Strut Bridal

Meet Amy, Our Smallest Strut Bride

Amy found her dream wedding dress in a magazine and, like many brides, went to the manufacturer's website to see where she could find it locally. And Strut was the only store in the whole state that carried her gown. So she brought her mom to our wedding dress store back in May. We pulled a few other possible gowns, but Amy only had eyes for this one:

It's a very dropped waist gown that features a sweetheart neckline, ruched bodice, and incredible flower and ruffle skirt.

It's that stunning?! Because of all of the taffeta layers, the dress is a bit heavy, but it also has "seatbelts", the built-in straps to help hold it up. Amy and Tim were married December 9th. 

Because Tim is in medical school in New York, Amy is relocating, and we wish them both the best!

Happy Holidays! Strut Is Closed for a Long Weekend

To celebrate the holidays and allow our staff time to spend with their family and friends, Strut will be closed December 24-27th. We'll be back open on Wednesday, December 28th. We wish all of you a Merry Christmas!

Strut Listed in Brides Magazine

We were flipping through the December Brides magazine and came up an ad that listed us! Usually retailers pay to be listed on wedding dress brand ads, but we didn't, and were tickled pink (Strut pink, of course) to be chosen!

This super fitted lace fit-and-flare gown is from the their Spring 2012 collection. We have it in our Phoenix store and love it. Many times brides want a lace gown for a vintage or romantic look. Lace can be tough for a plus size bride to wear because it is soft, not structured, so it tends not to provide much coverage over curves. But this lace wedding dress has a sturdier lining, so it covers tummies better.

The lace train is gorgeous, and we love the vintage-looking beading at the waist. You need to see it in person to really get the details! Don't love the dark ribbon belt? You can order it in ivory or just remove it entirely. 

Give us a call if you'd like to try on this lace wedding gown!

Wedding Dresses with Feathers

It's true--while wedding dresses with ruffles and flowers on the skirt are big, feathers are making a statement of their own. As the December Brides magazine spread noted, it's good to feature feathers on just one thing, like the dress or a killer handbag, instead of going all-out. Here are some of their picks:

We, too, love feathers and bought this gorgeous plus size wedding dress with pickups and feathers:

It should be in our Phoenix wedding dress store around mid-January. We can't wait--we love the dropped waist, ruched bodice, and light organza skirt. 

We also love feathers for prom 2012 and bought this awesome plus size short prom dress in black.

Although it looks like a super short mini prom dress, we promise that, unless you're 5' 9", it's really not that short!

Give us a call if you'd like to see either dress!

When You Need a Wedding Dress In One Day...

Bride Jen visited Strut earlier this fall with an unusual request--she needed a plus size wedding dress for her nuptials the very next day. Gulp. That can be tough to do because wedding gowns almost always need alterations, which often can't be done that fast. 

But lucky for us, Jen was getting married in a dance studio and she actually wanted an informal wedding dress. And lucky for her, we had just the thing!

Jen found a fun, knee-length tulle gown. It featured a ruched bodice and flirty tulle skirt. Jen added the fun flowers at the waist and a bolero to cover her arms.

We think she looks beautiful! And, as we know that Jen is crafty and makes wedding hair pieces that she sells on Etsy, we just bet she made her awesome flower for her hair!

Congrats, Jen!

Anna Marie--She Calls Herself an Older Bride, But We Say Age Is Just a Number...

Anna Marie stopped in to Strut with a girlfriend this past summer. She needed a wedding dress off the rack for her upcoming nuptials. But she specifically wanted a wedding gown with straps or sleeves to give her a bit more coverage. She called herself an older bride, but look at the pure joy on her face below. We think it proves that love is timeless!

Here she is with her beloved, Bernard. Anna Marie is wearing an ivory satin aline wedding gown with straps. It was one of our favorites in the store because of the lace applique on the sides and the universally-flattering asymmetrically ruched bodice.

We love her light pink roses with the greenery and the pearl end pins in the stems. Recently Anna Marie sent us this note:

Ann--The dress was so perfect. As an older bride, I wanted a dress that was beautiful and that felt right for me. The dress from Strut met all my requirements. I am attaching some pictures, and wanted to thank you for Strut making finding my wedding dress such a wonderful experience--especially working with you to find the right one.

Sincerely,

Anna Marie W.

Congratulations to you both. We hope life brings lots of great surprises to you both (and that there's a camera to capture this same priceless look on Bernard's face!).

What a Million Dollar Wedding Dress Looks Like

Twilight star Nikki Reed recently married American Idol singer Paul McDonald in October in California. But did you know that her dress reportedly cost over one MILLION dollars? Check out the photo, and then the breakdown of the cost:

Her gown was made of silk, which costs more than synthetic fabrics. It also took more than 100 hours of hand stitching to fit her fit-and-flare wedding dress.

While center of the bodice featured a 5 carat Tacori diamond, that giant rock was surrounded by 12 pear-shaped stones. The 12 diamonds supposedly symbolized the months of the year and the circle of life (slightly ironic for a woman who got wealthy playing a vampire that lives forever, right?). All in, there were 30 carats on center of her bodice alone.

Finally, the back of her wedding dress featured 1-- diamond buttons. Because silk covered buttons just wouldn't do, Nikki's dress had over 105 carats down her back and to the end of the 6 foot train.

So, what do you think? Over the top or elegant? And do you think she owns the dress or just borrowed the stones from Tacori? Did you love or hate the design? Leave us a comment below!

Top 5 Reasons Why Bridal Bouquets Are Expensive

We've talked a lot about wedding flowers over the last few weeks and want to end our series with some information on just why wedding bouquets are so pricey. We know, wedding flowers, including the bouquet, are one of the top areas for which brides and grooms get sticker shock. We asked local wedding and event florist Karen Bever of bokay to fill us in. Here's what she said:

Your wedding flowers are created just for you with a custom feel and look that helps make this day unique to you. When you consult with your floral designer and the estimate comes back you are thinking why are bridal bouquets so expensive? Here is some information that might help explain.

1. Most fresh flowers are not native to your area therefore they have to be flown in from multiple continents. South America, Holland, Hawaii and many other far away locations. Because the varieties are vast they have to come from many places. Freight is added to the cost of every single flower.
2. Flowers are a raw material that passes through many hands before it reaches the florist. Because you deserve beautiful flowers it takes lots of care and attention to keep them that way. Once they arrive at the wholesaler they have to be prepped and maintained until they get in the hands of the florists. Different flowers have to be stored in different temperatures and require different treatment in cutting and cleaning.
3. The conscious and confident florist recommends flowers that will be seasonal and abundant. Of course the number of flowers and the variety will determine the cost and the overall look of the bridal bouquet. Most of the time, the more exotic the flower the more costly. A professional and knowledgeable florist will take good care of you.
4. A flower is a delicate product that requires skilled hands to manage the materials. The bouquet is handmade to your specifications with care and precision.  The style and the intricacy are taken into account. A wedding bouquet is a custom piece like hand made lace.
5. Embellishments and the finishing touches are what give your bridal bouquet your personality and message. The selection of ribbons, tassels, rhinestones and pearls to name just a few make this bouquet yours and only yours.

 If you are looking for ways to save money on your bridal bouquet be mindful of the flowers you select and their season. Simple is appropriate meaning one variety of a moderately priced flower in a moderate size flower arrangement.  Certain holiday’s can dictate the price of flowers.   Therefore roses during Valentines Day will be an all time high because the demand is so high and there are fewer products to go around. Lastly, turn to your floral designer for personal, professional advice will be best in the long run.

 

Curvy Prom and Portrait Models Wanted!

In case you missed Strut's big news, we're carrying plus size prom dresses for 2012! We're so excited to bring a great shopping experience to Arizona high school girls. We've heard that buying a prom gown can be as difficult--and traumatic--as buying a plus size wedding dress was before we came along.

But we need some help spreading the news, so we're launching a Prom and Portrait Model Program, where you can model Strut's great prom gowns and earn credit toward your own prom dress and senior portrait session with Olivia Womack Photography (yep--you've seen her work; she does our curvy girl boudoir sessions)!

Here's how it works:

1. Enter the contest on our Facebook page before end of day January 15th, 2012
2. We'll pick winners, who are invited to the Mix and Mingle on Tuesday, January 24th
3. Photo sessions are Tuesday, January 31st
4. You'll receive free referral cards with your prom model photo on them to pass out to friends
5. When your friends buy a dress at Strut, you'll get $20 towards your dress (up to the retail price of your dress) and they'll get a free accessory, like a necklace or pair of sparkly earrings (up to $29 value!).

Your photo session with Olivia will be scheduled for a later date, but you get a free portrait session ($195 value), and a $50 credit toward your senior portrait order for each student you refer who books a session with Olivia.

Who's eligible:

• Junior and senior girls are eligible, one each per Arizona high school
• Models must agree to model for any in-school prom shows (and may be asked to model for other local events such as a television news segment)
• Models cannot represent another store or photographer.

How to enter:

• Submit a clear, recent photo on our Facebook wall before end of day, January 15th, plus
• A 200 word (or less) essay describing your dream prom (dress, theme, date, dinner...we want to hear about it all!)
• Your high school and grade.

That's it! And you could be on your way to earning a totally free prom dress AND a free senior portrait session!

 

Strut and Olivia Womack Photography reserve the right to modify this program at any time.