Strut Bridal

Jessica's Vintage/Hollywood Glamour Wedding

Sometimes a wedding dress is so awesome it inspires a nickname, given to it by our stylists at Strut. In this case, the gown accented a bride's curves in such a way that we named it the "Jessica Rabbit Dress". It seemed fitting, then, that our bride Jessica wore it for her September 2011 wedding in Tucson.

Jessica wore a taffeta mermaid wedding dress with ruching and lace appliques. The gown featured a deep sweetheart neckline and "v" in the back. Jessica added a lace bolero for that vintage touch.

She recently wrote us a sweet note:

Hi Ladies at Strut!!

I know I'm a bit late, but I figured better late than never! I'm sending you guys some pictures and a little thank you for your wonderful help during my wedding dress selection process! My husband Adam and I were married last September in Tucson. Our wedding theme was vintage/hollywood glamour. Feel free to use our pictures in your blog, I'm a very happy customer and I would love to get the word out about your amazing boutique!

Thank you sooo much for helping me fulfill my vintage wedding vision!! You guys were so awesome and Pam was so helpful during the process! I really appreciated her patience and honest opinions about the dresses I tried on. I loved how attentive you both were and not once did I ever feel rushed or pressured to pick out a dress. When I tried on this dress, I was in love! I loved how flattering it looked on me and was quite surprised that the fit and flare style actually worked for me!! The buttons that run down the back of the dress to the end of the train were my favorite detail about the dress! I was also very happy that Pam brought out the lace bolero, which was exactly what I was looking for to complete my look! I turned the flower that was attached to the bolero into hair peice, which I attached to a bird cage veil. I got so many compliments on our wedding day and I felt like a million bucks!

Thanks again ladies!

Jessica D.

We saved our favorite photo for last but wanted to first wish Jessica and Adam the best and say thanks, again, for sending us such a sweet note! Now, check out this amazing shot (and those killer heels!):

Hayley's Stunning Wedding at Old Main

You may recognize Hayley--this wedding photo was recently featured in the premier issue of the Pretty Pear Bride magazine, which features  beautiful plus size brides. It's one of our all-time favorite photos. The movement... the pure joy on her face... the glorius fall colors on the ASU campus... Everything was just perfect! All photos are by Foskett Creative Photography.

Hayley and Justin were married last November in Tempe, AZ, on the Arizona State University Campus. She had a large bridal suite to get dressed in. The lighting was perfect for this shot:

It's such a classic shot! Hayley really rocked a bird cage veil. It was such a great contrast to her red hair!

Hayley came to Strut looking for an aline gown with lace and a full skirt. And that's exactly what we found her! This beautiful wedding dress features a natural waist, sweetheart neckline, full, organza skirt and beautiful beaded lace along the hemline. For Hayley we ordered additional lace to make a matching bolero jacket.

Here are some great detail shots of Hayley's wedding bouquet, centerpeices, and awesome petal decor:

A wide shot of the ceremony spot at Old Main shows a beautiful sunset, too. You can also see the scrolling flower petals down the aisle.

Here Hayley and Justin share a dance--check out her low, French under-bustle for her wedding gown:

Congrats, Hayley and Justin!

Help for Short Hair

Our wedding hair series continues with some helpful information for brides with short hair.

First, if you have  a long engagement, you may be able to grow out your hair because, on average, hair grows 1/2" to 1" a MONTH, and even faster during the summer!

Second, if you want super long hair and don't have time to grow it out, consider extensions! Clip in extensions typically cost less and can be removed easily. Others get sewn into your hair, and you may want to get them added about ten days before your wedding so that you can get used to the weight. You'll also want to do a hair trial with your extensions in.

Finally, if you just want to rock your short hair, here are three ways to jazz it up:

• Try a strong side part. Styling most of your hair to one side will make it look fuller. A large hair accessory, such as a sparkly comb or flowers, on the other side will help balance the look.
• Add bling. Try a statement piece like an asymmetrical headband or a large comb to add pizazz to your hairstyle. Just don't add too much!
• Top it off with a bird cage veil, a fascinator of feathers or flowers, or even a pillbox hat!

Check out hairstyle boards on Pinterest or the image galleries on TheKnot.com to find some wedding hairstyles you might like. Another great place to look is in magazines featuring celebrities after major award shows. You can find inspiration in their red-carpet looks!

Brittany's Friendship Garden Wedding

Brittany and Chris were married this March at the Japanese Friendship Garden in central Phoenix. It was a gorgeous, sunny spring day. The setting was a tranquil, quiet spot with a waterfall and lush grounds. 

Brittany's mom escorted her to the ceremony spot in a bright pink gown from Strut. She wore a black knit shrug on top. Brittany's wedding gown was a white fit in flare with ruched bodice and taffeta flowers on the skirt. Curvy brides can really pull off a fitted plus size wedding dress when their hips and bust are proportionate, like Brittany's!

She added a black ribbon belt and black shrug to cover her shoulders. She had lilies and roses in her bouquet, which was handtied with a black ribbon. Brittany especially loved her wedding cake. The top layer featured a melted ganache that looked like dripping blood (her words, not ours!).

Thanks, Brittany, for inviting us to your special day. We wish you an Noall the best!

12 Months to Great Wedding Hair

We love the milestones set by Brides Magazine in their March issue for getting great wedding hair, but we've added a few of our own:

Pre-engagement: We love short hair, especially here in Phoenix where summer temps can easily surpass 115 degrees. But if you think you'll get the ring soon, and your wedding vision includes seductive, long curls, then start growing out your hair now.

Talk to your physician first, but many of our brides swear by the powers of pre-natal vitamins. They claim these vitamins will not only get your hair healthy, but they'll also make it grow... FAST!

On the other hand, hair extensions have gotten really good. So if hair extensions are in your wedding budget, say the heck with growing it out and just focus on eating right and getting regular trims to keep your hair healthy and strong!

12 months out: Start combing through magazines for photos of wedding hairstyles that you like. Keep them in a binder or folder; they'll be super helpful for when you go for your hair trial. Now is the time to start looking for a stylist, too. If you're having a destination wedding, your venue or hotel may have suggestions. If you have a local stylist you know and love, they are often available the morning of your wedding (book in advance!!). Or splurge and have them come to you!

6 months out: Now's the time to start working with your colorist if you think you'd like to change your hair color or add highlights. Keep in mind the season in which you'll be getting married!

2 months out: Do your hair and makeup trial. Bring those pics from magazines, as well as whatever hairpiece (tiara, comb, veil, sparkly picks, etc.) you've purchased.

4 weeks out: Get your hair cut. This will give your hair enough time to grow out just a bit, and for you to correct any mistakes.

2 weeks out: Get a shine treatment or a bang trim, if needed.

1 week out: Stop using conditioner if you have fine or silky hair or plan to have an updo. It sounds strange, we know, but all of those smoothing powers of conditioners can actually make it harder for your hairstyle to hold throughout the night (and all of those congratulatory hugs!). 

Mary's Windy Las Vegas Wedding

Mary got married earlier this year in Las Vegas and needed a beautiful wedding dress that complimented her curves but showed off her spunky personality. We found the perfect mix in this satin trumpet wedding gown with ruched bodice. The coolest part is the ruffles on the skirt. Here's Mary as she walks down the aisle:

She sent us a little note with her photos:

Hi Ann!

I just thought I would share some pictures from our Vegas wedding on 3/6/12. We had such a wonderful and special day with our closest friends and family. Everyone loved the dress, especially the scallops along the bottom. It was so perfect for me, thank you so much for your help in steering me in the right direction. I couldn't be happier! I took my husbands breath away.

We got a lot of fun pictures because wouldn't you know, Tuesday was when those giant gusting wind storms moved through Las Vegas, so we were getting gusts up to 70mph while we were having pictures done outside!

Thank you again! I will be sure to let all of my friends know about Strut.

Mary M.

We love that Mary added a beaded belt to her wedding gown. It really accents her waist nicely. Their wedding colors were black and red with cream/ivory accents. Her bouquet featured ivory and red roses and was tied with a black ribbon.

Her veil was two tiers and featured a satin trim on it. The satin trim matched the trim on the ruffled skirt of her wedding gown, tying the look together.

Congrats, you two! We saved our favorite photo for last!

Wedding Hair 101

Get ready for our multi-part series on how to get great wedding hair. It'll have everything from your 12-month count-down to our favorite wedding day hair styles, like this one:

We love the braid because it adds just a touch of texture. But the gentle waves would go great with everything from a flowy, beach style wedding dress to a fitted vintage-style lace wedding gown. If you're doing a more traditional satin ball gown, that's ok too--just pop in a veil and a sparkly hair comb, and you've glammed it up.

As for our first tip, it's this: don't wash your hair the day off your wedding; wash it the day before. Hairstyles actually hold better with a little texture (you could also call it dirt, but let's not...). And if you have more oily hair, that's ok, too, because today's dry shampoos will soak it right up and leave you feeling squeaky clean!

Jenn and Josh at Boyce Thompson Arboretum

If you're looking for an outdoor wedding venue with stunning views at a reasonable price, definitely check out the Boyce Thomspon Arboretum, which is located east of Phoenix on the US-60. The drive there is so beautiful and just a warm up for the park itself. Jenn and Josh were married there last November. 

They were married in front of about 75 friends and family; their wedding colors were royal blue and orange. 

Josh actually came wedding dress shopping with Jenn on her second visit to Strut. She wanted something fun and not so traditional. She fell in love with this fitted taffeta gown with asymmetrical layers of ruffles. She accented her wedding gown with a bright blue sash.

If you love these wedding photos by Krista Puhrito as much as we did, you can see more on our Facebook page.

Congrats to you both, Jenn and Josh. And thanks to Krista for letting us post her stunning wedding photos!

Vendor Review: Japanese Friendship Garden

If you're looking for a low-key, lush oasis in central Phoenix, look no further. The Japanese Friendship Garden is located just off the I-10, making it super convenient to find. It has a large, free parking lot for guests up to 150. They close early (3pm during the week), which means you can rent the gardens and have the place to yourself!

The garden features a large pond in the center. It has huge coi fish and ducks. There's a wide, paved walking path that circles the pond. There's easy wheelchair access for those who need it (but it's a long walk to the ceremony site for anyone in a walker).

One of the things we loved was the roaring waterfall, which drowned out the noise of the city and made you feel worlds away from Phoenix. Note, however, that you'll probably need a sound system for your vows to be heard over the waterfall and running creeks.

The ceremony site is set up with simple white chairs using the pond as the backdrop.

While we love the garden for the setting (beautiful!) and the price (surprisingly low!), we did have a few things you might want to consider:

• There were two hosts/greeters. They were dressed in jeans. You might be able to request dressier attire.
• They didn't turn off their irrigation, which went on a couple of times, covering the sidewalks. Thank goodness for knee-high boots!
• The staff forgot to set up the tables that the bride and groom requested.
• There appared to be no on-site coordinator. So if you're a DIY kind of girl, we highly recommend getting help. A day-of coordinator should be able to help avoid some of the issues we saw at a recent event.

Overall, we thought the garden provided a beautiful setting for an outdoor event and hope to attend more weddings there in the future!