"Oh they say when you marry in June, You're a bride all your life and the bridegroom who marries in June, gets a sweetheart for a wife..."
These were the words sung by a young Julie Newmar in the 1954 movie, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Now I can't tell you whether or not this statement sings true. However one thing that is for sure, is that true or not, most brides are not willing to take that risk. Yes, it's a fact. Even with eleven other choices, most brides and their grooms choose to pledge their lives to each other among the heat and beauty of the early summer. Last year witnessed 329,928 weddings in the U.S. - 44,000 more than the second most popular month: May, with 285,937 weddings.
And to be perfectly honest, who can blame them? In June you get that "just right" blend of summer sun and cool breeze, the perfect accent to make your special day unforgettable. But before all the delight, come the matter of getting down to business.
* Finding that Perfect Dress. For Ms. Hijong DelForno, owner of Bridal Couture of Short Hills, fashion is her passion. Inspired by European designers and a commitment to a quality product, DelForno helps the brides of New Jersey find the perfect gown to make their wedding experience unforgettable.
In 2007, brides around the globe launched an incredible $41 billion market in wedding attire. This includes the wedding gown, bridesmaid's gowns, and tuxedos for the groom and groomsman, and of course dresses for flower girls. ‘Tis a market devoutly not to be missed.
However before a bride starts worrying about the price of her dress, she needs to find the gown itself. The first step: making an appointment. Generally the first appointment will last anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours. Not every bride knows what she wants, and at Bridal Couture of Short Hills, one has the opportunity to relax and try on as many gowns as possible. DelForno notes that most brides do not commit to a dress after that first appointment. They may find a dress they love, but most women return first with their family, and then with their friends.
For a bride, the perfect wedding dress is what makes her day so special. It is what gives her the confidence to walk down the aisle, knowing what everyone else is thinking...that she looks spectacular. That said, today's brides take no chances on picking the wrong gown. DelForno says that there is usually a minimum of three visits before a bride finally decides on her exact, right one.
In addition to choosing from a wide array of designers, brides can also custom design their own gowns, as well as the dresses for both Mothers of the bride and groom.
* "Flounces, Ruffles, Lace, Oh my!" The traditional wedding dress is easy to picture: white, A-line, and strapless, with maybe a few embellishments here and there. Bridal boutiques were once filled with rows and rows of these dresses, all hanging there and waiting for one lucky bride to pick them up, try them on, and take them home. However this season, the A-line, strapless wedding dress is in for one hell of a long wait.
Gone is the simple gown meant to represent sophisticated, understated elegance. Elegance is still the goal, but this year it is achieved by means ornamentation. From flowers to beading, and ruffles to lace, the new classic is all about highlighting your own personal style. This uniqueness even extends to the color and length of the dress. In the past, there were always two givens about wedding gowns. 1. The dress would be white, and 2. It would be ankle length. Now, more and more brides are opting for a shorter, knee-length gown, with a color scheme ranging from champagne to pale blues and pinks. As for the strapless bodice…forget about it! Sweetheart necklines, bolero jackets, one shoulder gowns held in place with an oversized bow…these are the gowns of the future.
Today's brides are celebrating not only themselves, but also their shapes. Instead of the traditional A-line, many brides-to-be choose to wear a modified A-line or the more fitted mermaid-style gown. Thanks to the close fit of the mermaid gown over a woman's hips and the graceful flute of the style as the dress drops to the feet, a bride not only gets to emphasize the sexiness of her natural curves, but also create a truly exquisite silhouette. In addition to these trends, brides are also favoring a bold and bright red lip, and a reception hall overflowing with dahlias.
* Today's Trends in Today's Economy. Ms. DelForno is more than accommodating to this years brides’ tastes. She accepts their choices as they wander away from the traditional strapless A-line gown to a dress that focuses more on highlighting a woman's figure. Encouragingly, she points out that lace is a very popular trend, almost always giving the wearer that ultra feminine, delicate, and gorgeous look that every woman craves on her wedding day.
DelForno herself studied in Europe and so many of her designers are European and reflect the beauty and joy in fashion that she found there. Her many popular designers include Sonia Choulette, Liancarlo, and Manuel Mota. Ms. DelForno states that while they may be a bit vague as to style, more and more of today’s women come in with a very specific budget in mind. Previously she saw many women get swept up in the excitement and drama of their wedding, and cost be damned, charge ahead for elegance.
While the excitement is still there, an increasing number of brides are making budgets and more importantly, sticking to them. Bridal Couture of Short Hills offers a wide array of gowns ranging from $2000 - $8000. “Most brides,” says DelForno “buy in the $3-4,000 range.” Though Ms. DelForno only acquired Bridal Couture of Short Hills in October of last year, she has complete faith in the staying power of the bridal boutique and hopes to pull in a gross revenue of $500,000 - $600,000 for her first year. This is no idle dream. Ms. DelForn holds an incisive knowledge of her customer base. And if the many magazines this writer has witnessed being devoured this season are any indication, I must agree that Bridal Couture of Short Hills is going straight to the top.
Most women have been thinking of and planning their wedding day since they were young girls. They start running around in a pair of over sized heels with a pillow case on her head for a veil. Slowly, it graduates to looking at the man across from her at dinner and mentally placing him at her side at a podium under an arbor dressed with white flowers. At some point every woman has looked into the future and imagined her wedding day. This being the case, it's hardly a surprise that bridal boutiques represent a strong and booming aspect of business in New Jersey. And none can honestly doubt, they will continue to do so until the unlikely day that weddings go out of style. B4
Hijong DelForno was born in Korea. She studied interior and graphic design in Canada before finally realizing her passion was fashion. Ms. DelForno studied design at Parsons and graduated from Esmode in Paris, France. While her family has been in the retail business for a long time, fashion was something she stumbled onto herself. While DelForno has one uncle in Korea working in fashion, for the most part her love of clothes, and particularly European styles was cultivated on her own.
