admin, Author at Flair Boston | Wedding Dresses in Boston MA | Bridal Gowns, Bridesmaid Dresses, Accessories, Wedding Dress Cleaning

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Mother of the Bride Gift Ideas

Give your special lady something as wonderful as she is!

No bride is an island. Even the Type A among us have to admit that wedding planning is tough, and most definitely requires some assistance. For many of us, help comes in the form of a mother figure. While not all of us are lucky enough to have our actual mothers there with us on our big days, chances are most of us have a lovely lady who quietly and capably takes on that role. Whether she’s your future mother in law, grandmother, aunt, or even a great friend, this wonderful woman has probably attended numerous appointments with you, and put in serious hours letting you vent your wedding related frustrations. So, she probably deserves an amazing gift worthy of all of that time and effort, right? Right! If you’re in need of some ideas, check out some unique options below:
1) Make her feel like one of the girls – Most brides search for something matching for their bridesmaids (robes, monogrammed shirts, etc.) to wear on the morning of the wedding. Cue adorable photo ops! When you find your cute couture, why not order one extra for your mom? She’ll appreciate being included in your core group of favorite females and will love the chance to be a part of those matching morning of photos!
2) Give her your time – Chances are, your mom has clocked some major hours helping with the wedding, so it’s only fair you give her a few hours of yours in return, right? Think about what she loves and plan an outing for just the two of you. Whether it’s a day at the spa, a cooking class, or even just dinner and a movie, she’s sure to be thrilled to share some non-wedding related time with you.
3) Appeal to her sense of smell – There are tons of great places these days to create your own perfume, so why not use your knowledge of your mom’s favorite things to custom make one just for her! If she loves the beach, add in some notes of sea air and salt. If she has a sweet tooth, load up on vanilla. Using what you know and love about her to create the perfect scent is a recipe for a thoughtful, home run gift!
4) From mother earth to your mother – Living gifts are a totally fun, modern trend! From a magnolia tree to a rose bush to a lemon tree, there’s truly something for every mom. Plant it together when you have some down time. She’ll love spending that time with you, and whenever she sees her plant in the future, she’ll think of you!

How adorable is this magnolia tree?? You can find it and many more “living gifts” at seedsoflife.com. Photo courtesy of Martha Stewart Weddings

Tell us – what are you planning to get for the special lady in your life?

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Flowergirl Dresses

Finding the perfect style for your little showstopper!

This was a big, huge week at Flair! Our owners, Stacey and Zak, welcomed their first child, a daughter named Devan Taylor. Needless to say, she’s already Flair’s little princess and we’re all madly in love with her! So, seeing as how we have lovely little girls on the brain, today’s blog is dedicated to the princesses of the wedding world; flowergirls! As fun as the girls are themselves, shopping for their dresses, on the other hand, can be somewhat stressful. From finding something to match, to choosing the right size, more goes into it than you’d think! Here are some tips to make shopping for your little girl fun and smooth:

Not sure what you’re looking for? Flair’s designers have tons of variety and something for everyone!

1) Don’t wait too long to shop – You might think such a small dress would be quick to make, but most of our flowergirl dresses take almost as long to produce as their bridesmaid counterparts! So, you want to start thinking about ordering them around the same time as the bridesmaids’ dresses.
2) Allow for growth spurts – Just like with bridesmaids’ dresses, we take measurements of the little ones and then compare them to the designer’s size chart to choose the right size. Unlike with the adult dresses, though, we often recommend ordering a size up from what she is measuring now, in case of a growth spurt. If she doesn’t grow, you can always take the dress in or choose to leave it a little loose. Flowergirl dresses don’t need to be as snugly fit, and she may even be a little more comfortable with some extra room to breathe.
3) Be color correct – Traditionally, if the bride’s gown is white, then the flowergirl’s dress is also white, if the gown is ivory than so is the flowergirl’s, and so on. These days, though, flowergirl dresses don’t have to be just in the ivory/white family. There are tons of options if you’re looking for something a little outside of the box! If you want a piece of her dress (usually the sash) to perfectly match the bridesmaids’ dresses, though, then be sure to order some extra material at the same time you order the adult dresses, to ensure a matching dyelot. Some of our designers can even make the sash for you, so be sure to ask us if you’re interested!

Whatever you decide, be sure to give your little one the opportunity to try on her dress well in advance of the big day. Comfort is key with kids, so doing a little troubleshooting prior to the big day can ensure that she looks and feels great for her big walk down the aisle!

in Advice from Flair / Boston Weddings / Flower Girl / Flower Girl Dresses / shopping for a flowergirl dress / Tips from Pros 0 comments

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Groom’s Attire

Unique looks for your big day!

When we do our award show red carpet recaps, the men rarely (if ever) make our best dressed list. It’s not that they don’t look good; I’d happily stare at Ryan Gosling in a tux all day everyday! The “problem” is that it’s much harder for guys to make a fashion statement on the red carpet. In a sea of black tuxes and suits, standing out is hard to do. Grooms, you may feel like you’re in the same boat. We work with bridal gowns, we know how ridiculously gorgeous they are, and we also know that standing next to one is no easy task. It may seem like all of the attention is on the ladies, but it’s just as much your day too, guys, so why not do what you can to make your look stand out in the crowd! Here are some ways to amp up a groom’s look:

Whether you want to stick with a traditional look or go a little outside the box, our friends at Alton Lane on Newbury Street have you covered!

1) Goodbye plain, hello patterned – Patterns are a major trend in the bridal and bridesmaids’ world, and guys can get in on the fun too! Assuming it goes with the formality of the fete you’re throwing, a well placed striped or checkered suit is the perfect way to make your wedding look a wow! If you don’t want to go quite that outside the box, consider a traditional suit paired with a patterned shirt underneath.
2) Get pinned – Cufflinks are often called upon as a way of personalizing a suit, but sadly they’re pretty hard to see most of the time. Instead, think about buying a unique pin for either your lapel or chest pocket, depending on your boutonniere and/or pocket square plans. This is an easy and affordable way to really show your personality. From sports gear, to cars, to pets, there’s a pin out there for every groom!
3) Start with your soles – As us ladies know, shoes are one of the most fun ways to stretch your fashion muscle! Grooms, those shiny, black, almost plastic looking shoes that often go with tuxes are not your only option! Pop on a chic boot, oxford, or loafer for a modern upgrade to your wedding wear.

Want to go outside of the box while still ensuring that the bridal party matches perfectly? Pair your new pin or shoes with a Dessy Group tie from Flair! With tons of colors to choose from, there’s one to match any and every bridesmaid’s dress!

Happy shopping grooms!

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Bridal Belts

The perfect finishing touch to your wedding day style!

While wedding planning, you really start to appreciate all of the little details that set your big day apart from the rest. You’ve probably been to other weddings that had peony centerpieces, but none of them had your chic mercury glass vases! We’ve all seen our fair share of wedding cakes, but none had your custom bobble head toppers! In pretty much every area of wedding planning there is the opportunity to really customize it and make it your own. With wedding gowns, one of the easiest ways to do so is with a beautiful bridal belt! If you’re considering adding one to your look, here are some questions to ask yourself to help you find the perfect one:

Our girl AB Ellie has a belt for every bride! Oh, and jewelry, veils, straps, and more. Yeah, she’s pretty much a bride’s best friend!

To bling or not to bling? – You might assume that all bridal belts are just covered in crystals, but for those of you who aren’t looking for super sparkle there are plenty of other options. With lace, pearls, flowers, and more, there is a belt out there for every style and taste!
To bow or not to bow? – With most belts, you have the option to either tie it in the back or keep it clean and simple. If you like the look of a bow in the back, that’s nice and easy; belts come with extra ribbon on the ends for just that! If you’d rather not mess with tying anything, though, you can have your tailor either sew the belt into your gown or make snaps in the belt to achieve your bow-free look.
How much detail? – Some belts come with embellishments all the way around, while others have a small section of detail. Think about your dress from all angles and decide if a belt covered in embellishment would be too much, or just right!
What color? – In general, ivory or other warm-toned dresses go best with gold toned embellishments, while white gowns pair nicely with silver. While your belt and dress are separate pieces, they still have to work together, so try to keep this in mind as you shop.
How much do I want to spend? – The general rule is that more bling = more money. If you want to spend a little less, consider a belt that doesn’t have sparkle covering the entire belt, or opt for another kind of embellishment. If your gown came under budget, though, then go for it and up the accessories anti!

Need some guidance? Give us a ring to set up an accessories appointment at Flair!

in A.B. Ellie / Bridal Accessories / Bridal Belt / Bridal Bling / Bridal sashes / Wedding Accessories / wedding accessories boston / Wedding Dress Sash 0 comments

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Wedding Gown Care

Must Do’s BEFORE you put on your dream dress

If there’s one thing we know for sure it’s how important wedding gowns are to their brides. I mean duh, right? You save for them, dream about them, work out to look your best in them, and say your vows in them. It’s safe to say that it’s one of the most (if not the most) important articles of clothing you’ll ever buy. That’s probably why when most brides pick up their wedding gown, they hold it as if it’s a carton of eggs. While your gown is definitely tougher than that, we totally get it; you want to keep your beauty safe and in perfect condition until your big day! We know the last thing you want to do is blemish it right before you head down the aisle, so on the morning of the wedding, be sure that you do all of this prior to stepping in it:

We get it – if your gown is THIS pretty, you do whatever it takes to protect it! See these beauties at our Tara Keely trunk show April 15-17 🙂

Freshen up – Basically, anything that needs to be done in the bathroom should be finished before you get in your gown. Think about brushing/flossing, makeup/hair touching up, and yes, especially that thing that the bathroom was made for!
Hydrate and snack – We know you’ll be super busy the morning of your wedding, but you don’t want to be hit by a blood sugar crash as you’re saying your vows, so make time for a light lunch. If you combine that with a glass or two of jitter busting champagne, we certainly won’t judge
Steam and stain check – Pro tip – invest in a steamer! They’re not crazy expensive, and trust us, it’ll come in handy way beyond your wedding day! Either way, be sure to give your gown a quick once over for any stains or wrinkles you may not have caught earlier.
Get your Namaste on – Your wedding will involve a ton of standing and posing, so do yourself a favor and get some stretching in the morning of. It will help you relax and focus before the (fun) madness begins!

Tell us – are there any other must do’s on your wedding morning checklist?

in Advice from Flair / Boston Bridal / Boston Weddings / Bridal Gown Cleaning / Bridal Gowns / Bridal Gowns Boston / Tips from Pros / wedding gown care 0 comments

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Tara Keely Bridal

See what this amazing designer has in store for you this Spring!

Spring, we love ya. After every winter, we can always count on you to bring us budding flowers, (slightly) warmer temperatures, chirping birds, and more. Your game is re-birth and all things new, and we’re diggin’ it. That’s why we jam packed our Spring with tons of trunk shows. Sticking with the “new” trend, this Spring we’re beyond pumped to show all of our Flair friends what’s fresh and current in the bridal world. Up next, we have Tara Keely! Brides, Tara Keely is going to be your new BFF. She’s all about finding the perfect mix of sex appeal and elegance, which, let’s face it, is pretty much every bride’s dream! Here’s what you can expect from her brand new 2016 collection:

Go for the gold – Tara Keely used this STUNNING Ivory and Gold lace on a couple of her new 2016 gowns, and the result is pure, opulent beauty!

Seriously, that gold lace is the perfect pop of shine!

Give ‘em the hot shoulder – Only 1 dress in TK’s new collection covers the shoulders, so prepare for plenty of pretty décolletage and gorge over the shoulder photos. Swoon!

Style TK2600, we’re kinda obsessed with you. Modest sleeves with that rocking decolletage – swoon city!

Just a hint of lace – In the past, it seemed like bridal gowns either came covered in lace or without any at all. Tara Keely is here for all of the brides looking for something in the middle. A bunch of her stunning new styles feature lace accents mixed with other materials, for the bride who wants it all!

We’re liking this “lace light!”

Waists on waists on waists – Literally every gown in Tara Keely’s new collection hits the waist at that perfect, narrow spot that we all want to show off. Yeah, she’s got your back (and waist). Bonus: a bunch even come with a built in belt; an easy way to add some bling to your bridal look!

See what we mean? Tiny waist alert!

Want to see for yourself? Give us a ring to book your spot for this can’t miss bridal fashion event!

in 2016 bridal gown trends / Boston Bridal / Boston Weddings / Stuff We Love / Tara Keely / Tara Keely bridal 0 comments

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Maternity Bridesmaids’ Dresses

Bridesmaid + Bump = Beautiful!

I went to a fabulous baby shower over the weekend – it was everything you’d want in a shower. There was delicious food, gorgeous flowers, great conversation, and not a single gift was opened – yay! C’mon admit it, we’re all thrilled to miss that part, right? In addition, the mommy to be’s outfit was to die for. A chic three quarter floral length coat over a classic fitted dress that showed off her adorable bump; perfection! She made it look easy, but I know that dressing a pregnant body can be difficult. It seems that these days there is a pregnant bridesmaid in almost every bridal party! If you’re one, here’s what you need to know:
1) Be prepared to tailor – Even though we have a wealth of experience dressing and fitting pregnant bridesmaids, every woman is different and it’s always a bit of a guessing game. The hard truth is that we really have no idea what size you’ll be on the wedding day. So, our recommendation is always to order several sizes larger than your size at the time of order. After all, you can always take your dress in, but there’s less you can do about a dress that comes in too small!
2) The dress style that you can get is somewhat determined by how far along you’ll be at the wedding – The general rule of thumb is that if you will be 5 months or less, you can probably order a “regular” bridesmaid’s dress in a larger size. More than five months typically requires a maternity style. If you fall in the 5 months or less category, though, you’ll still want to choose a style that will accommodate your growing bump. Depending on the bride’s requirements, try to choose a flowy fabric over a stiffer one, and a fuller skirt over a fitted one.

Jenny Yoo's Serafina maternity dress is a great choice! It as tulle straps that can be tied a variety of ways, ensuring that you're cute AND comfortable!

Jenny Yoo’s Serafina maternity dress is a great choice! It has convertible tulle straps that can be tied a variety of ways, ensuring that you’re cute AND comfortable!

3) If you are due before the wedding – Ordering while pregnant when you know you’ll no longer be so on the big day is just as difficult. Don’t stress yourself by ordering the size you were before you got pregnant. At the very least, your bust will likely be larger than “normal” if you’ll be breastfeeding. Again, we recommend ordering large; you can always tailor it down if need be!

You don’t have to sacrifice style when you wear a maternity dress. Dessy style M428 has a top trend – lovely lace!

4) If you’re trying to conceive – The theme continues; order large and alter if needed! If you and your spouse are planning for a family, it can’t hurt to order a couple of sizes larger than your typical size to allow for a small bump. If you want to keep it hush hush, feel free to call us after your appointment to discuss. We can keep a secret 😉

Bottom line, ordering a maternity bridesmaid’s dress is no easy task, but we’re here to help! Give us a ring – we’re happy to talk you through it no matter where you’re at in the baby process!

in BM Dresses Boston / Boston Bridesmaids / maternity bridesmaids boston / Maternity bridesmaids dresses / pregnant bridesmaids 0 comments

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Bridesmaids’ Dress Shopping

The long and short of it

Wedding planning requires that you make a ton of choices (cue all brides saying: duh!). A band or a DJ? A buffet or a seated dinner? Write your own vows or use the traditional? There’s so much to consider, but luckily there’s really no wrong answer. Whatever you and your fiancé like is the right choice! When it comes to bridesmaids’ dresses, one of the first decisions you have to make is long versus short. If you’re in the middle of this “lengthy” debate, here are some things to consider:
Formality – In the past, the thinking seemed to be formal venue = long dresses. That’s not necessarily true. It’s more a question of the vibe you’d like to achieve for your big day. If you’re asking your guests to wear black tie, for example, then yes, long bridesmaids’ dresses are a must. If the men are wearing tuxes – long again. Basically, if you’re going for a super formal, black tie type of wedding, floor length dresses are your best bet. Other wedding styles tend to have more flexibility.

Our gorge bride Lexi had her wedding at the formal Oyster Harbor Club – so long bridesmaids’ dresses were a great choice for her big day! Photo credit: Molly Anne Photography

Weather – Having a July wedding? Do your girls a favor and highly consider short dresses. If you’re having a black tie, indoors (aka with AC) affair, though, you can still think about long. Vice versa for winter; make sure your girls aren’t shivering down the aisle and put them in long. Having a Spring/Fall wedding where anything can happen weather-wise? Then just choose what you like and cross your fingers!
“You’ll wear it again.” – Ahh, the classic bridesmaids’ conundrum. If having your girls more easily re-wear their dresses is a top priority to you, then you may want to lean towards short styles. Let’s face it; most of us have far more casual events on our social calendars then formal. Therefore, they’re probably more likely to have the opportunity to wear a shorter, more casual dress again.
Religious ceremony – Having a religious ceremony doesn’t necessarily negate one or the other length. It’s more a reminder that if you do opt for short, make sure your girls don’t hem them so much that they become inappropriate in your given place of worship. When in doubt, long is never a bad choice for a more traditional, religious ceremony.

Most of all, though, always remember what we said up top. There’s really no right or wrong when it comes to weddings. It’s the biggest day of your life, so above all else just choose what you like! Happy shopping, brides and ‘maids 🙂

in Boston Bridesmaids / bridesmaids dress shopping / long bridesmaids dresses / short bridesmaids dresses / Wedding Planning Tips 0 comments

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Wedding Tiaras

A modern take on the classic look!

On her wedding day, every bride should feel like a princess. Don’t lift a finger, have everyone fawn all over you, get dressed up…yeah, princesses and brides totally have the life! They have alot of fun things in common in the wardrobe department, too; a grand dress, perfectly styled hair, and killer shoes, to name a few. However, one classic princess accessory has gone somewhat by the wayside in the bridal world in recent years. Tiaras used to be the ultimate in special occasion wear but somewhere along the way I think brides started to find them a little, well…dated and over the top. Lucky for all of the wanna-be princesses out there, though, today there are tons of fresh, modern ways for brides to rock this look:
1) Flower crowns – I know, we’re getting dangerously close to these being over-done, but they’re just so darn pretty that we couldn’t leave them off of the list! They’re the perfect casual counterpart to the typical gilded style.
2) A lace headband – Alot of what makes most tiara styles a little “much” is their over the top sparkle. It can be a little heavy-handed, especially for a more laid back bride/wedding. Swap in lace in place of some crystals, though, and you automatically turn down the volume and create a more mellow, current look.
3) Fascinators – From one princess look to another! Fascinators are a chic, cool way to update the tiara look, and add a touch of Kate Middleton to your bridal style!

When in doubt, check out Elizabeth Bower’s crown collection! Every piece is GORGE, so you can’t go wrong! All of these beauties are sure to wow and will make any hairstyle wedding ready!

The Titania crown totally has “modern princess” written all over it!

Elizabeth Bower’s Budding Cap is the perfect blend of chic fascinator and traditional tiara!

in Boston Bridal / Boston Weddings / Elizabeth Bower / Uncategorized / wedding hair / wedding hair accessories / wedding tiaras 0 comments

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Gowns that Give

Amy Kuschel’s Philanthropic Program

Speaking from experience, I know how easy it can be to forget about the rest of the world when planning your wedding. It takes up all of your free time, and dominates most of your conversations. I, for example, totally forgot about my parent’s anniversary in the midst of my own planning haze. Face palm. I could have used a little reminder that while my wedding was certainly important, it was not the only important thing. Amy Kuschel has always done a great job of reminding brides of just that, with her “Gowns that Give” campaign. Talk about the best of both worlds! You get the gown of your dreams for your important day, while an equally important charity gets a portion of said gown’s profits. Look good, and do good; it’s a no-brainer! Here are some of the stunning styles that are a part of the program: