October 2012

Budgeting for your Wedding Gown

Wedding gowns like brides, come in all shapes and sizes including prices. Did you know that informal dresses usually don't have trains? Often informal gowns are less than $500 and formal gowns with trains run around $550 and up. What most brides don't know about are alteration charges. Why are alterations needed? Well unfortunately fitting into a wedding gown is a little different than buying a pair of jeans. Gowns are often made at a standard length for women who are at least 5' 7" or taller. Your bridal consultant at your local boutique will do their best to find the right size for you with minimal alterations.

A bustle is a must have if you have a train and want it out of the way after your ceremony and photos are done. Your train will be tucked and tied out of your way so that you don't have to worry about dragging it around or carrying it on your arm all night. The best thing to do is to figure out your budget. Remember that alterations are an additional charge and factor that in. Although alterations are often unforeseen expense, it is one worth spending since the right fit on a dress not only affects how you feel in it, but also how you look in it. Just remember that no matter what your budget is, there is a dress for you out there!

Happy planning!
Sarah

September 2012

Falling in love....with your wedding gown

When did you realize that your fiance was "The One"?  Did you just know?  The funny thing is, its the same for your wedding gown!  Often times brides will say they want this and that when it comes to style, embellishments, etc. But the truth is if you want to find that special gown, its best to be open minded.  

I've heard so many brides tell me how they never would've picked the dress they ended up getting if it weren't for Irene.  But with Irene's help, as soon as they put it on and looked in the mirror, they knew!  The key is to be open minded and to go to the right place with good customer service and a lot of experience.  Irene at Princess Brides is like a match maker when it comes to a bride falling in love with her gown.  She will help you find The One!

August 2012

Can't decide between a traditional wedding gown and a slim fitting dress to show off your curves?  Why not have both?  The current trend is to have a more traditional gown for the wedding ceremony and photos, then switch out to  something a little more comfortable and sexy for the reception.  Instead of spending that extra money on alterations to add a bustle on to your gown to tie up your long train, you can nix it all together and put the money towards a second dress for the reception!  Still not in your budget?  Consider buying a consignment gown!  You can still get a beautiful gown for a lot less than a brand new one!  Now you have the best of both worlds. 

July 2012

A bridal expo is the best place for a bride and groom to do some one-stop-shopping.  It’s an efficient way to gather a lot of information on vendors and available services in a shortamount of time.  Scheduling appointments with numerous vendors can be time consuming and challenging.  Being able to “connect” with someone that will be a part of your big day is important.  Often times the vendors themselves are at the expo so you can talk with them and find out more about them.   

Expos are also a good way of taking advantage of good deals.  Special exclusive expo discounts are commonly given.   Be prepared to spend a couple of hours to allow yourself time to browse.  Another good tip is to come prepared.  Most booths will offer special giveaways and require you to fill out ballots.  Have a sheet of pre-printed sticker labels with all your wedding info such as your name, address, email, phone number, and wedding date.   This will save you a lot of time.

Come check us out at the Bridal Expo at the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall on July 27, 28, 29!  

For more information, click here!

June 2012

Every bride wants to feel like Cinderella on her wedding day, in fact most brides want to look like her too.  From the pretty white gown, to the dazzling jewelry, down to the glass slippers.

When shopping for shoes most of us girls go for pretty, sparkly, high heel versus comfy flats.  What most brides don’t realize is that a typical wedding day can run anywhere from 5 to 10 hours, hence that is the amount of time you will be spending in those pretty “glass slippers”.  My tip…bring along an extra pair of comfy “slippers” or flats that you can switch out to prior to your photos and ceremony, so by the end of the day you won’t feel like turning into a pumpkin! 

Happy Planning!
Sarah