Five Steps to Finding the Perfect Bra for Your Wedding Day

Whether you are a K cup or an A cup, a properly fitting bra will be necessary for your wedding day.  The correct bra will make you stand taller, feel comfortable, look up to 10 pounds thinner and accentuate your waistline.  Follow my five steps to finding the perfect bra to make you look and feel your best and be comfortable enough to dance the night away!

• Consider the style of your dress.  The style of the neckline of your dress is important.  Is it strapless, backless, sleeveless, or plunging?  You’ll need a bra that is made to compliment the silhouette.  Think about the fabric.  Is it heavy? Sheer?  Lace?  You’ll need a bra that doesn’t show through and will create the proper shape. 
• Consider the color of your dress.  Is it white?  Ivory?   Did you know that white is not the best color to wear under white?  Choose a bra that is closest to your natural skin tone to keep the bra from showing through under your gown.
• Go for a professional bra fitting.  We’ve all heard the statistics… 85% of women are wearing the wrong size bra.  Oprah told the world in 2005, and I was there for the revolution!   Fit really does matter!  Go to a lingerie boutique or a department store with certified bra fitters.  Both Dillard’s and Nordstrom carry a wide range of sizes and have bra fitters on hand every day.  A properly fitting bra should be snug around your back.  You should only be able to slide 1 or 2 fingers under the band.  The underwire should surround your breast tissue and land underneath your arm- one “bone, not breast.”  You should not have any gapping or spilling out of the cup.  It should be COMFORTABLE.
• Consider your comfort.  It may take several tries to find the perfect bra.  It is always a good idea to bring more than one bra to your first dress fitting, to see which style works best with the gown.  Once you’ve chosen your bra, make sure that you take it for a test run.  Spend a day in it to prove that it is comfortable.  The idea is that you don’t want to think about your bra on your big day.  No pulling, pinching, or tugging should be needed.  At all!  You’ll be doing the same thing with your shoes, why not your bra as well?
• Compliment your bra with the appropriate shapers, slimmers, or panties.  These “accessories” are just as important as your something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.

You and your wedding dress will be the focal point on your wedding day, following these tips will help you rev up your glam factor! 

  Lynne Reynolds is a National Fit Specialist at Dana-Co (a licensee of Natori).  To learn more about fittings in your local area, contact Lynne at Lynne@dana-co.com.

The Importance of Picking Your Partner

After getting engaged, the first question you will probably be asked is “have you set a date?” followed shortly by “have you found a dress yet?”  Without a doubt, choosing a wedding dress is a Very. Big. Deal.  Do not be surprised if everyone from your Aunt Sally to your best friend from middle school wants to go with you to look for dresses.  Granted, their intentions will be good…they want to support you, ooh and ahh with you and give their advice on what looks perfect on you.  Ok, stop there.  As much as you want to include loved ones in your special day, be careful with your dress shopping invite list.  The more people you bring along, the more varying opinions you will gather and the more potential stress you will feel.  The most important person to decide on what dress is right for your wedding is you.  Bring along one or two people, such as your mother or maid of honor, who will support you, listen to you and whose honest opinion you value.  

Copyright 2012, All Rights Reserved.  We love to share, and ask that if you would like to use the content on our blog, please provide the appropriate credit to Posh & Pretty Parties.

Choosing a Bridal Salon: Amsale, Kleinfield Bridal or Renee Strauss, Which One is For You?

Photo Compliments of Monique Lhuillier

Whether you’ve dreamed of it since you were a little girl or didn’t think of it until you were 30, there will never be another dress like your wedding dress.  How will you know when you’ve found “the one”?  Here are the answers to some of the most common questions brides have asked us about choosing a bridal salon.  

When Should I Start Looking?

The ideal time is 9-12 months before your wedding date.  It can take between four and six months to have a dress made and fitted.  It can also take a few weeks to complete any additional alterations depending on your salon’s schedule.

*Tip:  When ordering your dress, get everything in writing from the cost for both the dress and the alterations to the exact timetable for delivery. Make sure to follow up with your salon to ensure delivery is on schedule.

There Are So Many Choices – Where Do I Begin?

The three most important things to keep in mind when choosing a salon are:

1. Budget - Be realistic about the amount of money you have set aside for your dress and be upfront with your bridal consultant about this amount. If you fall in love with a dress that is twice the amount of money you have allotted for the dress then you will be taking money away from something else you need for the wedding.  Your budget will also determine which salons you should consider.  There is a significant price difference between buying a dress from a retail chain versus an upscale New York or Beverly Hills salon. 

2. Style - On your wedding day, do you envision yourself as a fairy tale princess? Sophisticated in a streamline design? Modern and cutting edge?   Every designer has a signature style. For example, if you love New York chic, you may want to consider Amsale.  Choose a bridal salon that offers a variety of dresses that mirror your personal taste and vision for your wedding day.

3. Reputation - Do your homework about the salons you are considering.  Seek advice from your wedding planner, recently married brides or go online to see what others are saying about a particular salon.  You will want to choose an established salon with a reputation for timely delivery. We have a mother of the bride who still raves about her purchase and personalized attention at Klienfield Bridal several years after the wedding! 

Once you have decided on the bridal salons to visit, make an appointment even if an appointment isn’t necessary.  This will ensure you will receive personalized attention. 

Also, make sure to set aside a few hours for each appointment. You will be surprised how fast time flies when you are looking for your dream dress!

*Tip:  We’ve all heard stories about women who have found their dream wedding dress online that fit like a glove and only cost $100.  Please know these situations are very rare!  We strongly discourage you from buying a dress online even if it seems like the deal of a lifetime.  Often, what a dress looks like in a picture (or even on a hanger) is very different from how it will look on you.  Why risk wasting the time and the money?

What Should I Expect From My Bridal Consultant?

Once you have chosen a bridal salon, you will be introduced to a very important person – your bridal consultant.  You should expect him or her to be courteous, professional, knowledgeable on the latest trends and above all, accommodating to your style. Be wary of a consultant who is pushy or not taking time to listen to you. Remember, this is your day and your wedding dress.  The perfect dress will feel right to both your head and your heart.

*Tip:  Bring pictures of dresses or styles that you like however, keep an open mind.  Remember, bridal consultants see hundreds of brides, body types and know their business.  You may be surprised by a dress that looks fabulous on you that you may not have considered simply by how it presented on the hanger.

Copyright 2012, All Rights Reserved.  We love to share, and ask that if you would like to use the content on our blog, please provide the appropriate credit to Posh & Pretty Parties.

Life Gets Busy

According to the rules of politeness, it is recommended to send thank you cards for gifts by three months after your wedding.  However, the rule gives a generous leeway with allowing up to a year to still be considered polite. While a year may be acceptable, be careful that you don’t wait that long.  Life gets busy. It may be tempting to put it off and before you know it, you will be faced with a mountain of cards to write instead of a couple of hills to conquer a few nights a week.  Also, the longer you wait, the longer your guests will wonder if you received their gift at all.  If that first year of marriage blissfully slips by and you still have not written your cards, keep in mind that it is always better to say “thank you” late than to have never said it at all.