Friday, December 30, 2011

Happy New Year!

This weekend, our Angelina Couture Trunk Show begins!

On Saturday, December 31, we will also be hosting Annette Kuiper, who is my manicurist.  She will be giving complimentary hand massages to all of our guests from 12-2 pm!

We will close at 3 pm on December 31. 
We are closed on Sunday, January 1.
We are open for appointments only on Monday, January 2.

September's Bride...a fresh approach to formal

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Holiday Hours

It's Christmastime!  I am looking forward to hearing lots of stories about diamond rings under the tree, in the stocking, or given as part of a romantic proposal under the mistletoe.



Of course, Christmas is for family and friends.  We are adjusting our boutique hours just a bit over the next two weeks to allow our team to spend time with their loved ones. 

Saturday, December 24, 10 am - 3 pm
Christmas Day, closed
Monday, December 26, closed
Tuesday & Wednesday, December 27 & 28, 11 am - 5 pm (Regular Hours)
Thursday, December 29, 11 am - 8 pm (Regular Hours)
Friday, December 30, 11 am - 5 pm (Regular Hours)
Saturday, December 31, 10 am - 3 pm
New Years Day, closed
Monday, January 2, open by appointment only

We welcome you to call for an after-hours appointment with one of our gown consultants if these Open Shopping Hours do not work for you.  616-355-1433

And, stay tuned for news about a Special Event happening the first week of January!


Monday, December 19, 2011

Venue :: Macatawa Legends CC

Last week, Rachel & I had the honor of a personal tour through the Macatawa Legends Country Club & Banquet Facilities.  Rich Espinoza, the new manager, and his assistant, Lacy, were so gracious and very knowledgeable about parties and weddings.

This large fireplace greets guests as they arrive in the lobby.  What a cozy place this time of year, but imagine it decorated with fresh flowers and welcoming your guests to a summer wedding reception, too.


 This room seats 90 guests for a small reception, but Rich tells us that it is usually used for a cocktail hour before dinner and for dancing and drinks after dinner.  It is surrounded on three sides by a large patio, overlooking the lovely grounds.  Your guests may stroll along the patio, enjoying the time before dinner. 


 I love these high ceilings in the buffet area.  Your guests will not feel cramped or crowded at all, and this is also a wonderful area for your grand entrance as Mr & Mrs!


The large banquet room seats 200 guests comfortably at nice large round tables.  There are several doors that lead in and out of this room and plenty of very well-appointed restrooms nearby.


A rainy December day does not show off the grounds as well as they deserve, but this is the view from the patio.  The lawn is large enough for an outdoor ceremony, too!

EVENTS by September's Bride is a preferred coordinator for weddings and other parties at this great venue.  We would be delighted to join you for a walk-through!  There are still several weekends available for 2012.  E-mail our lead planner, Rachel Ramos,  at rachel@septembersbride.com for more information or to schedule a time to see the gorgeous Macatawa Legends and talk about your wedding vision.


Thursday, December 15, 2011

Fun Winter Bouquet

Look at this fun idea for a unique bridal bouquet.



The flowers are knitted in a variety of cream and blue luxury yarns and accented with alencon lace appliques.  Cream tulle is tucked among the knitted flowers for fullness and lightness. 


This would be so pretty for a winter wedding!  Hey, who needs Pinterest when you have September's Bride?

September's Bride...a fresh approach to formal. 

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Winter Weddings :: Guest Attire

Today, we have a guest blogger!  I met Terryl online and learned that she loves to write about fashion.  We put our heads together and I asked her to share some thoughts about style for wedding guests.  With the holidays quickly approaching, there are Christmas, New Years, and Valentine's weddings for which to prepare. 

Winter weddings are one of the very best excuses to get all dressed up and wear those pieces you probably couldn't get away with in many other situations.

The goal of dressing for a wedding is to be the second prettiest girl there.  Don't distract from the bride, but don't feel like you need to dress boringly either.  Maxi dresses in rich fabrics are refreshing and easy to pull off, so long as you mind your posture.  And leave the white at home if you lack a death wish.
 

To avoid looking like just a mass of fabric, take a cue from recent runway seasons and try a one-shoulder dress.  The asymmetrical neckline brings the focus upward, as opposed to standard sleeveless tops, which seem to scream, "Look at my arms!"  Make sure to nip that waist to create shape, get some beautiful elevation under those feet for the illusion of impossibly long legs, and sway fabulously all night.
 

A cropped shrug is a better choice than your everyday pea coat and keeps with the fancy theme of the rest of your ensemble.  Have fun with the shoes, and if you're doing heeled sandals, keep them relatively dark and match your tights.  (A quick note on sandals: heels are a necessity, however, flip flops, even with a heel, are never acceptable.)  It's always a good idea to choose between a statement necklace and earrings, but if you have an asymmetrical neckline, your neck is already fancy, so just stick with simple drop earrings that coordinate with the dress.
 

If you've got a sparkly number you're dying to show off, your best accessories will be confidence and a smile.  Keep the rest of your outfit complementary to the darker tones of the dress to avoid looking like you're celebrating the new year, but ensure you lift those items to the sass of the dress.  Try wedges instead of stilettos.  If your tights match, your legs will appear lengthened, and a dark and opaque pair will slim legs as well.  This could be the perfect outfit to debut that fancy vintage bag you found--just keep it compact.

When it comes down to it, don't be afraid to let your outfit make you feel special; you're allowed to look fancy.  So take a risk!  Break out the gown or those almost-too-beautiful shoes that make your toes hurt just by looking at them.  Most don't have many opportunities to really dress up, so if the wedding allows, you might as well go all out and flex your fabulousness a little!

Author bio:
When Terryl Banta is not busy coping with the early-onset necessity of reading glasses she can usually be found having nineties dress-up nights and trying to take pictures of her kitten, Alt, for viral tumblr content.  

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Curvy Collection

Every woman should feel absolutely gorgeous on her wedding day.  I firmly believe that there are styles of wedding gowns to flatter all shapes and sizes of women.


Just a bit of our "Curvy Collection"


So, at September's Bride, we are expanding our "Curvy Collection" of gowns; gowns in sizes 18 and up that we know will look great on brides with curves.  Of course, all of our gowns can be ordered in any size, from 2 to 30; so we encourage our customers to shop all of our collections.

If you are concerned about being a "plus-size" bride, here are a few tips that can help you look look your best on your wedding day.

1.  Shop with an open mind!  Sometimes the gowns that will look the best on your body do not look the best on the hanger.  Trust a good gown consultant to make recommendations for you.

2.  Don't try on a gown that's too small or too big.  No matter how much you like the way it looks, you won't feel pretty and it is easy to feel frustrated.

3.  Ruching, sashes, and belts are your friends!  All of these design elements work to create an hour-glass shape, which is exactly what you want on your wedding day.

4.  Use jewelry and hair accessories to draw attention to your face and eyes, which is what every brides wants people to notice on her wedding day.  Wear shining eyes and a big smile!

Make a personal appointment with one of our gown consultants today; we love to help!

September's Bride...a fresh approach to formal.


Thursday, December 8, 2011

Holiday FLASH Sale!

Holiday Flash Sale!
Saturday, December 10
10 am - 2 pm

This Saturday, from 10-2 we are having a Holiday FLASH Sale!  Here are the details...

Call us (616-355-1433) to schedule an appointment...we have a limited number of 1/2 hours appointments available for this sale.

Order your wedding gown during that time and receive $400  in credit to use towards the bridal accessories of your choice at September's Bride.  Veil, shoes, jewelry...it's all up to you!

Also, Cassie Celestin from White Dress Events will be serving all of our guests from a Gourmet Hot Chocolate Bar set up in the front of the store!

So, if you've been in and you have "the gown" chosen, this Holiday FLASH Sale is the perfect time to commit.  If you've just started shopping; you're welcome to come in and take advantage of this awesome sale, too.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Feelin' Blue?


You've heard by now that one of the biggest trends for 2012 is "mis-matched" bridesmaid gowns.  Another trend is the return of full-length, flowy, romantic dresses for bridesmaids.

Here, Rachel combined these two trends with the very classic bridesmaid color, blue, to create a thoroughly fresh and modern look.

The addition of trendy jewelry lets the personality of each gown's wearer come out and create a interesting, fashion-forward, yet completely unified style for your wedding.

Hey, we absolutely love to do this stuff.  Wondering how to dress your wedding party?  Make an appointment today so we can show you some gorgeous options.

September's Bride...a fresh approach to formal. 

Monday, December 5, 2011

Links We Love

Like most of our brides, I'm just a little addicted to looking at photos of great weddings and reading all about the fabulous ceremonies and receptions that couples around the nation & world plan for their special days.

Here are a few of my favorites to check out regularly:

The wedding planning site, mywedding.com has a great blog called Delightfully Engaged.  This lovely blog has it all...fashion, DIY ideas, photography...

 Image courtesy of mywedding.com



Best blog from across the pond?  I love Rock'N'Roll Bride.  This blog is based in the UK and will occasionally feature a US or Canadian wedding, too. I'll admit that some of the style is just a little too "out there" for me, but it sure makes for a great way to lose myself in weddings for a half hour.

Image courtesy of Rock'N'Roll Bride



My favorite wedding fashion blog has to be from one of my favorite designers, Stephanie James!  Her blog is full of eye candy with "real brides" in her designs.  I never tire of looking at the fresh bridesmaid looks, both retro and modern. 

Image courtesy of Stephanie James Couture


Of course, check back here to the September's Bride Blog regularly for the best in bridal fashion and West Michigan weddings!

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Shopping with Tiffany

I love to introduce our blog readers and September's Bride fans to members of our team.

A few months ago, I introduced Julie, who shares her thoughts and great style with you on our Vintage Couture Blog.

Today, I want to tell you about Tiffany.  If you really want a memorable, high-touch, personal bridal shopping experience, make an appointment with her!  Tiffany absolutely loves to work with brides, especially those who are struggling to find exactly what they want or who want a very unique, personal look.  She is a great listener. 


If you think Tiffany may look familiar, she was featured on the blog in the Spring of 2010 for another reason, the year that she and her husband spent on the mission field!  She's also modeled for a few of our photo shoots!

Tiffany is available most Saturdays for appointments; she is also available for private evening appointments if that works best for you.

Call the boutique at 616-355-1433 to schedule an appointment with Tiffany or any of our consultants.

September's Bride...a fresh approach to formal.