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This summer, Bridal Traditions was asked to contribute to a series of photo shoots with three different photographers and, as always, we were happy to oblige with menswear. The first one we're showcasing was shot by Wayfaring Wanderer. Details about the other vendors and participants are at the end of the blog! The Groom The Set & the Very Sweet Couple The palette of orange, gray, white and shades of blue worked beautifully together and was consistent across all aspects of this shoot.  The VendorsVenue: @wonderlustacres
Lead Photographer & Styling: @naturalcraftphoto Photos by: @wayfaringwanderer Calligraphy & Invites: @morganharrisdesign Dress & Accessories: @juniperjamesbridal Floral Design: @aprilflowersnc Cake: @elevatecakes Rentals: @abushelandapeckvintagerentals Dinner & Glassware: @missmatchrentals Hair & Makeup: @1steelrosestudio Menswear: @bridaltraditions
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Over the last two plus years, Bridal Traditions has dedicated some of our blogs to showcasing and celebrating our amazing brides ... those girls who come in - some ready and organized, some deer in headlights - and said YES to a gown in our shop. The thrill never gets old. To that end, we're sharing some favorites with you all! Consider this a part one of two. Reina Branch (2017)Sam (Samantha) Faw (2014) Destiny Swammer (2018)  Anna Harmon (2018) Kimber Matney (2018)  Andrea Roe (2019)  Kimberly Baker (2019) Keep your eyes out for part two sharing some of our favorite bridal profiles. We love, love, LOVE our brides!
Since March of 2020, we've been highlighting wedding mistakes, BUT ALSO offering suggestions. We're wrapping up our series of blogs with this one and if you've learned or rediscovered as much as we have, then our work here is done. Links to all the previous blogs are at the end, along with a little encouragement. Mistake 26: You Elope Without Thinking Don't get to the Grand Canal in Venice to say your vows only to find out that you cannot avail yourself of your favorite church unless you're Catholic, have generations of relatives who attend regularly or Italian citizenship. It happens. Get your license, read about the national, state or country's laws and then go for it..... with care! Mistake 27: Then You Downplay ElopingWhether or not you have a "Wedding Celebration" when you get home or not, the day is still special if you do it in Vegas, by the sea, at a farm you've discovered or at City Hall. Get a bouquet. Buy a special dress or ensemble - white or not and take a few images to remind you why you just couldn't wait. IT IS A SPECIAL DAY. Mistake 28: You Overdo the Hair ProductsRemember the last time that your hair was greasy and you just loved it? Exactly. Your wedding day is not the day to overdo it. If you can spring for a stylist, it's worth it, but if you cannot, then ask a trusted friend, watch YouTube videos and practice. When it's right, it's right and you'll have pictures you're proud of looking gorgeous years later. Mistake 29: You Don't Research Your Florals What you carry down the aisle is one thing (see Mistake 30 below), the arrangements for the rest of the ceremony, venue and day also require some thought. Flowers that look amazing but have strong odors should not be centerpieces on your dining tables. Lilies and salmon mousse? No thanks. Coordinate between vendors as you make decisions. Having more of a DIY wedding: follow these principles yourself. You're a smart girl. Smell everything you're thinking of displaying and if it clashes in your nose, it will for others. Don't be so dazzled by a flower or a dish that, when combined, you kill the experience. Mistake 30: You Don't Match Flowers and Dress A bridal bouquet that size of a Mini Cooper may outshine your simple, boho chic frock. Get the gown first and once you know it's THE one, take an image of you in it to your florist. From there, you can choose favorite blooms that complement rather than compete with. Mistake 31: Spray Tan "She wasn't orange when I proposed to her....." Let's not overhear that at your wedding. Practice to get the formula right for your spray tan. This means: get started several months before your wedding. You can then gauge the correct color, how long it will last and work with your make-up artist. And ladies: if you have the skin and complexion of a Nicole Kidman or Emma Stone - GO WITH IT. Women blessed with fair skin look like angels and are lit from within. Not everyone needs to exhibit a tan from the islands. Mistake 32: You Don't Consider the Reception Venue when thinking about Decor This one feels so obvious that we almost didn't include it, but ...... if your reception hall has a huge bank of windows overlooking a gorgeous view, you may want to back off on buying more decor. Point guests toward the view and stick with table decor and items for the buffet tables or bride and groom's table. Mistake 33: Free Flowing Toasts - Yikes!Two important rules of thumb for the toasts: One: choose people who will keep time in mind or know when to give up the mic to the emcee or wedding planner. Two: don't let the toasting time become a free-for-all where drunk guests stand up and - one after the other - tell inappropriate stories. Mistake 34: The Music Volume The music for dancing at your reception should be fun, not extremely or obviously vulgar, and after the first dance, father-daughter and other family dances are done, the tunes should be inclusive. Most importantly: people still want to mingle, eat and chat. If it's too loud, your crowd will sneak out to save their eardrums. Mistake 35: You Ignore Your ParentsIt doesn't matter what has happened during the planning of your wedding or for how long, they are still your parents. Make sure that you find time with them, you toast them, thank them and let them know how grateful you are for them.
TheWeddingThe details of this December wedding are as sweet and lovely as the bride. Chelsea Kidd married Jesse Phillips near the end of last year in a traditional church wedding. The bride is keeping most of the day private, but the theme was winter-forest and the gathering was intimate and warm. She looks like an angel..... or a model.... perhaps both. They said "I Do" at the Calvary Baptist Church in Wilkesboro, with the reception at the event center.   The Dress"The gown I chose made me feel like a BRIDE. From the first moment I tried the gown on, I instantly knew it would be the one I wore as I walked down the aisle. It created a sense of confidence in myself that is otherwise concealed. I loved that my gown and each accessory (shoes, veil, bouquet, etc.) incorporated pearls which matched my pearl engagement ring and tied my entire outfit together! The friendliness and experience of Kelly and her staff at Bridal Traditions is unmatched! I was assisted in trying on each dress and was handled with much grace when I did not make a decision the same day. Kelly was very patient and wanted to ensure that I found the perfect dress. And with her help, I did! Each of our bridesmaids chose a dress from BT that suited them in their own unique way. The groom and groomsmen also rented their suits with Bridal Traditions. The convenience of having all of our bridal party’s attire and color matching was awesome."  To this gorgeous bride, we say thank you for choosing us. At BT, we wish you nothing but joy and love this year and every year after.
Who knew there were so many mistakes that brides can make for their wedding day? Well, apparently the experts knew and our job at BT is to share, educate and encourage. We are on Part 5 (FIVE!) of this series and we hope you ladies out there are taking notes and considering what will and won't work for you. So here goes! Links to the blogs for Parts 1 through 4 are at the end if you're "playing catch up." Mistake 21: Too Much Invitation You've heard of too much information? Well this is similar. Keep the invitation clean, clever and celebratory. Don't overstuff the envelope with extras like hotel info, places in the area to visit, maps, and other registry details on separate pieces of paper. Don't turn it into junk mail. YOU'RE BETTER THAN THAT! And people lose stuff. Send out extraneous details via email with links so that guests can pull it up on their smartphones or print out what they need on their own. Mistake 22: You Don't Let Little Things Go From the moment you start planning until you've left for your honeymoon, you need to remember that you're hosting a celebration. You may have 20 people or 250, but they are guests and the goal is to celebrate your marriage vows and have a great time. If one thing doesn't go off as planned, LET - IT - GO. Mistake 23: You Don't Set Parental BoundariesWhether it's your parents or your future in-laws, speak up earlier rather than later about conflicts with planning, style, overstepping, etc. Vent (angrily if you want) to a pal first, but show that you really are truly grateful when it's time to chat with parents about what's bothering you. They will understand and your firm-but-kind delivery of feelings will make all the difference. Mistake 24: You Forget About Your Brows Perhaps you've hired someone to do your makeup or asked a skilled friend, but if you don't take care of the thing that frames your face, you'll wish you had. For those who don't normally care about their eyebrows, about a month before your wedding day, visit an aesthetician for waxing and shaping. This will give you time to see what you like. A week out from your wedding, have them done so that any redness can subside. Mistake 25: You Draw Attention to EyesoresIf there is an alley, an exit sign, a set of trash cans or a parking area that is not so pretty around your venue, don't doll it up in an effort to disguise it. Draw the eyes of your guests elsewhere. Half the time they aren't looking anyway, and just want to focus on you.  Stay tuned for more and if you're just joining us, check out other Wedding Mistake blogs.
Wedding Mistakes - Part 1 Wedding Mistakes - Part 2 Wedding Mistakes - Part 3 Wedding Mistakes - Part 4  Over a year ago, before we had to worry about pandemics or the cares that come with a new year, these two sweethearts were married. In May of 2019, Carlie Mickel and Dylan Deskins committed themselves to each other at Trinkle Mansion Bed and Breakfast in Wytheville Virginia. They chose a beautiful spot to say their vows and the day turned out to be gorgeous. A small family ceremony was all it took, and some skillful planning as a bride. The Preparations and CeremonyCarlie had the ceremony down to the minute and this included picking up flowers, the drive from Elkin to Virginia, getting ready and then being escorted down the hall and stairs to meet her future husband. "Dylan and I chose to write our own vows, no matter how badly we stumbled through them. As our unity symbol, we had a sign that says Mr. and Mrs. and our wedding date with an accompanying lock that has no key. After we were pronounced husband and wife, we hugged each of our family members and then went into our first dance. We danced to "Dance with Me" by Morgan Evans featuring Kelsea Ballerini. Then we had cake and neither one of us trusted the other while feeding the other. While our guests ate cake, Dylan and I ran away to take pictures. After pictures were through we came back to our family for them to say their goodbyes."  The Couple This couple met through a mutual friend and on a blind date. After finding each other in classes at Wilkes Community College, they kept seeing each other and their relationship grew. The Dress "Cost was not an option when I was looking for my dress. I told myself that I would know when I had the 'one' and I was going to take it home at whatever cost. I chose not to look at many bridal gowns because I didn’t want to overthink every detail of every dress I tried on. I knew I wanted sleeves but that was the only requirement I had for the dress."  "I looked amazing in the dress and it was a big part of choosing it. It was the first dress I tried on and I felt tears come to my eyes and I brushed them off. I tried on two other gowns but I kept comparing them to the first gown. My gown had sleeves that could be added to it and I just couldn’t stop looking at myself in it."  Congratulations to Carlie and Dylan on their new life together. We loved helping make part of your wedding dream happen.  Our Annual National Bridal Sale Event is happening in a matter of weeks... just over 2 weeks in fact. Below are the details, some things to remember, a sampling of dresses and an encouragement to make your appointment and come see us. HoursReservations Required for ALL DATES Saturday, July 18: 10a until last scheduled appointment at 5p. Reservations last 1 hour **Maximum of 2 guest per bride** Tuesday, July 21 - Saturday, July 25: 10a until last scheduled appointment at 4p. Reservations last 2 hours **Maximum of 2 guest per bride** Off-the-Rack Wedding Dresses are between $100-$900. *Special Orders are 10% off the regular price and that can mean savings up to $100. This is the only time of year we discount special orders and it's super exciting! Make your appointment asap!  Prom goers, Bridesmaids & AccessoriesHeads up to those of you looking for a gorgeous gown, cool accessories or a bridesmaids gown for an upcoming wedding. We have items for you too. Saturday, July 18, from 10a-5p only. Walk-in Only, First Come First Serve Number of people in the store at one time will be limited What’s on Sale Off-the-Rack Prom, Bridesmaids and Social Occasion Dresses = $10-$298 Closeout Accessories $1 - $25 We also have jewelry, veils, garters, men’s accessories, and more. The Fine PrintCome ready to shop and with just what you need: cash on hand, an idea of what you're looking for, a pal and an open mind. Brides and prom goers often find something when they weren't sure what they wanted.
All Sales Final - No Holds - No Checks Some items are CASH ONLY Some restrictions & exclusions apply See store associate for details Schedule your appointment and, as always, we look forward to helping you find your dream gown for a much more affordable price than you anticipated! In Wedding Mistakes to Avoid blogs One, Two & Three, we've covered a lot of territory: everything from whether to diet, to how you arrange your reception tables to how to treat your guests to when to announce your engagement, we've tracked the best ways to handle what may come up. In Part 4, we cover even more. Get your pens and wedding planning journal out and let's go! Mistake 15: You Overdecorate I'm not suggesting that the above is too much. It's lovely. But know your theme, your crowd, your budget and decorate accordingly. Coco Chanel was fond of saying, "Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off." She was right. Same with your decorations. Sometimes more isn't better. It's just more.  Mistake 16: You Get Ring EnvyThe person you are going to spend the rest of your life with has bought something just for you. It was picked out with YOU in mind or is an heirloom befitting your hand. It was given in the hope that every time you looked at it, it would remind you how loved you are and how sacred your vows are. Don't go "shopping" in your imagination after you have your engagement ring. It smacks of ingratitude. You are better than that and your engagement ring belongs to no one else. THAT is special.  Mistake 17: You Don't Think Beyond "per head" If you feed them, they will come. So you make your list and you find a catering package that you can afford. Done, right? Nope. Some couples forget that they still have to hire a florist, a photographer, book the venue and band and that can often double or triple the wedding budget. Set a budget and then divide the costs by priority. Your "per head" price will be more accurate that way. Mistake 18: You think you're a bakerIf you are a professional baker, skip to Mistake 19. If you are not, listen up. Now is not the time to take on a project so time-consuming and so personal. Unless you plan to serve simple cookies - and we wouldn't suggest even taking that on - hire a baker to handle your cake, cupcake tower, or whatever for your wedding sweets. If you need more encouragement about walking away from baking, check out Nailed It. Mistake 19: You don't make enough time for hair, make-up and photography Every member of your bridal party needs time for hair, make-up, nails and with a pro. Don't rush yourself or anyone else in your party. You'll want the photographer to capture your time together as a group, as well as get images of your group in your gowns, then images of you with your mom. If there is a "First Look. that will also take time." Plan accordingly. Make it fun and schedule plenty of hours. Add champagne, but not too much. Hydration is key too! Mistake 20: Your Photographer is Over Scheduled Pros will bring an assistant and usually a second shooter. That said, they cannot be everywhere at once. In the same way you have a game plan for your time, your photographer will have a timeline and a shot list. Make sure that everyone is clear on how the day is going to unfold and which shots are the most important.
We've gotten requests for more help, so we'll have at least one, probably two more "Wedding Mistakes" blog. Stay tuned!  Haley & EthanHaley Joines and Ethan Matthews were married in December of 2019 and we cannot believe that they are half-way to their first anniversary. They married at the Barn at Blueberry Hill in a small ceremony. They met in high school and have been inseparable since. Theirs is not a love story with a bunch of ups and downs and craziness. They fell in love and that was that! While they like living in North Wilkesboro, they are anxious to get back to Traphill where they have deeper foundations.  The WeddingOur wedding day was absolutely everything we could have wanted - and more! I wanted a winter wedding, and he just wanted to marry me. From all the live greenery, to the s’mores and hot chocolate bar and dancing the night away with all our friends it was definitely a day that not a lot of people will forget! Our colors were burgundy and a dusty blue and my dress was “almond”. It was absolutely perfect!   The Dress"I thought I wanted to have a dress with sleeves, and I was wrong! Of course I knew I did not want white because I am so pale, and once I tried on my dress I knew that was it! The color was amazing and I had not seen anyone with that color dress (even though I purchased it in 2017 and didn’t get married until almost 2020!)  "Kelly is overall an amazing person, who will be truthful with you and if something doesn’t look right she will let you know! That’s what I love about her!" We loved dressing Haley for her big day and she chose well. She added a fur wrap and looked amazing! Store owner Kelly had this to say; "That's why I have always loved working with Haley, she's not afraid to step outside of the box and be a little different. She needs a gentle push every now and then, but in the end she lets her awesome personality shine through her fashion!"   Haley loved the lace on her dress and especially the color. She hoped for something that didn't have the classical bridal white or cream.  Congratulations Haley and Ethan! We wish you many more years of love and happiness!
Brittney Matherly married Jeremy Parks at Gambill Estates a year ago and we love them so much we wanted to revisit their wedding and wish them a very happy anniversary! So here goes!  The WeddingThis couple adores the outdoors and definitely wanted to get married outside. They chose a venue that had both indoor and outdoor options in Roaring River and it turned out to be a wise way to go. They'd hoped to say their vows near a 100+ year old tree surrounded by 150 guests on a gorgeous May day. When the guest list expanded and the weather didn't cooperate, they ended up having the ceremony under the pavilion. "It was the best of both worlds."  "We chose to have a rustic/country theme. I loved the trend of rustic/barn weddings. This theme also gave Jeremy the chance to wear his jeans and boots like he wanted, haha. Also, I love sunflowers, so I wanted a way to incorporate them into our wedding and flower arrangements." The couple incorporated baseball bats and there were sweet images taken by Waterhouse Studios of everyone under umbrellas. Brittney: "Decorations for the reception included white tablecloths and burlap table runners and wood round centerpieces which were cut from a tree off of mine and Jeremy’s land where our house sits now. We placed mason jars filled with clear rocks and lights, as well as sunflower and daisy arrangements on top of the wood rounds. We also had small lit candles on either side of the centerpiece. Guests were served a BBQ dinner from Brushy Mountain Smokehouse and had the option of glass bottled drinks such as RC and Dr. Pepper. We had cupcakes with assorted flavors (chocolate, vanilla, and honey bun) with cream cheese icing made by Alaina’s Bakery. We love baseball and Jeremy played from the time he was a little boy, so we had personalized baseball jerseys made where people could sign or write words of advice on them."  The Couple Their story is a sweet one starting in daycare. Seriously. Brittney was looked after by Jeremy's mom when she was just a baby and they still joke about it. Their relationship became something in high school when they actually were old enough to date. When it was time for college, it became harder and harder to make time for each other so they took a break. They came back together in 2016 and decided to give it another try. Nearly a year later, on the anniversary of Brittney's childhood heart surgery, Jeremy proposed telling her that even though her heart was fixed as a child, he wanted to be the one to take care of it for the rest of their lives. That's a mic drop, if there was one. The DressBrittney knew that she wanted to be married in white and had some preferences in mind when she came to see us at BT. No mermaids, no trumpets, no strapless dresses. Please and thank you. But she shared later that she didn't stick with all of her biases. It happens. "There was a dress that I tried on that was form fitting. I had seen it online, and I knew it was going to be the one. I tried it on and hated it! Then, my mom picked out an ivory A-line style that had a good amount of lace detail, a belt made into it, a short train, and several layers to it that gave it a little 'poof.' She insisted that I try it on, and I fell in love! I loved the lace detail and the simple belt that was made into my dress. I also loved the “V” in the back with the lace detail. To me, these small details made my dress beautiful and elegant. Kelly let me roam and look around as much as I wanted, but was always there to answer any questions that I had or give me advice when I needed it. I was set on not having a veil. She insisted that I try one on just to see and joked that she wouldn’t let me leave until I did. I tried one on that was hip length and had the same lace detail as my dress. As soon as Kelly put it on my head, I loved it. It really made me feel like a bride. I also loved how BT would hold your dress after it came in as long as you needed it. I ordered my dress in January 2018 and my wedding wasn’t until May 2019, so it was nice to know I had somewhere to store it and didn’t have to worry about it."  During one of the hardest and strangest and most upsetting years we've seen to date, we gotta focus on love and that's what we're going to do. We are sending love and light to Brittney and Jeremy today and every day. Congratulations on finding each other!
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