Afton Nelson and Jamison Hiatt were married in August of 2021 in Charleston, South Carolina.

Due to Covid and the Navy's timeline, the couple had a small, intimate and elegant ceremony at The Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Only parents, grandparents and family made up the guest list of ten (yes, 10). For those who weren't able to be there, the couple live-streamed a ring ceremony on their wedding website and during it, Jamison dropped the ring. Afton shared that it took everything she had not to burst out laughing.

According to the couple, there were many "tiny miracles" that occurred leading up to their wedding, from figuring out the scheduling to Jamison's grandmother's ability to make it to the ceremony. Everything worked in their favor!

At 5, Afton fell in love with Julie Andrews' wedding gown in The Sound of Music and continued to gravitate toward classic silhouettes, satin and simple elegance. Sure enough, even with an August wedding in Charleston, SC, she stuck with that choice and has no regrets. She looked incredible!

"No matter what dress I picked, I knew I wanted it to have sleeves. I wanted a dress that was modest without being matronly. Bridal Traditions went above and beyond to help me find the dress of my dreams. They even had extra fabric on hand to show me what the dress would look like with sleeves. Their service was excellent! They answered all my questions, helped me brainstorm solutions, and even made sure the dress was custom made to my specifications!"

The bridesmaids also purchased their dresses from BT and we loved the mix of blues in the dresses and bouquets. 

We are so happy to have been a part of Afton and Jamison's day. Here's to many, many years of happiness!

*Photo credit: Emily Gibby Photography
​Instagram: @emilygibbyphotography

As new arrivals come in, the skirts on our gowns get a lot of attention. But the top of a gown is often the deciding factor, because it leads to the bride's face and will be in more images from the day than, say, her hemline. The veil, hairpieces and clips, earrings and makeup are important, but the finishing touch is what frames a brides face and the bodice can make a difference.

Bodice styles include: halter, plunging, strapless, spaghetti strap, bateau, sweetheart, scooped, sheer to name a few.

There are many types of bodice and only a few are shown here, but you should be confident about trying on multiple styles before saying that you don't look good in one or another. We never run out of Surprised Bride Stories here at BT. Come see us!

We love it when a bride shares images from her bridal portrait session or her wedding with us. Sometimes, we get a full run down of every detail of the day, but occasionally a bride - like Tabitha - will just kindly send us images and we get such a kick out of seeing The Final Product! 

When a bride says "Yes" to a dress, there is excitement and anticipation. And there may also be alterations, waiting for adjustments, adding bling, considering her hair and the gowns of her bridesmaids. Tabitha looked amazing in her sleeveless, lace, fit and flare gown. 

Shot is a rustic setting, this gown - and bride - absolutely shine. 

Congratulations to the happy couple and thank YOU, Tabitha for choosing us to be a part of your wedding day!

Ladies: we have them... the sandals with bling that we just need sometimes. Getting married? We have options! Just want a new pair of sparkly shoes for an event coming up? We've got you too!

Open toes, sparkle, small or no heel, we've got them and more styles on the way. Stop by to see us!

Bridal Traditions is currently receiving daily and showcasing some of the most gorgeous Arielle J Bridal gowns. It felt like time to give you all a taste of what's available, and frankly, absolutely dazzling!

This gown below is breathtaking for any season, although you may want to don a wrap if you wear this gown below in December. The details, the lace that pools, the deep V front .... this gown is epic.  

If simplicity and elegance is your jam, this gown with its long row of covered buttons down the back, and pintuck folds, is an instant classic.

If you haven't been to Bridal Traditions yet to see what is fresh and new, now is a great time to pop by. We would love to help you say Yes to your dress!

At BT, we love it when bride's share their wedding day story with us, or even just some images from the day. Recently, photographer Becca Mayberry (@picsbybecccc) sent gorgeous shots from the wedding of Emily and Gavin Huffman. 

Emily's gown was a lace affair, with a fitted waist and a flared skirt. The off the shoulder bodice was exquisite with a deep V in the back and a bit of bling added by her belt. She chose a delicate veil with lace trim to complete her look. 

Add sparkling jewelry, twinkly lights and a beautiful girl and you have an heirloom photo. 

If you are a BT bride, like Emily, we love and appreciate you. Congrats to this new wife and this lovely couple. Many happy years of marriage. 

These two lovebirds were married this year, but they have known each other since kindergarten. You heard us correctly. Ashley shared with us that they were in Mrs. Casey's class at Mountain View Elementary and while she was not aware of Justin, he claims to have been completely aware of her. It took a while, but they found each other again and said "I Do" for life in June.

Groom Justin is family. He has been a part of our circle of friends-that-are-family for more than two decades and everyone at BT loves this guy. We were not just part of helping the bride choose her gown, maids dresses, and groomsmen attire, but we danced and celebrated with them as well. We were so excited to watch Justin become a husband and for these two to make it official.

Ashley: "Our wedding was absolutely perfect. We have the best family and friends. They went above and beyond to make our dream wedding a reality.." Theirs was an outdoor ceremony, with a large gathering of friends and lots of sweet and funny moments. 

Ashley looked amazing in her gown and it was one we knew would work for her.
"I was so sure that I wanted a Cinderella dress with lots of detail. I told myself I didn’t want a mermaid style. Man I was so wrong. Kelly knew the perfect dress for me. I tried several on, but the one I ended up picking is the one she had in mind for me. It was a mermaid style in ivory. Our wedding was planned around my dress. To be honest I wish that I could wear it everyday."

The cathedral veil, the open back and details came together to create the most beautiful silhouette. This bride was a WOW. We understand why she wants to wear her gown around the house.

Congratulations Ashley and Justin! Here's to decades upon decades of happiness! We're always here for you both!

​*Photo credit: Melissa Gardipee (@melissag_photography)

These two lovebirds just happen also to be song birds. Kylie and Sam are musicians who met through marching band and orchestra at the University of South Carolina and fell in love. Both musicians have since graduated and found their dream jobs actually teaching band and music to middle and high school students. Kylie shared that it was amazing that they met through music, have some of the best memories around making music, and now have made it their professions. 
They also happen to be one of the loveliest couples we've seen in a while and are now husband and wife. 

In June of this year, these two tied the knot at Lace House, in a beautiful garden wedding complete with tons of florals and flowing ivy. Florist, Fern Studio, "outdid themselves with the most gorgeous arrangements that made me feel like I was in a fairy tale. I wanted it to look just as if someone had run through a garden and scooped up flowers as they ran. The result was even better than I had ever dreamed!" Kylie's vision was a success and she even made sure to have garden elements in her gown. Keep reading!

Kylie: "The best part about the whole day was having our most cherished friends all in the same place. Every single member of the wedding party was a Carolina Band member, so we were all good mutual friends. We each only had three attendants so it was a really tight-knit group and we had such a blast. My sweet bridesmaids made me feel so special and at ease the whole day. At the end of the whole day after Sam and I had gone home, we discovered that my bridesmaid Taylor had accidentally left her suitcase in my car. We were more than happy to return it to her and actually made some fun out of it; the whole wedding party met up at the groomsmen’s AirBnB for games and we had the most fun time simply decompressing from the day and processing all of the amazing things that had happened. We are just so blessed to have the best friends in the world!"

We love these little moments of prep time and anticipation. The back of this gown is exquisite and Kylie had a helping hand - with a crochet hook - getting all of those buttons buttoned. Notice the lace with flowers that allowed Kylie to stay cool and still make a striking statement.​

Our beautiful bride ended up "sticking with my original vision- even the A-line shape! The lace, the color, the shape, the buttons down the back- everything was simply PERFECT for a summertime garden wedding in the south. My goodness, I want to wear it again!"

Kylie: "Kelly was so encouraging and really dialed in on what I wanted right away. She put me at ease and helped me narrow down all of my options. She also helped me put together a vision for what it would look like more complete with a veil and accessories. It was nice to have an expert there to guide my decisions and encourage me to make the choices that would make me the happiest!"

We could not be happier for Kylie and Sam as they begin their life together in Charleston, and we are so proud to have played a part in their wedding day. Kylie: you looked absolutely gorgeous. 

​*Photo credit: Melissa Gardipee (@melissag_photography)

Let's just start right here, shall we? Have a little look........

This gown is a study in femininity, grace and ......... lace. The lace alone makes this gown otherworldly, retro (think Grace Kelly) and yet timeless. Our boutique tribe has been ga-ga over this particular dress since she arrived. Meet Theodora!

The sleeveless gown has lace covered straps, lace bodice and a million gorgeous details. The addition of jewelry is always the bride's call, and this neckline begs for something demure like a family heirloom, or nothing at all. You can always let the lace do the talking.

Part of what we love about this gown is its silhouette. It is fitted through the waist and hips, but is not so body hugging as to be uncomfortable.
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The lace overlay and train are extraordinary. The DE-TAIL, you guys and the movement and beauty of this train and skirt will take your breath away. The Theodora is a showstopper. 
If you would like to see this gown, stop by the boutique!