The Bride's Shoppe Great Falls, MT
  • Home
    • Blog
    • Our Story
    • Contact Us
    • Find Us
  • Wedding
    • Your Wedding Dress
    • Your Veil & Accessories
    • Your Shoes
    • Your Bridesmaids
    • Your Flower Girl
  • Prom
    • The Dress
    • The Accessories
    • Tuxedos
  • Tuxedos
  • Appointments
    • Book an Appointment & FAQ's
    • Alterations Appointments & FAQ's
  • Events
    • Bridal Extravaganza 2019
  • Buying Online

Your Rehearsal Dinner

9/5/2013

1 Comment

 
PictureRehearsal Dinner in a garden setting
The Rehearsal Dinner is an integral part of the wedding celebration.  It is a happy and relaxing time for family and friends, designed to bring people together and set the tone for the ceremony and celebration to come.

Traditionally, the groom’s family hosts the party.  They invite the immediate families of the bride and the groom, the
officiating clergy and spouse, the complete wedding party and their spouses or dates.  If there are out-of-town guests, they should be included in the evening’s festivities as well.

The Rehearsal Dinner is held immediately following the wedding rehearsal, usually the night before the ceremony. There are many places to have your event, from renting a room at a restaurant or museum to having a barbecue in your parent's back yard. What is most important is that your guests get a chance to meet you and your fiancé, and get to know one another. While the bridal couple and their parents usually sit at the head table, more and more couples are choosing to mingle with their guests.

As the host, the groom’s father makes the traditional toast to the couple and at this time he may introduce everyone if there is a chance that some guests are unfamiliar with those in attendance. This party is also the perfect time to present gifts to attendants, especially if the items given are to be worn at the wedding.

While it is a party, try to keep drinking to a minimum and make sure that it doesn’t last too long.  Every member of wedding party needs to get a good night’s sleep so they look their best at the main event the next day!

For more ideas of how to plan a lovely evening as prelude to your wedding day, call The Bride's Shoppe at 406-761-6338 or contact us through our website!

thanks for reading!

Michelle

1 Comment

Making Your Wedding Ceremony Special

8/10/2013

30 Comments

 
Picture
Today’s couple wants to let their signature style shine at their wedding, making the event a reflection of their personalities and relationship. The wedding ceremony is the perfect time to add special touches that have meaning to you as a couple, as well as your families.

Both religious and cultural traditions have a great deal to contribute to your wedding plans. Within the confines of your church or synagogue’s traditions, there is likely to be room for you to add touches that will make the ceremony even more meaningful.

Consider having ceremony hosts greet arriving guests at entrance doors.  Choose one from each family to insure having someone who is likely to recognize many of the guests as they arrive.  Instruct ushers to be cordial and make small talk with guests as they are
seated. Many couples opt to let guests sit where they choose, and post a sign stating, "As we join our lives together, please pick a seat, not a side!"

The unity candle is one of the most universal ceremonial touches in weddings.  To make it even more meaningful, consider having both mothers come forward and light one of the two individual candles symbolizing the two families that are coming together in this wedding. After the mothers have lit those candles, then the bride and groom step forward and take those two lit candles and light the larger single pillar candle.  In that moment, their two individual lights become one.

You might also consider a sand ceremony, where the bride and groom pour their individual sand into a single glass container instead of lighting candles.

As part of the ceremony, you may wish to observe a moment of silence for or a song played in memory of a loved one who isn’t there for your wedding.  Some
couples choose to have a small bouquet or single boutonniere placed on an empty
chair to represent the presence of a departed loved one.

If your wedding brings together children from previous relationships, consider giving rings or necklaces to the children of this new marriage.  They could be birthstones or diamond chips and should all be similar.  The symbolism of these rings for a new family is very
powerful.

As the ceremony ends, turn and face the audience and take a small pause as you begin the recessional.  Stop and hug your parents and say thank you.  Exit to special celebratory
music.

If you plan a receiving line at the ceremony site, include as many bridal party and family members as you like.  It is helpful to have the last person in the line hand out directions to the reception if it is to be held at a different location.

For more ways to make the ceremony shine as the central focus of the event,  phone 
 761-6338 or email [email protected]. We're always ready to share new ideas at The Bride's Shoppe!

Thanks for reading!

Michelle
30 Comments

Wedding Favors

7/11/2013

322 Comments

 
Picture
One small way to make sure that guests remember how special your wedding was is to make sure that there are special gifts for guest to take home with them. With today’s interest in personalized weddings, make sure that whatever mementos you select carry your names and wedding date.

For a spring wedding consider packets of flower seeds in glassine
envelopes with a message from you both that talks about growth and love.

Ordinary mints can be transformed into special packets when
wrapped in tulle and tied with ribbons matching your color scheme. Attach a message of thanks to each packet. 
Keep the ribbon ends long and place bunches of the packets in baskets for the guests to take come with them as they leave the reception. 
 




If tulle isn’t your thing, pack sugared almonds or mints or chocolates into small boxes. Personalize each box with a foil sticker bearing your names and wedding date and note of thanks.

More and more couples are creating CDs of their favorite music and providing them for guests to take as they leave the reception. I know this is something I would really like to receive as a guest!

If you are planning a photo booth at the reception, provide a small frame for each guest to use to take their photo home.

Some couples prefer a dessert station to a formal wedding cake and instead provide each guest with a tiny individual cake – boxed and ready for each of them to take home.

If yours is a destination wedding, an appropriate favor might be a luggage tag.  An outdoor wedding
may call for a small potted pine tree or a succulent plant depending on your location.

Whatever you choose, take this opportunity to share your joy and thanks with those friends and relatives who have come together to help you celebrate your new life together. For more ideas, check out our boards at
www.pinterest.com/thebridesshoppe  You’re sure to find lots of inspiration!

Thanks for reading!

Michelle


322 Comments

In the Bridal World, 2014 is just around the corner!

6/28/2013

1 Comment

 
Picture































I know we're only half way through 2013, but in the World of Bridal, 2014 is just around the corner! I already have my tickets booked for the National Bridal Market in Chicago, where we will choose all of next year's beautiful dresses for stock at The Bride's Shoppe. It's an exciting time! Designers have been busy creating next season's fabulous styles, and I love discovering all the new trends. I recently received a preview picture from Alfred Angelo, and thought I would share this gorgeous gown with you. It's a whole new definition of your "something blue" and I'm in love! This is sure to be on my list of favorites for Spring 2014 and I can't wait for it to arrive at our store!

Are you engaged? What is YOUR something blue? Share it with me here! 

Thanks for reading!

Michelle

1 Comment

Wanna know a secret? June has arrived!!!

6/4/2013

11 Comments

 
Picture
Okay, for many of you, June is the harbinger of summer, a time to relax, go on vacation, garden, swing in the hammock and read bad Harlequin novels. But I own a bridal store, so June means LET THE CRAZINESS BEGIN!!!!!! Seriously, ladies, do you ALL have to get married in June? I'm not complaining....far from it! But it's a bit of an eye-opener when you go from a week with 6 weddings to a week with 24! So while the rest of you are sipping lemonade on the porch, think of us at The Bride's Shoppe, coming in early to work to press bridal gowns and staying late to hem bridesmaids dresses. And if you attend a wedding this summer, remember to tell the bride she is the most beautiful bride you have ever seen...because it's true!

11 Comments

My name is Michelle, and I'm Addicted to Pinterest!

5/6/2013

5 Comments

 
Hello, my name is Michelle...and I'm addicted to Pinterest! To be more specific, I'm addicted to making Wedding Inspiration Boards on Pinterest! So far, I've found fabulous pictures for Lace and Shabby Chic Weddings, Red Weddings, Blush Pink, Pastels, Black & White, Country & Rustic Weddings, Coral Weddings, Cobalt Blue, Purple, Red & Black, All White Weddings, Citrus Lemon & Lime, Red, White & Blue Weddings, Lilac & Lavender, Cream & Neutral Weddings, Peacock Weddings, and even weddings with a beach theme...just to name a few! I even have a Disney Fairy Tale Weddings Board for all you princesses out there! If you haven't been on Pinterest, I highly recommend you check it out. You'll get great ideas for your wedding, and have fun making your own boards! Look for me under "The Bride's Shoppe" and start following my boards, or pick a few faves. I'm adding pins on a daily basis...the inspiration just keeps coming! Here's a few pictures to get you in the mood.... happy pinning!
5 Comments

Spring Wedding Inspirations

4/5/2013

3 Comments

 
I thought I would send some spring wedding inspiration your way, featuring some great photos I pinned a few weeks ago! I love the soft lilacs and roses, which give off a vintage vibe. Romance is in the air, and what could be more romantic than a Spring Wedding? Tell me some of your wedding inspirations and I will post the best here!
Thanks for reading!
Picture
Picture
Picture
3 Comments

Tony Bowls rocks our world!

4/3/2013

5 Comments

 
Some of you may not know that we carry Tony Bowls prom and evening dresses at The Bride's Shoppe. I discovered the line at National Bridal Market  this year, and fell in love, love, love with Tony's distinct style and unique fashion! Normally when we see a line at market, we are helped by a sales person. But when I walked into the showroom, there was Tony! I had him all to myself for 2 hours, and he helped me select each and every dress for our store! He told me many stories about how he came up with the designs, why he put an embellishment in a certain place, etc. He was such a nice, down-to-earth guy!  My favorite story was about my favorite dress (pictured below). Tony went to Europe and had dinner at the home (castle???) of couture designer, Versace. He loved Versace's dinner plates, so he took a picture of one. He added his special flair to the design by adding a wide cheetah border, and then had it made into a luxurious fabric! The result is this GORGEOUS golden gown! And guess what? After many months of waiting, the dress arrived in our store today! We will be keeping it in the back room, so if you want to see this work of art, just ask! Hmmmmm... now if I ordered it in my size, where could I wear it?
Thanks for reading!
M
Picture
Picture
Yours truly with Tony, in his showroom
5 Comments

Shower Curtain Magic

3/28/2013

9 Comments

 
Picture
Who knew a shower curtain could be so gorgeous? I saw this one at Bed, Bath & Beyond and knew I had to have it! Although it already had the feather boas and a few decorations, Dana blinged it out with all sorts of rhinestones and paraphanalia from the store and made it into a work of art! Look for our fabulous shower curtain sometime in the near future...it will be the backdrop in a French-inspired window display!

9 Comments
Forward>>

    Something Old,
    Something New

    Michelle is the owner of
    The Bride's Shoppe, which was started by her mother, Lucille, in 1970.

    Picture

    Archives

    May 2024
    May 2023
    November 2017
    December 2015
    October 2015
    October 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013

    Categories

    All
    Fabulous Displays
    Prom Hignlignts
    Wedding Inspirations

    RSS Feed

Home

Make an Appointment
Blog
Our Story
Contact Us

Weddings

Your Bridal Gown
Your Veil & Accessories
Your Bridesmaids
Your Flower Girl
Your Shoes
Your Tuxedos

Prom

The Dress
The Accessories
The Tux

Events

Bridal Extravaganza 2019

More...

Alterations
Buying Online
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
    • Blog
    • Our Story
    • Contact Us
    • Find Us
  • Wedding
    • Your Wedding Dress
    • Your Veil & Accessories
    • Your Shoes
    • Your Bridesmaids
    • Your Flower Girl
  • Prom
    • The Dress
    • The Accessories
    • Tuxedos
  • Tuxedos
  • Appointments
    • Book an Appointment & FAQ's
    • Alterations Appointments & FAQ's
  • Events
    • Bridal Extravaganza 2019
  • Buying Online