|
On the day you buy it...... on the day you wear it.…. it's the best thing that ever happened to you in the form of a garment. Your wedding gown. At some point though, you may want to make room for something else in your life and your wedding dress - or prom dress - has lost that aura of "oh wow!!" and it is in the way. This is not a Dr. Phil moment about why you no longer need this item. Most women sell their gowns because they are superfluous. So consider this your Scout Handbook. This is a quick and dirty about the practicals around selling something of value that you no longer need. BT is not a consignment shop, so we won't buy your dress, BUT we do have some sage advice and experienced observations.  photo credit: Oleksandr Pidvalnyi
0 Comments
 Laura and Wesley were married in March at Brown Mountain Beach Resort in March of 2018 in what Laura called "a very laidback and easy wedding." It turned out exactly as they wanted. They gathered at the water, with their closest friends and family to say their vows on an unseasonably warm day. The ceremony was followed by a cocktail hour with popcorn and then a barbecue reception. "Our wedding cake was actually several different flavors of cupcakes and lots of ice cream." The couple cut a single red velvet cupcake with an enormous sword, which cracked everyone up.    Laura: "We were lucky enough to spend a few days with our family and friends at the venue, so everyone had a short, relaxing vacation and made it possible for us to make the best memories. Simply talking to everyone, enjoying good food, and being unplugged in a great atmosphere was the best!" These two met in that circuitous way that many husbands and wives meet - through friends and introductions. With Laura in Virginia and Wesley in North Carolina they had to do the "Long Distance Relationship Couple" thing for over a year. Once they saw a future, Laura moved to NC, they got engaged, bought a house and had a cat. Actually, they adopted the cat. We loved that Laura came to BT for her gown. She looks amazing in the photos and we are so happy to have played a role.  Laura knew that they wanted to be married outside and that she didn't need a lot of sparkle or a long train, but she did want a dress that she wouldn't regret. She described her gown as "timeless" and it really is. Laura: "It was the only one of its kind and it just so happened to be in my size and fit me perfectly. I felt it was meant to be and with a few alterations, it was the best dress for me. I loved the poof and all the tulle! It's not too poofy and it looked like I was wearing the dress, not that the dress was wearing me. The sleeves on it were a great touch and the buttons going all the way down the back are ultimately what sold me.  BT wishes Laura and Wesley nothing but love, happiness and the simple pleasures of life. Congrats, you two!
 The National Bridal Sale Event is just around the corner and Bridal Traditions is in prep mode. You may want to get ready too! (Happy Independence Day, by the way. ..... Now FOCUS!!!) From JULY 21st - 28th, BT will be holding the biggest sale of the year, with the lowest prices of the year, throughout our store. This sale is ONE WEEK ONLY, and kicks of on Saturday, the 21st. Our hours will be 10a - 4p and details on what you can expect to see and save are below.  ~ BRIDAL ~ Cash Only Gowns are between $100 - $200, with savings up to 90%. Our off the Rack Gowns are 25% - 40% off (savings up to $475) and Special Order Gowns are 10% off regular price. Even if you're just engaged and starting to look, you should come see what we have and what styles you like.
IMPORTANT NOTES: July 21st only ... Buy More Save More Take an EXTRA 10% off your total purchase when you buy your dress, veil, and one other accessory item of your choice! *** Fitting Room Reservations Required for Brides on 7/21 *** Reservations are limited to 2 hour time slots for this sale All Sales Final - No Holds or Layaways for Sale Merchandise Some restrictions & exclusions apply. See store associate for details. Keep your eyes on social media!
Starting the first week of July, we'll be posting photos of sale dresses & prices daily. Check our FB Event Page for Sale Hours! Are you traveling for your big day? Maybe your wedding is local, but your honeymoon is far away? Either way, whenever you travel across time zones, you have to deal with jet lag. While you may not notice jet lag much if you only cross one or two zones, if you travel through three or more, the change can take its toll on your sleep. Since you want to be as awake, aware, and engaged as possible during your trip, it’s important to do whatever you need to do to sleep well. Here are some tips and tricks that should help you get the rest you need so you can enjoy yourself on your travels.  What is Jet Lag? To effectively combat jet lag, it’s important to understand what it is. Jet lag is a circadian misalignment. That’s a fancy way of saying that your body will feel like it is time to sleep when it’s actually time to be awake, enjoying your partner and your travels. Your circadian rhythm is what tells you when to sleep and when to wake up. You may have noticed that, if you usually go to sleep at midnight, it’s hard to fall asleep at 10 PM. This difficulty is because of your circadian rhythm, which is aligned with your regular bedtime. When you travel by plane, you change time zones faster than your body can adjust. It still wants to fall asleep when it is midnight in the time zone you left, even though it might be mid-morning or mid-afternoon in the time zone you’re currently in. This shift can cause you to feel sluggish, confused, and sleepy when you want to feel energized and excited about traveling.  How to Fight Jet Lag There are several ways to effectively fight jet lag. Some of them may be easier or harder, depending on your destination and the number of hours of time difference between there and your home. However, implementing these should help your body to adjust faster so you can enjoy as much of your time as possible.
You don’t have to feel sleepy and slow, even if you cross multiple time zones in your travels. Implement the ideas mentioned here, and you should be able to enjoy yourself and your significant other, no matter how far you’re going.  Contributing Blogger Samantha Kent is a researcher for SleepHelp.org. Her favorite writing topic is how getting enough sleep can improve your life. Currently residing in Boise, Idaho, she sleeps in a California King bed, often with a cat on her face.
Part of our contribution in the wedding business is understanding ALL of the elements of catering to and dressing the bride, her bridesmaids, the groom and his fellas; we listen and look for details about the theme, location, and party. We want everyone to look the part and have their wardrobe fit well - not just to theme, but actually fit well. Our clients don't simply grab items off a rack or pick them out of a selection and then wander into a wedding setting. We always hope to be helpful in the thought-process, most especially when it comes to how what you've chosen to wear fits you. Alterations are a big part of that.  Once the gown has been selected, alterations are almost always a part of getting the bride from the "Yes to the Dress" moment to the perfect fit. At BT, we've curated not only our best practices, but our trusted resources for brides and we're more than happy to share. So here goes with some facts that are tried and true in our experience and are always worth reviewing, even for you brides who've done your homework:
Put all of this into your pocket and then call an alterations expert who knows what to do. Here is our curated reference list: Sew Fitting - 828-292-9123 for North Wilkesboro Diana Albertson - 336-905-9214 - Purlear Debra Brown -336-984-9573 - Mountain View Elizabeth Guthrie - 336-973-3209 Wilkesboro Dixie Jarman - 336-877-6878 Blowing Rock We vetted each of these seamstresses and they all come with references about their workmanship and dependability. That said, BT does not assume responsibility, nor reliability for the work completed or the prices charged by these individuals. Some bottom line advice, buy the dress that you really love and understand that there will probably be some alterations involved. When there are, arm yourself with tips and choose the right seamstress or tailor.  At BT, we love the "Once Upon a Time" of wedding traditions and have been sharing some of the significance and origins of various "things we do when we get married." Today, with all do respect to the legendary, per se, we're sharing the things we do that extend beyond our current cultures and shores. So, gather up your mini flags from all nations and start waving them. Let's begin with Southeast Asia. In the Philippines, couples release doves as a visual wish for a long, harmonious and peaceful life together. That one has made it to the states and elsewhere in the world for sure. They are beautiful and flight brings its own metaphors of new adventure and beginnings.  And from the sublime to the ridiculous ..... in Scotland, there is a tradition called "blackening." Couples are taken out the day before their wedding ceremony, given lots of alcohol and then covered with grease, flour, feathers, dirt, and only the Lord knows what else until they are filthy. Centuries ago, criminals were tortured and killed this way - it was called tar and feathering, because hot tar was used. Now, this ceremony is a fun way to ward off evil spirits before the union. .... and one may assume it wards off hugging others as well.  And with that appetizing image, let's move to food, especially sweets. In a previous blog, we discussed traditional food, where the wedding cake is mostly featured. In French culture, they love a towering dessert (below, left) made up of small round, cream-filled pastries, known as a croquembouche. Couples and their guests may remove the treats and then dip them into a variety of yummy sauces. In Italy, confetti (right) doesn't mean teeny scraps of paper thrown at celebrations, but actually candies that are given to guests. I suppose you could throw these at the bride and groom as they leave for their honeymoon, but that could also lead to small claims court. How about work? Weddings bring their own kind of exhaustion, which is mostly emotional and mental: "Gotta stand and sit and dance and stand and sit and shake hands and hug and hug and hug." "Gotta remember vows, timing, details, names of your parents friends from four moves ago." "Gotta keep up with who has been seen, who needs to sit where, who doesn't like red meat, who doesn't like your Aunt LouLou and maybe remember a speech or two." Well, sports fans: in Germany, family and friends of the couple break dishes and glass outside of the homes of the bride and groom to greet them the morning of their wedding. From this "night before" wreck grew the traditions of hen and stag parties (our bachelor and bachelorette parties). As far as our researchers at BT could determine, this practice mostly signifies revelry or poor manners, but it does bring the couple together in a first project: clean up!  These Germans are FOR REAL with their work/wedding scenarios. The second tradition worth noting in German ceremonies is when the newlyweds are asked - not long after saying "I do" mind you - to saw a log in half to show their ability to complete a task together. We have to say, like the photo above of dish clean-up, seeing a bride in her gown and up-do, sawing makes for a great juxtaposition.  We'll end in South Africa with a list of items that symbolize a challenge the newly married will need to conquer troubles in life. The traditional South African wedding, incorporates 12 symbolic items into the ceremony: salt, pepper, wheat, wine, bitter herbs, a holy book, a broom, a spear, a spoon, honey, a shield and a pot.
Not bad, especially if they get to keep each item. You can never have too many spears. All kidding aside, we see more and more brides hoping to include items and gestures that hark back to their heritage. We would love to hear if you've included something atypical in your ceremony or are planning to! The images sent to us of our Bridal Traditions prom-goers.......... oh let us count the ways that we love them. We love the stories behind photos, but these images are just too great not to be given own space sans narrative. Let's just celebrate their beauty, smiles, gorgeous gowns and lovely settings. Makes you want to be young again .... or at least invited to an upscale, fancy-dress party. This gallery makes us so happy. Thank you all so much for sharing your pics with BT.  Erica Walker & Patrick Hill  Tori Weaver  Abby Couch on April 14th  Beth Russell and her date Colt Henderson  Gracee Millsaps and her date Gunnar Anderson, April 28th  Ally Hanson and Abigail Toliver (both dresses purchased from BT) Alleghany High School Prom, April 28th, 2018  Makenna Shumate and Devin Horton  Kendall Owens & her date Jacob Ballard April 21st prom  Trace Sidden and Trinity Ellis  Hannah Billings and Jacob Combs  Jake Townsend & Megan Billings  Taylor Williams  Ashley Minton and her dashing date  Chelsea Blevins  Caitlin Sparks with her date Brett Caudill  Kirsten Mayberry  Fernanda Pacheco  Leah Nance and her date  Sarah Parker  Andrea Blevins  Laken Faw and John Wiles  Keena Eller  Abby Sparks  Sydney Leapley  Kristen Shumate  Samantha - or Sam to Kelly and crew at BT - is not only a friend, but we joke that she's our Executive VP of Marketing, because you can literally bump into her and she'll start singing our praises. We love this girl and appreciate her enthusiasm for our business. Sam also made an absolutely gorgeous bride and this bridal profile is one we've been looking forward to since we started this series. Sam Miller married Zane Faw in June of 2014 at an intimate ceremony of about 70 people in an open-air chapel overlooking a lake. Think: elegant, simple and joyful. "Before the ceremony, Zane and I were able to read letters that we wrote to one another and then we prayed together. It was a nice and quiet moment before all the excitement started. It was then time for the ceremony. My dad drove me up to the open- air chapel in our purple 1953 Ford Truck."   THE STORY Theirs is a story worth telling. They met as middle schoolers and "went together" which means they held hands and teased each other. In high school, a course change led them to the same English class where they really began to "see" each other and fall in love. He asked for her help with some assignments and she obliged and before long they were dating. Zane proposed at Cascade Falls on the Blue Ridge Parkway on their third anniversary and as she continued through pharmacy school, they planned their wedding. The story doesn't end with a rainbow and a truck receding into the sunset yet, though. Just days before the wedding, while Sam was in the process of finishing the decorations for the venue, she was in a car accident. While it was a minor one, Sam had all of the decorations, honeymoon suitcases, etc in the car and it shook her up, naturally. BT's Kelly even passed her on the road and stopped to make sure that she was OK. The person most shaken may have been Zane though. The couple agreed not to see each other those days before the wedding, but once he heard he went to her side and made sure she was alright and helped move items.  THE DRESS The dress she was searching for for her summer wedding needed to have a sweetheart neckline and an A-line shape and be around or under $1000. Those were the details that mattered most to her. While Sam was pretty open to trying on a variety of items at our shop, she ended up finding the one she wanted with those original details. No sleeves (June can be toasty), sweetheart neck and a lovely drape. "When I was at Bridal Traditions, Kelly made sure to point out that certain fabrics wouldn’t be as heavy as the dresses I was choosing. I hadn’t really thought of that until then. I have to say something about the amazing service I received from Kelly when shopping there. She really made me feel comfortable and we had a great time. I went to two other places after Bridal Traditions, and the service at those places didn’t compare to her service by far. Also, I had pictures of every dress I tried on from all 3 places. I am a very indecisive person. So I ended up showing Zane all the pictures and he picked out his favorite 2 or 3, which happened to be some of my favorites as well. The ones he chose were all from Bridal Traditions."   "The service Kelly provided played a huge role in my decision making process. I had been to BT for other weddings, so I already knew Kelly from those experiences, but she truly made my experience personal. She made me feel super comfortable when trying on dresses. We had such a good time. We made jokes and laughed and I never once felt rushed or pressured to purchase anything. She just wanted me to find the perfect dress. The other two places I went, I was just a time slot and I felt rushed and pressured to make a decision that very day. I knew I couldn’t make that important of a decision that quickly, so it made me uncomfortable. Kelly made an effort to understand my personality, which is something that most other bridal shops don’t do. Kelly has developed such a wonderful business at BT. You’re not a number, a time slot, or just another dollar. You are a bride and a friend when you walk into BT. My experience at BT has led to a friendship with the owner, Kelly. I still go by and talk to her often. I recommend her bridal shop to everyone I know getting married. She truly is an amazing person and she has created a wonderful business that brings joy to so many. If you want excellent service and to have a good time when picking out your dress/bridesmaid dresses for the BIG day, then there’s no other bridal shop better than BT." Sam is a keeper! Here's to many happy years, with Zane and in your life, girl. XO  or confusing string. That little string........We've seen them near the shoulders inside the lining of fine dresses and off the shoulder shirts: those very slim, often satin, little strings used to keep the dress on the hanger and for keeping the shape of the shoulder or dress intact. Those strings are indeed just for hanging the dress and allowing it not to be stretched or misshapen and - to stay on a hanger! We're not judging you if you didn't know that. In fact - lots of people don't. We blogged about this 3 years ago and it feels like the time to revisit and clarify.  credit: Apracticalwedding.com What you see below - and is really beautiful - is wrist strap used by brides to keep their trains from the dragging the floor after the ceremony. They are elegant and practical and are located at the bottom of the skirt part of the gown so that once around her wrist, the gown still has shape and flow, but isn't being stepped on by every Tom, Dick and Harry, er... coworker, cousin, and Tipsy Groomsmen. You know the cast of characters.... don't pretend like you don't!  photo credit: Weddingbee Boards Brides who choose strapless gowns NEED those hanger straps at the armpit/bustline, because you don't want to pinch your gown with a skirt hanger. And wrist straps are an alternative for brides who choose gowns with longish trains. Some choose to have bustles to keep their dresses from dragging, but a wrist strap is a lovely way to solve that problem as well. Here's an example of a dress that has been bustled to keep nipped in and easier to move in. Bustles.......... that's a whole other blog, peeps.  credit: reddit: weddingplanning Let's set the stage, er field........ with this adorable photo.... A rustic country wedding with a bride and groom - surname Farmer - surrounded by loved ones, animals and joy - how does this get better? It's like it was written by Laura Ingalls Wilder.  On April 15, 2017 - just over a year ago, Kristin and Brandon were married at Meadow Creek Venue surrounded by their family, friends, men in suspenders, livestock, laughter and gorgeous spring weather. "This sounds funny, but in the beginning of 2009, Brandon and I had a German class together, but he dropped it. Then he worked at a grocery store where my mother and I shopped. Every time we would check out he would make his way over to bag our groceries and try to speak German to me. Mom always said he was flirting. I was busy playing softball. Not paying any attention to boys. Until, we had a game at home and I saw my sister and her friend, which was of course Brandon’s cousin walking up the sidewalk. Wondering why the guy I met in German class and the grocery store was with them. At the end of the game Brandon had walked over to me telling me I played a good game. I could tell he was nervous, but it did not bother me, I was nervous to. After that day we were pretty much inseparable!" The venue is an 85-year-old barn that was reconstructed to be a venue and Kristin knew it was perfect when she and Brandon toured it even before the venue was done.  Kristin: "I had my sister cut out a John Deere tractor, out of my grandads’ old bibs and sew it onto the bottom of my dress. If you’re wondering it was for my grandad who passed away a couple of years ago. He meant everything to me and my family and I know he would be very proud of me." When looking for my wedding dress, I wanted a dress that was elegant, simple, but also rustic for a barn wedding. Although I did not have a budget for a dress, I did not worry when going to Bridal Traditions, because Kelly keeps all the newest styles and trends at affordable prices! I kept my original vision for my dress, but my dress was better than what I had imagined. "The girls at BT were awesome! I could tell them one small detail I liked about a dress and they would know exactly what to pull from the racks. To be honest I tried on only a few dresses before Kelly picked the right one! I cannot forget to mention Julie who altered my dress perfectly! My mother, sister, mother in law and Brandon’s grandmother helped me find the perfect gown. I had the perfect team all the way around!" Today, I am a Dental Assistant at Drs. Mayhew and Scheffler and Brandon, my husband, works at Appalachian State University. We currently live in Boone, NC and enjoy our summers at Topsail Island and playing with our fur baby Nyla who is a Siberian Husky. Want to know more about Kristin and Brandon's wedding vendors? Here you go!
Village Jewelers- Boone NC Bouquets Florist- Boone NC Megan Travis Photography- Winston Salem NC Meadow Creek Venue- Deep Gap NC Nancy Hardison (Aunt)- Wedding Cake Chris and Enid Wells (Father of the bride, Mother of the bride)- Wedding tables and catering Serendipity Hair Studio and Boutique- Carleen Greene- Hair Stylist- Boone NC Serendipity Hair Studio and Boutique- Ceirra Murphy- Hair Colorist- Boone NC Bride- Makeup Styles by Anna- Bridesmaids Hair Stylist- Boone NC |
AuthorStore owner, Kelly has been in the bridal industry since 2000, when at the ripe old age of 20 she opened her first little store front on a wing and a prayer. She is a certified wedding planner (no, she does not plan weddings), and everything she knows about bridal and formal wear has come from, gut instinct, trial and error, and watching LOTS of What Not to Wear. Archives
July 2018
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed
