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We are so excited about our newest plus size collection that has been arriving at the store! Femme is the epitome of femininity, with lovely laces and delicate beading, all for the curvy bride. We can't wait to meet our first Femme Brides!
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We were so very excited to be able to collaborate with such a talented group of professionals for this impromptu styled bridal session. Below are some of the lovely results of that collaboration. Photography | Wayfaring Wanderer
Florals & Styling | Edenhouse Venue | 16 Hands Farm Dress & Accessories | Bridal Traditions Wedding & Prom Attire We are so excited about the newest collection of stunning bridal gowns that have been added to the BT racks! Beloved gowns are soft, feminine, and whimsical; perfect for any bride that wants a timeless look, but still needs to express her true self.
We are so excited to be adding Sydney's Closet and Michelle Bridal to our selection of plus size bridal gowns! We have worked with Sydney's for several years with their prom line, and now we are glad to be branching out with their bridal lines as well. The Sydney's brand is dedicated to the plus size woman, and they understand that brides in all shapes and sizes want to feel beautiful on their wedding day. Their generous size charts put women in smaller sizes than any other bridal brand; and all styles are available in sizes 12W-32W, with select styles being available up to 40W! Both lines are offering fabulous styling at a superb value. The average price range for this debut season is $298 - $848! That is almost unheard of in today's market, but if you have ever shopped with us before you know that that is one of my most heartfelt endeavors; to find the lines I can offer my customers where I feel like they are getting a bang for their buck. And, Sydney's is offering just that this season! Sydney's also keeps a great inventory of dresses in their warehouse. Meaning, if we don't have the size and color you need in-stock chances are they will! But, if not, the regular delivery time is a scant 16+/- weeks, much better than the 24+ weeks some designers are offering.
So if you are a curvy girl looking for a fantastic dress that won't break the bank make sure you stop in and shop with us! Our new Sydney's and Michelle Bridal dresses will start arriving over the 2015/2016 winter season! We are so excited to announce that we are adding Ella Rosa Gallery bridal gowns to our collections beginning this fall! Ella Rosa Gallery is a division of the Private Label by G design house, (maybe you have heard of them?), they have only been designing quality bridal gowns for more than 30 years! We love this beautiful collection of bridal gowns that feature; soft romantic styles, with a modern flare, and superb fit. All of that, along with the more than affordable price points, makes this line a match made in heaven for our brides. All of the Ella Rosa Gallery styles are available to order in sizes 2 -28, with no up-charges for plus sizing until after 20, and every styles comes in a choice of white or ivory. Regular delivery time for special orders is an unheard of 12 to 14 weeks, and in a world where it can take 24+ weeks from other designers, that's pretty darn amazing! If you need your gown even quicker they also offer an 8 to 10 week rush cut for an additional fee. All of the styles pictured, plus more, will begin arriving at Bridal Traditions Wedding & Prom Attire in November 2015! Make sure you stop by and let us help you find your perfect dress, and always remember to; Enjoy this Moment!
But by all means, if you want to use it as a wrist loop then do it, after all it is your day and you can do what you want. We just felt that before you do, you should know why the hanger strap is not a wrist loop. For those of you that have no clue of what we are referring to, it's the long satin loop that you will find attached to the underneath of your wedding dress train. Yeah, that thing! And, it is very uncommon knowledge that it's sole purpose in life, the only reason it exists, is to hold the train of your dress up on the hanger. It is a very handy little invention and we love them for sure, they keep our dresses presentable and the trains off the floor. It is also a very common mistake that they double as a wrist loop, so that instead of using a bustle for your train you can hook this wondrous piece of satin to your wrist, and carry your train with you all night! And, we totally get why that has become a major misconception. If you will think back to when there were balls and cotillions, and all the ladies dresses had trains, wrist loops were common practice. You may even remember seeing paintings of women, with their trains being held from their wrists by these loops, as they are waltzed around the ball room. But, if you take a closer look you will see that the loop is attached to the outside of the skirt, not the underneath. Can you imagine what would have happened if a lady actually flipped her skirt over revealing the underside of her dress and crinolines?!?! Horror, of horrors there would not have been enough fainting couches in the whole neighborhood! So, you see dear reader, that while they may seem the same there is a very big difference between a hanger strap and a wrist loop. The real tragedy of choosing to use the hanger strap in place of a wrist loop, or bustle, is that you would be hiding all of the detail on that gorgeous train! Think about it.
We were so excited to take part in a styled photo shoot that was organized by Waterhouse Studios a few months ago. It was most assuredly a team effort, and involved many talented vendors that we would highly recommend to anyone planning a wedding or other special event! Contrary to belief you do not have to go far to find quality weddings vendors, we have some of the best right here in Wilkes! Photography: Lauren Waterhouse of Waterhouse Studios Photography
Floral Design: BryantandDeanna Reid of Edenhouse Bride's Dress, Groom's Tux and Accessories: Bridal Traditions Wedding & Prom Attire Venue: Desi's Farm Tabletop Decor: Andi Gelsthorpe of Miss Match Rentals Vintage Furniture Rentals: A Bushel & A Peck Vintage Rentals Models: Brianna Tincher and Jason Vannoy Hair: Claire Powell of Stillwaters Salon & Day Spa Makeup: Kristin Lyall of Stillwaters Salon & Day Spa Cake: Sarah Kilty Houser of Sweetness Squared Invitations: Whitney Sutton Newman When brides are in the wedding planning stages, dress shopping is a very early part on the planning agenda. Brides should expect to order their dress on average, 9 -12 months prior to the wedding, but what is the one thing we hear most often when preparing to place that very important order? “Well, I am planning to lose weight”. A good majority of brides have this one thing on their mind when they go shopping for a gown, but the reality is you should dress the body you have now, not the one you hope to have later. Life happens and the weight does not always come off as fast as expected or in the places expected. Talk about added pressure by ordering a size smaller than what you are; as if the planning process weren’t pressure enough! If you dress who you are today and the weight comes off great! Dresses are made with alterations in mind and can be taken in an average of two sizes or more depending on the style and construction. If you dress who you are today and the weight doesn’t come off, or (gasp) you gain a tiny bit, you are still good. With the right alterations expert in your corner you will fit beautifully in that dress you have dreamed about for so many months.
This is the third and final part to our Boutique vs. Big Box series. If you missed any you can read part one here and part two here.
The second myth I would like to talk about is price. I really believe that brides think that the only way to pay a reasonable price for a wedding dress is to go to one of the big box stores. Again, not true. There are numerous small bridal shops that have very reasonably priced merchandise in their store, ours being one of them. We have the most amazing gowns and not one gown in my store is over $965 at present. I make it a goal to seek out the designers who produce good quality merchandise without the hefty price tag. Most often they are lesser known designers and companies who do not spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on advertising each year, but that does not affect the quality of their designs. It allows them to put more focus into manufacturing and designing while passing the savings on to the end consumer. We all know about the fabled gown sales that draw tons of brides through the doors. If you are one of the lucky ones that finds a gown, great, only keep in mind the selection you have on those gowns are not usually what they're cracked up to be. All small bridal boutiques will also have a clearance rack, so if you are on a tight budget, make sure you check those out as well. There are great deals out there to be found sometimes it just takes a little digging. Finally, if you do wind up spending a little more money at a smaller boutique, I can just about promise you, that the service received will more that make up for it. For most of us this is not only our lively-hood but also our passion in life. We are not just trying to make a quota, get the first bride back out the door so the next one can take her place. We spend time with our clients, get to know them and their families. We laugh with them and cry with them. You are a name, you are an individual, not just another number. I had the opportunity to visit one of the "big box" bridal & prom stores a few weeks ago. It was certainly not my main mission to go to this store, but I was in the area, so of course I had to stop in to see what it was all about.
I was there for at least 15 to 20 minutes, walked by 3 sales associates, and not one greeted me or asked if I needed any help. I also observed a young girl shopping for a formal dress. Based on how young she looked, I am assuming it was the first time she had every purchased, or tried on anything formal. She was walking aimlessly around the store, in a dress that was completely wrong for her, followed by her mom and a friend. I felt so sorry for her because I could see the frustration mounting on her face. At no point did I see a sales associate offer any help or advice to this young girl, who was so completely and obviously out of her element. Shopping for formal-wear is much different that shopping for ready-wear clothing, and when you don't have someone who knows about formal-wear to guide you it can be a very frustrating experience. I know that big box stores have there place and that we all shop at them for one reason or another, myself included. I also think that small stores have a lot of stereotypes that get placed on them that are not fair or true. We really have a lot more to offer than people might think. Stayed tuned for part two of this series where I will begin to discuss common myth's about bridal boutiques, how they can compete with the big chains, and give the consumer a better experience to boot. |
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