Everyone likes an Invite!

As you may know, here at Especially For You, we're not just professionals in bridal gowns, we also have a touch of creativity. This isn't the first stationery post that we've done, however it is the first invitations post we've done!!! Who's excited??? 

Most of the time we hear,"I dont want to waste so much money on invitations when people usually throw them away!". Well, in fact, they're wrong. Invitations are a massive part of planning your perfect wedding day. They set the tone and the theme for your special day and they determine which special friends and family you want there on the day.

"So whats the exciting thing" you ask? Well, here at Especially For You we help you design and then create you perfect wedding invitations for an amazing price! (we even give you a little poster so you can plan before you buy, check it out)

Today we want to show you how we make our invitations that suit your wedding theme, Maybe we can give you some inspiration and show you how much work goes into creating them behind the scenes.

Firstly, we take note of what style of invitation you'd like, for example portrait or landscape. Then what kind of colour you want the card to be, ivory, white, red for example. Next we will make up some samples for you, then we produce a proof for you to check. The only minimum order is your first order of 10 and then we produced how ever many more you need. It's that simple.

Depending if you want a card with the invitation in, we then next glue ribbon, or any type of accessory onto the card to make it relevant to your theme. For example, it could be a tag with "You are Invited" in the middle.

Now everything is glued on and everything is printed out, the invitation is ready for you to collect! Once we have created your invitations, we can then match them to anything else you want. We also design postboxes, place cards and setting plans etc.

Below are some other invitations that we have created for our lovely brides. Remember, our invitations are made 'Especially For You' and the theme of your wedding.

To find more of our invitations that we have created and designed, head on over to http://www.especiallyforyoubridal.co.uk/accessories/bespoke-stationery.html or our facebook Especially For You Stationery.

It's a good idea to book an appointment for our undivided attention but we'll always welcome walk-ins. We have alot of fabulous dresses on sale, so if you'er ready to choose your dream dress, then make an appointment now by calling 01772 785334, or leave a message and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

On behalf of everyone at Especially For You, we congratulate you on your recent engagement and we will be delighted to join you on your journey. We look forward to meeting you all.

Until next time, Laura Xx

SPRING SALE

You got it! Last week was the launch of our brand new 
*SPRING SALE*.

Bridal shops sales can be a saviour, especially if your budget is tight but you still want that gorgeous designer dress! Where else can you find THE ONE with a sale!! Thats right only at Especially For You! All of our gowns are cleaned and looked after on a regular basis. And they're not just unwanted dresses! When we choose our collection, we aim to have a wide range of different sizes and styles so that every girl has the opportunity to try what they want. And with the new collections arriving we find that the rails are bursting, so time to say a fond farewell to some of our much loved gowns. 

So, a spring sale you ask? Yes, a spring sale, we have a fabulous range of gowns for you to see as well as some stunning accessories available for a fraction of the original price! What more could you want? Take a look at some of our beautiful dresses we have in the sale below.

     This elegant dress is called Vicky. She is a stunning lace bridal gown with a zip back button with a beautiful flowing train. She is in stock in the colour Ivory/Gold in size 10. Original price was £1290, now £700.

This beautiful dress is called Ariel. She is a beautiful satin, lace and chiffon gown with an open lace inset in the train. She is in stock in the colour Ivory in size 12. Original price was £1200, now £600.

 This simple but elegant dress is called Audrey. She is the softest chiffon with a lovely pleated bodice and a soft falling full skirt and train. She is in stock in the colour ivory in size 16.

Original price was £1000, now £500.

As I said before, we don't just have our fabulous dresses on sale, we also have a wide variety of accessories. See below some of the shoes.

These stunning, vintage shoes are called Violet. She is a full lace shoe with a ribbon tie.

She is in stock in the colour ivory in size 7.

These plain and simple shoes are called Mia. She is a simple but very elegant shoe with a mid heel.
She is in stock in size 5.

To find more of our dresses and accessories that our on sale, head on over to www.especiallyforyoubridal.co.uk or our facebook Especially For You Longridge.

It's a good idea to book an appointment for our undivided attention but we'll always welcome walk-ins. We have alot of fabulous dresses on sale, so if you'er ready to choose your dream dress, then make an appointment now by calling 01772 785334, or leave a message and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

On behalf of everyone at Especially For You, we congratulate you on your recent engagement and we will be delighted to join you on your journey. We look forward to meeting you all.

Until next time, Laura Xx

Prom Time!

Prom is just around the corner, do you know what you're wearing yet? Oh the struggles of picking your favourite, glamorous prom dress, honestly it's such a big deal!

It's weird to think that 10 years ago, the UK never had proms, the most they would have was a simple disco at the end of the term and now more than 85% of schools in the UK have proms!

Originally, proms were only a major thing in America, They were times of firsts: the first adult social event for teenagers; the first time taking the family car out after the dark; the first real dress-up affair; and so forth. What were proms like back in the day you ask?
Well, in the early 1900's prom was a simple dance where high school seniors wore their best Sunday outfit. Later in 1920's and 1930's, prom expanded into an annual class banquet where students wore party clothes and danced for ages afterwards. See picture below:

Source: google - 1920 and 1930 proms.

In the 1950's, America gained more money and proms became more extravagant and elaborate, sharing similarities to today's proms. Competition's blossomed, as teens strove to have the best dress, the best transportation and the best looking date. Competition for "Prom King and Queen" became very important because of the popularity that was behind it. See picture below of a 1950's prom.

In the 2000's, many secondary schools in the UK held a "Summers Ball" to celebrate the end of term or a "Leavers Ball" to celebrate the end of the last 5 years at that school. Schools in England usually hold their prom at the end of Secondary education in Year 11 just after their exams have taken place usually in June or July and occasionally at the end of sixth form for those who have continued school. See picture below.

Now, going back to the start of this blog, prom is just around the corner, do you know what you're wearing yet? 

Well, lucky enough for you, Especially For You are happy to announce that our new range of prom dresses have arrived! What more can you want than to start looking for dresses at our shop with a complete new range?!

Take a look at the pictures below to see some of the new dresses we have available.       

Let's start off with this beautiful, stunning fishtail sequined dress that is available in a range of colours. This dress is part of our collection, it shouts glam and is comfortable for prom, perfect! We stock this dress in Rose Gold, Silvercee and Platinum but available to order from 8 colours. This stunning dress is soft, flowy fabric with a stretch which is also available in a variety of colours. It shouts elegance and is perfect to walk in for prom! We stock this dress in Lilac and Purple.

       

Lastly, this is a beautiful elegant but glam dress which is available in many colours, perfect for prom! We stock this dress in Matte black and Plum.

Its a good idea to book an appointment for our undivided attention but we'll always welcome walk-ins. Prom is just around the corner and you don't want to leave it too late as the last orders for prom are the end of February and we will only sell one of each style to each prom event, so be the first to choose yours. So, if you're waiting to find your perfect dress for the perfect prom night then make an appointment now by calling 01772 785334, or leave a message and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. 

We look forward to helping you find the perfect dress.

Until next time, Laura Xx

NEW YEAR SPECIAL

Every bride should enjoy the experience of selecting her wedding gown, and what better way to do it with a January sale!

So whats that you see?! A new year special?!?! Thats right, our January sale has now arrived from 5th January straight through to the 21st January! I know you've all been waiting to see what special offer we've had planned over new year. Everyone loves a good January bargain, so here is your chance to grab yourself your dream dress.

What's the special offer you ask? Make an appointment and take a look at our beautiful range of dresses.Our sale dresses are still elegant and beautiful with gorgeous detail.
If you choose a dress with a Fuchsia Pink ticket then you can take 50% off the original price! What a bargain!!
The offer doesn't just end there, if you choose at dress with a Fuchsia Pink tab on its ticket then you can take 25% of its original price. What more could you want? This is good news for you because it means that you can have your dream dress at an amazing price. But hurry soon, the offer ends Saturday 21st January! So get down to the shop and pick out your dream dress! 

Below are some of our sale dresses. For more sale dresses, head on over to our website: http://www.especiallyforyoubridal.co.uk/ where you can find your dream dress.

                          
This beautiful, elegant dress is called Betty, She was part of the Pure range. She has a stunning French type lace with an illusion neckline finished with a slight train. This gown is only available in Ivory, size 16.
                               

This stunning, simple dress is called Paige. She was part of the Pure range. She is a beautifully simple tulle dress, with the beaded detail on the bust accentuated by the pleated tulle band just below. This dress is very light and easy to wear, with also a very manageable train length. This gown is only available in Champagne with Ivory size 14. 

                               

This beautiful, beaded dress is called Mia, She was part of the Romantica range. She is an organza dress, fitted all the way down through the hips, giving it a long bodice. The skirt of the dress flows beautifully into a long, manageable train, with a lace-up back. This gown is only available in White, size 14. 

It's a good idea to book an appointment for our undivided attention but we'll always welcome walk-ins. Our new year special is only here for 2 more weeks, so if you're ready to choose your dream dress, then make an appointment now by calling 01772 785334, or leave a message and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

If your christmas or new year was exciting and special with proposals then on behalf of everyone at Especially For You, we congratulate you on your recent engagement and we will be delighted to join you on your journey. We look forward to meeting you all.

Until next time, Laura Xx 

DOUBLE DESIGNER WEEKEND!

We haven't had a designer weekend here at Especially For You for over 18 months, due to the fact the sample dresses are all size 10's!! Small sample dresses are no use to us, we want sample dresses that all our brides have the opportunity to try. So this time we're doing things a bit different. Our DOUBLE DESIGNER weekend on Saturday 22nd & Sunday 23rd October will feature the Silhouette range from Romantica, a range designed for girls with curves. They're still beautiful with gorgeous details, and just because you're not a size 10 doesn't mean you can't have the dress you've always dreamed of. Often we find our brides want to cover their arms, for whatever reason personal to them. This is no problem for us as we're not just a retailer, we're seamstresses as well. We can alter, add or take away any details you like. Sleeves, straps, buttons, lace ... you name it, we can do it!

Why double designer weekend you say?! Because we're not only featuring one new range for 2017, but two! Our second range is from Pure, modern yet classic and affordable. This designer is not exclusively plus size, but all sizes are available. So, if you're looking for a down to earth experience, with chatty and friendly staff then we're for you. Or if you simple want to take advantage of our 15% discount to celebrate our 15 years in business. 

It's a good idea to book an appointment for our undivided attention but we'll always welcome walk ins. Both collections will only be here for the few days, but don't worry if you can't make Saturday or Sunday because the gowns will be available to try from Thursday onwards. So if you are ready to choose your gown, you can make an appointment by calling 01772 785334, or leave a message and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. We look forward to meeting you all!

And don't forget a lucky sixpence in your shoe ...

Here at Especially For You we don't just find girls their dream wedding dress, we many other aspects also. We're a talented and creative bunch here at Especially For You! Many people aren't aware that we also offer Bespoke stationery. If you pop into the shop we have many styles on offer, once you've chosen a style we'll make you a sample in your chosen colour scheme. Here's a few examples of what we have to offer.

* Day & Night Invites * Save the Date cards * Table Plans * Place cards * Postboxes

There's so many things needed for a wedding that many can be easily forgotten. A lucky sixpence for your shoe, for example, or a garter. Especially for You has every little detail covered for you.

* bubbles * car bows * handbags * garter * sixpence * ring pillow * confetti * travel boxes 

* jewellery 

We can also put you in contact with a dressing service if you're looking for peace of mind on the morning of your wedding. She'll be there to dress you and the bridal party. Lacing up a wedding dress can be a difficult task if you're not used to doing it and having a well laced dress will show your figure off better. She carries a sewing kit with her for any unfortunate dress mishaps. 

Carole’s Corner August 2016

Is it really that long since I last posted in Carole’s Corner? Time flies when we are so busy getting all those dresses ready for excited happy Brides.

Thought I would tell you the story of a dress, from choosing to wedding.

There are trade shows up & down the country but the one I prefer to attend is in Harrogate, it used to be twice a year but is now just once in September. I know at lot of the other shop owners and there is quite a lot of partying to do over the few days we are there, need to catch up with old friends and always new ones to meet, so there is a fair bit of this going on. 

At these shows there are thousands and thousands of dresses to choose from & many hundreds of different designers.  This is just a small section of one of the trade shows.

 Then down to business & picking out our next collections, we can’t just pick out odd dresses from any of the designers, we have to consult the ones that we like to see if there are any existing stockists in our area and if not then we can open an account with said designer. Each designer will have their own rules, but for the majority, we will have to order at least 6 or 8 dresses to start the account, then each season (twice a year) we will have to order another 6 or 8 dresses from the same designer in order to keep the account and be able to place our customer orders. These are not customer orders but ‘stock collection’ orders and our customers will place their orders from these dresses.

So, lets take one dress from one of the trade orders. 

The order is placed after deciding what size & colour we would like to have it in and that usually takes around 12 to 16 weeks to arrive in stock. When she arrives she will usually need pressing then labelling with her name she is going to be known by in our collection, then on to the rails she goes. Then she is added to our website and usually on to our Facebook page and she will have her turn in the window from time to time. She will also be tried on by our models to see which of our lovely girls will be wearing her on the catwalk shows.

Customers who choose her will place their order with a 50% deposit and then we will place the order with the designer, the cost of a customer order is just same as a stock collection order. She may be chosen by several customers, therefore I will have to order in several different sizes, or she could sit on the rails with no one choosing her :-( we all have different tastes.

Eventually, usually after maybe two years, the designer will decide to discontinue making that style and she will be reduced and placed on the sale rail. Then one day a Bride will come along and it will be her perfect dress, what’s more, it will be at a bargain price, making the Bride-to-be happy and me because that will make room on the rails for the next collection.  She then either goes into our storeroom or home with the Bride until it is getting closer to the wedding date and the Bride will come into the shop a few times for fittings. In between fittings she will be in the sewing room having her alterations made so that she is a perfect fit for her big day, then she will be cleaned if needed. A couple of days before the Bride wants to collect her ready for her big day she will be pressed & steamed so she is looking her pristine best for her debut.

And so the cycle goes on, just a few minutes ago a parcel arrived with two new dresses for our collections, these are for the 'Curvy Girls' collection and I chose these when a rep called at the shop a few months ago. And in a few weeks time I will be making my next trip to Harrogate to choose next year's collections (and have some nights out as well of course.)

Until next time, Carole x

How Fascinating!

Why are fascinators called fascinators?

1885 crochet fascinator

The noun fascinator had long had an association with headgear and in the 19th and early 20th centuries a fascinator referred to a lightweight knitted or crocheted headscarf as evidenced in various novels of that time. It seems the word comes from the latin "fascinatus" meaning "to bewitch, or cast a spell on". The English language verb "to fascinate" means "to attract and hold attentively by a unique power, personal charm, unusual nature, or some other special quality; enthrall", "to arouse the interest or curiosity of; allure" or "to transfix or deprive of the power of resistance, as through terror".

What's a hatinator?

The term hatinator, which emerged in the early 2010s, is used to describe headgear the combines the features of a hat and a fascinator. This particular style of headgear favoured by Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, is sometimes described as a hatinator.

As this was chosen to be appropriate for the headpieces worn by ladies, clearly we cannot fail to impress when we do wear one - so what are you waiting for? Whether you have a wedding to attend as a bride, mother of the bride, mother of the groom, a wedding guest, bridesmaid, perhaps you have a day at the races to attend coming up, a hen weekend, a dinner dance, a ball, a party - whatever the occasion, a fascinator will complete your outfit and we have we have a vast selection for you choice here at Especially For You! One of our fascinators will "enthrall, allure and transix" those around you!

In the little video you will also see that we have unique hand made 'Congratulations' cards on our wall of fascinators.

Bridesmaid colours!

Choosing the colour of your bridesmaids can be a very challenging task, especially if your other half has a different idea than you do. There's also the consideration of whether your chosen colour will suit your maids and whether they even like it. Many brides pick their colour based on the time of year they are getting married, for example, in summer you'll find brights and in the autumn you'll find more subdued tones. However, this doesn't mean you have to follow these rules and be traditional. It's your wedding day! If you've dreamed of a bright hot pink wedding since you were a little girl, choose hot pink! Even if it means your groomsmen won't be the happiest wearing a pink tie, I'm sure they'll cope with it when they see how joyful you are on your big day. Ultimately, you need to pick the colour you want. 

This blog features a few of our past brides and the colours they chose, we personally think they look stunning. 

Cocoa - a very sophisticated colour. If you're looking for a very elegance, maybe vintage looking wedding then this is a perfect colour. It just strikes of class. a very flattering and feminine bridesmaid colour. 

Bright purple - A wedding color staple, purple is just as popular as ever, but we love this rich tone, helping to spice things up a little. A great color which would suit spring and summer.

Mint green - a fresh, spring like shade. It will definitely add vibrance to your big day!

Light beige - a lovely neutral colour, we've found many brides picking neutrals recently. It's very soft and elegant, like the cocoa above. The upside of picking a neutral shade is that you can have any colour in your flowers and they'll always complement each other. 

Blues - all different shades of blue are popular at the moment. Many brides have one colour blue for their bridesmaids and use many different shades of blue within their colour scheme. This can make things a little easier as you don't have to match everything to one specific shade.

Orderly tiaras

For a while now we've wanted to find a better way of displaying all our tiaras in a more presentable way. We have had them laid out on tables, but they just looked messy. Then we had tiara stands (they looked a bit like something that would have sunglasses on - but wooden) but they were impractical for side piece tiaras, as they wouldn't balance properly. We needed something a bit prettier, perhaps to tie in with our purple colour scheme, overall something a bit more presentable.

THEN, Carole had a brain wave. We needed a wall of tiaras. But how? It would have been ideal to be able to push the tiaras onto columns to just show the detail, and so they didn't stick off the wall too far. So work started on creating our new Tiara stand.

We acquired pipes which were roughly the
right size and then padded them out.

A long and painful process... 

Testing was carried out to decide how many
columns we could fit in.

We then hand sewed on the purple fabric,
 to match our colour scheme.

The finished stand in situ which is working well and pleased we made it.

 

A close up view. This has now got our tiaras in easy view and separated into
Reduced/Central/Asymmetrical for easy selection.

TOP TIPS FOR PICKING OUT A VEIL

1. So how do you decide which one is right for you? Firstly, we’d recommend that you choose your style of bridal gown before you set your heart on a particular headpiece, as the veil is an accessory that should enhance your gown, rather than detract from it. For example, if you have a lace or beaded dress, look for a veil that compliments those elements.                                              
2. Take your venue into account. If your ceremony is taking place in a large, elaborate church, you may want to consider a dramatic, long veil. Alternatively, if you’re getting married outdoors during a windy season, it’s best to opt for a veil that’s shorter in length. This will prevent the veil from blowing too much or even flying away and getting damaged.                              
3. Keep your hairstyle in mind. Most veils work well with down hairstyles. But if you’re planning on a more intricate hairstyle, choose a thin or sheer veil that won’t completely conceal your hair. Whether you’re doing your own hair or getting it done by a professional, it’s a good idea to practice placing and fastening your veil before the big day. It’s a good idea to come to one of your fittings with your hair done like it would be on the day, then you can pick the best veil to go with your hair style and you’ll get an idea of the full look.

A Dress with a Statement Back

A breath-taking ornate or sheer illusion lace back is a popular trend. We recommend a one tier veil, with possibly simple detail on the edging. There’s no point in spending a lot of money on a dress with a stunning back if you’re just going to cover it up with a thick veil. Think sheer and chic. Many of our brides come into our shop not wanting a veil but after showing them an elegant one tier, they change their mind. A veil can simply finish off the bridal look for many brides.

The Vintage Look

Birdcage Veil

Birdcage veils are great if you’re going for the vintage look, especially paired with a short tea-length dress. Birdcage veils are short veils that are typically made out of netting. They only cover a portion of a bride’s face and fall above the chin. Fly-away veils also give you that vintage look but they make more of a statement and offer more volume than birdcage veils, a fly-away veil falls at or below the shoulders.

Traditional Look

Chapel veils fall at the ground or a couple of inches beyond a bridal gown. Even though I've called this the 'traditional look' I don't mean a traditional church wedding, these veils give you the traditional bridal look but can look stunning in any venue.They're definitely statement pieces and instantly create a dreamy, romantic feel. Veils at or beyond chapel-length are often removed after the wedding ceremony (and before the reception) so that a bride can walk and dance with ease. So take this in mind when choosing the length of your veil, do you want your night guests to see your whole look? Chapel length veils are perfect for brides that want to have a beautiful silhouette as they walk down the aisle. They can be an affordable way to dress up a simple, inexpensive gown, as a long wedding veil is always stunning and eye-catching, even if it isn't encrusted with crystals.

One of our brides showing off a stunning long veil!

If we haven't mentioned the look you're going for here, simply pop into the shop and we'll advise you on what we recommend. If you're not one of our brides, it's a good idea to bring a few photos of your dress and the details on it. This will help us get a perfect match for your dress and veil. I've included a few pictures below of some of the veils we have in stock.