Prudence Gowns - Wedding Show

Plymouth Based bridal boutique Prudence Gowns are holding the first Plus Size Designer Preview Wedding Show at the Future Inns, Cabot Circus in Bristol on the 25^th March 2012 between 

11.30am and 17.30pm.

The Plus Size Designer Preview Wedding Show will include a catwalk production featuring the latest collections of beautiful bridal gowns in sizes 16 to 30 from top designers including Maggie Sottero, Sottero & Midgley, Justin Alexander, Sincerity, Ellis and Blue by Enzoani.

Sonya McKay, owner of Prudence Gowns said: 

"For the larger size bride, finding ‘the dress’ can sometimes seem daunting, but with the average size of a UK bride now being a 14 we wanted to organise a show with a difference. At Prudence Gowns we what every bride buying their wedding dress to enjoy the experience and that’s what makes The Plus Size Designer Preview Show different."

The Plus Size Designer Preview Show offers brides of all sizes a variety of designer bridal gowns that will both flatter their shape and compliment their figure no matter what size. The show will have a large selection of designs with sizes starting at size 6 with an emphasis on the plus size bride ranging from size 16 to size 30. 

Tickets are available for The Plus Size Designer Preview Show at £10 each with VIP tickets also available for £25 each. VIP tickets include a goody bag, a glass of champagne, a private consultation with Prudence Gowns and a private dressing area if required. As an extra incentive, Prudence Gowns are also offering brides who find their dream dress at the show a discount when they place an order on the day.

For more information or to purchase tickets visit www.theweddingsalon.co.uk and for information on Prudence Gowns visit www.prudencegowns.com

Prudence Gowns are based at 2 Saltash Road, Keyham, Plymouth and include a large selection of Bridal Gowns, Bridesmaid Dresses, Mother of the Bride / Groom outfits, Evening wear, Ladies Boutique and Menswear Formal Hire.

Exciting News!

I know, I know.  I've neglected my pink pages of blogginess for a while but I've had so much going on in my non-wedding world, it seems to have taken its toll on my ability to find any spare time to update you. 

Anyway.  My exciting news that I'd like to share with you all is that (insert big fanfare noise here) I've finally chosen my wedding dress! Decision made, deposit paid.  Bish, bash, and indeed, bosh.

About a month and a bit ago, I'd asked one of my local bridal shops to order in a specific Maggie Sottero gown that I'd seen grace the pages of many a bridal magazine, and, me being the sensible soul that I am, decided that before I put my deposit down, I needed to try it on first.  It was the Maggie Sottero Isadora Marie.  An absolutely stunning gown.  I actually can't fault it and would be jealous of any bride who has this as their dress.  But, I just felt like it wasn't as timeless, classic, elegant as the one I have chosen for me.

Isadora Marie

My dress is the first dress I'd picked out.  I love how 'me' it is and know that Mr S will love it too.  This is the dress I've had in my mind all along and as I stood there, looking in the ivory, carved wooden mirror, and a tear pricked at my eye, I knew right then, it was The One.  This was the decision that the other brides to be and their friends/sisters/mums had chipped in with too while watching me prance around the bridal shop floor.  I won't lie, having all the people in the shop look and compliment me was such a good feeling.  Who doesn't like to be told how beautiful, elegant and timeless they look?

As I got dressed back into my jeans, coat and scarf, I felt frumpy, cold and sad (it was a very cold day). I'm one of those annoying 'cold people'; you know, the ones that still wear tights in summer and have a jumper and slippers on at night time even when it's still 20'c outside and the one who asks her colleagues to put the heating on even when they're sat there in a summery top and turning their desk fans on.  I hadn't noticed until then that in my dress, I hadn't even felt the cold.  I'm hoping this will still be the case come April, otherwise I may have to find a way of strapping a hot water bottle under my dress as a mini central heating system.  I'm not even kidding.

I sat down to fill in the paperwork with the assistant when I noticed the final price was higher than the actual price of the dress (which, may I add, was only £35 about budget which came as a nice surprise as I thought it would be a lot more).  I didn't even take into account the alterations charge, the 'ordering in' charge (I'm still not sure what that is) and the price of the hoop that I'll need.  

As you know, I'm on a budget and charging £65 for a hoop because they don't hire them any more, is ridiculous.  I'm very aware that you need a decent quality hoop for your dress so that it looks and fits right under your gown but seriously, £65?  I'm planning on looking for one similar on eBay, which I've found for a modest £15.99.  In the words of Mr Tesco, every little helps.  

My bridal shop was running a promotion and have generously given me a £100 voucher to be spent on any accessories I'd like, such as a veil, shoes, jewellery that they have to offer.  The veil they gave me to try on with my gown cost an equally ridiculous £129.99.  So really, if I wanted it and used my voucher, it would only cost me £29.99.  I think I'll probably search for one on eBay, Preloved or Sell My Wedding and use my voucher on a statement piece of jewellery or hairpiece.   I have found a pair of shoes on Chockers Shoes which are lush and only £35 so feel like using the voucher against a pair of £70 shoes would be wasteful.  I'm aware I'm probably coming across as tight-fisted but I'll never wear ivory shoes again and my dress is floor length.  I'm trying to be savvy!

Mr S has been very inquisitive, asking what my dress is like.  Of course, I haven't told him anything about it but if I look like the image in his head;

"it'll be straight across (at the neckline), long, skinny-fit with a small puddle-shaped bit at the back.  Oh, and have a net thingy on your head".  

I think he meant veil.  I'm glad we're not on Don't Tell The Bride, that's for sure!  

Wedding Dress Dilemma - Part II

So, to carry on from the last saga you may have read about my wedding dress dilemma (if not, you can read it here). 

My second visit to try on dresses was with my mum and Mr S' mum; 'the Two Mums' if you will.  It's important to me that they see my choices and I hear their opinions.  For some reason, I was so nervous.  The kind of nervous when you feel sick, your hands are clammy and you have butterflies and a bit of a dry mouth.  I don't even know why.  If anyone has any suggestions or explanation as to why, please comment.  I think I'd maybe convinced myself that it was THE day I'd put down my deposit on the dress I'd become Mrs S in.  The dress I'd be wearing when I walked down the aisle a single girl and to walk back up the aisle a married woman (insert squeal of excitement here). 

I met the Two Mums at Proposals.  I hadn't told them which dresses I liked, I wanted to try a few on and for them to see for themselves and form an opinion.  The first dress I tried on was my Maggie Sottero gown.  I absolutely love this dress.  Does it make me sound weird if I say that even though it was maybe 2 sizes too big, it fitted like a glove?  Well, anyway, it did.

The next was my Opulence by Natalie M dress.  I stood in the middle of the shop.  Beaming smile.  "Ok, you can look now!" I said.  My mum's eyes opened really wide.  Not in a good way.  My smile faded.  She got up and started to walk around me.  I stood stiff like a child getting told off by their parent.  She started pawing at the skirt and fixing the train.  

"What's wrong with it?" I said in a tone that sounded a bit too aggressive.  "Nothing.  I'm just surprised you've picked something like this.  I do like it though now I've had a proper look at it".  She paused. "Yeah, it's nice.  I love this part".  Phew.

We left it there and I led them to Pronuptia.  Like I mentioned in Part I, I tried one of my favourites on and immediately knew that it wasn't The One. 

My mum has always had an image in her mind of me wearing something slim fitting, maybe a fishtail and a modest train.  Something maybe a little bit like this...

Justin Alexander - 8478

However, I can exclusively reveal that my dress will not look like that. 

Anyway, I tried on a dress similar, just for the benefit of my mum.  As soon as I walked out of the changing rooms, she pulled a face.  Worse than the one previously described.  To clarify, we're all now clear that the above type of dress is not an option for me.

As I unwillingly put my boring work clothes back on, I pulled out a Justin Alexander dress and announced that I'd wanted to try that one on the last time I was there.  I'd asked for it to be put in the changing room for me and when the assistant was about to tighten everything into place, I'd asked how much it was, to which she'd replied a figure that was above my budget.  I immediately told her I wanted to take it off.  Why would I want to torture myself by trying it on, to fall in love with it, to not be able to afford it?  So I didn't get to see it in all its glory.  Not that time anyway.

"Well, why don't you just try it on and see", said the Two Mums.  So I did.

It was beautiful.  Amazing.  I felt beautiful and amazing in it too.  But it was short lived as the feeling was tainted with the fact that I couldn't afford it.  I felt so disappointed.

In the car on the way home, the Two Mums were trying their best to pick out imaginary faults with the dress to make me feel a bit better.  I did love them for that but at the same time, you all know what its like when you really want something and you can't have it.  You don't listen to anyone else.  You want it, and that's that.

Plus with the added cost of a veil/headband/tiara, it just mounts up.  I never knew a head piece could cost so much.  How embarrassingly naive of me.

I got home, just as my grocery shopping van pulled up.  That poor woman who had to come and drop my shopping off.  Little did she realise she'd double up as a therapist for the next 10 minutes while I ranted and offloaded my disappointment on to her.  She did try and plug her photography skills to me but after realising I'd just rambled on and on to a complete stranger, I had to very politely decline her offer as I have already booked James Green. 

The phone rang.  It was Mr S' mum.  Apparently she'd told Mr S' dad the story of that afternoon and he'd very generously said he would put the extra money towards the dress if it's what I really wanted.  I was so grateful.  I mean really, he didn't need to do that at all but he did. 

It's a curse and a blessing to have such a sensible head on my shoulders.  On one hand, I could have the dress I loved but on the other hand, would I be walking down the aisle thinking "I can't believe how much this dress cost to only be wearing it for 12 hours max". 

I've since slept on it and as time has passed, one of my 'original' dresses have still stuck in my mind and I don't feel so disappointed with the expensive dress. 

I've decided to book appointments to go try them all on again.  I think of one in particular and it makes me smile.  I'm taking the Two Mums with me again.  I've booked a whole day off work so I won't be rushing around before closing time (as previously), and I've decided to go to another shop, just to look.

Although saying that, I'm pleased (and surprised at myself) that I'm not in the frame of mind that I have to visit every single wedding dress shop in the area in case I'm 'missing out', but as I have the whole day off work to be all wedding-y, I thought I'd take the opportunity to visit another shop.  What harm can it do?  Other than confuse me even more.  Brilliant.

So that's my story so far.  I'm continuing this whole saga next Thursday.  Maybe in the meantime, I can take note of Kim Kardashian's wedding dress.  I know I can't afford Vera Wang but a girl can dream can't she?

Kim Kardashian's wedding dress as anticipated by Madame Tussuad's

Click here to see the full story of Kim Kardashian's wedding dress as reported by the Daily Mail Online.

Wishing Kim and Kris a long, happy marriage, full of love, laughs and happy memories.  Good luck!

Wedding Dress Dilemma - Part I

Ok ladies (and gents?), The Time has come (N.B. 'The Time' has already been and gone but for the purposes of this particular blog - just roll with it).  'The Time' being for my first ever wedding dress shopping experience.  Eeeeeeek!

Well it happened last Friday.  Just to put you in the picture should you have not read my post Five Minute Freak Out, I hadn't a clue what sort of dress I wanted.  I didn't know what colour I wanted, (p.s. who knew there were THAT many shades of white and ivory?), I didn't know what style, what material, which designer that ticks my boxes (as I don't actually have any boxes), whether I wanted a train, whether I wanted sparkle, whether I wanted to be elegant, glamorous, fun, relaxed, sophisticated....I could go on but you get the gist.   The only thing I knew for sure was that I didn't want anything in my hair, especially not a tiara.  I don't think I'm a tiara kind of girl.  Don't get me wrong, I think they look beautiful on other brides, just not me. 

As I was saying, it happened last Friday.  It was a grey, cloudy but horrendously muggy afternoon.  I think it was maybe 24 'c (degrees).  Basically, it wasn't the best afternoon to go trying on big, heavy gowns.  But yes, I still did.  I'd arranged to meet up with one of my friends.  I pressed the doorbell of Proposals Bridal.  Excited but nervous.  The lady there buzzed us in and after a brief chat, I was left to look around the rails of luxurious, dreamy, exquisite dresses. 

I started looking.  'Ummed' and 'ahhhed', got distracted by something shiny, cooed over pretty hair pieces, went back to the rails, got distracted by the amazing shoes, realised I needed a dress first and so again, went back to the rails.  I picked out 4 - one of each designer the shop stocked, apparently.  Unbeknown to me, they were all quite similar, and nothing like what I'd imagine I would have picked.  It seemed to be quite a subconscious decision but I went with it and tried them on. 

The first I tried was a Natalie M (Opulence Collection).  It was magical.  Stunning.  I couldn't even look myself in the long, cream and beautifully carved mirror as I heard myself shriek "oh my God...I look like an actual bride".  The dream now fast becoming a reality.  Overwhelmed, is I think the right way to describe how I felt.  

Now, just for the record, the pictures I'm using are for illustration only.  I'm not going to give away the style, shape, colour etc of the dress I liked as I have people who will be coming to the wedding who read this, so being a bit secretive about it!  As you can see, Natalie M's gowns are absolutely beautiful.

Natalie M - Opulence, 2011 Collection - 'Carnation'

Natalie M - Opulence, 2011 Collection - 'Fluer'  

The next I tried on was a Maggie Sottero.  Again, absolutely stunning.  I could tell that it was going to be a tough decision already and I'd only tried two on!

All brides should visit the Maggie Sottero website.  I challenge anyone to not want to try at least one of those fabulous designs on.

As I was saying, the third and fourth dresses I can't even remember.  That's how I know they aren't MY dress. 

After that, we went and had cream tea with scones at a local little bistro as we had a bit of time to spare before my next appointment.  For those that are interested, it was yummy.

Next we went to Pronuptia.  (Pronuptia are sponsors of The Lincs Wedding Show held on 4th September 2011).

I was attended to by Maria, who was absolutely lovely!  Just because they were there, hanging on the rail, teasing me, I HAD to try on one of the new Disney Collection by Alfred Angelo.

Alfred Angelo - Disney Collection - 'Belle'

Alfred Angelo - Disney Collection - 'Ariel'

I cooed over a specific one of the Disney collection for a long while before declaring it too over budget.  I'm not telling you which one just yet though. 

I did try on an amazingly elegant gown by Sincerity.  After trying this on, it was in my Top 2.  And, I found out that it was in the sale too at a fabulously bargainous price.  However, I have since been back to try it on again and near enough immediately knew it wasn't 'The One'.

Sincerity Bridal - 3542

I decided that enough was enough for one day.  Overcome with a lot of different emotions, I'd go home and sleep on the days events before coming to any decision.  I was excited, in a stupidly happy mood and couldn't wait to ring my mum and tell her what I'd seen.  I felt so loved up and was like a puppy, eagerly waiting for my fiance to get home from work.  If only, it was the same story when I had my second visit a week later......

I do have a Wedding Dress Dilemma - Part II, but you'll just have to wait until then.  Till next time.  x

* Images courtesy of their respective designer's websites. 

Meringue Wedding Dress Boutique





Meringue Wedding Dress Boutique

Meet Meringue.  Not the whipped egg-white kind but an oh-so-cute wedding dress boutique in the city of Lincoln.  They offer exclusive custom made wedding dresses and veils from their very own workshop.

I personally haven't come across another wedding dress shop who can offer a bespoke service such as them.  They encourage brides to visit the boutique or get in touch with an idea or design to create a truly gorgeous gown for your special day.

Their philosophy is quite simple...

"A beautiful dress and immaculate service... something we believe every bride deserves for her big day. Our truly special experience allows the dedicated time & support required to create the perfect wedding gown".

Every bride wants to feel special, and by the sounds of it, the Meringue Boutique will do exactly that.  And more!

Apart from being dedicated, creative, stylish and having a gorgeous looking boutique showcasing amazing gowns, check this out for a claim to fame -  Mr Leon Lloyd, an ex rugby international, and his wife Lisa, chose Meringue to design and create her beautiful candy pink silk and chiffon dress (see below) when she and her husband were guests at Zara and Mike's Royal Wedding in Edinburgh on Saturday 30th July.  Impressive!

                                                   

To give you another little look at what they have to offer, I urge you to go and visit their website Meringue to see more divine designs and to get in touch with those that can create your dream gown for your dream day.

'Angel Bloom' - a favourite of mine!

*  Photos courtesy of Love Meringue website