Category: Wedding Tips

Wedding dress alterations tips and tricks for your wedding dress.  Alteration ideas, styling tips, and more!

Pearl Wedding Veil Aesthetic

Posted on by Tasha

The Pearl Wedding Veil Aesthetic: A Touch of Timeless Elegance

When it comes to your wedding day, every detail matters. From the flowers to the cake, each element tells a part of your love story. But one accessory that’s always stood the test of time is the wedding veil. For brides looking to add something extra special to their look, a pearl wedding veil offers a beautiful blend of tradition and modern charm.

Why Pearls?

Pearls have always been a symbol of elegance, grace, and timeless beauty. Whether in a piece of jewelry or on a wedding gown, their subtle shine adds a sophisticated touch. In the context of a bridal veil, pearls bring a sense of luxury without being over the top. They’re classic yet contemporary, and they have an undeniable ability to catch the light and add a soft glow.

Throughout history, pearls were reserved for royalty, seen as a symbol of wealth and refinement. Today, while they’re more accessible, their charm and understated elegance remain as strong as ever. Incorporating pearls into your wedding veil is an effortless way to add a touch of that royal elegance to your day.

Traditional Meets Modern

Veils have been part of bridal fashion for centuries, but there’s something about adding pearls that takes it to a whole new level. Pearls soften the traditional look of a veil, making it feel fresh and modern while still respecting the old-world charm they represent.

There are so many ways to weave pearls into your veil design, depending on the look you want to achieve:

     

      • Scattered Pearls: A gentle scattering of tiny pearls creates a soft, dreamy effect. This design feels effortlessly chic and understated, allowing your veil to shine without taking over the entire look.

      • Pearl Edging: For a more structured touch, a veil with a pearl-encrusted edge provides a beautiful border of luxury. It’s the perfect choice for a bride who wants a defined look without overdoing it.

      • Intricate Pearl Appliqués: If you’re after something more intricate, veils with pearl designs—whether floral patterns or geometric shapes—offer a sophisticated twist. These delicate details can elevate a simple veil and turn it into a true work of art.

    A Pearl Veil for Every Wedding Style

    One of the things we love most about the pearl veil is how versatile it is. It fits into almost any wedding aesthetic, whether you’re going for classic romance or something more modern and minimalist. Here’s how pearls can work with a few different bridal styles:

       

        • Classic Elegance: For a timeless, traditional wedding, a veil with scattered pearls pairs beautifully with a classic ball gown or A-line dress. It’s the perfect complement to a church ceremony or formal setting.

        • Vintage Romance: Pearls have been a staple of bridal fashion for generations, making them the perfect fit for a vintage-inspired wedding. Whether you’re channeling a 1920s glamour vibe or Victorian-inspired romance, a pearl-encrusted veil adds just the right touch of nostalgic elegance.

        • Bohemian Beauty: If you’re drawn to the boho-chic look, a soft veil with scattered pearls is an ideal match. Paired with a flowy gown, loose waves, and a floral crown, it gives off an effortlessly romantic vibe that feels free-spirited yet refined.

        • Modern Minimalism: For a contemporary, minimalist wedding, a veil with geometric pearl accents or a clean, structured edge can create a sleek, chic look. It’s a way to incorporate pearls without overwhelming the simple elegance of the style.

      Why Choose a Pearl Wedding Veil?

      Timeless Elegance: Pearls never go out of style. They’re a classic choice that ensures your bridal look remains as stunning in the photos years from now as it did in the moment.

      Subtle Luxury: While other embellishments can be bold and flashy, pearls offer a more subdued form of glamour. Their quiet shine lets your overall look shine through while still adding that extra layer of beauty.

      Meaning and Symbolism: Pearls have always been a symbol of love, purity, and beauty—meaning they’re not just an aesthetic choice, but one full of significance as you start this new chapter in your life.

      Versatility: No matter what style your wedding is, a pearl veil can be tailored to fit. Whether you’re dreaming of a grand ballroom or a beachside ceremony, pearls can enhance any theme, adding just the right amount of sparkle.

      Final Thoughts

      At the end of the day, a wedding veil is about more than just an accessory. It’s part of the story of your day, the piece that completes your look and adds that extra layer of magic. A pearl wedding veil brings all the beauty and elegance you could want, with just the right mix of tradition and modern flair. Whether you opt for a veil with soft scattered pearls or a more intricate design, you’ll be left with a timeless accessory that you can treasure for years to come. 

      Wedding Veils | Idaho

      Two Ways to Save with a Custom Wedding Gown

      Posted on by Tasha
      bride wearing custom wedding gown before ceremony
      Blackbird Photography

      Custom gowns can compare if not cost more than a gown bought at a bridal salon. This is due to the cost to build the pattern made specifically to your measurements and small batch fabric hand selected to fit your vision. However, there are ways that custom gowns can help you save!

      1. Some small business dressmakers such as us include other bridal services in their packages. We include wedding gown preservation and discounted accessories.
      2. No restyling needed! You get to choose the silhouette, neckline, back line, sleeves, fabric layering, and embellishments. Since you won’t need to make any changes to your gown, you will save on finishing touches for alterations. 

      All in all, if you like the idea of bringing your bridal vision to life, but can’t seem to find the right dress, a custom gown can help you save. Wedding gown preservation and cleaning can also cost up to $400, so that’s huge savings as well!  

      If you’re looking for a custom wedding dress, there’s no better time to start brainstorming than now! Text us to get started 208-696-1155. We are shipping in the US and Canada.

      Best,

      -Brittanie

      Top 5 Pro Tips for Designing your own Wedding Dress

      Posted on by Tasha

      We are beyond excited for all the creative wedding dress designs we are working on this year! See below our top five professional wedding dress designing tips for designing your own wedding dress with us!

      Shana Bailey Photography

      1. Narrow down your complete bridal look before your first design meeting.

      Be sure to have your complete look in mind prior to your first meeting. Utilize Pinterest, wedding magazines, or Google images for inspiration. When you pin or print your inspirational photos write a caption with description of which feature you loved about your dress.

      2. Have a budget in mind for both your dress and alterations.

      While we include alterations in custom dresses for our local clients, if you are long distance you will need a separate budget for alterations local to you.

      3. Trust the process!

      Once you’ve booked your custom wedding dress, trust the process! It’s so hard to wait, but just like in the shop, all good things take time. Gown production can take 6-9 months.

      4. Select shoes of the same height before your try on.

      While you might not have the right vision for your accessories, shoes are the most important for a first fitting. Be sure to check return policies with the boutique you order from.

      5. Have a selection of undergarment options ready for try on.

      We have a selection undergarments we can special order for you. Be sure to inquire this at your time of measurements and fabric selection. Most cases dresses are created with enough support to avoid the need for undergarments. However, it is important to keep this option in mind.

      We hope this helps you with your custom wedding dress design process! As always, feel free to reach out via text if you have any questions: 208-696-1155

      Best,

      Brittanie

      -The Bridal Tailor

      How to use our Wedding Dress Preservation Kits

      Posted on by Tasha

      Shipping Kits US wide

      Hi! Britt here with Modern Cottage. I love how simple our wedding dress preservation shipping kits are! We can ship these wedding gown cleaning kits all across the United States, so don’t hesitate to reach out with questions even if you aren’t in Idaho.

      Here’s how you can prepare your dress to ship out for a wedding dress cleaning or preservation:

      STEP 1: Be sure to add your wedding dress color, fabric content, designer, and dress value to your form. These things are extremely important. You want to be sure our gown cleaning experts can address your gown color and content accurately. It is also important to know the designer and value for insurance purposes. However, in my 17 years of preserving and cleaning gowns, I’ve had great experience with our signature required shipping.

      STEP 2: Mark with the “stain” stickers specific stains you would like brought to our attention. This is easier than it looks! You really can’t mess it up, just put the stickers where you want us to really dive in to cleaning that stain.

      STEP 3:

      Roll your dress and set in the bag gently, be sure to include any accessories you want preserved. Then ship via the prepaid shipping label. When rolling your dress up try to start from the top with the skirt being on the outside. Be sure to deflate the bag after putting your dress in it to keep the packaging compact.

      How to use a Wedding Dress Preservation Kit
      How to use a Gown Preservation Kit

      Top 3 Reasons to have an Expert Clean your Wedding Dress

      Posted on by Tasha

      Hello! It’s Brittanie Cline with Modern Cottage. I am jumping on here to share with you my top three reasons why you need a gown expert to clean your gown. Number one, the biggest thing is fabric content knowledge. A gown expert is going to know what type of fabric you have and the best treatment for your gown. Number two, beads and stain treatment. So basically, what is on your gown embellishment wise as well as your specific stain for treatment?

      “A gown expert is going to know how to identify the grass stains versus the dirt stains versus food or wine and how to differentiate treating that with each fabric content. “

      -Brittanie

      A gown expert is going to know how to identify the grass stains versus the dirt stains versus food or wine and how to differentiate treating that with each fabric content. Number three, in handling and packaging, it is important to have a gown expert because they’re going to be adequately trained to package your gown in acid free tissue paper and acid free cardboard box with the shadow box. Generally a gown expert will also know to wear gloves while handling your dress. It is important that any time you pull your dress out of the packaging as well, even if you’re looking at it after it’s been cleaned to wear clean gloves; this way you are preventing oils from your hands going on to your dress. When you do that, you’re preventing any future stains. By wearing gloves, you are preventing those future stains so that we can maintain that color and that lasting color for up to 100 years. Those are my top three reasons why you need a gown expert to clean your gown. If you need your dress cleaned, feel free to text me at 208-696-1155 and I would be happy to ship you a wedding gown preservation kit, or you can drop it off at our local location just between Sun Valley, Idaho, and Twin Falls, Idaho.

      Best,

      Brittanie

      The Bridal Tailor

      Tips & Tricks for Storing Your Wedding Dress

      Posted on by moderncottageboutique

      Hey it’s Britt with Modern Cottage Bridal, and today I’m gonna talk to you about tips and tricks to storing wedding dress. So if you’re headed to go pick up your wedding dress, this is the blog post for you to read. If you’re headed to the bridal shop to pick up your wedding dress I highly recommend getting a bridal bag on hand to bring with you. I have some here at the shop. You can inquire about that by shooting me a message here. I could also have one ready for you when you come to your first fitting I highly recommend storing wedding dresses in a bridal bag on a hanger. Leaving your dress in a box can crumple the fabric. It doesn’t necessarily damage it, but it can snag the dress on the box.

      If you’ve had your wedding dress for alterations and want it to your wedding. I highly recommend getting it preserved and cleaned. Then once it comes back preserved and clean. Generally speaking it will come back either in a bag or presentation box of some sort. So those are my best tips and tricks for storing your wedding dress. Be sure to check out more information on cleaning your gown here.

      When to Use a Petticoat

      Posted on by moderncottageboutique

      Hey guys it’s Britt with Modern Cottage Bridal. Today’s tailor your wedding tip is to ask your seamstress about a petticoat. This tip is great for you if you are looking to add more volume to your skirt, and to fill out the under layer. You might be thinking what is a petticoat? A petticoat is the extra volume or under skirt that goes underneath your wedding dress. Sometimes I hear people call it “cupcake” or “prairie skirt” or “that under skirt thingamajig.”

      You know what I mean. Anyway, that “thing” called a petticoat.

      Here at modern cottage you can request a petticoat when you schedule your first fitting online. From there I will more than likely be requesting a picture of your dress just so that I can have the right petticoat pulled out for you to try to dry out. Now if you’re on the opposite spectrum of things and you’re thinking: “I don’t want to add more volume.” Let’s say you want to maybe de-fluff your dress. That’s possible too. We can actually remove part of the volume of the under skirt that’s built into your dress. So check those options out when you are scheduling your first fitting with Modern Cottage Bridal and have a blessed day!

      You can schedule your first fitting here, and add a petticoat at checkout.

      I can’t wait to see the dress you picked out!

      -Brittanie

      The Bridal Tailor

      Wedding Dress Cleaning

      Posted on by moderncottageboutique

      Hey all! Britt here, your bridal tailor.  Is your wedding dress sitting in your closet with stains from your wedding day?  Depending on how long your dress has had stains you may not be able to take your dress to the dry cleaners.  Some dry cleaners can’t get out wedding dress stains that have sat longer than a few weeks.  A wedding dress preservation might be the better fit for you if your dress has stayed put longer.

      We do gown preservation here at Modern Cottage.  We help you through the whole process with Wedding Gown Preservation Company.  Our certified specialists are absolutely amazing about the care for your gown.  Vintage wedding dresses receive extra special care and are sent to a specialty team for any repairs or special coloring troubleshooting.

      If you are looking to keep your dress to share with generations to come, I highly recommend getting your wedding dress preserved.  It’s refreshing to see your dress brought back to life and to know that it will be the same condition as when you first fell in love with it.  Any missing beads, tears, or snags are also repaired with a gown preservation.  You can also request 3 accessories to be preserved with your dress for free. Accessories include veils, clutches, broaches, hairpieces, etc.

      You gown comes back with original color, stain free, and completely repaired.  The process takes approximately 4 to 6 weeks to complete.  If you are having a reception separate from your ceremony at a later date, we recommend seeing a dry cleaner between events then getting your dress preserved. If your dress has been in storage with stains for quite some time, if not decades, don’t worry, Wedding Gown Preservation can get it out.  I was absolutely amazed by the results from a stunning 1950s wedding dress that came back with original ivory color, brighter, and looking like new.

      You can schedule your gown cleaning, or request a shipping kit online here.

      Wedding Dress Alterations: Tips & Timeline

      Posted on by moderncottageboutique

      Hello! You deserve to have a dress that fits perfectly, and I’m here to tell you it’s totally possible. Here is your wedding dress timeline, if you are not in alignment with this timeline, shoot me a message and I’d love to help you make a new game plan to ensure the perfect fit!

      Custom Wedding Dress Timeline

      • 12-8 Months: Sketches and fabric samples.
      • 8-6 Months: Order your custom wedding dress.
      • 6-4 Months: Draping, sample pattern fittings.
      • 4-2 Months: Dress is made and ready for regular alteration fittings.
      • 4-6 weeks: At this time you should have your accessories & be planning you second or final fitting.
      • 2-3 weeks: Your final fitting will be scheduled during this time as it insures the best fit for your wedding day.
      • Your wedding week: If you have requested your dress be steamed, you will have a scheduled pick up during this week.
      • Keep in mind the number of fittings is dependent upon the style of dress you choose.
      • We accept bookings all across the Pacific Northwest, specifically serving Walla Walla, Boise, and La Grande. Dresses are made to the closest fit and our seamstresses are available to travel to you.

      Wedding Dress Alterations Timeline

      • 12-8 weeks: Dress has arrived and is ready for regular alteration fittings.
      • 4-6 weeks: At this time you should have your accessories & be planning you second or final fitting.
      • 2-3 weeks: Your final fitting will be scheduled during this time as it insures the best fit for your wedding day.
      • Your wedding week: If you have requested your dress be steamed, you will have a scheduled pick up during this week.
      • Keep in mind the number of fittings is dependent upon the style of dress you choose.

      Wedding Dress Alterations: Tips

      • Always go the next size up! Your consultant might try to convince you to go the size that’s barely too small, but they may not know the structure of the dress.  It can’t hurt to go on the larger side if you are already having fit issues. This is especially true with fit n’ flare dresses.
      • Wear you shoes to your first appointment.  Be sure to bring the exact shoes you will be wearing when you walk down the isle.  Half an inch can make all the difference, so this is key.
      • Just bring you.  It’s important that your voice be heard in the way you want your dress to fit.    If you really want to show off your dress, bring someone close to you, someone who values your opinion.
      • Schedule your hair trial for the same day you have your final fitting.
      • Have someone else pick up your dress after it is steamed.  Have a bridesmaid, or family friend pick up your wedding dress.

      If you have any further questions, or if you are looking for an estimate on your wedding dress alterations, please see our price list here.

      -Britt

      Top 5 Ways to use a Vintage Wedding Dress

      Posted on by moderncottageboutique

      No. 1: Wearing your vintage wedding dress

      If you are only a few inches away from squeezing into the family dress, you can request a corset kit to match.  Most vintage dresses are not made with forgiving seams.  If you are local to Walla Walla, Washington, Boise, Idaho, or La Grande, Oregon, I serve these areas for wedding dress alterations.  You can see pricing here.

      No. 2: Recycle it

      Order a simple wedding dress that is the silhouette you are dreaming of.  Then work one-on-one with a wedding dress designer to create innovative ways to include fabrics from the vintage wedding dress.  Please, don’t try to reconstruct the original dress to be an entirely different dress.  If you are just removing sleeves, or making some adjustments to the neckline, then by all means, rock the original dress on your wedding day. Most vintage wedding dresses were made with little to no under structure. Keep this in mind with recycling.  You can brainstorm some more ideas with me here.

      No. 3: Put it in your bouquet

      This one is a super simple way to include grandma or mom as you walk down the isle.  It’s the perfect “something old” to add to your wedding day.  This option is perfect if the vintage wedding dress has lace applique.  Talk with your local florist about ways to add the fabric to your bouquet.  Local seamstresses can also make fabric flowers for you to add to your floral arrangements.  Here are a few of my favorite local florists:

      La Grande, Baker City, Pendleton, Oregon: Fitzgerald Flowers  Succulent Hub

      Walla Walla, Washington: Holly’s Floral Boutique

      Boise, Idaho: Flowers At Will

      No. 4: Add it to your garter set

      A custom garter set is a budget friendly way to add that “something old” to your wedding accessories.  Your seamstress can use the lace applique or create a fabric flower to incorporate with your garter design.  We specialize in custom garters and ship them nationally.  You can schedule a free consultation here.

       

      No. 5: Preserve it and display 

      Once you dress is cleaned and preserved, you could pick up a vintage mannequin to display the dress on next to a family picture display.  You can preserve and clean your gown by scheduling a cleaning or ordering a cleaning kit here.

      If you need help with your project, your first consult with me is free.  Visit our scheduling page to book your first meeting. I look forward to helping you brainstorm your wedding project!

      -Britt