Welcome to the BT Blog
Where we Hope to Inform and Inspire
Julie & Brandon Johnson's Wedding DayAccording to Julie, she and Brandon met through his sister Wendy, but it was truly God that brought them together. "God aligned everything just perfectly for us to meet at the time that we needed to meet in our lives!" They were married on May 6 of this year at Greater Vision Baptist Church. The ceremony took place in the church and the reception in the fellowship hall and these two were surrounded by so much love! julie's BT Wedding GownJulie's gown was perfect for a spring wedding, with short sleeves, an A-line silhouette, and loads of gorgeous lace. She looked like a fairy princess - and admitted that her entire day felt like a fairytale. Above: Julie and her support team at Bridal Traditions trying on the dress that was her YES. Julie: "The staff at BT were very supportive and helpful with choosing a dress and helped provide me with a few options to try on/look at. The staff were exceptional in ensuring I was happy with my choice!" Congratulations!We wish this beautiful BT bride and her new husband all the best as they celebrate their first year of marriage together.
0 Comments
Brides: the wedding accessory game is so packed with fabulous options these days and it's going to continue into the 2024 season. From headbands to the ends of long embroidered veils, there are so many trends to consider. As you explore your style and wedding theme, check out one of these to shake up your look, elevate it or perhaps complete it. Embroidered VeilsEmbroidered veils are such a wow and they are on trend, as are blush veils and colored veils. All are being showcased this and next wedding season. If you like the drape and flow of a veil, but want something different, consider a cape. These make a statement and are easy to remove for the reception. Headbands & TiarasWe've noticed the rise of the tiara and the return of the headband at our boutique. We love this trend, with or without a veil. There are so many different options available, so try them with an open mind to the possibilities. GlovesSee the tiara wearer above and the bride below. Gloves are in and can add just the right touch. Brides can choose from a variety of textures, fabrics, and lengths to complement a retro or contemporary gown. Floral accents and JewelryOversized HatsBow DetailsBows and brides have been companions for decades, and we hope they never go out of style. We cannot wait to see what our BT brides will embrace as we help them pull together their complete look. We are here to help and encourage you to consider a trend you might not otherwise.
On April 22nd of this year, Kayla Church married Adam Hayworth at Pleasant Baptist Church. Kayla is a nurse and she became acquainted with the Hayworth family while taking care of Adam's grandmother during her time in hospice care. She grew to know and love the entire family, started attending their church, and began dating Adam in January of 2021. The rest, as they say, is beautiful history. The Wedding DayThe couple are Carolina Tarheel fans, so the color palette was influenced by that. The bridesmaids' gowns, men's accessories and florals all had lovely blue touches. They also knew they wanted a church wedding, surrounded by family and dear friends, and that is just what they had. Groom Adam's father is the Pastor of Pleasant Grove Baptist, and he officiated their ceremony. Guests were treated to some seriously cute attendants before watching Bride Kayla glide down the aisle. Putting God in the center of their wedding day and their marriage was very important to Kayla and Adam, and they made sure to include the Unity Braiding ceremony as part of their vows. The Wedding GownWhen it came to choosing her dress, Kayla had a short list of parameters: nothing too low cut or poofy, a dress that was modest but beautiful, and it had to look like something she would actually choose. No bride wants a dress that "wears her," and Kayla's dress suited her perfectly. We're so pleased that she found it at Bridal Traditions. Owner Kelly Shumate and her team assistants helped Kayla with options, but when she knew, she knew! The three quarter sleeves, gorgeous lace bodice, full satin skirt and long satin train sold Kayla. She looked absolutely stunning in it. It had elegance, but allowed her to move freely all day. The back of this gown is equally lovely with a deep scooped back covered in the same lace, and covered buttons from neckline to the skirt. Congratulations to Kayla and Adam. Everyone at BT wishes you both all the very best for many years to come! Wedding images: Katie Shew of Shew Ridge Photography @shewridgephotography
Hannah Miller got married on August 5th of this year at Taylor Made Farms, and she made such a gorgeous BT bride. She bought her gown - the Cordelia - from us last year at our annual dress sale. "I’ve been in love with my dress since you first posted it last year on Facebook. It was very warm outside on my wedding day, but I refused to take it off! Everyone said it was made for me. The lace and the sparkle underneath was so beautiful. Thank you so much for your help!" Photo credits: Sheas Sweet Photography, LLC
Bridal Traditions is excited to share images from a Wilkes County Wedding Vendors photo shoot earlier this year, and today we're featuring those shared with us from photographer Heather Cardwell of Times Treasured Studios. Enjoy these lovely images, and don't miss the list of vendors at the end, especially if you're in the planning mode! The Wedding AttireDetailsThe VendorsHosted by: Wilkes County Wedding Vendors @wilkescountyweddings
Venue: The 1915 @the1915events Photography: Times Treasured Studios @the1915events Rentals: A & J Rental Cake & Catering: Dom Bakeries @dombakeriesnc Flowers: The Tilted Tulip @the.tilted.tulip.nc Stationery: Morgan Harris Design @morganharrisdesign Hair: Kaylee Davis @styledby.kaylee Cotton Candy Bar: The Sugarsmith @thesugarsmithnc Marquee Letters: Alpha Lit High Country @alphalit_highcoutry Attire: Bridal Traditions @bridaltraditions Makeup: Brianna Rash @hair_by_bri_13 Models: McKenzie Law, Kaylee Davis, Barbara Dixon @cullenmckenzieq @styledby.kaylee @dixon042 These are not "pretty little maids, all in a row." These dresses are the main event. Ladies: meet the Little White Dress. It's black counterpart has been a staple for decades, but now brides are considering pivoting from the ball gowns and mountains of fabric and trim for something sophisticated, cute, and oh-so-novel. At Bridal Traditions, we say YES to these dresses. From texture and lace, to drop waists, and puffy sleeves, these are far from boring. Brides love these dresses to set their bridal season in motion. There are oh-so-many parties, bridal festivities, bridal brunches, showers, bachelorette parties, the rehearsal dinner, and more. These dresses make great "quick change" options for the reception, and are perfect for elopements, second weddings, or even courthouse weddings. Ladies also purchase these for their maternity photos, for homecoming events, graduation, sorority events, and the list goes on. Variations on a ThemeCreams, beiges, mochas and pale pinks have also made their way into the mix and we found LOADS of bling options as well. Still need a little more color, but like the idea of shirking the traditional? We've got you. All of these little white dresses, and variations of it, range from $60 - $90, are sold off the rack only. We do not special order these, but we will replenish inventory with new styles as needed. And - BONUS - BT Brides receive 15% off the entire collection, so if you're purchasing a gown, consider another little number to add to you wedding attire. Interested? Curious? Come see us at Bridal Traditions.
We can all recognize the merits of shopping online. The ease has made it so common it's almost a default when buying most household and personal items. We can also agree that a wedding gown is not a multi-pack of health supplements or a set of King sized sheets. So, with that in mind, we're revisiting this topic in today's blog. We want to remind our beloved brides that they get way more when they shop local. Rolling the diceWhen you buy your wedding gown online, you are rolling the dice. You may get some semblance of the gown you wanted and you may end up with something that is not even remotely close to the quality, the look, the shape that you dreamt of. Most of those gowns are made in overseas in Asia, and when they ship, there is no guarantees. You've scrolled, chosen, paid, and now you wait to see if your gamble paid off. Does that sound overly dramatic? Check out the internet for horror stories; there are many! Hi, My name is "Order Number."When you shop and purchase at Bridal Traditions, we know you. We know your name, your fiance's name, your ideas and preferences, what you've tried on already, your wedding date, and more. Owner, Kelly Shumate: "We consider it our job at BT to serve our customers from start to finish. In fact, I truly believe that it's an honor. Since we're blessed with customers, you may have to jog my memory, but ultimately it's important that every bride feels valued. Plus, WE MAKE IT FUN. Shopping at BT is about creating a relationship with our clients so that their experience during this exciting time is just that - exciting!" REMINDER: This should be a time of joy, but often bridal spirits crash when a mail-order dress arrives and it's sub-par or just plain wrong. And this is where service come in. If you've ordered online, and there is enough time, you'll still have to return or exchange the gown, and unfortunate brides have found that getting a representative to fix what is wrong is not always easy. Remember, you're an order number, not a bride-to-be. While we also purchase gowns from reputable manufacturers overseas, we have relationships and systems in place to assist our brides. And, mostly importantly, we have our team and our knack for service. When you shop locally, like at BT, we inspect your dress to make sure the quality is on point. We will press it for you. And we will troubleshoot for you and advocate if something has gone wrong through our factory connections. Will some person in a factory overseas run around behind the scenes finding out what went wrong and ensuring that it gets fixed? Will they have your wedding date in mind? They won't iron or alter your gown, and your arrangements and timetable are none of their concern. To us, when you shop and buy locally, the service you receive on both sides of the purchase is priceless. Buying Local Supports Your NeighborsIt supports your neighbors, certainly, but it also supports other affiliated American businesses and American jobs. Bridal Traditions has been in business for over 20 years, and our factory and vendor relationships span for 10 to 15+ of those years. When we go to the markets to shop widely, they know us by name. Our factory partners take our calls when things go wrong, which means they indirectly serve our brides. When brides buy from us, they are also supporting the sales reps and designers with U.S. based workers. Everything from the people in shipping to customer service to delivery drivers, if it happens on our shores, your purchase from us supports other American jobs, either directly or indirectly.
Buy local, and feel good about what you're giving and what you're getting when planning one of the biggest milestones of your life. For the GuysProm market had plenty for the gentlemen, as well, and this is thanks to Jim's Formal Wear, a brand we love at BT. We work exclusively with JFW, and have for years. Their selections range from traditional to contemporary, with a variety of cuts, colors and styles. They have accessories and shoes and showed off their best looks this year. Shoes That Complete the LookAs always, we know that our prom goers love elegance and sparkle and we found both! We hope you'll revisit the first two blogs in this series, and follow us on our social media accounts to see more in the coming months!
Prom Shopping at Atlanta's MarketIt's not just a job, it's AN ADVENTURE, especially when it includes BT Owner Kelly Shumate and her long-time friend, pro photographer, and BT employee Misty Case. These two get it done! They're organized, they have lists made, they're open-minded and curious - and they love to shop for the prom goers in Wilkes County! The trip there and the set ups this year were as awesome as ever. There was plenty to view, lots of great runway moments, and so much to see! The GownsSide slits in skirts, lace up details, and asymmetrical silhouettes all shined at this year's show in Atlanta. There was structure, movement, loads of color, sparkle and shimmer. These gowns make statements. COLOR, COLOR, COLORPinks/Blushes/Nudes of all shadesIf you haven't checked out Part One of this series, we hope you will! Part Three is coming next week and is our last installment celebrating the Atlanta Prom Market of 2023! Do NOT forget to follow our social media accounts during the coming months so that you can keep up with what is coming in to Bridal Traditions in the Prom world!
Dear Promers: Buckle up, because this will be the first in a series celebrating prom gowns and looks for 2023. We are beyond excited about what we found at Atlanta's Prom Market this year. Tune in to this blog for sneak peeks of what is to come and start thinking about what YOU want. Above: Bridal Traditions Owner and guru, Kelly Shumate (left), along with pro photographer and BT staffer Misty Case went to Atlanta, Georgia and saw all that there was to see! They made proper selections of prom gowns for the ladies of Wilkes County and surrounding areas. And what did they see...? Kelly: "This was one of the most exciting collections we've seen in a while. After a couple of years of pandemic and recovery, this was the freshest year with new takes and variations. I'm excited about what we saw." ... In a word: GlaMThe Prom Market this year was a revival of texture met with riffs on classic colors, loads of fabric, detailing, creativity, and flattering shapes. It felt fresh, and yes - there was plenty of glam. Not only did we buy new gowns for BT and the BeYoutiful Prom selections, but we were reminded that prom isn't a "phone-it-in" kind of event. It's a milestone and a chance to show who you are, experiment, and have fun. Above: An absolute stunner, in sophisticated pink, with a hint of jewel detail at the bodice, a wrapped waistline and a statement, flowing skirt. Below: This gown says Cinderella and Barbie at once. The bejeweled bodice with ribbing and sequins, and flowing skirt are incredible. This gown is a fairytale come to life. For our prom clients who want to evoke an era, an ethos, or just try something new... we've got you too. Gowns with large graphic flowers, beading, ribbed bodices, super-skinny straps and wild color variations are all on the menu. Be adventurous... it's more memorable. Above: Dynamic and fun, this dress is a party all by itself. Below: Chic, rich, an artistic bodice, and pretty in deep pink. Above: Another stunning blue number with sparkle, shine, a side slit and lots of movement! Below: This periwinkle gown, with tiers and shimmer is an absolute knockout. There are so many elements, including the waistline, spaghetti straps and exceptional color! Above: If you love fuchsia, purple, ... if you love Mardi Gras, magic or just whimsy - check out this gown. Gold accent and layers upon layers make it so MUCH FUN! Below: Can you say "adding sleeves?!" Are you picking up on the blues in the mix? Midnight blue, sparkle, flowing skirt and an elegant silhouette with tulle? Yes, please. Don't fret if you're frothing at the mouth and cannot buy yet. These gowns won't be in stock for months. It's also important to know that Bridal Traditions did not buy all of these gowns, nor do we buy each gown in an array of sizes. More on that in the next Prom Market blog!
|
Archives
March 2024
|