Look at all of those shoppers. [We'll pause here, so that you can take in the sea of humanity out there. Each person is on a journey and some of them are searching for something important. ​Some may even be searching for a wedding gown.]

Now imagine that each of them has an opinion, because they do, whether they mean to affect your opinions or not.

Shopping is personal. Shopping for a wedding dress is deeply personal, and can be fraught with landmines. In that spirit, we at BT want to share a scenario in the hope that it will help you brides out there - and those of you who accompany her - when you come to our boutique or other reputable wedding gown shop.

• ​Bring good friends who you can trust to be supportive. They need to know when to read your excitement about a dress and watch making remarks (insensitive, ill-informed, even accidentally off-hand remarks) that confuse the process.
• Just because one of your girlfriends/family members/bridesmaids has good taste and "knows fashion," that doesn't mean this day is about her. It's about you. It's your gown and your day.
• Dear Entourage: If you see a bride is feeling good in her gown and loves it, keeps trying it on, is getting excited about it: celebrate with her! Learn to read body language and if she's happy, then it's a done deal. The bride's feelings about a dress carry ALL the weight. 
• Be gentle with your observations. Unless a bride has given you veto power - AND SHE SHOULDN'T - offer helpful, thoughtful and loving commentary.

You don't have to buy your gown at BT, but we are always honored to serve this particular brides whether they know what they want or are still searching. The shopping part of the wedding should be as fun and uplifting (for everyone) as possible. Celebrate together! Everybody wins that way. 

Let's jump right in with the big (and obvious truth), shall we?

No matter what your relationship with your mom, if she is still with us and is attending your wedding, helping to pay for it, guiding and comforting you through the details, ups and downs, she is important. At Bridal Traditions we care about our moms!! We want all you moms out there to feel as important and beautiful as you are. So here are some basic, and we believe, helpful tips.

Waiting feels like a good idea, because the bride is the star and as details come together, moms may feel like they'll know more about what to buy. Just because you have time to choose does not mean that you should wait. Begin thinking about the day and theme, for sure, but also about what YOU FEEL GOOD IN. The longer you wait, the fewer options you may find out there for yourself. You will also feel less stress.
Let us repeat that: During a time when stress seems to be baked into the whole experience at times, don't add more stress by waiting until the last second. 

... Unless you are in the role of matron of honor, and even then you can have your own color. Choose a color that complements you, Mom. It should (1) look good with your skin tone and 
(2) coordinate with the colors in the wedding party. You do not need to match, just complement, so navy, grey, taupe, champagne, burgundies, purples, plums and teal all make great choices for the mother of the bride or groom. Regardless, stick with rules (1) and (2) and you're good!

You have options, and our team at BT will work with you to make sure what you choose not only coordinates in terms of palette, but conveys the style you want to project. You may think you want a dress and end up with a pant suit instead. Just as with brides, there can be lovely surprises when you shop, so be open to those. 

Finally, don't forget to ask questions and enjoy the fun of doing your homework. Research what is out there. Yes it is your daughter or son's big day, but you have a right to look amazing in all of those pictures that will be taken. We'd rather you have happy tears on the day than frustrated ones one month before. Plan your purchase and remember that we are always here to help.

In January of this year, Bridal Traditions was pleased to provide our style, expertise - and yes - a gorgeous black wedding gown for a styled photo shoot at The Emerald Hill, in the North Carolina foothills. This place was a perfect spot to combine a more radical gown with an elegant setting. The duo of place and dress is striking and beautiful. 

Not everything black is necessarily "goth," but it isn't difficult to imagine an autumn or winter wedding that features a black-clad bride. Whether inside or out of doors, you cannot take your eyes of this bride. The details on the dress, the tulle overlay and lace details made this particular gown a favorite at BT since its arrival. 

Regardless of the season, a black wedding dress is showstopper. Bridal Traditions is loving this trend and our customers are too. Stop by our boutique if you think this might be the wedding look for you. ​

So the cat's out of the bag: We are in the bridal business. This mean that we're accustomed to seeing brides-to-be come into the boutique to shop and have the "Say Yes" experience. We love those moments as much as brides do, promise! 

What we've also noticed these last 2 decades is that brides-to-be often come in to BT and play out some typical, but avoidable, shopping myths. What are shopping myths, you ask? These are little lies we've been told and keep telling ourselves (THANKS, MEDIA!!) or they are misplaced expectations about buying a wedding gown that cause a variety of symptoms.

Symptoms include:
- anxiety
- immediate disappointment, when there should be hopeful anticipation
- lack of patience with oneself
- exhaustion with the process
- extreme disillusionment 
- feeling the need to justify yourself in front of others, .... when it's about YOUR day
- tears and confusion
- loss of joy.

Fret not, ladies. We can help, and to do this we've identified the 4 most common myths. Overcome these and you'll be a happier shopper, happier bride and you'll avoid those symptoms during what should be an exciting chapter of your life. 

Answer those questions in the affirmative and we've likely found your gown, whether you showed emotion or not.

It's especially frustrating when a member of the bride's entourage makes a point of saying, "you haven't found the dress yet, 'cause you're not crying." People: let the bride decide and if there are tears, we have tissues. If there are no tears, but the bride is over the moon in her way, hush. 

Bridal Traditions has been in business for 20 years. We have volumes and volumes of knowledge and we know when to counsel and when to encourage and when to let the bride just be. Trust us and we won't steer you wrong. 

Next week's blog: 2 more BIG bridal shopping myths. Tune in!

You choose your bridesmaids for lots of reasons and using a variety of metrics. Sometimes, they are your actual family, your sisters and cousins. Back in the day, brides were pressured into adding family members to the attendant brigade and girls often resented it. Those were the days of 12 bridesmaids. Now we see Best Woman and Man of Honor along with smaller numbers of attendants and a mix of dearest ones. Bridesmaids are often also longtime childhood friends, coworkers, college roommates, people in your hobby group or others you just love. 

But here's the truth:
Whether they are all sorority sisters and share a likeness, or your bridesmaids are a motley crew of pals from different chapters in your life, they all have distinct personalities (and tastes!, and body types!, and preferences!!). Remember that! And apparently, brides are embracing the concept and making a choice to provide leeway for their best girls. If a bridesmaid is willing to pay for her dress, EVEN THOUGH IT IS YOUR DAY, rewarding her with options can be the deeply cool thing to do.

The prevailing wisdom these days is that there are some basic categories and guidelines for mixing it up from the bridesmaids' lane.
1 - Choose the same color, but let style be up for grabs.
2 - Choose the same dress, but let brides choose their color from a limited palette, shades of blue let's say.
3 - Mix colors, shades and style.
4 - Make it a free-for-all within limits.

Brides are cautioned to guide their brides with a set palette, a limited choice of textures, hemlines and fabrics and a gentle reminder that the stand out in a group should still be the bride. 

Brides should also tie disparate looks together with consistency elsewhere. Keep the bouquets identical. Have bridesmaids all wear the same accessories. If the feel of the wedding is boho, allow hairstyles to be different but in that theme. No tight, austere buns or architectural hair dos should be found among the loose braids and whimsical waves. This will allow guests to see that there is structure vs. chaos in your day's planning.

Whether you go with a traditional look with all maids wearing identical styles or a complete reversal of The Rules, everyone in your wedding party should be comfortable and feel loved. Ultimately, that's why you chose them in the first place: they're special.

"It's in the details." This is true in design, it's true in baking and it is most definitely true with wedding gowns. Even if you choose the sleekest, most minimal sheath to wed in, you'll be making that choice based on details (or lack thereof). So let's talk sleeves.

Whether you're marrying in the heat of summer or around Christmas, the shape and length of sleeves can say a lot about your approach to the day and your own personal style. You may be speaking casually and showing a little more skin vs. saying, "I'm more traditional and want more coverage." Either way, once you start noticing sleeves we defy you not to have opinions. ​

Shorter sleeves, like cap sleeves, can convey a sense of freedom, a light and airy sensibility and a willingness to show off a little skin. If you have beautiful arms, cap and short sleeves are flattering. For the uninitiated, cap sleeves cover the top of the shoulder without extending below the armpit and are extremely feminine.

There are other options if you want a bit more coverage, but still a boho or cottagecore look. Off the shoulder sleeves are flirty, feminine and currently extremely popular. Fitted versions hug your arm and flutter versions are more dynamic and romantic.

Detached sleeves provide flexibility with your look of course because they can be removed for dining at the reception, but added for photos or for dancing. They switch up the look and the vibe of your ensemble. Imagine either of the gowns above without the belle or poof sleeves, and now add a faux fur bolero for winter or a cathedral veil for a summer garden wedding. You'd have two other entirely different vibes and styles.

We like to say these days that Lace is Queen, so long sleeves are a perfect choice if you want more coverage and more territory for lace. Below is an example of a gorgeous gown with lace sleeves that complement the other lace elements. 

Regardless of your style, your shape and your wedding theme, you have options, ladies. Our team is always ready to help you surprise yourself by trying something new, so don't be bashful about zigging when you thought you might zag, ... in the sleeve department.

Of course we have them in the form of lovely hair adornments, earrings, and robes. We also have ties and socks for the guys. You can purchase more than a few items from our shop - taking them completely out of context - and they are still glamorous and cool. 

Happy Valentine's Day to you all and if you do nothing else to celebrate this year: call your parents. They loved you first.

Have you heard about cottagecore? This trend is fast catching up with BoHo as the look to acquaint yourself with. The Urban Dictionary spells it out like this: "Cottagecore is a niche aesthetic based around the visual culture of an idealized life on a Western farm. Common themes include sustainability, gardens, farm animals, rural living and nature."

Lovers of Cottagecore want to immerse themselves in nature, they bake, they embrace Celtic folk music, love rusticity, are thrifty dreamers and take care to move slowly and romantically through life. 

There is an escapist, wistful quality to cottagecore that makes it appealing to Gen-Zers. It's nostalgia for "the old ways", but without the cultural misappropriation, race or gender judgements or cruelty. Those who appreciate and participate in this trend would rather needlepoint, wander in the woods with a journal, sit quietly and listen to birds than grab their laptops and head to the coffee house. Think "made from scratch" and you'll see them light up. In terms of fashion, think peasant blouses and dresses, hand-knitted sweaters, and silk head scarves.

In bridal gowns, this trend carries over the essence of ease, nostalgia, and a lost time. It is manifested in balloon sleeves, flowy skirts, backless details, off the shoulder and even corseted bodices. Wrap your milkmaid braids up and add some wildflowers and you're all set. Cottagecore wedding gowns scream romance and a carefree, earthy take on a timeless celebration of marriage. 

If tall structured and architectural gowns represent modern, this is the opposite. These dresses have an element of nature, freedom, easy movement, deep nostalgia for the old days and comfort. And if we have to say it, we will: the Cottagecore gowns we've seen are exquisite and we would love to show you what we have and can get at Bridal Traditions. Read up about Cottagecore over a cup of tea and homemade tarts and then come see us.

​

This lovely woman is Noel Armstrong, and she and Groom Chase Johnson pulled off a perfectly amazing wedding (with some terrific and poignant DIY) in September of last year and BT was thrilled to play our part.

Noel met Chase at work, and if you've seen the series "The Office" you know that those relationships can not only be adorable but successful. Once they began talking, conversation led to meeting at the gym after work to then love and engagement. 

Due to Covid, these two decided to have their moment in their backyard and the weather supported that decision 100%. Noel and Chase want to be financially free and able to do what they want by the time they are 30 years old (several years away), so having friends and family contribute talents and offerings to the wedding, while scaling back the scope, made perfect sense. Decorations, food and centerpieces, the wedding cake and even their wedding rings were all part of the collaborative contributions.

The rings were incredibly special as they came from both Noel and Chase's families. 

Noel could be a model for wedding gowns and she made that clear on her wedding day and when she visited our shop. Her gown's lace and pale fabric underlay worked perfectly with her skin tone and created a gorgeous silhouette. 

What can we say about the back of this dress? It's epic, it's modern, it's tasteful but cool. Noel looked amazing. This bride knew what she wanted and after trying a suggested gown that had the styling details she wanted (lots of lace and no big poofy ballgown), she knew it was the one. It fit her figure and her budget. 

Her favorite details on her gown were "the back and the train. I still am in love with the train because of all of the details. The craziest part of the dress is that the trim formed to my body as if the dress was made exactly for me."

We're so happy for these two and hope that as soon as possible they can board a plane and head to their postponed honeymoon in Thailand! Congratulations and much love.

​*Photo credit: Katelynn Glenn