September's Bride

A Pretty Premiere Gift Bag Update

2010-01-01T14:51:00.001-05:00

If you have not yet registered for "A Pretty Premiere", you will want to do so this weekend!

Any 2010 bride who calls or e-mails to RSVP this weekend will receive reserved seats for our Fashion Show, hosted by Aletha of Pearls Events AND a fabulous gift bag.

Each gift bag will contain, among other surprises...

A $50 Gift Certificate to Second Floor Bakery
A Gift Certificate from Sondra's Ink
A Gift Certificate towards a Boudoir Photo Session with Amy Boeve Photography
A FREE ($185 value) gown preservation from Great Lakes Wedding Gown Specialists

This is The Event where you can see the top bridal fashions & trends of 2010 in a small, intimate setting. September's Bride is bringing some of the best vendors of both the Grand Rapids & Lakeshore areas together into our beautiful store.

I look forward to hearing from you this weekend and seeing you at "A Pretty Premiere" on
January 9!... Tami

Angelina Couture Trunk Show

2009-12-29T09:44:00.001-05:00

We have been having the most wonderful time unpacking and displaying the gowns in the Trunk Show from Angelina Couture. These are GORGEOUS gowns!

Now through January 9, you too can see these beautiful gowns, try them on, AND receive 10% off your custom order.

Here are a few highlights of the 2010 Collection:

A two piece gown :: a short lace cocktail dress with a removable silk ball-gown skirt.
A ball gown with pockets :: lace bodice and silk taffeta skirt.
Lots of ruffles :: one of my favorite gowns; silk organza with ruffles down the back.

Of course, you will want to attend "A Pretty Premiere" on January 9 to see some of these gowns modeled by our consultants and brides!

Grey & Yellow Weddings :: Revisited

2009-12-28T08:43:00.001-05:00

One of the most popular posts on this blog over the past year (according to my StatCounter) is when I shared some ideas on using the modern color theme of Grey & Yellow in a wedding.

So, I have put together another inspiration board with some additional photos and ideas for using this fabulous color theme. Of course, you will also want to consult the original post for some more details.

Just Engaged? Congratulations!

2009-12-26T15:25:00.002-05:00

A Pretty Premiere

2009-12-22T20:15:00.000-05:00

If you RSVP by January 2, 2010, you will receive a very special gift bag AND reserved seats for the Fashion Show. You may bring as many guests as you desire and reserve seats for your entire group.

Pretty Pics!

2009-12-20T16:14:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas to all of you! I will be taking a few days off to spend a few quiet days with my husband at one of our favorite Bed & Breakfast Inns.

Here are a few pretty pics of Rachel in a silk satin Justin Alexander veil, MEG Bridal Jewelry, and a great new veil by Jennifer Leigh.

Christmas Gifts for the Bride

2009-12-17T08:38:00.000-05:00

My wonderful husband, Jeff, proposed to me on November 29, 1991. It was the day after Thanksgiving and we had so much fun sharing the news with our families and friends that weekend.

A month later, it was Christmas; and I was blessed to receive many gifts that I was able to use in our upcoming wedding.

If you have a bride in your life who is planning a wedding in 2010; here are some gift ideas that I know she would appreciate:

1. Garter Set - splurge on a 100% silk garter for her that she would never buy for herself. We have styles to match every bride's fashion sense. ($12-$40)

2. Jewelry - she would love to open an heirloom-quality piece of jewelry on Christmas morning! Necklaces, bracelets, earrings; all made with genuine swarovski crystals and fresh-water pearls. ($30-$200)

3. Hankies - Our hankies are beautifully packaged and so unique! Embroidered with "Bride"; "Mother"; "Grandma"; and "Sister"; there is something for everyone. These would be just beautiful peeking out of the top of a stocking! ($12)

4. Wedding Gown Preservation - Perhaps you know someone who was recently married. Delight her with the gift to last a lifetime. Have her gown cleaned and preserved by Great Lakes Wedding Gown Specialists for her. ($150-$200)

At September's Bride, we know brides! Come in and speak with a consultant who will help you choose the perfect Christmas gift for any bride that you know! Of course, if you are a bride with your eye on something special, send your loved ones into the store and we will be sure there is something you love under the tree!

September's Bride...a fresh approach to formal.

Announcing...A Pretty Premiere

2009-12-14T10:29:00.001-05:00

A Pretty Premiere - January 9, 2010

Who :: Gather your friends

What :: A Sneak Peek at Bridal Season 2010

When :: January 9, 2010 ; Fashion Show begins promptly at 10:00 am

Where :: September's Bride; Downtown Holland

We are planning a fun morning for you. Aletha VanderMaas of Pearl's Events will be hosting a fashion show full of our favorite looks for brides, maids, and moms in 2010. Also joining us will be Second Floor Bakery, Walcott Imaging's Photo Booth, and Anne Pageau of Give Studio.

Mark this date on your planner now and watch the blog for further details and some fun giveaways in anticipation of A Pretty Premiere!

September's Bride...a fresh approach to formal.

MEG Jewelry :: Help the Children Fund

2009-12-11T15:19:00.000-05:00

Our dear friends, Rod & Meg Lammers, from MEG Jewelry took a trip to Ethiopia last month to meet the precious little boy that they are adopting!

While there, their hearts were moved by all the children and the many needs that they saw. Meg and I share a strong conviction that when we are blessed in our businesses, it is our responsibility to pass those blessings on to others.

Therefore, MEG Jewelry has designed three "sets" of their most popular bridal and gift jewelry. They will be donating 100% OF THE PROCEEDS of their sales of these sets to the Bethany Christian Services program detailed above!!

Any of these sets would be lovely gifts for any woman, whether or not she is planning to be a bride soon. These sets are priced to be affordable and lovely gifts and to give you a way to make your gift go even further during the Christmas season.

Set 1 & 2 :: $139 each
Set 3 :: $114 each

Any order placed by Monday, December 14 will arrive in time for Christmas!

September's Bride...a fresh approach to formal.

Trunk Show Coming!!

2009-12-09T08:04:00.000-05:00

At September's Bride, we carry some pretty fabulous bridal gown designers, most of which are well-known here in West Michigan :: Maggie Sottero, Casablanca Bridal, Justin Alexander, and the soon-to-arrive Essense of Australia.

What really sets September's Bride apart are our "indy" lines. Smaller and lesser-known designers that produce breath-taking and unique gowns. Lucious silks and beautiful laces that can often be customized easily because we are able to work directly with the designers. Lila Couture has been one of our favorite "indy" lines from the beginning; last year we introduced the "SB Exclusives".

Now I have another exciting addition to share :: Angelina Couture by Angela Padron. We met beautiful Angela and her handsome husband, Luis, at Chicago's Bridal Market this past October. Angela's pieces are all made of beautiful silk and the designs are thoughtfully articulated into perfectly wearable wedding gowns. She offers sleeves and modest bodices on all of her designs, too!

We are pleased to announce that we have over 14 gowns from Angelina Couture arriving at September's Bride later this month for a Trunk Show. You may see these gowns from December 28 through January 9 anytime that we are open. On January 9, we will be hosting "A Pretty Premier" which will include a Fashion Show with many of these gowns. (More information on "A Pretty Premier" coming soon on this blog)

September's Bride...a fresh approach to formal.

A Great Twist on a Great Piece

2009-12-03T18:16:00.000-05:00

More and more brides are opting to choose hair jewelry over a veil as part of their wedding ensemble.

Even more brides wear a veil for the ceremony, and then decide to change to fashionable and more comfortable hair jewelry for the reception.

This headband that Rachel is wearing above is actually the Bethany necklace by MEG Jewelry. Imagine wearing the piece as a necklace for the ceremony and then changing it to a headband for your reception and party!

So many of Meg's designs are meant to work this way; extending the life of each design beyond your wedding, too. Another reason we absolutely love MEG Jewlery and the designer, Meg Lammers!

September's Bride...a fresh approach to formal.

Fur Wraps, Boleros, & Shrugs for Bridal

2009-12-02T08:31:00.004-05:00

A winter wedding can be so beautiful and romantic! However, I hate to see a bride or her maids have to throw on a wool coat (or worse, a ski jacket!) over a beautiful gown while dashing between venues.

A much better option is to purchase OR RENT a lovely faux fur. At September's Bride, we have several sizes and styles available. This weekend, one of our brides reserved matching wraps for herself, her six bridesmaids, and two flowergirls! Imagine the beautiful photos.

We also have faux fur shrugs in a beautiful sable color, perfect for Moms and your Mistress of Ceremonies. Treat yourself and the special women in your wedding to a little laffordable luxury for your special day.

September's Bride...a fresh approach to formal.

Our Fall/Winter Photo Shoot

2009-11-29T20:07:00.003-05:00

Over the next several months, I'll be using some of the beautiful images from our recent Fall/Winter photo shoot with Amy Boeve in our advertising and on this blog.

Above are a few of my very favorites!

September's Bride...a fresh approach to formal.

3rd Annual Sample Sale This Weekend!

2009-11-22T21:59:00.004-05:00

Throughout the year, some of the designers that we carry will discountinue a few gown styles. When this happens, we will move that style to the "Sample Sale Rack".

Once a year, on Black Friday and the following Saturday, we host our Annual Sample Sale and discount these gowns even further, to make room for newly arriving gowns, and to give brides an opportunity to find a great gown at a great price.

We will also be setting up a rack for our Clearance Gowns, priced at just $39, $59, and $99!!

This Friday from 11 am - 5 pm and Saturday from 10 am - 4 pm. After this weekend, the Sample Sale gowns will go back up in price and the Clearance Gowns will get tucked away until next summer's Sidewalk Sale.

September's Bride...a fresh approach to formal.

Downtown Holland Holiday Open House

2009-11-17T15:11:00.004-05:00

Visit September's Bride and our fellow Downtown Holland merchants for our annual Holiday Open House this Saturday evening.

We will be featuring great stocking stuffers and gift ideas for brides and others who will be celebrating special occasions in the New Year.

We also are raffling off a pearl necklace by L.Stone Designs during the

Open House Weekend! (Friday & Saturday)

This necklace would make a lovely gift for any woman; it is not limited to brides. Raffle tickets are only $8 and all proceeds will go to the Lakeshore Pregnancy Center here in Holland.

September's Bride...a fresh approach to formal.

SB Bride :: Megan

2009-11-16T18:43:00.002-05:00

This is lovely Megan.

Although Megan did not purchase her gown from September's Bride, she did use our store and services for her some last-minute details.

Megan wore a beautiful Vera Wang gown, which is now on consignment at September's Bride. She told me that she "felt so beautiful in this gown that I want to give another bride the opportunity to love it as much as I did."

September's Bride...a fresh approach to formal.

Vintage Couture Collection :: Vera Wang "Una"

2009-11-10T13:12:00.005-05:00

Previously, I shared with our readers about our newest offerings at September's Bride; we call this our "Vintage Couture Collection".

This collection is made up of vintage gowns in excellent condition and once-worn high-end designer gowns that are on consignment through September's Bride.

Here is one of the newest gowns in our collection; this gown is from the Vera Wang Luxe Collection. The name of the gown is "Una". The gown is in ivory and a few alterations have been made to it; the neckline has had a piece of tulle added and buttons and elastic loops have been added to the very top of the back. The gown has lovingly and happily been worn once and will be professionally cleaned after purchase.

There is one small tear in an under-layer of the tulle that is barely noticeable. This is an exquisite gown. The original retail price is $9900; we are offering the gown for $3999. This price includes professional cleaning and steaming if desired, along with all the benefits of purchasing from a local bridal salon.

Measurements are as follows:

Bust :: 34"
Waist :: 29"
Hips :: Slightly full
Gown Length :: 55.5"

September's Bride...a fresh approach to formal.

Bridal Trends Part 3

2009-11-09T08:18:00.004-05:00

A few weeks ago, I shared two of the trends that we noticed at the Chicago Bridal Market, ballgowns and ruffles.

During last week's bridal shoot with photographer Amy Boeve, we styled several of our models using the third trend, Fun Necklines!

Scoops, halters, bibs, V's...there are more and more different necklines on the runways, dress forms, and models. The right neckline draws the eye to the wearer's face and, in my opinion, is one of the most important details to consider when choosing a bridal gown.

At September's Bride, we would be honored to show you some gowns with different necklines and work with you to find the best gown for your special day!

September's Bride...a fresh approach to formal.

SB Signature Looks

2009-11-05T08:26:00.002-05:00

One of the most fun parts of a photo shoot is putting together the entire look for our models. I love to coordinate gowns and accessories, adding some extra "bling" or a fun accessory.

This is not one of our pro pics, but a snapshot of Tiffany and Hannah.

Tiffany is wearing the "Reese" gown by Maggie Sottero. Tiffany is very petite and this gown doesn't overwhelm her figure, but does accentuate her curves. Even though the gown itself has alot of beading at the top, I added even more with the "Mae" necklace by MEG Jewelry and some drop earrings, also by MEG. Tiffany is wearing a long chapel-length veil with a scalloped edge and crystals by Jennifer Leigh. Our makeup artist and hair stylist gave her a romantic but sophisticated look to bring it all together. I love this look!!

Hannah is wearing a lace sheath gown with a flared skirt by Justin Alexander. The illusion neckline with ruffle at the throat just draws the eye up to Hannah's beautiful face. To keep the focus right there, we accessorized her with some of my favorite earrings ("Donna") by MEG and the "Holly" hat, also by MEG. The gloves, loose updo, and romantic makeup all contributed to the "vintage glamour" style.

Stay tuned for the pro pics; you'll be delighted!

September's Bride...a fresh approach to formal.

Bridal Inspiration!

2009-11-02T10:48:00.002-05:00

I love working with other West Michigan bridal professionals! The photos above are from last Spring's photo shoot with photographer Amy Carroll, makeup artists Julie Strating & Allison Bower, and florist Dee Mitchell. The bridal looks are by our own SB stylists.

This Wednesday, Allison, Dee, and I are teaming with photographer Amy Boeve for another bridal photo shoot. If you are looking for bridal inspiration or would like to see one of these wedding pros at work, you're invited to stop by September's Bride this Wednesday morning between 9 am and noon.

Each pro would be happy to talk with you about your wedding needs!

September's Bride...a fresh approach to formal.

SB Bride :: Jeni

2009-10-29T10:35:00.003-04:00

Here are Derek & Jeni.

Jeni was so fun to work with; she brought her grandma on her first visit to September's Bride and was so sure of what gown she wanted. Jeni added some MEG Jewelry and a veil of her own design.

September's Bride...a fresh approach to formal.

NEW! Vintage & Consignment Gowns

2009-10-26T18:01:00.003-04:00

It's no secret that I love vintage clothing, especially vintage formals & wedding gowns. I have been collecting them personally for several years. I've also had the privilege of restoring several wedding gowns to be worn by today's brides.

Now, we are bringing a small collection of vintage gowns to September's Bride for sale! Ours is the only store that I know of in West Michigan where a bride can purchase a vintage gown and still receive the "bridal boutique" experience, including fittings, alterations, and accessories.

In addition to this "vintage boutique", we are also offering a small collection of upscale once-worn designer gowns for sale. Think Vera Wang...Amsale...you never know what treasure might be found on our special upstairs rack!

There is truly something for everyone at September's Bride!

September's Bride...a fresh approach to formal.

New Veils Have Arrived!

2009-10-19T14:24:00.003-04:00

Shortly after opening the store this morning, we received a delivery of fabulous new veils from the lovely Jennifer Leigh.

These were some of the pieces that we chose when we went to Bridal Market earlier this month.

If you're still looking for the veil of your dreams, please come into September's Bride!

September's Bride...a fresh approach to formal.

Everyone loves a sale!

2009-10-13T20:00:00.002-04:00

In order to make room for the new 2010 gowns that will be arriving, we have moved some more of our current gowns to the "Sale Rack".

This means there are some new, great deals for you!

If you're shopping for a gown and you have not visited our store lately, be sure to stop in soon and check out these newly discontinued gowns.

September's Bride...a fresh approach to formal.

Bridal Trends Part 2

2009-10-12T07:41:00.004-04:00

Another trend that we saw at Bridal Market last week
is flouncy ruffles.

Ruffles?

Yes, they were everywhere! From the main-stream designers like Maggie Sottero to the higher-end lines, including Paloma Blanca and Justin Alexander, ruffles were the fun feminine detail that no one left out.

Last year, we saw layers of lace. This year, the layers became flounces made of organza, chiffon, and more lace.

The gown pictured here is "Amy" by Lila Couture.

September's Bride...a fresh approach to formal.