In case you missed it, Bridal Traditions celebrated 20 years of business in 2020. We know! We're nearly 25! But even since that time, we've continued to make changes and upgrades to our boutique, some of our services, and worked to make the whole experience of shopping with us easy and fun. 
If you haven't been to the boutique lately, or if you're about to start your gown shopping or prom shopping journey, here's a little tour.

Some of our clients come in and make a B-line to the section they know has the selections they want to explore. Others like to roam and take in all the various offerings and products. We love both types and our team is here to help you no matter what kind of exploratory mission you're on!

Men: if you're looking for suits to buy or tuxes to rent, along with all of the various accessories - ties, suspenders, shirts, shoes, socks, all of it - we have you covered. For weddings, proms or personal events, the guys leave ready to go. We'll walk you through the process, show you what we have and help you get exactly what you need!

Not only do we have places for you to try on your gown or dress or special items, we also have suites for parties up to seven. We want every person who steps through the door to feel seen, heard, and well-cared for. 

We look forward to seeing loads of new faces this year at our dreamy little spot, so come see us!

There is a tendency to shop online these days. It's more than a tendency, we've developed a dependency on it, and believe us when we say that we get it! The ease of scrolling through online options while wearing your comfiest clothes feels like a no brainer, but we beg to differ when it comes to purchasing bridesmaids gowns. Ladies, you need to have the in person, in store experience when it comes to this purchase, and these occasions. You'll always be glad you did, and following are a few reasons why.

Is it sage? Is it parakeet, or moss, or teal, or fern or basil? We all now know that pink is never just pink and blue is never just blue. You have options, and at Bridal Traditions, so do we! We have bridesmaids gowns that will allow you to choose a palette and a variety of styles, and your attendants can mix and/or match from there. But if you aren't sure what the color is, how will you know what will work? You need to see the gowns in person. Eucalyptus and Agave (both actual shades of green), are not the same thing. Come see for yourself. 

We have real dresses. Imagine that! But seriously gang, how will you know the dress works until the dress is actually on your body? You won't. You'll wait for the box to arrive from some digitally native online business, and when it arrives and is absolutely not what you want, you will have to box it up, ship it back, and start over. Who do you call? Good luck with that, and the internet has horror stories galore about this.

Online only businesses are getting better, but the pretenders are still out there ready to take your money and provide you with poorly made garments, because they know you want ease and perhaps to save money, so they've got you.
​
Instead, come see us with your bridesmaids! Make an appointment and let us discuss your theme, your location and seasonal details with you. We can attend to the needs of those terrific women who'll be by your side throughout the wedding season.

Guess what real people in boutique wedding stores have. Ding, ding, DING! That's correct! They have tape measures and years of wisdom about fabrics, styles and how to pull a color scheme together that feels bespoke and well executed. At BT, we've got you. 

Or in other words, you're not going it alone with a purchase like this. Bridesmaids gowns are prettier, more inventive, better suited to women's bodies and style wishes, but even then, you want everything to work together, arrive on time, fit the person who is going to wear it and be ready to go on the day. We inspect each bridesmaid dress that crosses the threshold of our boutique, and our team knows what to do to have items ready for the woman wearing it. 

The bottom line: this is not an item you're buying and stuffing into a suitcase with other incidentals. If you are a bridesmaid, make sure that you coordinate with your bride and make it a priority to actually have the in store experience of finding exactly what you need. And brides: do yourselves a favor and start this process as soon as you have a sense of your theme, palette and day. Your bridal party will thank you more than once.

Or maybe first you want to know WHAT makes a minimalist bride. 
These are brides who want simplicity; they're seeking a gown and wedding atmosphere that is clean, elegant and understated. If you've not seen the celebrity wedding photos from 1980s, please do a little light googling and get back to us. The headpieces alone are the size of Mini Coopers. Those were decidedly NOT minimalist brides.

Meanwhile, minimalism is about getting rid of clutter and focusing on the elements that matter most. Think less is more. We have options for this bride and this sensibility at Bridal Traditions. Below are just a few that fit this description, so if you're willing to peruse our selection, take notes and come see us!

There are no frou frou elements, although the back of The Olive is has some flair, this gown features a minimal silhouette, a criss cross fabric detail at the bodice, simple off the shoulder straps and a row of buttons that say "style." The cut-outs on the back of the gown are modern and add interest. We added a veil with floral details for those brides who still want a bit of romance in their ensemble. 

One look at the bodice of this gown and you might think Empire State Building. The structure at the bodice make it architectural and mid-century modern. Like the Olive, the silhouette is lean, shapely and cool, but the buttons down the back are epic. 

What makes the Diana gown so perfect for the minimalist bride is that it makes room for a single design element that is carried throughout the gown's look and vibe. Ruching and pleating make this dress magical on the front and back, leading to a skirt that gently extends. We love - capital L LOVE - the back of this gown. Who needs a bustle with a drape like that? This gown with the right veil says everything you need it to say about your style. 

Much like the Diana gown, the Luna gown is simplicity and elegance and a strong sense of minimalism. Less is more, but when it counts, the details are there. 

Odette means "wealthy" if you are interested in French and German translations. (Kind of fun to know, right?) For the purposes of this blog topic though, the Odette gown is minimal and its richness comes from the details. See the floral details above.

The bodice is simple and mid-section has perfectly placed ruching. There is no lace, no tulle and no fussiness. Despite the name and implied "richness", what is bankable are the details on the decorative sleeves, and the flowing skirt. 

If you want to veer more to the minimalist, we hope you'll bring your notes and thoughts to us so that we can help you find the gown you dreamed of.