tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45302405466128007872024-02-08T12:42:24.424-08:00Tales from a Dressing Roomdiscover the secrets of a wedding gown consultantFiorellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03551811173719116966noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4530240546612800787.post-88712564032664655962011-04-06T10:57:00.000-07:002011-04-06T11:04:37.080-07:00Where Have I Been?Amy, thank you for kindly noticing that I haven't much been around. I am still here - but attached to my computer in a different way than when I was blogging my heart out. I can't say too much without giving away my identity (and as I have mentioned before, every bit of gossip I have written about has actually happened-so I can't let anyone know who I am or where the store is), but suffice it to Fiorellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03551811173719116966noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4530240546612800787.post-16232159239888242142010-12-08T09:17:00.000-08:002010-12-08T09:42:57.676-08:00IndecisionsI am reminded at this time of year of a Bride of mine that got married last year a few days after Christmas.She was from out of State and purchased her dress from me. She was a lovely girl, I liked her very much, but she and I had one very. major. difference.She AGONIZED over EVERYTHING.Now, in my line of work, I am used to dealing with agonizers... if I haven't told you yet of the Bride who Fiorellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03551811173719116966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4530240546612800787.post-25172459561086232012010-11-30T07:20:00.000-08:002010-11-30T09:31:37.746-08:00Trial by TaffetaWhat do I sell? Is it beautiful dresses? No - you can get those at any mall in America. I sell DREAMS. It is a fantasy of the perfect day, where you get everything you want, and everything that surrounds you is splendid, and everyone behaves exactly the way you want them to. In my store, everywhere you look you will see through rose colored glasses, and there will be a soft haze over everything Fiorellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03551811173719116966noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4530240546612800787.post-28980329927864901772010-11-23T06:01:00.001-08:002010-11-23T06:37:52.212-08:00Thanksgiving Rant or How Wedding Gowns are like CarsIt is the week of Thanksgiving folks, and those of us in the bridal retail business are not immune to the thrill of "black Friday." Black Friday is one of the busiest days of the year in wedding gown stores, mostly because Brides consider it an opportunity to shop for their dress while surrounded by all the family and friends that have come home for the holidays. So not only is the store full Fiorellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03551811173719116966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4530240546612800787.post-28338569409724972462010-11-10T06:11:00.000-08:002010-11-10T06:29:22.480-08:00Beautiful Bride? DEPENDS...Okay, Ladies. I thought I had heard it all. That was, until yesterday. Yesterday, when someone mentioned Bridal Diapers.I didn't believe it. I came home and Googled it, and sure enough, the internet is filled with discussions of this lastest trend. Got a wedding gown that is especially big, or too complicated to use the bathroom gracefully? Forget bringing your Maid of Honor to the restroomFiorellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03551811173719116966noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4530240546612800787.post-61531157415484890692010-10-27T08:38:00.000-07:002010-11-04T12:56:46.126-07:00Special CustomersA practical post with some tips and advice for a subject not often addressed: what do you do if a bride, groom or a member of your party has special needs?Let me start by saying that, obviously, there are many people with special needs, and they can run the gamut from intellectual challenges to physical handicaps, and each person deserves to be treated with caring and dignity, regardless of theirFiorellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03551811173719116966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4530240546612800787.post-23458916308630695012010-10-18T08:27:00.000-07:002010-10-18T09:01:35.066-07:0011 Things People HATE About Shopping for their Wedding GownIts Monday morning, and I'm feeling kind of Monday-morningish today! I'm thinking about all the things that people HATE about wedding dress shopping. Here's a list:1. Pushy sales people2. Sample sizes3. Lack of privacy4. Opinionated Moms5. Fear of Immoral/Incompetent Stores6. $$$7. Commitment-Phobia - the concern that the perfect dress is out there, and how will you know when you've Fiorellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03551811173719116966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4530240546612800787.post-82573845053814997622010-10-07T11:16:00.001-07:002010-10-08T08:40:04.476-07:00Why You Do It AllI am still smiling a day later, so here's my post from yesterday... Feel Good FridayWhy do you put all the energy, thought and, yes, money into planning your big day?Is it because you have family and friends coming to witness your vows and you want to treat them to a big party? Maybe.Is it because you have dreamed, ever since you were a little girl, of the day you married, the dress you'd wear, Fiorellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03551811173719116966noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4530240546612800787.post-33584616569298631242010-10-04T11:37:00.000-07:002010-10-04T12:09:04.504-07:00Why a Man Might Shop for a Dress...If you have been reading my blog, then you know that there are areas of the store, namely, the dressing areas, in which we don't allow men. Sorry, guys! Most men don't mind being excluded from this most feminine of rituals (they roll their eyes and yawn at the 17th dress and everyone gathered round saying, "do you think THIS might be the one?"...!) and are happy to remain out of the bridal Fiorellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03551811173719116966noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4530240546612800787.post-54603090420261447962010-09-27T10:23:00.000-07:002010-09-27T11:05:41.936-07:00An Empassioned Plea: Part III have attended two weddings in the last month or so, and BOTH of the brides wore strapless gowns, and BOTH of the brides were visibly suffering from droopy dress-itis.I don't know if this was the result of poor alterations, or wedding-week weight loss.But the end result was me sitting on my hands in an effort to not butt in where I wasn't wanted, and watch these beautiful brides attempt to Fiorellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03551811173719116966noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4530240546612800787.post-19577087052042924572010-09-23T08:50:00.000-07:002010-09-23T09:04:57.557-07:00Where There's a Will...A very short post:Life has been so busy I haven't had time to write a full-on blog post decrying the trials and tribulations of selling wedding gowns. But I did want to tell you about something wonderful that just happened.A wonderful, sweet bride who came referred to me by a dear friend of mine, was struggling to find a dress. It became clear why when we met: she's what you might call a large Fiorellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03551811173719116966noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4530240546612800787.post-69433228510799635632010-09-17T06:28:00.000-07:002010-09-17T07:08:44.340-07:00Back to BasicsWhat could feel better on this Friday than finding that perfect dress? You know, the one that when you put it on you feel like a Bride? Like yourself, only all grown up and highlighting all the parts of you that you like best? THAT dress.Here are simple instructions how to find it:1. Set a wedding date and location. It is imperative that you do these things before you start your search.2. Fiorellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03551811173719116966noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4530240546612800787.post-57647765022738590352010-09-14T05:53:00.000-07:002010-09-14T06:34:02.595-07:00To Strapless, or Not To Strapless; That is the QuestionIf you have looked at a bridal magazine, or Say Yes to the Dress anytime recently, you have probably seen that the bridal styles are dominated by strapless dresses. But many brides come in and say they don't want one - what then? Now, I happen to be a big fan of dresses with straps, cap sleeves, one shoulders, etc. But the reality of it is, if you decide before you shop not to wear a strapless,Fiorellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03551811173719116966noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4530240546612800787.post-55593275739221810402010-09-10T07:55:00.000-07:002010-09-10T08:16:52.818-07:00Feel Good Friday: Wedding Karma Part IIUnlike a mother with her children, I do NOT like all my brides the same. I like almost all of them, but some I REALLY like.About a year and a half ago I met a bride, K.D., who already had a dress she had ordered from another store. It was a pretty dress, in fact I had the same style in my store. But pretty wasn't what this girl was going for - she wanted stunning!Now this I can provide! I Fiorellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03551811173719116966noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4530240546612800787.post-43708081627293075892010-09-07T13:09:00.000-07:002010-09-07T13:39:25.290-07:00All Brides Are Not Created EqualSo now that you have heard some of what it takes to work here, let me tell you another quality that is very helpful: diplomacy.I'm not talking about diplomacy as it may pertain to the running of interference between a bride and her quarreling mother. Oh no.I am talking about a rare and very dangerous form of the word, where failure to be the perfect Switzerland can mean the difference between Fiorellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03551811173719116966noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4530240546612800787.post-33330128412372978042010-09-01T06:02:00.000-07:002010-09-01T06:52:17.944-07:00So You Want to Work at a Bridal Store...It seems like almost every day that people (mostly women) come to my store asking if we are hiring and wanting to work with us. Part of this is the economy, but more than that, I believe that women have always held the idea that my job is glamorous. Thus the popularity of the show "Say Yes to the Dress". And if you have been a regular reader of my blog, you are familiar with my frequent Fiorellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03551811173719116966noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4530240546612800787.post-82016249881947600702010-08-24T05:18:00.000-07:002010-08-24T06:14:20.393-07:00"And the Award for Most Selfish Supporting Actress Goes To..."I have obviously written the bulk of my material about helping brides shop for wedding gowns. But a major part of my job is to help my brides with the next part of the process: selecting bridesmaid dresses. By the time they are ready to do this, I have already worked with them for a while and have come to like them. I know a lot about their wedding, and know what they like and dislike. And inFiorellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03551811173719116966noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4530240546612800787.post-41640170239175192882010-08-20T04:49:00.000-07:002010-08-20T05:38:05.257-07:00All About Dressing "The Girls"For my Feel Good Friday post, I am thinking about a bride who was endowed with a generous bustline, who despaired of ever finding a dress that would make her look modest enough to be married in a church, and maybe a little less wide up top. I was happy to give her pointers that eventually led to her perfect dress, and that really made my week! I thought I would share these tips with you since Fiorellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03551811173719116966noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4530240546612800787.post-10574610912576413072010-08-16T05:56:00.001-07:002010-08-16T06:20:53.121-07:00A Little Light HousekeepingNow that I am back from my vacation, I wanted to step back and take care of a little housekeeping, explaining a few things to you.I am many things: a wedding gown consultant, a mother, a storyteller, a psychologist and counselor at times, but one of the things I am not is a computer person. I used to be; during my years in college I dabbled in computer science as a minor, but the intervening Fiorellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03551811173719116966noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4530240546612800787.post-10595460053174518982010-08-06T05:19:00.000-07:002010-08-06T05:46:56.895-07:00Best "Tales"I'm getting ready to take a vacation this week, and this break from posting is giving me an opportunity to reexamine my blog, this project I spontaneously started in April. I had few readers for most of my first month, and going back to examine my progress, I realize that some of my favorite stories were probably never read by most of my readers.So for Feel Good Friday, I am going to make a listFiorellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03551811173719116966noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4530240546612800787.post-55984416881949295932010-08-03T04:39:00.000-07:002010-08-03T05:28:15.380-07:00SnowzillaEveryone loves a good story, so I thought I'd tell you about a bride of mine that may have been the ultimate in Bridezilla.She wasn't a screaming, angry monster. She was entitled. And as you may recall from previous posts, I don't sit well with entitled. Entitled, to me, is the attitude "it's MY wedding!" to justify all sorts of selfish choices. Let me clarify, I do agree that it is the Fiorellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03551811173719116966noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4530240546612800787.post-7250128410621194602010-07-30T04:28:00.000-07:002010-07-30T05:09:15.254-07:00Tessa: Engaged!For this Feel Good Friday, I'd like to write briefly about a happy occurrence this week at the bridal shop: one of the consultants got engaged!I remember when I got engaged. I had already been in the wedding business for several years at that point. (Click here if you need a reminder as to my resume!) And as you can imagine, working with weddings can make you look differently at this blessed Fiorellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03551811173719116966noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4530240546612800787.post-77093876150584573772010-07-27T04:32:00.000-07:002010-07-27T05:25:04.940-07:00Bad ChoicesBrides, brides, brides. Let me tell you about something that happened his week.About 6 months ago a bride ordered a dress from me. It was a beautiful dress, I loved it on her. It was fitted all the way from the strapless top to the knees where it had a soft flare. It hugged her curves in all the best ways, at least the sample did. She had tried it on at another store before visiting me, but as Fiorellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03551811173719116966noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4530240546612800787.post-81270458661999900202010-07-23T07:57:00.000-07:002010-07-23T08:29:32.353-07:00Second ChancesThere are nay-sayers out there that are ready to criticize people, especially brides. And when a bride breaches a rule of etiquette, they will line up to point fingers (heck, I've been guilty of that). But on this Feel Good Friday, I'd like to tell you a quick story about a sweet bride that made me smile.I'll call her Minnie, and she is a petite, quiet bride, whose eyes light up when she comes Fiorellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03551811173719116966noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4530240546612800787.post-5759130876792021272010-07-19T14:46:00.000-07:002010-07-20T06:55:06.201-07:00Dog Days of SummerAh...summer.Time to lay back, relax and chill.Take your time, there's no hurry, cause it's summer.People often come into the store and say, "it's wedding season, you must be very busy!"Nope. People don't buy their dresses during wedding season, they buy their dresses just after engagement season, which means the store is SLAMMED just when the credit card bills start arriving from our Christmas Fiorellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03551811173719116966noreply@blogger.com3