Hi lovelies. Most of the time I write blogs addressed to my brides, but today I have a special message for her friends and family… more specifically, her dress shopping appointment guests. So, here it goes… (but first here's a funny TikTok I made about the topic, extra points if you're a fan of The Office)
Dear bride’s wedding dress shopping guests,
You are so loved. You are so important. You are so vital to this day. Our bride asked you to join her, after all, in this once-in-a-lifetime moment because you are a significant person in her life and in her heart. This is a day of celebration, and it wouldn’t be complete to her without you being here to join, so thank you. Thank you for agreeing to show up, support, and celebrate our bride. What a joy it is to have you!
This day carries a lot of emotions for a lot of brides. As exciting, fun, and highly-anticipated this moment is for most, it can also be very overwhelming, confusing, and vulnerable for many brides as well. I have a unique perspective on this day being the outsider of the group. I’ve seen firsthand how truly important your role is as our bride’s guests, and I wanted to remind and educate you lovely people of how you can best support and celebrate our bride in this moment. Because that’s your main role today… you are here to support her and celebrate her above all else. So, here’s a few gentle reminders of how you can add to this day of celebration for our bride.
1. Let the bride and the bridal stylist take control of the appointment.
This means staying seated while the bride has a moment to communicate to the bridal stylist what she is looking for, and letting the two of them choose dresses that best fit her vision for her wedding day. While this is happening, settle into our cozy fitting room, pop open the champagne and pour everyone a glass, and get ready to enjoy being a part of this sweet moment as our bride begins the process of finding her dress.
2. Let the bride express how she feels about each dress BEFORE you share your opinion.
This is so important! It can be so tempting to immediately react out of excitement when those curtains open, but be patient. If you love how our bride looks in a dress, smile! If you aren’t loving our bride in a dress, smile. Wait to share your opinions until the bride gets a chance to express how she feels. Or, wait to share your opinions until the bride ASKS what you think. Your job is to understand how she feels first, and then validate her from there.
3. Be honest, but be kind.
Our bride asked you here for your support. If she is stuck between two dresses, and asks what you think, be honest. Tell her what you love about her in each dress and ask her how she feels. If she asks you which dress is your favorite, tell her. You can be honest AND kind at the same time. Be both for her.
4. Never EVER tell her she looks bad or big or any other negative word in a dress.
As I’ve already stated, this can be such a vulnerable moment for some brides. We’ve all felt vulnerable before, so make sure that you are speaking words of encouragement and positivity always to our bride. After all, she might secretly be in love with this very dress you are telling her she looks bad in.
5. Trust us as the bridal stylist.
Our main goal is not to sell our bride a dress. Our main goal is to help our bride find the dress of
her dreams. We are not here to take advantage of her, we are not here to pressure her, we are simply here to understand how she wants to feel/what she wants for her wedding day and help guide her to find a dress that fits this vision. We are FOR her just as you are. Trust us. :)
6. Be ready to celebrate her!
When you hear the words “this is the one”, it’s time to CELEBRATE! Pop the champagne (if you haven’t already) and give lots of hugs! Make her feel so loved, beautiful, and celebrated in this moment. This is why you’re here, and no one can do a better job of celebrating her than YOU!
As the people closest to the bride, it can be really easy to have your own expectation of what you want her to look like and what you want this day to be. But ultimately, we know you are all here because you love our bride. We know you want to see her shining so beautifully and confidently in a dress that SHE loves on her wedding day. Make sure she knows this. Remind her of this.
One more time, thank you so very much for being here. You make this day so special for our bride, and for that, we are so grateful!
We can’t wait to meet you and celebrate our bride together! See you soon!
xx the evermore girls
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