knew, I did everything in my power to alleviate her stress and help her have the wedding of her dreams.

My point is that it wasn’t about me. It was the bride’s day and it was my job to be a loving and supportive friend and bridesmaid. Not ever would I have considered telling her the dress was not my favorite and even worse threaten to not be in the wedding. I would have worn a burlap sack if she would have asked! As I see it when asked to be in a wedding you have two choices - decline or accept and vow to be supportive.

The Bride’s Maid: Dressing the Bride with $500 – From head to toes!

The current state of the economy got me thinking about budgets and what I would do personally if I had $500 to spend on looking the part of the bride. Can it be done? I am not talking about just the dress, but all the bits and pieces that go with a wedding gown. It is hard to find a full blown wedding gown for much under $500. Maybe you could find an informal gown (without train) or if you are lucky you could find something on a sale rack. Even if you found a gown for under or around $500 you would still need hundreds of dollars to finish the look…alterations, undergarments, veil, shoes.

So is it possible to dress a bride for $500? Absolutely, you just need to get creative. I would suggest looking at some of the nicer lines of bridesmaid gowns. For example, Beloise style #L2059 or style #L2019 would make beautiful informal wedding gowns. Beloise gowns (a line of Jasmine Bridal) are available in whites and ivory colors and can be made with additional lining fabric to add substance to the gown. A third example is Dessy Style #2758, it’s make of silk, can come in white or ivory and you can have it made with a contrasting sash color. Imagine it with a few strands of pearls, simple veil and a sassy pair of shoes. What if you want a train? You can order most bridesmaid gowns with extra length and then have just the front hemmed to create a small train. What if you want a lot of sparkle? You could add sparkle with your jewelry or add a beaded trim to the gown. Beaded trims are available at most fabric stores.

So at this point we have spent about half of our $500 budget on the gown. Next we need to find great undergarments. You do not want to skimp. A bride should feel and look like a “hottie” on her wedding day! You will need a great bra or bustier and maybe controlling undergarments to make sure the gown falls smoothly over your curves. Next you will need to find a seamstress who can make the gown fit you perfect. Good alterations are going to run you about $100 on a bridesmaid type gown.

This leaves us with about $75 bucks and we still need something for the head and toes. I would suggest looking to borrow a veil or head piece and jewelry if you can. If you can borrow at least one of these finishing touches our $500 will work out. As far as shoes go, you do not need to limit yourself to “bridal” type shoes. There’s nothing wrong with wearing a great pair of shoes you already have as long as they’re comfortable and coordinate with the gown (think about a great pair of metallic heels).

So if I had $500, I would buy the nicest gown I could for the money. I’d rather have a simple well made bridesmaid gown of a nice fabric then a poorly constructed formal gown of cheap fabric!

Happy Planning,
Jeri

Have "Your" Wedding

There are many traditions and customs surrounding weddings. So many of the things we do at and for our wedding are identical to the bride who is getting married next weekend and the one who got married last weekend. Insert personality! I love it when a bride breaks out of the “traditional” box a little. I think your wedding should have some of you in it. Some ways I’ve seen brides & grooms show some personality are with their shoes. Sassy red pumps for her and converse for him. I’ve seen it all from boots, flip flops, ruby red slippers, to Danskos, Romeos and glass slippers. I’ve also seen people dedicate their wedding to a loved one who has passed or ask that gifts be made to a cause important to the couple. This certainly makes the event very personal for the bride and groom.
At my own wedding (eight years ago) I wanted guests to get a sense of who we were as a couple while at our wedding reception. On each table we had a picture of us at some point during our court ship with a favorite quote or poem that we felt epitomized us. We also sent out a “save the date” that described our courtship and engagement. These things gave our guests that may have only known us as individuals, a chance to get to know us before and at the wedding and be more invested emotionally in the event.
I get asked about the “rules” a lot. “Can I do that…is that okay”. It’s okay to break with tradition. Just remember the comfort of your guests. This is probably one of the biggest events you’ll host. And remember the importance of the event…..you’re marrying the person of your dreams.