At the end of last week, we shared Part 1 of our 2017 wedding dress highlight, and we promised informative inspiration from Stephanie Long of Mirror, Mirror Inc! We are stoked to share the rest of our 2017 brides rocking their complete bridal looks as well as shed a little light on what the 2018 wedding season may bring with our chat with Steph. Mirror, Mirror Inc. is a wedding gown boutique located in Baldwinsville, NY. Head Fairy Godmother Stephanie and her team bring a unique and classy vibe to wedding dress shopping by providing a top-notch, serene dress fitting experience. We recommend Mirror, Mirror Inc. at any chance we get. We value supporting local businesses, and Stephanie and her ladies make it easy to do so with their lovely establishment.

The 2018 wedding season is on roll, especially for the wedding dress industry, so we made quick work of getting some insight from the professional with a few of our most pressing questions!

How far out should a bride start looking for her dress?
I get this question all the time and there is a two tiered answer. First, you must ask how long does it actually take a dress to come in once you have ordered it? For the designers in our shop the answer is 4 to 6 months. We then recommend padding that time with another two months to allow for shipping and alterations, making the answer 6 to 8 months total. The second part of the answer is personal to every bride. Some brides feel that they cannot make other design decisions for the wedding such as bridesmaids dresses and decor before they have decided on their dress. It takes about four months to order a mother or bridesmaids dress so you want to make sure that you are giving your family and friends enough time as well.

What are women looking for in a wedding dress for the 2018 season?
Before I talk about trends, I want to emphasize that being comfortable and feeling like your wedding dress is a reflection of the girl looking in the mirror is the most important thing. With that said, today’s brides are so lucky because they can pick from such a wide range of styles. In silhouette, we are seeing a return to poofy fairytale dresses. We are also seeing modified a-lines, which is a more relaxed member of the fit and flair family. We are starting to see more unusual necklines, including wide sweethearts that are designed to cover the underarm, plunging v-necks that go almost to the navel, and illusion necklines that offer full coverage. I am most excited about all of the new colors that we are seeing in bridal gowns. We still sell plenty of gowns in classic white and ivory, but we also have ones in blue, blush, silver, champagne, gold, and my personal favorite, oyster, which looks like a lavender.

What are the most important things to look for when trying to find the right dress?
I think it comes down to three things: fit, personality, and comfort. Everyone wants a wedding gown that makes them look and feel amazing. A trained consultant will be able to help you find the shape that looks best on you. Try to keep an open mind, you might be surprised! It’s easy to get lost in a dress shop just like a kid in a candy store, but just because a dress is pretty does not make it perfect for you. Make sure that when you look in the mirror you still feel like yourself. Remember that you are going to be wearing this dress all day, so make sure that you can move, sit and do anything that you’re ceremony may require such as kneeling.

Who are some of your favorite wedding designers?
Honestly, I carry all of my favorite designers in my shop. I know that sounds corny, but there are thousands of designers out there, and I only carry seven. I chose each one of them very carefully because of their unique style, and every one of them truly cares about their brides. I know all of my designers personally. I think that is so important because we can call them directly and ask questions, we can make changes on a dress so that it is perfect. Not every company will do that, some don’t want to be bothered. I love working with designers who are as passionate as we are. I have often said that you may not see our designers advertised in national bridal magazines, but they are all featured in the editorial section.

A giant thank you again to Stephanie! We suggest you give her a call if you’re shopping for a dress and want to be as fabulous as the ladies below. Also, check out the list of designers at the end, so you’ll have a point of reference for what you’re looking for!

 

Featured Wedding Dress Designers || Claire Pettibone | Sophia Tolli | Justin Alexander | Kenneth Winston | Bill Levkoff | Allure | Maggie Sottero | David Tutera | Watters | Stella York | Essense of Australia | Madeline Gardner |