We Tried It: The Warby Parker of Wedding Dresses (as in, At-Home Gown Trials)

COURTESY FLORAVERE

What Is It: Floravere is a recently-launched company that offers the bride-to-be seven gowns (with more being added shortly) ranging from $1,550 to $3,550, shipped to her so she can try them on in the comfort of her own home. Meaning no forced smiles for salespeople, no pressure and no limit to how many people you invite to your try-on party. Or in my case, no weird looks when you invite no one to your try-on.

Who Tried It: Zoë Ruderman, Executive Director of Content Strategy for Style, Entertainment & Sports at Time Inc.

Level of Difficulty: 2 (on a scale of 1 to 10) only because it involved coming home from work and putting on fancy dresses rather than coming home from work and putting on my go-to evening attire of leggings and a sweatshirt

I’ve enjoyed nearly every aspect of wedding planning. And I have enough married friends and have sat in the vicinity of enough bride-to-be coworkers who spend hours upon hours on the phone with vendors, planners and mothers-in-law to know this is a rarity. It helps that we’re doing everything pretty nontraditionally — destination, 60 guests, quickie ceremony followed by dinner outside then a trip to la discoteca that will hopefully last until 4am. Plus, no shower, no bachelorette, no bridal party. (My parents eloped with no one but a justice of the peace and two witnesses so you might say that nontraditional weddings are in my DNA.) But the one part of wedding planning I haven’t liked — let me rephrase, have really, really disliked — has been shopping for the gown.

I went to more than a dozen boutiques, department stores, bridal salons, ateliers, even second-hand bridal spots, and each one left me feeling a combination of bored, underwhelmed, exhausted and a bit helpless in my search. This might not be surprising for someone who hates shopping, doesn’t like dressing up and isn’t used to wearing over-the-top fancy gowns. But the thing is, I’m none of those; I’ve been an avid (and very good!) shopper since elementary school, I love dressing up so much that I squeal when a wedding invitation arrives with the words “black tie” and part of my job requires me to attend awards shows and parties in fancy dresses. So, why was shopping for my big day so … unsatisfying?

Five words: “Sooooo, what do we think?!” I didn’t like the forced interactions, the trying to please salespeople and the fact that in most places, I couldn’t walk up to a rack and just grab a dress that caught my attention. I tried on so many gowns because a woman who had known me for all of 10 minutes thought it was just my style. Then I would stand there, knowing it wasn’t The One, but feeling obligated to go through the motions, ultimately saying, “Hmm, I think it’s not quite right.” Which is why, when Floravere launched, I immediately canceled my next appointment at bridal salon number bazillion and one.

Floravere currently has seven gowns that get shipped right to your house where you can keep them for three days and try them on whenever you want, however you want, with whatever shoes and bra you want, in front of whoever you want. You can try the same one on 10 times and you can take one off before it’s even halfway on because you know it’s not right. No pressure, no forced conversations, no “Soooo, what do we think?”

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I had three styles delivered to my apartment  — the A. Hall, the F. Daza and the H. Golightly — and one day after work, I opened the garment bags and the accompanying bridal box, which has a veil, a measuring tape, clips and some other fun goodies.

The dresses come in a few sample sizes and once you decide to order one for your big day, it’s custom made to your measurements. That means you can also make any tweaks you want to the gown. I spoke to the founder of Floravere (who had a similar try-on experience as I’d been having) and she told me that they customize everything from the sleeves to the length of the slit to the train. They can even make major tweaks like combining the top of one dress with the skirt of another or adding embroidery. The sky’s the limit (and that’s saying something considering we’re talking about brides-to-be who are often unacquainted with the word limit).

I tried on my dresses in my living room. By myself. I know some brides will find that weird. I certainly know that many salespeople find that weird. A few weeks ago I went on two appointments solo (after doing a slew of appointments with a combination of friends/cousins/parents) and the people in the store basically gasped when I said I didn’t have anyone coming with me. The looks I got from other brides who rolled five deep with a gaggle of ‘maids said, “Oh, that poor, friendless bride.” For the record, I have friends. Lots. They’re great.

As soon as I put on the F. Daza, I knew it wasn’t for me, but like I said, nobody’s feelings were hurt so I swiftly moved onto the next, the A. Hall. It’s gorgeous and sexy and classic and made me feel Carolyn Bessette-ish. I walked around in it, checked myself out in different lighting (not possible in a store), swapped my shoes a few times and took an embarrassing number of selfies (forbidden in every bridal boutique I visited). I also sat down in it and yes, maybe I turned on Beyoncé and danced in it. Unless you plan to do nothing but stand with perfect posture at your wedding, ladies, these are important things to do when test-driving a dress.

 

I moved on to the H. Golightly, which I also liked, but not quite as much. So it was back to the A. Hall. Had I been in a store, I would have felt guilty trying on one dress multiple times. Not the case in my apartment.

I tried on the #1 contender a few more times over the next few days, with my hair up, hair down, in morning light, in evening light, before a glass of wine, after a glass of wine, with underwear, without und— guys, I’m kidding. The experience was just so easy. And yes, fun.

Ultimately, I decided the A. Hall, while beautiful and crazy-well-crafted, wasn’t right for me (I’m going with something less traditional, something I also found online, not in a bridal boutique) and I shipped the dresses back to Floravere. Each one costs $45 to try on, but if you end up buying with them, all of that money goes toward your gown, similar to how other try-on-at-home companies operate. But right before I sent the dresses back, when I knew that I wasn’t going to wear any of them to my wedding, I slipped into the A. Hall in front of my fiancé. (Did I mention we’re not doing this whole wedding thing in a traditional way?) I walked out in the floor-length white gown and the veil and hummed the wedding march. Then we put on Notorious BIG and had a dance party. None of which could have happened if I’d only tried on gowns in a store and not via Floravere.

The Verdict: Do it. Do it, do it, do it. If you’re not enjoying dress shopping, give Floravere a shot. I had so much fun trying on the gowns in a “safe space.” And spending time in them really helped me make my final decision. Plus, the fact that you can make customizations and still get your dress in 10-15 weeks is pretty impressive. Oh yeah, and you get a free consultation with a stylist and you can ask them anything, from what shoes they recommend to how long the make the train, even how to pack it if you’re flying to your wedding. But really, what’s most important, do you really want the first time you dance to hip-hop in your wedding gown to be at your actual wedding? I don’t think so.

By Zoe Ruderman

Source:http://people.com/style/floravere-at-home-wedding-gown-trial/

Would you ever try a at-home bridal service? Share below!

10 Mistakes Brides Make When Dress Shopping

Photo Courtesy of Bridal Reflections

Bringing an Entourage

We know it’s the most important dress you’ll ever wear, and you want to make sure it’s absolutely perfect. But having 10 different opinions makes it much harder to come to a consensus—and it can bring you farther away from what you actually want. “I have always been a believer that the most a bride should bring when dress shopping is two people,” said Cristina DeMarco, of Bridal Reflections in New York, NY.

Most brides do best with just their mom and maybe a sister or best friend, said Debra Lash, of The Wedding Tree in La Crosse, WI. “They generally have the bride’s best interest at heart, not what they want her to wear.” One of our real bride bloggers, Theresa Misso, recently wrote about her dress shopping experiences and said, “When you're standing there in a big dress, and random people in the store are ohh-ing and ahh-ing and all you want to do is take it off, you’ll need an honest, reliable companion to say, ‘I love it. But it’s just not you.’”

Shopping Too Early

Many couples are opting for longer engagements these days, but don’t start shopping more than 12 months in advance. “The moment a bride starts trying on gowns, she’ll inevitably fall in love with one,” said Lash. “If she’s not ready to buy, it quickly becomes difficult for her. In other words: Do not visit bridal salons until you’re ready to make a purchase.”

It’s important to have the rest of your wedding details in place before you can truly shop for a gown, since many factors can influence the style of the dress. Consider your venue: “An ornate gown with tons of embellishments and a sizeable train might look stunning in a ballroom but completely out of place at a beachfront ceremony,” said Tolu Ogbechie, one of our real bride bloggers. Also, the colors you choose for your bridesmaids and décor can influence whether you choose white or an off-white shade.

But, at the same time, don’t procrastinate. Most dresses take anywhere from five to eight months to come in, according to DeMarco. You can sometimes place a rush order if you need it in under five months, but it’ll cost you.

Trying On Too Many Dresses

If you’re a fan of Say Yes to the Dress, you’ve undoubtedly seen a bride who’s tried on 100+ dresses without finding the right one. Most brides try on between four and seven gowns, said DeMarco, and shouldn’t try on more than 10, because it can lead to confusion.

Often, a bride is trying on dress after dress because she’s just not ready to end the shopping experience and make a real commitment. “The most common mistake that a bride makes is not purchasing her gown when she finds it,” said Lash. “The danger that befalls her is she becomes overwhelmed and forgets what she originally set out to find. She begins to doubt herself and starts to lose faith in the experience.”

Not every bride has “that moment” when the tears start rolling and you know you’ve absolutely found “The One.” Real bride blogger Crista kept searching until the tears started rolling. While trying on a Priscilla of Boston gown (pictured right), Crista noted, "As I gazed upon my reflection, I noticed my family standing around me, teary-eyed. Although I was touched by their reaction, I wondered, ‘Why aren’t I crying?’” said Crista. “I decided not to purchase that dress and left the salon contemplating my shopping experience.”

Being Swayed by Steep Discounts

Try not to be too tempted by the lure of your dream designer gown for 70% off. “The biggest mistake I have seen brides make is purchasing a gown online or from a shop for a deep discount ‘only today,’” said Lash. 

Sample sales are popular among brides, but you must keep in mind that you are typically truly purchasing just that — a sample: The dress has been tried on by hundreds of brides and could have been torn, stained, or otherwise damaged during the process. Before making a purchase, check the gown very carefully for any damage—and if there's anything that can’t easily be fixed, put it back. Some brides end up spending hundreds in alterations to fix what’s wrong with the sample when they could’ve found a similar brand new dress for not much more money.

But don’t be totally discouraged: Sometimes you truly can find an amazing gown at a bargain price. Kimberly Sanicki, of Wanaque, NJ, found her perfect wedding gown (left) at a “Running of the Brides” event thrown by Filene’s Basement. She found a stunning Essense of Australia gown for just $500, marked down from $3,000. Before handing over the cash, Kimberly and her mom thoroughly examined the gown to check for any flaws. “My mom made sure it had every crystal, and it did not need to be cleaned or even hemmed,” said Sanicki.

Demanding the Wrong Size

Wedding gown sizes typically run one or two sizes smaller than street clothes, so try not to get hung up on the number. “Do not fixate on the actual size but instead on how your measurements compare to the particular line on the specific designer’s size chart,” said Gesinee of Gesinee’s Bridal in Concord, CA.

Planning on losing weight before the big day? “If I had a nickel for every person I have measured who said they were going to lose weight, I would be rich!” said Lash. Play it safe and order a size that fits your current body. Any dress can be taken in, typically up to four sizes without affecting the look of the dress, but most can only be let out one full size—if that. “You need to be realistic, in case you don’t lose your targeted weight,” says DeMarco.

What happens if your dress doesn’t fit when it comes in? First, don’t freak out and go on a crash diet. “There’s always something you can do,” said DeMarco. “You can order fabric from the designer, add beading, or even put in a new back to accommodate the measurements needed.”

Photo Courtesy of The Wedding Tree

Sticking With One Style

“Ninety percent of our brides leave with something completely different than what they had in mind when they walked in,” said DeMarco. Bringing in pictures of dresses you like is a good start, but if your consultant recommends something different, give it a try. It’s impossible to tell what a dress will look like on your body just from seeing it on a hanger. “If a bride is fuller in the hip area, she might have a mind set that she can’t wear a fitted dress,” says DeMarco. “However, what she may not know is that a more fitted dress would show off her curves, fit beautifully, and make her appear more slender as opposed to covering up.”

Need advice on which shape is most flattering? Get some recommendations here.

Buying a Dress You Don’t Love

“The biggest mistake I’ve seen brides make is settling on a dress because someone influenced them to purchase it instead of going with her heart,” said DeMarco.

This is why it’s so important to choose your shopping companions wisely. “Many people that may accompany the bride will look at each gown and decide if it’s best for them—not for the bride whom they should be helping,” said Lash.

If you find yourself liking a dress but also having doubts, or if you're feeling pressured from a part of your entourage or a salesperson to make a purchase, it's okay to go home empty-handed, sleep on it, and return at a later point if you're still dreaming about the dress.

Trying On Dresses You Can’t Afford

You see a stunning gown  a mannequin that’s way out of your price range, but you want to try it on just for fun. What’s the harm? “It can lead to heartbreak and disappointment,” said Lash. “You need to be able to afford anything you try on.”

The 9 Signs He's About to Propose (Get Ready!)

Proposals may be best left to a surprise. But according to Sarah Glick, proposal planner with Brilliant Event Planning in New York City, "it's sometimes helpful to know what's ahead to that you have time to prepare." For example, she says, you may want the perfect manicure to go with your new engagement ring. And if you can spot a proposal coming, you can book that appointment, stat. So if you're ready to sniff out your partner's plans, here are nine expert signs he or she is preparing to pop the question.

1. Your partner has taken charge of an upcoming trip.

According to Glick, one of the most common and popular ways people propose is while on vacation. So, if your last-minute partner suddenly shows an interest in planning a vacation or making reservations without your help, "that might be a clue that he or she is up to something," she says.

2. Your partner talks nonstop about your future.

Says Michele Velazquez, owner of proposal planning service The Heart Bandits, "if your guy starts referring to the way distant future a lot, he may secretly be looking for affirmation that you see a way distant future with him." After all, no guy or gal wants your answer to be a resounding no. So, says Velazquez, "if you want him to propose, reinforce you feel the same way."

3. He or she asks for your ring size.

The jewelry store isn't your typical date night. But "if your significant other is happy to go into a jewelry shop with you or if you notice one of your rings go missing, he or she might be trying to figure out the measurements for your ring finger," Glick says. "Couples today often pick out the ring together, so if you do decide to look at rings together, that is an obvious giveaway."

4. Your partner is saving his or her pennies.

Your partner was always happy to spend a night out on the town. But now, he or she is all-too-excited to stay in for a free movie marathon. "If your usual care-free spending guy starts penny pinching, he may be saving up for your engagement ring," points out Velazquez. "Pretend to not notice or encourage this behavior, and it will benefit you if you want a proposal."

See More: Creative Ways to Pop the Bridesmaid Question

5. Someone makes you a manicure appointment.

Girls night out? This Friday, your friends want to make it at the nail salon. "I've had a couple of clients recently use their significant other's girlfriends to their advantage to make sure that her nails are done for post-proposal," says Glick. So if your gal pals ask you to get your nails done, "that could definitely be a sign your partner is about to propose," Glick says.

6. Your partner starts snooping.

You've never caught your guy or gal in your jewelry box before. But today, you saw him snooping through your baubles as if he was planning to wear one himself. "If your partner starts snooping through your Pinterest or jewelry box, he may be looking for engagement ring inspiration or proposal ideas," says Velazquez. "If you want your dream ring or proposal, you should plant hints here."

7. Your partner wants to take a walk down memory lane.

According to Glick, "Often when people are about to propose, they start to get sentimental." So whether your significant other is content to while away hours flipping through photo albums or has been writing you sweeter texts than usual, being exceptionally affectionate can be a sign a proposal is on the horizon. "If your significant other starts bringing up fond memories of the two of you, pay attention," Glick says. "He or she might be giving you a hint."

8. Your partner is acting secretive and nervous.

You tell one another everything. But now, when you ask where he was, he's vague. No, he's not cheating. "This could be a sign he is in the process of purchasing the ring or planning the actual proposal," says Velazquez. "Don't be overly nosey or snoopy or you could ruin your own surprise."

9. Your partner wants to confirm all your favorites.

When a guy or gal is about to pop the question, they sometimes prepare by gathering your favorite things: Food, flowers, music, activity, or even destination.

"If your significant other starts trying to remember some of your favorite things," says Glick, "keep an eye out for more clues."

By 

Jillian Kramer

Source:http://www.brides.com/story/signs-partner-is-proposing

Deals and Discounts... Should You be Asking Your Wedding Vendors for a Discount?

Bridey, I’m friends with pretty much all of my wedding vendors on FaceBook, and recently, a fellow vendor posted about how it’s almost inescapable for a bride and groom not to ask for a discount these days. Somehow, it’s become instilled in their DNA because of all of the free (and usually shitty) advice out there suggesting that couples must immediately ask if vendor pricing is flexible. Seriously, I’d say that at least 60% of recently engaged couples come out and ask for a discount before learning what they are receiving. They gear up for negotiation as if they are walking into a used car dealership... Like as wedding vendors, our prices are fluid, and adjustable and if they’re not, then they should be. But, why? Why has this become the “norm” in the hospitality industry? I mean, has it really come down to the fact that if we don’t automatically offer a discount, then we’re not being hospitable? Well, fuck that.

Look, I have said time, and time again, that, “if you don’t ask (for a discount) then you don’t get“. And, I still believe it. But, just like everything else in wedding planning and in life for that matter, one must use advice carefully and thoughtfully. Seriously, maybe I should have added the caveat that you must listen and understand the terms of the provisions before jumping the gun and asking for a discount. Perhaps once you learn more about what the vendor you are considering hiring for your wedding is offering, it won’t occur to you to ask for a discount simply because their pricing is fair for what you are receiving. Forgive me... I really thought I didn’t need to highlight this particular point, but apparently I should have.

Bridey, think about it like it’s foreplay... Give your wedding vendors a chance to finish before the encore. Plain and simple. For example, the FB friend I referenced? He said that, “Couples always ask for a winter/off-season discounts. Don’t you think that this (winter) weather might be a little bit more stressful than a nice summer or fall day?” Bridey, really think about this... Picture your vendors driving to the wedding venue, loading in (and out) their equipment, and then safely getting home... in a snowstorm. If anything, you should be paying more for “off season”, not less.

The exception? Wedding venues. Yes, you should still listen to their offerings, and not rush into asking for a discount, but in my experience, venues such as hotels, country clubs, etc. would rather provide a discount and have a wedding as opposed to no wedding at all, especially in their “off season”. Why? Because at the end of the day, these venues are a corporation with bosses to answer to, and monetary goals to meet and achieve, not an individual wedding vendor whose profession puts food on the table for their children. It’s a completely different animal. Usually, your photographer, videographer, DJ, invitation designer, harpist, pianist, wedding planner, etc. are one or two peeps trying to make a living. And, when you ask for a discount (immediately or not), you’re completely undermining their bottom line.

So, where does this leave us? Plain and simple, bridey, do you homework. Find out what the appropriate range for each wedding vendor, and then meet with them to find out why they fall on either side (or the middle) of the spectrum. If you love them, but they are truly out of your price range, then, and only then, ask if they have flexibility with their pricing. But, don’t be surprised if they don’t, because just like you, they have bills to pay and mouths to feed. Got it?

By Bitchless Bride

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bitchless-bride/deals-and-discounts-shoul_b_14343338.html?utm_hp_ref=planning-101