Biggest Wedding Dress Regrets

I saw a link to an article on The Knot with this title.  Although I have see or heard these comment hundreds of times, some brides just don't want to believe them.  So to emphasize the point here are the quotes from real brides one more time!

From the three-dress bride to the bride who accidentally texted the dress photo to her fiance -- check out these dress shopping mistakes from brides on our Attire and Accessories board so that you don’t make the same ones!

"My sister-in-law couldn't make it to my first shopping trip, so I texted her a pic of my favorite. I didn't realize that I’d sent it to the wrong person (MY FIANCE!). It's hard to be sneaky."katiethecutie

"Biggest mistake: expecting my dress shopping experience to go exactly like a 22-minute episode of Say Yes to the Dress complete with crying friends and family and that OMGOMGOMG feeling." Leslie&Ralph

"To save money I ordered my dress online, which gave me a better price than the bridal store in town. Big mistake! The dress came in and it's huge. Now I have to pay a ridiculous price for alterations that are making the gown cost more than it would have in the bridal store." jnic0319

"I have champagne taste on a beer budget. I tried on a Vera Wang for fun and I shouldn’t have. You can imagine that I fell in love with that beauty. Don’t try on wedding dresses that you cannot afford." verbride

"I now have three dresses and only one that I’ll wear. Do not shop almost two years out, do not let fantasy get in the way of reality, and do not buy a dress before you have concrete wedding plans." dizzinea

"I should’ve brought a bathrobe to the bridal salon. Having a robe makes it easy to spend time with your friends and family during the downtime while the attendant brings in gowns. It also helps you avoid hiding in the dressing room in your underwear." Robyn5298

"Don’t try on dresses after a trip to a spray tanner. What I thought would make me look like a glowing bride later rubbed off on the bridal salon’s sample dresses." mobridetobe

"Don't wear a black thong!" barbbhoww

"I wish I'd waited until 10 to 14 months out to try on dresses for the first time. I ended up trying on over 100 gowns and it was completely overwhelming." polichik

Remember that a full service bridal store can help you avoid any of these problems.  A great bridal store is only as good as the advice they give.  Sometimes knowing you are helping someone is better than making the sale!!

Sometimes even the "Professional" don't have the right answers for the Groom and Groomsmen

Here is the second part of the Wedding Party 101 from The Knot magazine.  This one will focus on the groom and groomsmen. This is a topic that many people are not familiar with since many men normally do not wear tuxedos on a regular basis. Here are some tips to help you decide your look for the special day.

• Brush up on your tuxedo terms and take a peek in your own closet before you begin suit shopping.  This will give you an idea of what you like best--notched or shawl lapel, standard or spread collar.

One thing the magazines often forget is where the reader is from. This is great advice for a business man who regularly wears a suit.  But I live in farm country!  My typical customer maybe owns one suit and rarely wears it. So searching the closet will not be much help. On the other hand, brushing up on your tuxedo terms is a great hint.  The best way to do so is to visit a website for tuxedo rentals. My advice is to go to www.jimsformalwear.com . Here you will find answers to most questions about a tuxedo.  There is also a great tux-builder feature. You can select your coat, shirt, vest and tie and see what it will look like together. But if the information you are looking for is not there, don't hesitate to ask your local formal wear dealer.

• The groomsmen should dress around the groom.  A consistent look is great, but the groom should sport some detail(a boutonniere, tie or pocket square) that differentiates him from the pack.

This is great advice.  The groom can be dressed closely to everyone else but should have at least one small difference.  But sometimes the groom wants to be completely different.  That is good too!!  Remember it should be as much his day as the bride! Again, the bride and groom need to communicate their ideas of the wedding style before selecting attire.  The groom and groomsmen should compliment the ladies for the day.  And here is my newest pet peeve.  The bride and bridesmaids have on gorgeous gowns with beading in satin or chiffon, pretty hair dos, nails done--the works.  The guys come in blue jeans and t shirts!?! This just doesn't compute.  This is your one special day.  If he is not willing to sacrifice a few hours in a nice suit or tux, how will he do with the really hard stuff in the relationship? Maybe this is just my thinking as a wedding professional. We are all free to have our own opinions.

• The tuxedo is classic, but consider all your options.  Marrying by the beach?  Try a more casual jacket and trousers.  Having an ultra-formal wedding? Pick a cutaway coat, gray-striped trousers, gray vest and ascot.

 Ok, we all know there is such a thing as etiquette.  The questions is do you always follow the rules?  Can we pick and chose the rules for our special day?  If you did your homework from #1, you probably found there are certain times and functions that you should wear different types of suits and tuxes.  If you did not, go back through my blogs and find one I wrote on Suits VS Tuxes.  Then you should be able to make your choice for the day.

• Should you rent or buy? If you don't attend many formal events or if your weight is frequently in flux, renting may be the way to go.  If you'll have four or more good uses for a tux, the suit will pay for itself.

This is kind of a no brainer in farm country and why my tuxedo rentals have remained fairly constant during a national dip.  Many men in my area just don't have a reason to purchase a tuxedo and often not even a suit.  But remember that whatever your needs, we can take care of you.  Rushville Bridal has a full line of suits and tuxedos for rental or sale.

Here are the basics for tuxedo jacket styles.  It's all in the collar!

Classic Notch Collar Tuxedo can be paired with any vest and tie.

 

Shawl Collar Tuxedo

Peak Collar Tuxedo

Use this coupon for any complete tuxedo rental.

2014 Prom

I don't recall ever doing a blog post for prom.  But it is one of my favorite things in the shop.  I love the excitement the young ladies have during this special time.  I also love being able to find the exact gown they are looking for in the price range they like. 
So as I am trying to put the finishing touches on my spring orders, I need some help.  I need to know what style of gowns girls are looking for so I can have the best selection.  In the comments, please vote for the style of gown you or someone you know is looking for. 
Please remember that these are not the only gowns available just one of each type.  For example there is one ballgown but I can order hundreds in different styles and colors.  There is also one hi-lo gown but many are available. 

Ball gown

Flowing Chiffon

Short Gown

Hi Lo Gown

Fit and Flare

All Over Sequins

Mermaid

Sheer Skirt

I know I have probably forgotten something in my fight with the computer to get all of these pictures posted!!  So vote for your favorite in the comments or add one of your own!

Internet Issues

Sophia Tolli Gown

I was working so hard on a new blog today with some great information when---CRASH! My internet is disabled with very little of what I had prepared saved.  But I am trying to complete as many blogs as possible in this 30 day challenge. So with only a few days remaining, here is a quick attempt to give you some information on the upcoming spring season.

Sleeves and coverings are coming back.  See which of the following is your favorite.

Mary's Bridal

Mary's Bridal

Impression Bridal

Allure Bridal Gown

Maggie Sottero

Maggie Sottero

Sophia Tolli Gown