BUSTLE EXPERIENCE

Hooray, Bustle is 7!

For this year’s celebration, we gathered the Bustle girls together for a girls night in. We got cozy in our favorite loungewear and fuzzy slippers and had our hair braided by Ashley Brannon from Morgan Ashley Salon. We snacked on a delicious (and beautiful) charcuterie board by Savor Style and dove into the most delicious peach bourbon cake from Daughter’s Baking. When we were full of treats, we snuggled up in our blankets and masks and watched Emma projected on a big screen! It was really nice to be relaxing together and spending a little QT. Special thanks to Maddie Harper and Kindred Events for planning and executing this intimate little afternoon.

It’s been such a pleasure to serve so many brides these past 7 years. We’ve enjoyed getting to be a part of each beautiful love story, and are grateful to be able to do what we love. Here’s to many more years of Bustle!

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How to Prepare for Your Dress Appointment

After you get engaged, searching for the perfect wedding dress is probably pretty high on your to-do list. You might be wondering what your dress appointment will be like and how to prepare. We’ve compiled some helpful tips here so you’ll know what to expect as you get ready for your dress appointment.

Keep an open mind. Be prepared to fall in love with a style you didn’t expect. Some brides come to their appointment knowing exactly what they want in a wedding dress while others need a lot more guidance. Whichever category you fall into, be sure to keep an open mind. You may be surprised by what you end up liking the most!

Capture your style. Since picking your dress is one of the things you do early on in the wedding planning process, no one expects you to have every detail of your wedding figured out. However, it’s a good idea to have some idea of how you want to look and feel on your wedding day. If you’re having trouble, think of 2-3 adjectives such as glamorous, comfortable, romantic, graceful, vintage, classic, etc. You can think back on these adjectives during your appointment to help guide you. You can also save pictures of your favorite styles and share them with your consultant. And if you already know a few details like your venue, colors or a theme, it’s a good idea to mention them to your consultant before you start trying on dresses. Your consultant can help you pick out a dress that fits in with the look you’re going for. Any information you can give her will be helpful in your search.

Know your budget. You’ll want to have a good idea of how much you want to spend on your wedding dress, including your alterations. Most brides need some amount of alterations for their wedding gown, even if it’s just getting the dress hemmed. There’s no way to know exactly how much alterations will cost, but we have several businesses we recommend with varying prices ranges depending on your needs. During your appointment we will stick to the dress budget you tell us, so you don’t need to worry about overspending

Narrow down the group. Instead of bringing your mom, sister, in-laws and all of your bridesmaids to your dress appointment, try to keep the group smaller. It can of course be nice to have support and advice during your appointment, but it can get loud and crowded in the fitting room. Plus, you might run into having to field lots of questions and opinions about your choices which can be distracting. There will be plenty of other exciting events that everyone can be a part of, but we recommend making your dress shopping a more intimate experience.

Bring the right undergarments. Since you’ll be trying on an array of dresses during your appointment, be sure to wear suitable undergarments. Avoid brightly colored or printed undergarments that may show through the wedding dresses. We recommend nude, fitted underwear and a strapless bra if you have them. You can also bring Spanx if you are interested in trying on more fitted gowns and want a smooth look.

Bring your accessories. Along with wedding dresses we also sell an array of accessories such as jewelry, veils and garters, but if you already have some of these items, you are welcome to bring them along. It may be helpful to try on your veil or shoes with your favorite dresses to get the full picture.

When it comes to wedding planning and finding your perfect dress, it helps to be prepared. We hope these tips have helped you get ready for your dress appointment and we wish you the best of luck!

Empress Stationery Launch Party

Empress Stationery has been offering fine, custom invitation suites to brides since 2007. Just last month we had the privilege of being a part of the launch of their brand new, semi-custom collection! What does this mean? It means beautiful, locally designed invitation suites are now within your budget! Shop now.

There were lots of talented wedding pros at the launch including Pursuit Creative, Invision Events, Edna K. Designs, Sassy Biscuit Monogramming, The Charming Scribe, Leslie Hollingsworth Photography, The Refined Pen Calligraphy, and Beau Tied Affair.

Images courtesy of Sarah Moore.

Valentine's Pop-Up Shop

Last month we had the pleasure of hosting our second annual Valentine's Day Pop Up Shop. We love creating a "one stop shop" for all of the Valentine's Day essentials. We had gorgeous floral arrangements by Kathleen Varner of Edna. K Design, jewelry crafted by Holland's Trinkets, mouth watering chocolate cakes baked to perfection by Telia Johnson Cakes, precious "lovey dovey" cards by Empress Stationary, and calligrapher, Sarah Moore, of Pursuit Creative to personalize each card.

Go ahead and mark your calendar for February 14th 2018 - it's only going to get better!

Images courtesy of Jett Walker Photography.

The Multi Wrap Gown

We are thrilled to be carrying the Eliza & Ethan multi-wrap gown! These jersey knit dresses are $180, one-size (comfortably fit size 0-14), come in 22 colors and can be worn in dozens of ways. Plus, each dress comes with a carrying tote and matching bandeau!

The ultimate bridesmaid dress, each of your gals can express herself while you have the confidence that everyone will look great. It also makes a fab rehearsal or going-away dress for the bride!

Watercolor Workshop with Abby Little

Earlier this month, we had the privilege of hosting a watercolor workshop with our talented friend, Abby Little. Abby made sure every detail was considered, from yummy treats and a beautiful tablescape by Full Pantry, to the highest quality paint supplies from Alabama Art Supply

Because of the intimate class size, Abby was able to offer one-on-one instruction and critique to each of the workshop attendees. Abby is a sweet friend who has such a heart for all kinds of art media and we are so thankful she could share her gift with us. We had so much fun and really learned a lot about watercolor technique and style.

Photos by Meghan Murphy.

Wreath Workshop with Mandy Busby

We had the pleasure of hosting such a fun event with the lovely Mandy Busby. Earlier last month our guests were taught how to handcraft their very own wreaths using all fresh materials. Mandy provided a relaxing atmosphere for the ladies, and gave great one-on-one assistance while they created their masterpieces. We even rolled up our sleeves and assembled a wreath of our own to hang over the fireplace at Bustle!

Thank you to all of the fabulous ladies who attended. Your wreaths are AMAZING! We had such a blast getting to know you. Also, a huge thank you to Mandy Busby for sharing your creative talent with us!

Pop-Up Sunday Shop

Sip mimosas & enjoy cupcakes from Gias while you shop lots of wonderful artisans from Birmingham! Shop for mother's day gifts, birthdays gifts, bridesmaid & groomsmen gifts, and even gifts for the bride in your life!

Below are some of the vendors you'll see::

Valentine Delight

We had the most wonderful time at the Valentine Pop-Up Shop! Thank you to all who came and supported our very talented friends, Mandy Busby, Holly Hollon, Nancy McColl and Susan Gordon.

Photos by Laura Jett Walker.