Options for plus size brides and custom dresses for all: Interview with Jay's Bridal and Special Occasion
Filed under: Fashion
This is Part Three of our series of interviews with Jay's Bridal and Special Occasion, a one-stop bridal salon located in Gainesville, Florida and online at jaysbridal.net. Throughout the series, we'll discuss everything wedding, ranging from bridal gowns to music to tuxedos. In this installment, we'll chat with Jay's associates Erica Lyn and Joann.If you're looking for a truly one-of-a-kind gown, you can still go to a bridal shop like Jay's rather than have one made from scratch. In fact, both Erica Lyn and Joann were excited about the idea of customized dresses. Certain designers, like Casablanca or Jasmine Bridal, allow brides to create a completely unique dress.
"Say you love three dresses by the same designer," said Erica Lyn. "You could take the neckline of one, the corset back of the other, and the train of the third, and have a dress that's one-of-a-kind. Of course, there are fees for doing so, but that bride gets the dress of her dreams." And we would have to say that getting the dress of one's dreams is pretty near priceless.
While measurements of the bust, waist, and hips are required for most bridal gowns, certain gowns also require a custom length measurement. Gowns that cannot be hemmed (often because of a lace overlay) must be ordered in the correct length. Custom dresses not only can run a bit more in terms of cost, but also in terms of time.
"In an ideal world, brides would order their dresses six to eight months before the wedding," said Erica Lyn, "but we've pulled things off in a much shorter amount of time because we have such a good relationship with our vendors. That's one of the benefits of being, essentially, a Mom and Pop shop -- we're small and able to not only be personal with our brides but also with the companies we order from."
Jay's has long had a plus size section in the store, and one of the improvements they've noticed in the plus size market is that designers are finally offering the same designs that they offer in small sizes. "A lot of plus-size brides are loving the Alfred Angelo gowns with some color in them," said Joann. Erica Lyn liked the Allure Women's line of bridal dresses "because they really offer generous cuts, which can cut down on the cost of alterations."
However, plus size brides and size fours alike need to keep in mind that bridal sizing is not the same as regular sizing. Whether you order your gown from a shop or order it online, make yourself familiar with the designer's size chart and get your measurements taken at a bridal shop.
According to Erica Lyn, getting measured elsewhere can land you with the wrong size dress. "Gyms and fitness centers do measurements, but they measure the waist at the belly button, which throws everything off. And seamstresses measure everything a bit big, so you'll end up spending a bundle in alterations."
"In an ideal world, brides would order their dresses six to eight months before the wedding," said Erica Lyn, "but we've pulled things off in a much shorter amount of time because we have such a good relationship with our vendors. That's one of the benefits of being, essentially, a Mom and Pop shop -- we're small and able to not only be personal with our brides but also with the companies we order from."
Jay's has long had a plus size section in the store, and one of the improvements they've noticed in the plus size market is that designers are finally offering the same designs that they offer in small sizes. "A lot of plus-size brides are loving the Alfred Angelo gowns with some color in them," said Joann. Erica Lyn liked the Allure Women's line of bridal dresses "because they really offer generous cuts, which can cut down on the cost of alterations."
However, plus size brides and size fours alike need to keep in mind that bridal sizing is not the same as regular sizing. Whether you order your gown from a shop or order it online, make yourself familiar with the designer's size chart and get your measurements taken at a bridal shop.
According to Erica Lyn, getting measured elsewhere can land you with the wrong size dress. "Gyms and fitness centers do measurements, but they measure the waist at the belly button, which throws everything off. And seamstresses measure everything a bit big, so you'll end up spending a bundle in alterations."
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