Thursday, April 11, 2013
The gals at The Bride Room have a keen eye for bridal fashion. They hand-pick the most dreamy gowns for NY and other bridal markets, and return to Nashville with the most sought-after collection of wedding gowns, bridesmaid dresses.
They recently shared an Augusta Jones bridal gown that can be worn 4 different ways. via their blog. I really appreciate that with their styling suggestions, you can truly buy one dress but wear it so many different ways. These options would be great to change up your look for you bridal portraits, ceremony, reception. Don't you love it?
share
Posted by Ashley King |
Filed under: Attire - Bridal Gowns, Wedding Dresses & Accessories,
0 comments »
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Rhonda of Oakwood Cleaners shared the following story with me that I hope serves as a warning for all of you buying/considering pre-owned wedding dresses:
"I just heard about a bride that bought a pre-owned dress that was 4” too big. She went to a seamstress that agreed to take it in, but after it was finished, it did not fit to her satisfaction. First of all, it was really dirty, and had been altered. There's no telling how many times it had been worn (or altered). The needle marks from the last alteration were still showing when the seamstress got it. It appeared to have been washed in a washing machine (vs dry cleaned) the lining was a wrinkled mess.
Brides need to understand that not only is it quite difficult to take a dress down 4” and have it fit correctly, but if it has been washed or worn several times and altered more than once, the fabric will not react the same as if it were new. It is up to the seamstress to tell the bride of the problems that can occur up front and have the bride sign an agreement stating they understand this."
Most of you who are considering a pre-owned dress, are probably going the online route - from Craigslist and eBay to sites like preowneddresses.com. These can be great ways to save or can turn into a huge nightmare, as Rhonda described above.
So, what's a girl to do? Here's what our pros at Oakwood Cleaners suggest, whether you are buying or selling your gown online.
Tips for Buying a Pre-owned Wedding Dress Online
~ Start with an online retailer that offers a grace period. This will give you time to receive the dress, see the actual size, assess the condition of the dress and decide if you want to keep it. You must see it, try it on, and touch the fabric.
- Shop for dresses as close to your size as possible. It's not a good idea to jump sizes. Determine your "wedding gown size" which is not the same as your street clothes size. Once you know your bridal size, stay close to it as you shop for pre-owned gowns. The bigger the difference between your size and the pre-owned size, the more costly the alterations and sometimes the changes could impact the actual dress' shape.
~ Ask the seller whether the dress has been cleaned. Opt for a dress that has been cleaned already. It will need to be cleaned to determine what stains remain. You dont want to buy a gown online thats dirty, then have to pay for the dress JUST to find out which stains will or wont come out.. If not clean, ask how dirty. See if pictures of the stains can be provided.
~ Ask about alterations. Has it been altered? If fabric has been cut away, there may not be enough remaining to let back out.
~ Ask if is it damaged and extent of damage after purchase.
Corset gown by designer Monique Lhuillier. Source
Keep or return the dress?
Once the gown is in your hands (during the grace period)...
~ Take the dress and the seller's documentations to a true pro that specializes in bridal gowns, like Oakwood Cleaners.
~ Have them inspect the dress and tell you what it might cost to clean, fix, alter the dress. They wont be able to fully predict the actual cost of alterations but will give you direction. If it needs cleaning, they will let you know. They can't guarantee spots will come out but will tell you their expert opinion, give ball park quote. They can tell what custom changes will be needed.
~ Be realistic. Some of the really popular styles have a corset and can't be taken in or let out, due to the boning. (See Vera Wang gown below.) The 2-piece Monique Lhuillier corset style tops aren't easy to alter. Repeat wearing of the top can stretch them so by the time the seller is ready to sell, it may not fit purchaser with similar size/body as a brand new dress would. Stretching will cause the dress to fit differently, even if it hasnt been altered.
Based on your Oakwood gown inspection, determine if you will love it or leave it. It may seem like a good deal but repairs, alterations and cleaning might be expensive. You need to be smart. In long run, a used dress could cost you more on the back-end than a new gown.
Oakwood says, "This type of dress would be exceptionally difficult to have altered due to the boning in the bodice. Buyers should exercise caution with this type of gown."
Tips for Selling Your Wedding Dress Online
~ Be honest. You will have better success and fewer returns from buyers. This will save you money (from shipping costs), time and stress.
~ Clean the dress before you list it. This will give the purchaser a realistic idea of how wonderful the dress could be.
~ Highlight the positives and negatives. Document what's been done to the dress. Take and share and photos of damage and stains to give an overlal state of dress. Point out tears, pulled bustles and areas of heavy stains.
share
Posted by Ashley King |
Filed under: Alterations + Gown Preservation, Advice & Planning, Attire - Bridal Gowns, Wedding Dresses & Accessories,
0 comments »
Monday, March 11, 2013
This week is truly a dream week for all of you bargain-seeking brides. If you are looking for a steal on a wedding dress, join us bright and early on Saturday morning for the annual Goodwill Wedding Gala.
If you are not familiar with the Goodwill Gala, here's a quick rundown:
The Goodwill Wedding Gala is the ultimate way to save on your wedding dress. The Gala will take place from 6am to 10am on March 16 at the Goodwill Store in Rivergate located at 2101 Gallatin Pike North in Madison, Tennessee.
The dresses:
You will find bridal gowns, bridesmaid dresses, cocktail dresses, mother of the bride/groom dresses, flower girl dresses, and more from Alfred Angelo, Allure, Eden Bridals, Mary’s, Watters Brides, etc. Most of the gowns are sample dresses donated from local bridal stores and have never been worn. No wedding gown will be priced over $400!! The sale will also include accessories such as veils, jewelry, shoes and more!
The organization:
Proceeds from the sale of these items will benefit the mission of Goodwill, which is to provide employment and training opportunities for people with disabilities and others who have trouble finding and keeping jobs.
The inside scoop:
-
Be sure to arrive early - last year there were 350+ brides in line at 6am to get their dream gown for less!
-
Wedding cake from Crumb de la Crumb will be served.
-
Attendees will be treated to refreshments provided by C&K Catering.
-
Rhonda Patton Weddings will provide inspirational wedding designs.
-
Pre-owned wedding gowns have been cleaned by Nicholson Cleaners.
-
Brides can register to win several prizes from restaurant gift cards to local hotel stays.
To read all about the organization, the event, and our tour of the Goodwill facilities, read our full feature via this link. For more information, visit giveit2goodwill.org or call 615-346-1601.
Before you go, browse the Goodwill Wedding Gala Look Book for a sampling of the looks that will be for sale this Saturday (all for under $400) at the Gala.
How gorgeous is this wedding gown! I can't believe it will be available for under $400 at the Gala.
The Gala will will offer dresses for brides and bridesmaids too!
share
Posted by Ashley King |
Filed under: Attire - Bridal Gowns, Wedding Dresses & Accessories, Bridal Shows & Events, Bridesmaids & Bridal Party, DIY & Budget Wed Finds,
2 comments »
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Wedding dress trends are everywhere - magazines, websites, blogs, we just love our gowns. What about our grooms? Don't we want them to look good too? For the longest time, we kept hearing one name mentioned from the mouths of brides whose grooms have looked sharp at their weddings - Street Tuxedo. We are really excited to shine our spotlight today on Street Tuxedo, a locally owned and operated tuxedo rental company whose goal is to make the wedding experience enjoyable and easy for your groom.
There are many reasons that I love Street Tuxedo. They take care of Nashville couples. They have great inventory which is all available locally (so they can respond faster than places that have to order.) When you go to their stores, they take care of you like family because it's a family-operated business. They are accessible, with 4 Nashville-area locations: Berry Hill, Cool Springs, Murfreesboro and Green Hills. Added bonus - If your groomsmen are not in Nashville, Street can also serve them - via their partners - from coast to coast. They should be your first stop for attire for your groom, groomsmen.
How to Connect with Street Tuxedo
Website: streettuxedo.com
Pinterest: pinterest.com/streettuxedo
Facebook: facebook.com/streettux
Locations: Berry Hill, Cool Springs, Murfreesboro, Green Hills
Ashley's Bride Guide goes one-on-one with Rachael of Street Tuxedo
Number of years in the business: 26
How did you get started in weddings? My father, Mr. Street, bought Kornman’s Department store in Madison, TN in 1984. He rented tuxedos there as well as sold mens clothes (jeans, underwear, etc.) He realized that a lot of the profit was coming from the tuxedo sales and rentals. So he decided to sell off all of the random men’s wear and focus solely on tuxedo sales and rentals. And here we are 26 years, 3 locations, and thousands of weddings later.
What do you like most about weddings? I love when the bride and grooms come in to pick out their tuxedos. The bride’s entourage watched her try on countless gowns now it is her turn to sit back, relax, and watch the groom model different looks until the perfect one is found. Another thing that we always enjoy is when all of the groomsmen and the groom come in to pick up their tuxedos. The camaraderie and fellowship with each other is so fun to watch. Everyone is so excited to be reunited for the happy occasion.
What’s your favorite wedding picture and why? I have 2. One is my handsome grooms face the first time he saw me on our wedding day. The look on his face says it all. And second is also a picture from my wedding day, it is the whole Street clan, the people I love most in the world in one picture. What a fantastic day that was.
Rachael's handsome hubby!
The Street family on Rachael's wedding day.
What is your service philosophy? We have to remember that although we see multiple weddings done each weekend, the brides and grooms that come into our stores are doing this for the first time. And we have to stay excited and fresh about what we do. Each groom has a different idea of what he wants to wear on his special day and we will try our best to help him find his perfect look!
What are your strengths compared to others in your category? First: We are family owned, therefore we care about what we do and treat our brides and grooms like family. Second: We have tuxedos in stock available for try-on. Why should your groom pick his tux out of a catalog? Third: We go above and beyond the call of duty when necessary (taking a set of studs and cuff links to the church just minutes before the wedding begins) Lastly, we have the largest selection of styles and colors in Middle Tennessee.
Who are your 5 favorite Nashville wedding vendors? We work very closely with the ladies at The Bride Room and I think that the brides and grooms appreciate the convenience of the 2 stores being so close. We have so many photographer friends and wedding planners that we love working with that it is hard to narrow it down. I must say that the Nashville Wedding industry has some top notch vendors. Nashville brides are so lucky to have such fabulous people to choose from.
Who do you recommend when you’re not available/not a fit? If we do not have what they are looking for then it must be something really off the wall so I usually recommend GOOGLE!!
What do you read/watch regularly to stay on top of wedding/event trends? I watch the awards shows - ESPY’s, Oscars, Globes. We may not always agree with what the celebs are wearing but they have a big influence on the current trends.
What trend do you love? I love self tie bows paired with suspenders. Such a simple, classic look--yet so handsome on every man!
What trend do you hate? I don’t hate any of our tuxedos….but I am tired of BROWN! I have been there, done that….about a million times! We still get calls about brown tuxedos all the time.
Which trend are you glad to see go? Long tuxedo coats!!
Which trend are you sad is gone? I think the wedding industry has gotten away from formal weddings. We are seeing more and more neck ties, suits, even no coats at all. I miss the days of the ultra formal weddings…so classy.
What are your favorite wedding websites? I love to look at photographers blogs: Gray Photography, Kristyn Hogan, Jonathan Campbell, Evin Photography, Gambill Photography and of course Ashley’s Bride Guide!!
Neatest wedding find? PINTEREST! It has been huge for our industry. We all know that us girls have been planning out our big day since we were small children...now we have an easy fun way to keep up with all of our ideas. Follow Street Tuxedo on Pinterest to see what we are LOVING these days!
For the platinum bride, what is the one thing you’ve always wanted to see? Being a tuxedo shop, we love when the bride and groom “make it formal”, meaning white tie and tails for the wedding party and all guests in tuxedos as well.
What is the biggest misconception about your industry? There are a few..COLOR! We have every color imaginable. Not everyone knows that you can also RENT SUITS, it’s not just tuxedos. Also, tuxedo shoes get a bad rap…the manufacturers have started making tux shoes more comfortable, we get compliments on the comfort all the time! Another misconception is if you have out-of-town groomsmen they can go get measured at any tuxedo shop across the country. It is a courtesy we all do for each other!
share
Posted by Ashley King |
Filed under: Helpful Vendor Interviews!, Attire - Bridal Gowns, Wedding Dresses & Accessories, Grooms, Groomsmen & Tuxedos ,
1 comment »
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
StudioWed Nashville teamed with Modern Trousseau Nashville to host the Downtown Bridal Bash. (Click for event recap). It was a great opportunity to see the gowns at this new bridal gown salon in person while meeting other great wedding pros like Chef's Market. If you missed the event, don't fret! You can schedule an appointment and find your wonderful bridal gown at Modern Trousseau, which is conveniently located on Church Street in downtown Nashville.
Photos: Lotus Blossom Photography
And don't forget to visit StudioWed at their Champagne and Sweets Open House this Thursday, Feb 28. RVSP with this link.
share
Posted by Ashley King |
Filed under: Attire - Bridal Gowns, Wedding Dresses & Accessories, Bridal Shows & Events,
0 comments »
