Vendor Spotlight: Making Up with Leah

Today, we have a super special post for you. Get to know Leah from Making Up with Leah and pick her brain about why a professional makeup artist can put you at ease on your big day!

5 Reasons to Hire a Professional Makeup Artist for your Wedding

1) Before the wedding, you will have plenty of things to worry about. The last thing you need to worry about is if your skin breaks out from stress or ending up with bags under your eyes from lack of sleep! Knowing that a trusted expert will be on hand to give you flawless skin you are dreaming of for the wedding will provide you with the peace of mind you need!

2) A makeup artist will have the skills to create the look that you have envisioned for your day and know the techniques to flatter every feature. Whether it is a subtle, soft and pretty look or a dramatic look, making a bold statement, she should be able to talk with you and understand your thoughts and perceptions for your “day of’ look.

3) A professional will know the very best products and techniques to use, so that your makeup will stay on and look great all day or night. She will also know how to tailor those techniques and products for your skin type as well as your event’s conditions. It is important that she take into consideration the humidity levels, temperature, and how many hours of dancing you plan on!

4) With all the stress of those hundreds of details coming together on that one day, you deserve to be pampered. Get the royal treatment! Let an expert take charge of you looking your very best!

5) You booked a great photographer for your wedding, and it is probably a significant portion of your wedding budget. You are trusting them to capture those special moments on film for you. You need a makeup artist to make sure you have beautiful skin, and perfectly chosen colors and flattered features in those photos. It will make you feel more comfortable while all the eyes and cameras are on you, and mean less retouching for your photos, and maybe even save you money on photo editing. There are lots of reasons to hire a makeup artist for your wedding day. It is important to look at pictures of her work, and see if you she has created looks that resemble what you are interested in. Also, talk to her and make sure you feel comfortable that she will listen to you. A trial run is always a fabulous idea! It's your day, and you need to know that she will treat you like it, so that you can relax and enjoy looking beautiful!

Make sure you visit Leah's website here if you have any questions or want to schedule a consultation!

Your wedding gown! When is it really time to start shopping?

Over the past few weeks, it has become apparent that some of our brides are unaware of the "gown time-line" so we thought we'd take a moment and break it down. This is a rough time-line and will vary by month as well as by designer. However, be concerned about any major deviation from this time-line as this may forewarn you of a store's stability. (IE. an overall exaggeration of the time-line for all dresses - not specific designs or designers).

 

Typically, it takes 12-16 weeks for a gown to ship (not arrive) from the designer. It can take less time but a well planned bride always works off of worst case scenarios.

Once your gown arrives in the salon, you will need to schedule an appointment to pick up your gown or begin alterations. (add 7-20 days here).

Alterations can take anywhere from 6-8 weeks depending on your schedule, their schedule and the amount of work to be done. This includes multiple visits to the alterations specialist.

Add all this up and you are looking at approximately (6.75) 7 months - just to get the dress ready to wear!

Now, factor in bridal portraits since this is the first time you will wear your gown (assuming you are taking bridal portraits). Then, factor in climate. Climate - why climate? Well, we do live in Texas. July-September equals HOT! (read: glistening bride and not in a good way) December - March equals all things dead. (plants) so, if you want outdoor portraits, this could drastically change your time-line.

Example: You are getting married in October. You are taking bridal portraits and want them outdoors so you probably want to take them April - June. To have your gown ready in time, you need to have it purchased by November. Amazing how quickly time gets away from you!

From December until the end of February, the time-line gets longer as you have to factor in the holidays. Gown production teams typically take three weeks off during this time which means that your time-line needs to expand by three weeks during these months.

Now, this time-line is "worst case scenario" but a well planned bride will work off this to alleviate as much stress as possible. It can be done in a shorter time frame with some creative bridal consultants behind you that know their stock and their designers but why take a chance

Start early, be prepared to buy at your first appointment (we didn't say you had to - just be prepared to) and the gown shopping experience will be Blissful!

Exactly, what is a trunk show?

A trunk show is when a particular designer sends a selection of gowns to a bridal salon for a weekend that is from their newest collection. These gowns are sent in so that the bride has additional selections to choose from during her appointment. If there is a particular designer that you like, this is a great weekend to see a larger sampling of their designs than may typically be available in the salon. The collection of gowns travel around the country for brides to see so they are not available for purchase “off the rack”. Sizes will vary by designer and not every gown in the collection will be included. If there is a particular gown that you are interested in, call ahead to see if it will be available or if it can be requested for you!

Gowns by Watters

Things to remember when going to a trunk show:

• Expect for an appointment to be required as this will be a busy weekend for the salon.


• Be prepared to purchase your gown that day as it may not be available for you to “re-try” and you will want to take pictures once the gown is purchased.


• As the gowns probably arrived late Thursday to the salon, they may not be perfectly pressed due to time constraints, try to keep an open mind with wrinkles.


• Many salons will bring in a representative from the designer to be on hand that weekend, there may be options available this weekend for customization.

For a list of our upcoming trunk shows, click here! We look forward to assisting you in finding the gown of your dreams!

Vendor Spotlight: Tracy Autem Photography

As a bridal salon, we work closley with a lot of vendors and one of our favorite to feature is really wonderful photographers. A great photographer is really key in a huge life event because you will always want to look back on that day and great pictures make a difference!

Today, we want to share some amazing shots from the Tracy Autem of Tracy Autem Photography in Fort Worth. She is a great friend of ours is and is beyond talented behind the camera! Take a look at some of these amazing moments she captured!

Aren't these images beautiful? I told you she was good! And if you're still in the market for a great photographer make sure you browse through her website and blog! They are both full of wonderful photos. (And if you head over here, you can see one of our own Bliss Brides featured on her blog!)

*All photos used with permission from Tracy Autem Photography

The Perils of the Plus Size Bride

I am sorry, you’re not a (runway model), we don’t have any gowns that will fit you.

You can hold it up to yourself and “imagine” what it will look like on you.

Just pick out one from these pictures and we will take your measurements and order it for you.

You might want to lose some weight and come back.

If you lose X pounds, you will fit perfectly in a size X.

Our designers size charts don’t accommodate your size.

The list goes on and on from all the stories we have heard from our brides over the past few years. No one should ever tell you to buy a gown you can’t try on! Beyond that you should be able to have the same experiences that a size 6 can have. (I didn’t say size 0 because oddly enough, they struggle in buying a gown for the opposite reasons. The grass always looks greener but most of the time its not.)

A few years ago, we held a trunk show from a certain unnamed designer (you know who you are!) and they sent all the gowns in a size 6 (read: size 2). WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!! Who is a size 2? Ok, besides a size 2, who is a size 2??? We were so frustrated and embarrassed. A bride will never buy a gown that she cannot try on. We wouldn’t and don’t expect you to! So, we wrote a letter, a very long letter, with national statistics and everything explaining why this was just wrong. The response? We’re still waiting on one. So, we refused to take any trunk shows under a size 10 from then on. Problem solved! Not really.

Baltimore - Blue by Enzoani

Two years ago we had the pleasure of our sister getting married! How exciting! Except one thing, she is a plus size bride (not that we don’t love her – we just knew that gown shopping was going to be a struggle). So, against every moral fiber in my body, I went with her to “that” store to try on gowns. I will try not to get off on a tangent here……..The experience was HORRID! I could barely contain myself. We sat down, they took her information (to inundate her with email, mail, and phone calls) then they handed her a book and said, circle the ones you like and we’ll see what we have. So she picked out a few and we were taken to a dressing room aka mirror aka closet. They brought her some undergarments (ick, ick ick – who has worn these? Have they been washed?) and then brought in a few gowns and set us free. Uh, ok. Good thing I’ve done this before (no wonder gowns get damaged!). So I get her into the first gown and we head out to the “the entire world is a stage” mirrors (it looks like a fun house!). She tells us what she likes and what she doesn’t. At this point the “consultant” happens to walk by and says “here, let’s try a veil and see if that helps”. WHAT!!!!! She just said she didn’t like the dress. How In the World is a veil going to change that? (insert eye roll and tongue biting). So we go through the next few gowns, and I go pull some for her from the plastic bag wonder world. She determines what she likes and we leave (begin phone calls and emails). We went back to our store to pick something out from our selections to order for her. Unfortunately, due to a quick military deployment, we had to go another route. However, this adventure taught us one thing. There is a much underserved market out there and this has to stop. NOW! So, we sat down, ordered some gowns in alternative sizes and began “The Reserve”. A collection for the plus size bride which is our top selling gowns in the store, in larger sizes.

Marguerite - Wtoo by Watters

Since we have done this, we have heard some horrific stories from our brides about how they have been treated and what they been told. We have heard comments at bridal shows we would rather not repeat. We make sure that we have multiple plus size models in our runway shows displaying as many dresses as we can, in lieu of the single “token” plus size model. It is our mission to change the face of bridal in regards to the service and treatment of the plus-size bride. We are also pushing our designers to design and carry plus size gowns and applaud the one that actually has a plus size trunk show (Gorgeous with Curves).

We are not trying to pat ourselves on the back for doing this; we are trying to bring awareness to an antiquated industry that changes need to be made. It’s just not fair and we are proving our point to the designers, one dress at a time. If you or someone you know has a similar experience, please let us know. We would love to pass your letters onto each of our designers to help make a change.

So, what should you really spend on a bridal gown? Part 4

Here is the fourth and final installment of your guide to getting the dress of your dreams and a memorable experience at the same time. Make sure you don't miss out! Visit parts one, two, and three.

There are several scenarios brides go through when shopping for a gown. Of course, there are the hundreds of bridal magazines, websites, blogs and television shows but you will never know it’s the one till you put it on! From there, the bride progresses to choosing which salons or stores she would like to visit. Advertising is great but the real determinate should be word of mouth and reviews. Please girls, read the reviews before making an appointment. It can save you a lot of time!

So you choose a store, one of those chain stores, and schedule an appointment. They greet you, take your information and assign you a “consultant”. She hands you some undergarments (how many people have worn these?) and shows you to a room. More than likely you have looked at some pictures and she brings you these gowns and you and whomever you are with start trying them on. Did she train you in how to get into the gown or better yet, offer to assist you? You get the first gown on, head out to the mirrors and see what you think. The process repeats till you find a gown or leave frustrated and confused. Perhaps you have determined what silhouette you do or do not like and subconsciously been trained that you need multiple undergarments and move on to the next store.

The next store on your list is a boutique that your mom or friends have shopped at. Surely this must be better. When you arrive for your appointment you are greeted, they get your information; show you to your dressing room and where the gowns are located. What’s with all the plastic bags? How do you know what’s in your price range? You choose some gowns, your friends/family choose some gowns and you start the process over again, undergarments and all. They may or may not help you, bring you some suggestions or be there to answer any questions you may have. There are other brides and families close by to offer their opinions and you watch as they try on gowns, just as they are watching you. The store has some nice gowns, ones that are seen in all the magazines and some others. A better selection than the last place for sure. Perhaps you find the one, perhaps you don’t. If not, you move on to the next appointment.

The third store looks a little different. They have a strict policy on appointments so you are a little daunted that they might be a bit stuffy, but you go anyway. When you walk in, it looks nothing like a bridal store. They greet you and start asking you about your wedding. (note: they did not ask for your information). They ask that your friends/family sit and relax, look at magazines and albums while you are off to gown selection! Then, your consultant walks you through each gown in the store (within budget, of course), one by one, and gets to know you and your style. You are taken into a spacious dressing room and helped into each and every gown. There is not mention of additional undergarments and come to find out, you don’t need them! These gowns have all of that built in! (read: savings) During the appointment, your consultant has not left your side and helped you to narrow down your initial selections to the overall front runner. This is how an appointment should be! No pomp and circumstance. Who really needs to be paraded in front of people you don’t know? An intimate setting and customer service makes this so much easier! You are so relieved, you found the one and gained a friend to boot!

The above scenarios are merely representations of how different appointments can be and in no way depict any particular store. Emphasis should always be on customer service and the bride. Just because your budget is not ten thousand dollars does not mean that you should have to forgo attention to detail. This goes for size too! Just because you are not a runway model does not mean that you should only have one option for trying on gowns! (don’t worry – a full blog on this coming soon!) This experience should be fun and memorable! Don’t settle for anything less!

So, what should you really spend on a bridal gown? Part 3

The third installment of a four part series. Be sure to catch up on Part 1 and Part 2!

Customer service can make or break the gown. You may love the gown but if you don’t love the person helping you, the entire experience will be an uphill battle. Look for someone that pays attention to you and your thoughts, not what they want to put on you or worse, sell you. Your consultant is hopefully going to be there from day one until your wedding day. They should be someone you can trust to help you along in this unchartered territory.

A good consultant will ask you questions about your wedding, timeline, what you are drawn to or away from as far as styles and details. They will want to get to know your personality in an intimate, one on one, setting to ensure that your gown reflects your style. During the appointment, they should pay attention to what you like and what you dislike and offer guidance and suggestions based on this information. They should know their stock, what changes (if any) can be made to the gown or be able to pull a dress that has everything you are looking for. Once you have found the gown, stop looking! In the words of Randy Fenoli “you found the guy, are you still looking for something better? No. Commit and stop looking”. Once you do this, the rest of the wedding will fall into place.

Another key thing is to look for stores that have been in business for a while and have great reviews online. Remember that they cannot make everyone happy but overall, the feeling should be a good one. Ask your friends and family for suggestions as this is not paid advertisement and will speak more about the store than a fancy ad. Bridal Shows are a great way to meet with stores for a face to face “mini interview” before making an appointment. If they mesh well with your personality, book an appointment. If you do not get the feeling that they know what they are doing or that you are on the same page, you have just saved yourself valuable time and avoided an uncomfortable appointment.

Location, Location, Location! The location of a store can be just as telling as the reviews. If a store is in an area that is “fading” or not central to the heart of the city, they may not have an ear on the newest trends and fashion. Although you may have to drive to find the gown of your dreams, pay attention to where you are driving to. With most bridal salons, they are destination places in lieu of feeding off of “walk in” traffic. They do not have to be in the most expensive location or the most popular area but they should be somewhere you are comfortable. Overall, gown shopping is an experience. One that you want to remember for all the right reasons. Do some homework, visit bridal shows and ask for suggestions.