Boston Archives - Flair Boston | Wedding Dresses in Boston MA | Bridal Gowns, Bridesmaid Dresses, Accessories, Wedding Dress Cleaning

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Styled Wedding Shoots

A Bride’s (and Wedding Professional’s) Best Friend!

We love what we do. Bottom line, end of story. We get to meet the most kind, amazing, stylish brides, and our job hardly ever feels like work. After all, we basically get paid to play dress up all day long! Working with our brides and bridesmaids is amazing, but we are also lucky enough to work with some pretty awesome local wedding vendors. It’s important to us to get to know other wedding professionals in the area. Often, our brides will ask us for vendor recommendations and you can be sure if we give you a name, it’s someone we know, love, and have worked with before. Usually that means we have seen their work through one of our bride’s wedding photos, but sometimes we are lucky enough to get a closer look at their craft via a styled photo shoot. Yeah, that’s right, yet another cool, fun part of our job! Styled shoots are helpful to both vendors and brides. On our end, we get to know other wedding professionals in the area, show off our work, and get some phenomenal photos out of it to share with all of you! For brides, you get to see the full range of what we can do, and get a sense of our style and aesthetic. It’s a win win! Case in point: our most recent styled shoot. Get ready to drool over these stunning shots by the incomparable Sweet Monday Photography! If you need a photographer for your big day, you simply must call these ladies; they are sweet, fun, and amazing at what they do! Check it out:

Our Coren Moore flowergirl dress is almost as cute as the model! Photo credit: Sweet Monday Photography

Our Tara Keely style TK2450 is perfectly romantic and ethereal when paired with a floral crown! Photo credits: Sweet Monday Photography

Floral crown not your thing? Our classic, affordable chapel length veil is a timless choice! Photo credits: Sweet Monday Photography

We love the short dress trend! Whether it’s your all day dress or something to change into for your reception, our Amy Kuschel Jackie Lady Stardust dress is sheer perfection! Photo credits: Sweet Monday Photography

Other amazing vendors who worked on this shoot include:

Event Design: Lolo Event Design

Flowers: Poppy Floral

Makeup: Making Faces Wedding

Hair: Love Notes by June

Venue: The Mount

Rentals: Peterson Party Center

Suit: The Black Tux

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Making your Bridesmaids Feel Special

Be the Beyonce of Brides (aka the best)!

When you get to a certain age, it seems like your whole life rotates around weddings. When’s that shower? Where’s that bachelorette? We have HOW many weddings this year?! Not to mention when you’re a bridesmaid in one (or more) of those weddings. After the first one or two times being in a bridal party, the shine can wear off a little. So, when you get engaged, remember that while it’s your first time as a bride, it’s probably not your friends’ first time being a maid. Make your wedding stand out (and earn yourself an A+ bride rating!) by doing some special things for your girls throughout the process:

1) Ask them in style – The first interaction your bridesmaids will have with you as a bride is when you ask them to be in the wedding party, so do it right! You don’t have to go crazy (a Bridesmaids style invite complete with live butterfly is not necessary); a simple, chic, personalized card is a timeless approach that is sure to have them saying “yes!”

These ADORABLE cards (by fab local artist Holly Nichols) are available on our online site, Frills, and can be customized with different names/shoe colors!

These ADORABLE cards (by fab local artist Holly Nichols) are available exclusively on our online site, Frills, and can be customized with different names/shoe colors!

2) Plan a get together – Kick your wedding planning off with a bang by organizing a fun event for your girls! This is especially important if your bridesmaids don’t all know each other; it’s your job to facilitate the getting acquainted process. Take a cocktail making class, plan an outing at a local vineyard, indulge in a spa day…the list of possibilities goes on and on! It will be fun for everyone and it’ll show your girls that you care, which will get them excited to help you plan for the main event!

3) Take their opinions into account – This is a good idea across the board, but especially with their look. Think about creating a special “bridesmaids’ style” Pinterest board and give them access to add to it. Then, use their ideas as a jumping off point for your dress shopping trip. They will respect that you have taken their preferences to heart and will end up looking and feeling better for it!

Worried they'll have differing opinions? Jenny Yoo shows that it's OK (even beautiful!) to mix and match dresses and colors!

Worried your bridesmaids will have differing opinions? Jenny Yoo shows that it’s OK (even beautiful!) to mix and match dress styles and colors to suit each girl’s style!

4) Give them a shout out – The rehearsal dinner is the perfect time to make your love for your bridesmaids’ known. Most of the important people in your life will be there, so calling them out specifically is sure to bring a tear to their eye and earn you major bride points (and make up for that inevitable bridezilla moment that every bride has).

5) Be the wedding morning maven – By the day of the wedding, your bridesmaids will have done a ton to help you, so it’s time to let them know how much you appreciate all of their hard work! Order room service, bring in their favorite coffee, pop some champagne and create a fun, stress free getting ready environment full of gratitude!

6) Take your photos over the top – If you have time, talk to your photographer about doing special portraits with each of your bridesmaids. Also offer to have their significant others involved. If they can walk away from your wedding with a professional photo with you and their hunny (maybe even their families!) they are sure to remember you as the bride to beat!

Whatever you do, always remember that your bridesmaids’ whole lives are not dedicated to your wedding. Stay involved in what’s going on in their lives too and make time for non-wedding talk. Trust us, you’ll probably want to get your mind off the big day every once and awhile too 🙂

in Advice from Flair / Asking your bridesmaids / Boston / Boston Bridal / Boston Bridesmaids / Boston Weddings / Bridesmaids Cards / Bridesmaids Gifts / Jenny Yoo / Mixed bridesmaids dresses / Stuff We Love / Tips from Pros / Uncategorized / Will you be my bridesmaid 0 comments

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Unique Wedding Gowns

Easy, elegant ways to step outside of the box!

We’ve been back from Spring bridal market for almost a week now but we’re still in total swoon mode over all of the stunning styles that we saw there! We pinch ourselves every time market rolls around; we can’t believe it’s our job to watch fashion shows and buy pretty, new dresses for the showroom. It’s a tough job but someone’s got to do it 🙂 One thing we always notice at market is how bridal gowns are constantly evolving. There are so many options out there; wedding gowns can no longer be defined as just “a white dress.” For brides looking to break the mold, these days there are tons of gorgeous ways to step outside the box and wear something unique:

1) Embrace the rainbow! White can be tough color to wear, and if you’re not comfortable in it, don’t feel like you have to wear it. If an alternatively hued dress just feels more “you”, go for it! Check out these wedding dresses with color – still elegant and oh so bridal!

Blush pink is an easy transition for the bride looking for a little color! L to R: Tara Keely style 2510, the Opal gown by Blush by Hayley Paige and Theia’s petal gown

2) Think short! While the majority of wedding gowns are still floor length, every year we see more and more styles with higher hems. A shorter dress will be lightweight, comfortable and easy to dance in, and most of them are formal enough to still feel bridal. If you still want the long look for your ceremony, though, consider adding a removable skirt over your short dress, and get the best of both worlds!

Amy Kuschel sure knows how to make a pretty little white dress! Her Jackie Lady Stardust (left) and Mimosa (right) dresses are just stunning! Want to add some length? Jenny Yoo’s London skirt is perfection!

3) Change up the fabric! Lace still reigns supreme in the bridal world (for good reason – it’s gorge) but we’re so excited by all of the new fabrics we’re seeing these days. Completely beaded? Why not! Flowers? Sure! A traditional silhouette in a bold fabric is the perfect way to be unique but still look like a bride!

Theia is the king of alternative fabrics! Pearls and beads and petals, oh my!

Whatever you choose, just be true to yourself! These days, there is truly a style to suit every bride, so do your research and find what is truly “you”! Happy shopping 🙂

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Brides of Distinction 2015

A Day in the Life

If you follow us on Instagram (@flairboston) then you probably saw some photos from an event we did yesterday; the Brides of Distinction Brunch at the Omni Parker House! We’ve participated in this event for several years now and it’s always so much fun, for us and for the brides who attend! Basically, it’s a time for brides and their friends and family to come see the Omni’s stunning ballroom decorated for a wedding, giving them a good sense if the venue is right for them! How often do you get to see your venue decorated, in person, prior to booking? It’s SUCH a great idea! Even if some of the brides have already booked the Omni, it’s a great time for them to get a sense of the space and figure out how to make it their own on their wedding day! In addition, there’s delicious food and drinks, cakes to taste, fab vendors to meet and greet AND a fun fashion show, courtesy of Flair! Here’s how our day went:

How gorge does the ballroom look?? Fab flowers courtesy of Madison Floral and linens/chairs by Rentals Unlimited!

8:00 AM – Models report for hair and makeup – We are the luckiest girls; we have absolutely beautiful friends who offer to double as models for this amazing event! They got up super early on a Sunday to do this for us, and we are eternally grateful! We’re also majorly grateful for Alexandra Makeup Artistry and Bella Hair Studio for making the girls so glam and gorgeous! Brides, you MUST book them for your wedding! We had 8 models for this event and ALL of them looked absolutely perfect, so these ladies can totally handle your wedding party!

Alexandra (top left) and the girls from Bella (top right) are the BEST!

Here are some close ups of the fab hair and makeup!

11:30 AM – Time to get dressed! – The girls carefully climb into their first looks and get lined up for the start of the show. We’re full of excited nerves; we can’t wait to share these gorgeous looks with all of the brides and bridesmaids in the audience!

Check out the GORGE backs on some of our first looks!

Check out these babes in their first looks! Gorge!

12:15 – The show begins! – Our owner, Stacey, and local TV personality Jenny Johnson emcee the fashion show, giving the audience all of the important details on each style! They cover it all; the fabric, the fit, what wedding style each would be appropriate for and what body types should wear them. It’s a fun, easy way for brides and bridesmaids to “shop” for their dresses without having to try anything on! The cell phones cameras were snapping away; these dresses were a hit!

12:45 – Show’s over! – Each model quick changed into three different styles during the show; backstage was crazy but fun! At the end, there was a final walk through and then, in the blink of an eye the show was over! We loved being able to connect with all of those brides in such a short amount of time and in such a fun, casual environment. Also, working with all of the other amazing wedding vendors was such a joy, everyone there was top notch!

In total swoon mode over these last looks!

If you missed the brunch and like any of the dresses you see pictured here, give us a ring to come see them for yourself in the store!

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Wedding Registry

Check it off of your to-do list and win BIG!!

You’ve likely heard the phrase “if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.” We’re trained these days to look out for fine print, catches, restrictions, exclusions, etc. Don’t give up hope, though, great deals DO exist! Case in point: The Chestnut Hill Bloomingdale’s Wedding Registry giveaway! Here’s what you have to do to enter:

1) Register for your wedding gifts at Bloomingdale’s in the month of March (something you probably were going to do anyways). That’s IT!

See, we told you it’s a good deal! By simply checking registering off of your wedding to do list, you will be entered to win a prize package worth over $26,000! The goodies include a honeymoon package to Anguilla, a Marchesa gown valued at up to $8,000, a diamond wedding band set valued at up to $5,000, Marchesa by Lenox dinnerware, stemware and flatware valued at up to $2,720 and a $1,000 Bloomingdale’s Gift Card. We’ve got your attention now, right? Thought so!

The ONLY requirement is that you register for atleast $6,500 worth of items, but trust us, that is easy to do. You’ll hit that number before you know it! Ready to get started? Get your registry going online here or call 617-630-6044 to make an in store appointment. Happy shopping!

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Sports Weddings

Hit a home run on your big day!

It’s safe to say that everyone in New England has had sports on the brain this week. You may have heard about a little game called the Super Bowl…that we won. No big deal. Working in a bridal shop, of course we got to thinking about how to “marry” a love of sports with a love of pretty weddings. After some research, we found that there are actually a ton of (non-cheesy) ways to incorporate sports into your big day. Here are some of our favorites:

1) Table Numbers – Even Martha Stewart loves a good sports themed fete! We found these creative table assignments (photo courtesy of Liz Banfield) on her site. The calligraphy and rich stationery are appropriate for an elegant affair, while the text provides a fun twist! This particular table (or dugout!) was for the bride’s family. Adorable!

2) Cake Topper – In general, your cake topper is a great place to pop some personality into your big day. It’s relatively easy and inexpensive to customize the perfect set for you and your fiance! Do some research (we love Etsy for homemade, affordable toppers) and you can find some gems, like this clothespin style topper; it’s rustic, adorable and full of personality! If this couple can survive baseball season on opposite sides of the Sox-Yankees feud, they can handle anything!

3) Make an entrance – Of course you can always come running in with a jersey over your respective suit/gown, but we love the idea of you and your fiance running through the a football-like banner even more! How fun would that be?! It would definitely get your party started off right and is sure to be something that your guests have never seen before!

Thanks bridalguide.com for this photo courtesy of Joshua McCoy Photography!

4) Sporty Snacks – Let your guests know that you sleep, breathe and EAT sports! Bring in some classic sports snacks later in the night and your guests will be doing the wave just for you 🙂 Peanuts, popcorn, hot dogs…the possibilities are endless (and tasty)!

Big shout out to southernweddings.com for this shot courtesy of Mykkah Photography

Bottom line, your wedding should be a reflection of you! So, if you love sports, bring that to your big day! We think the crowd will be cheering for you 🙂 GO PATS!!!

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Wedding Shoes

How to Pick the Perfect Pair!

During our wedding planning, my now husband and I didn’t always see eye to eye. I’m sure you can relate! No, we can’t let every Tom, Dick and Harry have a plus one. Yes, we do need those big candelabras on every table. No, we can’t play hard rap during dinner. You know, the usual stuff. One of the biggest things my husband couldn’t understand, though, was the stress I felt over my wedding shoes. Direct quote: “But your dress is long, right? So no one will see them.” Oh silly hubs, that’s kind of beside the point. I will see them, I will know if they are fabulous or not, and my girls are obviously going to ask to see them! So, they have to have it all; gorgeous, comfortable, affordable and of course they have to go with my gown. If you’re feeling that same shoe stress, check out these tips before you shop (oh, and even better, Flair can get you all of the fab shoes you see below – we are an official carrier of the amazing Nina Shoes)!

1) Don’t stray too far from your normal – If you never wear heels, your wedding day is not the time to start. There are gorgeous flats out there. Trust me, I wore Louboutin flats on my big day! On the other hand, if you do wear heels, but you tend to keep them around 3″, don’t go higher on your wedding day. Even if your fiancé is super tall, you’ll hate how unstable and uncomfortable you’ll feel is those new 6 inchers!
2) Remember your venue – If you’re going to be on the beach, you’ll likely want to stay away from a heel. Sinking in the sand is not a good look on your big day! Same goes for grass; if you want some height consider a wedge heel that won’t let you down! Or if you do opt for flats, you can always have a back up heel ready for when you hit solid ground! For you Boston brides, keep wedges and flats in mind if you’re going to walk the cobblestone streets for your photos. Turning your ankle is not a good way to start your married life!

Now these are the perfect cobblestone shoes! A 2″ wedge; comfortable and chic!

3) Think of the weather – We’re in New England, so you never know what the weather will throw at you! Make sure you choose a shoe that will be ready for anything. If you want a sandal, try to go for a sling back style, or anything with a strap to keep your foot in place in the event you hit some rainy weather. Having a winter wedding? Always go for a closed toe, even if you find a peep toe you’re obsessed with. You’ll regret it!

Adorable AND ankle support, we’re sold!

4) Accessorize! – A little Dr. Scholls can go a long way! Most likely your big day will be the first time you really wear your wedding shoes, so a cheap, simple gel insert can do alot to add to your comfort and enjoyment!
5) Keep your gown in mind! – Sure, those pumps with the gold studs are hot town USA, but they probably won’t go with your traditional lace gown. While you can buy whatever you like, if you choose a shoe that is too different from the style and feel of your dress, it can make for a confused and distracting look.

We love the traditional style of this peep toe, but if you want something more unique get it in a fun color like this navy!

Most of all, try and buy something that you’ll wear again! Your wedding shoes are an investment, but they are one of the few things you can actually use after the big day! Don’t stress about finding dyable shoes to match to your dress, because when will you ever wear those again? Stay true to you, have fun, and you can always reach out to your Flair friends with any of your shoe stresses!

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Bridal Gown Preservation Boston

Because your daughter will definitely want to wear it someday, right?

Prior to your wedding, you will literally spend months making your wedding gown just right. You will shop for the perfect accessories, trek to multiple fittings and clear out half of your closet to make a safe hiding place for what is now the most important article of clothing you’ve ever bought. Then the wedding comes and all hell breaks loose. Want those pretty Public Garden photos? You gotta watch out for grass stains. Having a beach ceremony? Hello sand! The reception is ripe with horrors, too. Aunt Petunia is wearing a particularly scary shade of pink lipstick that is sure to stain. And red wine? Why didn’t we ban that?!

Now that’s a bride who had some fun on her big day! Photo courtesy of Chelsea Nicole Photography

The funny thing is; you won’t actually worry about any of that on your wedding day. You’ll be so engrossed in the enormity and importance of the day that nothing else will really matter. When does it matter? The next morning, when you wake up and see that expensive, gorgeous gown covered in stains. No bride is immune. No matter how careful you are, your gown will come away a little worse for the wear. Have no fear; your friends at Flair are coming to the rescue! We have recently partnered with a company and can now offer bridal gown restoration. Loose beading: tightened. Stains: Cleaned. Wrinkles: released. Basically, we’re bringing your gown back to life! Click here to learn more and to contact us and get your restoration started. It’s an investment that every bride should make; you’ll be so glad that you did!

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Wedding Cake Ideas

How to make your cake unique, beautiful AND tasty!

During the holiday season, our mind is focused solely on one thing: food. It’s unavoidable! With all of the office parties and holiday get togethers, we’re consuming way more calories than we probably should. However, we can make ourselves feel better pretty quickly. First of all, it has been so cold that a little extra “padding” might actually be beneficial to our overall health and well being. Secondly, gym memberships will most certainly be on sale come 2015, so we can kick back into gear then. Phew, now, back to the treats! Speaking of which, our food-centric brain got us thinking about the ultimate wedding treat; the cake! Wedding cakes are no longer just white and boring; they are a way to reflect your unique personality and sense of style. Check out these unique cake ideas and make your wedding cake a wow!

1) Back to the basics – It’s actually a big trend right now to forgo over the top cake decorations. After all, everyone tends to just pick off that pretty fondant, right? These “naked” cakes are unique, modern and gorgeous even without their usual trappings!

We LOVE the berries on this pretty cake we found on hitched.co.uk.com! If you prefer flowers, though, check out this stunner we found on Martha Stewart Weddings; gorge!

2) Painted and Pretty – If you prefer a more decorated look, but still want to do something modern and different with your cake, think about painted decorations as opposed to the usual frosting and fondant. Cake artists are artists, after all, and most can use their abilities to paint on your cake with edible “watercolors” to create a fresh, new look that your guests will love!

We are obsessed with the simple, easy watercolor feel of the left cake we saw on olofsondesign.com! And this black and white beauty we found on Colin Cowie Weddings is the epitome of modern elegance!

We are obsessed with the simple, easy watercolor feel of the cake on the left that we saw on olofsondesign.com! And this black and white beauty we found on Colin Cowie Weddings is the epitome of modern elegance!

3) Cakes with a shine – Your Flair friends have already told you that metallics are huge in wedding wear, but they are also a major trend in wedding cakes! Whether you take the metallic over the top or just as an accent, it is sure to take your cake to the next level! BIG shoutout to Flair friend and Boston based bakery Montilio’s for their stunning metallic edged cake that they made for Cheryl Hines and Robert F. Kennedy’s recent wedding. It was featured on People.com, no big deal! Way to go Montilio’s, it couldn’t happen to a better, nicer bakery!

The cake on the left (found on zerodecor.com) exudes simple elegance and we have NO words for the beauty of Montilio’s cake. It is sheer perfection!

Whatever you do, remember that your cake is another way for you and your fiancé to show off you love and personalities, so do your research and make your cake unique, special and oh so YOU!

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Pantone Color of the Year 2015

Pop the cork and add some Marsala into your wedding day!

We LOVE when Pantone announces their “it” color for the upcoming year. They are always right on point, and 2015’s color is no exception! Marsala is such a gorgeous, universally flattering color and you can work it into your life in a ton of ways. A wine colored handbag would add a chic pop of color to any ensemble. Or, how about marsala skinny jeans? Gorge! If you really love this stunning shade, though, why not take it from everyday to wedding day!

1) Marsala Mani and Manolos – Even if you already have your wedding wardrobe on lock, there’s still time to add some marsala to your wedding day look. A wine colored manicure would look simply stunning against a white bridal gown! Or, think about popping this hot color into your shoe; a fun, unique choice that you can definitely wear after the big day!

Skating The Issue by Essie is the perfect shade of Marsala! And these burgundy Manolos? We’re swooning!

2) Marsala isn’t just for drinking! – Though we love a good glass of red, if you want to add some marsala into your wedding cuisine in a unique way, consider it for your food, not your beverages. How stunning are these marsala cupcakes? And they’re delicious too; a traditional red velvet cake with dyed frosting to match. Simple and chic! Not a red velvet fan? Add some marsala colored blooms to your traditional white cake for a truly “wow” look! You can also play a more cheeky homage to the color of the year by offering a wedding classic; chicken marsala 😉 A true crowd pleaser!

Mmmmm marsala!

3) Marsala for your man – Guys are lucky, they can wait WAY longer than us girls before finalizing their wedding wardrobe, so you likely still have time to add some marsala to their look. We LOVE this wine colored bow tie, for example (it’s from The Dessy Collection and you can get it at Flair or Frills!). It looks great with this black tux, but would look just as amazing with a navy suit and suspenders! Or, along the line of your manolos, give your man a hint of marsala in his footwear with adorable, unique socks like these from Polo.

The options are endless girls, so have some fun incorporating this gorgeous color into your big day! Of course, it goes without saying that Flair also has a TON of bridesmaids’ dresses available in the year’s hottest color, so give us a call to come in a check them out! Cheers!

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