Preserve Your Gown
Let’s face it. After an entire day of picture-posing, cocktail-toasting, relative-hugging and booty-shaking, your beautiful white wedding gown will probably be a bit dingy. Most brides, says Sue Ward of White Way Cleaners, don’t have a plan for their dress after the party and that’s a shame, because the longer a stain sits, the harder it is to remove. But that doesn’t mean you should drop off your dress at just any dry cleaner. If you’ve any hopes of wearing it again or passing it on to a future daughter, you’ll want to ensure your dress has not only been cleaned but properly stored.
“The most common misperception brides have about cleaning their wedding dress is that it should be sealed,” says Ward. “Textiles need to breathe. When you vacuum-seal a dress, you also seal in moisture, which causes mildew spores.” Plus, if your dress comes back sealed, how will you know for sure that it was cleaned or that it’s even yours? Ward also cautions against boxes with plastic windows, which can break down over time, and blue tissue paper, which can bleed. Instead, after cleaning a gown White Way Cleaners uses only unbleached, acid- and lignin-free muslin, tissue, and cardboard to store a dress.
If you’re looking for a unique bridal shower gift, stop by any White Way Cleaners for a wedding gown cleaning gift certificate. The $195 price tag may seem a little spendy, but, says Ward, “it’s one of the most appropriate shower gifts. Brides generally don’t think about cleaning their dress until after the wedding, and of course that’s when they are dealing with all the other wedding bills.”
Print Your Own Invites
Twin Cities-based graphic design company Emmy Lu has developed a new way for brides all over the country to save a little money on designer invitations by printing their invites at home. Here’s how it works: Visit emmylu.com to see dozens of different wedding invitation designs complete with matching save-the-dates, RSVP cards and thank-you notes. Pick a style you like, then e-mail your details to the designers. They’ll plug in your names and dates and send you back a pdf, paper recommendations, printing instructions and suggestions for extra embellishments. If there’s a design you like that doesn’t match your wedding colors, let the designers know what color you prefer and they can make the switch.
“Emmy Lu is all about providing good design to everyday people,” says co-owner Bethany Hway. “You don’t have to have the fanciest printer to print quality invitations. A lot of people are surprised by what their printer can do.”
Box Office Magic
Does your love story resemble a big-screen romantic comedy? Either way, announce your big day with a wedding invitation that looks like a Hollywood-style movie poster. Graphic designer Lisa Houghton will use one of your engagement photos to create an eleven- by seven-inch poster that includes all your wedding details. The invitation rolls up and fits into a tube you can drop in the mail. Houghton says this kind of invite is perfect “for the couple who wants to give their guests something special to set the tone for their wedding day. It’s fun and unusual to get the tube in the mail and it starts to get your guests excited for the wedding.”
Your Story, Your Song
Every engaged couple is undoubtedly asked the same question: What’s your first-dance song?
For some, the answer comes quickly, but for others the decision soon grows to mythic proportions. Brian David of Big Day Song understands. “So many couples struggle picking their first song because that song is supposed to mean something. It’s supposed to tell your love story,” he says. Now, with David’s help, you and your beloved can usher in your marriage with a love song that truly is your own. The Twin Cities songwriter will ask you a series of questions about how you met and what you cherish about one another. Then he’ll compose an original song, set it to music and record it so you can dance your first dance to your very own love story.
Minneapolis Tour Guide
You can’t be with your out-of-town guests every second of their stay, but you can make sure they enjoy every minute of your wedding weekend by enlisting the services of a local concierge. Jen Knoch, a self-professed Twin Cities guru, will custom-design a tourist itinerary for your visiting family and friends through her Radar Concierge Services. If your guests are into jazz and quaint neighborhood bistros, she’ll put together a list of current shows and restaurant recommendations with pricing considerations. If they want to taste the local microbrews, she’ll point them in the right direction. If they prefer big-city night life, she’ll arrange a menu of hot clubs.
“There are a lot of myths about Minnesota, and many people outside of the Twin Cities have no idea how artistic and progressive this community is. We’re a lot savvier than people think,” Knoch says. “I’m a big fan of the Twin Cities and I pride myself on helping visitors discover great local highlights so they can make the most of their travels.”
Destination Jewel
It’s a bit of a road trip to get to Jewel’s Bridal Boutique in downtown Delano, but the destination is worth the drive. The locally owned shop is in an 1883 building that used to house a printing press; once you’ve arrived, you’ll find yourself shopping for gowns in an environment generally reserved for a chic wine bar, with aged wood floors and exposed brick walls.
Jewel’s carries wedding gowns by seven different designers, and is the only place in the state you can find dresses by Carilynn, a small design house based in Washington state. Head downstairs for an off-the-rack shopping experience where you’ll find samples and discontinued dresses at discounted prices as well as one-of-a-kind accessories.
Bra-Tastic
Congratulations—you’ve found your dream wedding dress! Now what about the perfect bra? You’ll need something that can give you coverage, lift, support and shape. And it has to be concealed (please, no bra straps showing on your wedding day!). Tracy Anderson, owner of Edina’s La Bratique (next to Priscilla of Boston and Monique Lhuillier salons), has helped many Twin Cities brides find the perfect fit for their big day.
“Most brides don’t spend as much time considering their bra as they should,” Anderson says. “You really want to have the correct bra before you do your first dress fitting. The correct bra can give you lift, which will improve the shape of your dress.”
Brides shopping for wedding bras should treat lace with caution, Anderson says, and choose a nude- or ivory-colored seamless cup. If you’re shopping for a bustier—which she also carries in her store—be mindful of any boning that might show through the dress fabric. Brides with strapless dresses will want to make sure their bra fits snugly to avoid an entire day spent hiking up the top of their gown. Well-endowed brides might want to consult with Anderson before they even go gown shopping, as style and fit options are more limited after an E cup.
Celebrity Gems
What do Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian and Brooke Shields have in common? They’ve all sported custom jewelry by Twin Cities designer Sara Goldfine. Goldfine, however, doesn’t just work for the stars. She splits her time between Los Angeles and Minneapolis, and always likes working with local couples who are seeking unique wedding jewelry.
“A lot of brides are looking for something different. I might suggest a hint of rose or brushed yellow gold, something that’s not too flashy but has the element of individuality,” Goldfine says, calling her work timeless, imaginative and outside-the-box. Goldfine has worked with grooms to create mock engagement rings they can use to surprise their brides with the promise of a custom wedding set yet to come, and brides who want to design meaningful jewelry keepsakes for their bridesmaids. “I always want to make something people will want to wear again,” Goldfine says, “and I always keep that in mind when I’m designing.”
Vintage Style
You’ve spent years cultivating your own personal style, and of course you want to showcase it on your wedding day. Andrea Erickson, of Andrea’s Vintage, understands every bride’s desire to shine. “The biggest draw to vintage bridal gowns—the thing that really excites brides the most—is the broad range of choices and the idea that nobody else is going to have her dress,” Erickson says. Her store, located in Minneapolis’ hip Lyn-Lake neighborhood, carries bridal gowns from the 1890s to the 1980s, as well as vintage lingerie, fur stoles, handbags, shoes and elaborately beaded headpieces from the 1920s and 30s.
If vintage is your thing, Kathie’s Finds in Maple Plain is also worth the trip. Proprietress Kathie Armstrong regularly shops estate sales to stock her inventory, and is skilled at repurposing the treasures she finds. In addition to wedding dresses, you’ll discover vintage cake-toppers, ring-bearer pillows, unique jewelry and more, plus you’ll love to see how she’s renovated her historic creamery building.