Get the Gown

July 29, 2014

On top of everything else you are going to purchase for your wedding day, your wedding gown is expensive, to say the least. And to think you'll only be wearing it for a total of 10 hours...maybe?
To many, it just seems silly.

So being the person I am and always having to find solutions to every wedding-related "problem" I come across, I sought out for a better solution.

And I found it!

Get the Gown gives you the chance to rent the gown of your dreams and not have to feel silly for spending a ridiculous amount of money on a dress you'll never wear again! So go ahead and check out their site and see if you can find your dream gown today :)

Check it Out

I wanted to get a head start on the research for you, so after taking a look at the site and browsing all of the beautiful gowns, I sat down with Jessica, founder of Get the Gown, to get some of my questions answered...I tried to put myself back into the shoes of a bride and think of the questions you all may have for them!

What if the gown doesn't fit? Can it be exchanged for a new size?

Yes, we can exchange sizes, as long as the requested size is available!

Can I try on the dress beforehand?

Yes, there is a trial period to try on the dress once the bride has received the gown.

Are the gowns custom-altered to my measurements?

The gowns come in standard sizes. Brides have the option of choosing the size based upon the "label size" (what's written on the tag) or the "street size" (what the dress would feel like when worn). We keep records of the specific measurements of our gowns so if a bride wanted to know, she could ask our stylists.

If a bride would like to alter a gown, we allow temporary alterations (i.e. no cutting material) as long as the bride receives written permission from Get The Gown prior to making any alterations.

How many times have the gowns been worn before?

Many of our gowns have actually never been worn before except for our photo shoots (to get the images you see on our site).

Are there payment plans available?

Unfortunately, no. It is a one time payment to rent one of our gowns!

If you are a bride just cringing to purchase a gown that you know you'll never wear again, check them out. You may just find your dream gown...and they offer accessories too!

Bridal Trial Series: Final Looks, Products Used, and the Blooper Reel

June 3, 2014

Over the past five days, we have given you a behind-the-scenes look at a real bridal trial with our beautiful bride, Kelsey, and our hair and makeup team from Swell Beauty. And for those of you who have not yet had your trial for your wedding day, I hope that your fears and anxieties were eased, that you learned how to ensure you find the best stylist for you, and that you now have a better understanding of what a bridal trial entails so you can be as prepared as possible when your day comes!

So of course, we have to show you all of Kelsey's final looks...

...some of the professional products that were used...

...and what would an eight hour bridal trial be without a blooper reel! Enjoy :)

A huge thank you to Dee and Stacey from Swell Beauty, Shawna from Bleudog Fotography, and Johnny from AfterDark Media for making this amazing series possible!

And Congratulations to our beautiful bride, Kelsey, for allowing us to film this process! We cannot wait to feature your wedding in October :)

I hope that this series is not only fun for you to watch, see, and read, but that is eases any worries or unknowns about what your hair and makeup trial will be like. Our goal is to guide you through the process of choosing your stylists, offer you tips and tricks along the way, make sure you are best prepared for your trial, and help you through all the way to your wedding day!

Swell Beauty ❤ Bleudog Fotography ❤ AfterDark Media

Tips & tricks from only the best!

June 2, 2014

Today is going to be extra short and sweet. And while the information you'll be reading may seem like a bit of a "jumbled mess" with no apparent theme (except that fact that is all has to do with hair and makeup), I learned so much going through this process with Kelsey and the Swell Beauty team and just had to tell you about the biggest tips and tricks that I learned throughout this experience! Yes, I've been a bride before and had my bridal trial, but it was a completely different experience looking from the outside in.

The Swell Beauty team provided an overwhelming amount of knowledge and expertise, and throughout the day, I made sure to take notes on the tips and tricks I heard so that I could share them with all of you! So here are the tops ticks and tricks that I think every bride should know!

It's All About Balance

Balance, balance, balance. We talked about it on multiple occasions throughout the day because it is so important to take into consideration when choosing your hairstyle. And this is one reason why it is so imperative to bring a photo of your dress along with you!

Your hair to dress "ratio" must be balanced. So if you have a poofy dress, you don't want your hairstyle to be too poofy. And if you have a poofy dress, you don't want your hairstyle to be too flat, but with a great overall balance of hair to dress
style, you'll able to create a stunning style that brings out the beauty in you!

The "Fake" Tan

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing wrong with spray and airbrush tans, the type of "fake" tan we are talking about here. In college, I used to love getting spray tans, but that is beside the point. But when it comes to your bridal trial, "fake" tans play a very important role and you need to know some important information on the do's and don'ts!

If you are going to get a spray tan, it is important to not get your face done. The reason being is that your stylist can easily match the color of your arms and chest with the makeup she uses, but if you get the spray tan on your face, it often shows up blotchy...not something you will want for your wedding day!

Save Yourself A Couple Bucks

I hear it time and time again, "I am going to hire a friend so I can save some money on hair and makeup." DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT fall into this trap! Your photos are what are going to be sitting on your coffee table, hanging on your walls, and will be part of many "#tbt's" for years to come! And your hair and makeup are, obviously, a large part of those photos! And not only that, you want to feel your best, to feel more beautiful than you've ever felt, on this very special day, so if you need to save some bucks, I am sure you can find some ways to save somewhere else :)

You've Found "The One"

There are thousands upon thousands of hair and makeup stylists out there, plenty which are amazing and many more who claim to be wedding stylists. So before you get yourself into trouble and end up paying more to fix a wrong decision, I've asked Dee to explain to all of you the best way to find "the one" for you, what to look for in stylists you want and don't want, and how to ensure your experience is a positive one from booking through the end of your wedding night!

"Not only do you want someone that does beautiful work, but someone who will go above and beyond to provide you with additional tips and tricks to ensure you look and feel your best on your big day. You want to find a stylist who has a website and many social media outlets full of images and most importantly experience IN WEDDINGS...at least two years!

You DO NOT want to book anyone who has no photos of their work or experience in weddings, or a stylist who works in a salon that focuses on your every day cut and color. These stylist come into a wedding with a different mind frame than wedding professionals. On a normal day, they can have their assistant finish your cut, color, wash, or blow dry but on the wedding day, this cannot happen. They are not sued to timelines and pressure, cannot take you 10 minutes late or run past the designated timeline. Your regular cut and color stylist lacks wedding experience and consistency in this area. Avoid someone who tells you, "I usually don't do weddings, but I will do it for you!"

Your stylist should want to bring out your natural features and your true beauty without trying to make you look like a different person, and you should be able to see this in their images! You want a stylist who uses professional hair and makeup products, and not ones you can find at your local drug store.

Find a stylist who is willing to and truly wants to spend as many hours as it takes on your trial, because he or she cares!" - Dee, Swell Beauty

And with all of this, you should be one step closer to finding your perfect stylist FOR YOU, with some great tips and tricks along the way! And believe me, Swell Beauty sure did go above and beyond on Kelsey's trial...we were there for eight hours perfecting her looks - talk about commitment to their brides! And that is exactly the stylist you'll want to find for your own wedding day :)