TALE OF TWO BRIDES

My last blog told of the bride who wouldn't let me help her. Yesterday I had another bride, very similar body shape, wearing the same size, 14, as the previous bride. This bride could not believe all the gowns we had for her to try on. She found THE gown and loves it. Our seamstress will have to a little tweaking as this bride has a VERY small waist.

Please, please, if you are new to our shop, let us do our thing. It is different than any other bridal shop. We get you in the size that fits the best although there may have to be minor alterations. I have many brides come in thinking they are a size or two larger than they are because some shop(s) do not have their size and there is not usually time to order for Utah brides. We have lots of sizes and more ready to ship that are in the U.S.--not in China. Sizes 2 and 4 along with 14-16 seem hard to find. Visit us. Put your wedding gown dreams in our hands for two hours and find your gown.

We will be getting new gowns and some of the new Fall styles September 1st.

NEW LINES

We have just received some gowns from two new vendors and they are wonderful! Very retro and romantic. We are the only bridal shop with these exact gowns and it has been really, really fun to show them. They are not catching on like wildfire, but we will find the brides who can step out of their comfort zones and try something really fun and different and beautiful! We'll post pictures on our facebook as soon as we get them.

MODEST BRIDE

OK. So I'm blog happy tonight. At our shop we pride ourselves at being efficient and showing the bride many different options. Often a bride finds she really does like ivory or she likes mermaids instead of the ballgown she thought she wanted--or vice versa. If I had a nickel for every time I have heard, "thank you, I never would have tried that dress on," I'd be rich.

Our gowns are clean and in good shape because our staff helps the bride with each dress. We get positive comments on our gowns all the time.

This is the way after 22 years I have found works the best for MOST brides and their entourage: me or my staff is helping the bride at all times. We provide bike shorts and bustiers then a small hoop to keep the gown away from the legs. We choose the gowns and show the bride as many gowns as she wants and then go back through the favorites. Most brides love it.

Unfortunately we had one today whose mother was not about to let us help. She wouldn't use the hoop because it wouldn't go over the hips--has to go over the head. She did not understand how much more comfortable gowns are with a small hoop on. She told me the bride did not want ivory. The bride said she hadn't decided. The bride felt like we had a small amount of 14-16s to try on when she would not try on what has been our most popular the past year--ruching. Ruching across the bodice. Ruching on the skirt. Ruching over the hips, etc. Ruching is very flattering on most brides.

She is getting married in about six weeks. No one can order anything for her. I gave her a list of the stores that seem to have the most sleeved gowns and I wish her well. As a bridal retailer, we do not want to stock up on a lot of gowns this time of year because it is slower. As for us, we sold have three times as many gowns as we had anticipated in our new store for the month of August. We still have an excellent selection in sizes 2-32 in both white and ivory. Bliss by Bonny has an excellent line with sleeves and I work closely with them to have many gowns ready for immediate rush shipment.

If you are planning a wedding before February, I implore you, come in as soon as you can.

P.S. We need high school girls for a photo shoot for homecoming dresses.

INSTANT BRIDE

I always promise myself I'll be better at blogging, especially since we have so much to blog about in the bridal business. Here is one of the best stories: I received a call on my cell phone this morning about 9:00. The bride-to-be was getting her hair done for her wedding which was to take place TODAY! She asked if I had any size 22s. She had ordered her dress on-line and hadn't noticed the damage done to the gown before she got it. She needed a wedding dress FAST.

She came to the shop with her hair half done (I'm always saying that if you have a hairdo when you come in, you won't when you leave). She tried on two gowns and loved the second one. She is tall so the length was right. I put a bustle loop and hook on it and out the door she went to have her hair finished and to a Catholic church for the wedding which, I assume, took place at 2:00p.m. today. CONGRATULATIONS!

MORAL: Be very careful ordering on-line. We have heard of some happy endings, but more of the frightmare type.