Lauren
THE DETAILS
DRESS: JUSTIN ALEXANDER
PHOTOGRAPHER: SARA MAREN PHOTOGRAPHY
What type of dress were you originally looking for when you started dress shopping? Did you end up with something similar or completely different?
When I started actively looking for wedding dresses, I wasn't 100% sure what I wanted. My top choice was a fit and flare style or A line dress but that was just in my mind, I had no clue what I would look like in those styles as I had never worn a wedding dress before! I thought that I definitely didn't want too much lace or frills, I wanted to keep it simple and classic. I also liked the idea of having a high neckline and low back but was open to whatever I could find. I definitely did not want a princess or ball gown style dress but Monica, who is amazing, talked me into trying one on just to see. I'm so glad she did because I wasn't positive until I put that style on that I knew for sure it wasn't for me. The dress I ended up with had little pieces of what I imagined my dress to look like. It had a full overlay in lace and was a taupe instead of white which I loved! My semi-low back was perfect and the dress just fit my venue and wedding style so well that it just worked.
How did you know that you found "the dress”?
I knew I had found "the dress" the first time I put it on! For me it wasn't immediately like "This is the one" because I have a hard time deciding on most things. It was one of the first dresses I tried and I just felt so good in it and loved the way it looked. But I had gone in with just my mom for the first time to take some of the pressure off of having my big group tagging along with me. It's a lot of pressure to be trying dresses on while you have a group of people waiting to see which one is going to be "the one." But when I came back with my group the second time to show a handful of styles I liked, I put that dress back on and I think everyone knew right away that it was perfect. My face was beaming and I couldn't stop smiling. My mom and sister immediately started crying so I did too, happy tears! It was so magical.
Tell us about your experience at Bride To Be Couture. What was your favorite part?
My experience at Bride to Be was incredible. I had been to once place before this and it was nothing compared to my experience here. Everyone is so helpful and welcoming. Monica is amazing! From the very beginning she was a dream to work with and was there every step of the way for easy communication and comfort regarding my dress and timeline. She was so friendly and easy to get along with that it made it fun and less stressful to try and find a dress on that first visit. You can tell that she really loves what she does. My favorite part was trying on all of the different style dresses and feeling like a bride for the first time really in the whole process of wedding planning. For me, it was the first time I felt like I got to do something for me rather than worrying about what everyone else will enjoy or like for the rest of the wedding plans. And getting to celebrate picking a dress with a glass of champagne and my girls was wonderful! I really couldn't have asked for a better experience than the one I had with Monica and Bride to Be Couture.
Do you have any advice for brides that are at the beginning of their dress shopping journey?
The advice that I would give to brides just starting their dress shopping journey is to be patient and enjoy the process! If you know that you want a specific dress or style go for it! But don't avoid trying something different just because you think you won't like it, just go for it and give everything you think you may want a try. When is the next time you get to be a bride and find your dress?! Really just enjoy every second.