Are you crying because I definitely am! I cannot believe I bought my wedding dress for our big day in 2020. Somehow, I’ve worked out just about all of the details for our late Summer day, but that information is for another post. Today is all about what I’m wearing down the aisle! On November 30th, I had the privilege of having an appointment at Twirl Boutique in Lexington, KY where I found THE dress. In this post, I’m chatting a bit about the process, finding the one I bought, and what shopping local during this process does for communities.
I initially reached out to Twirl for a bridal appointment because they’ve become a staple for wedding dress shopping in Lexington. A happy coincidence, my appointment fell on the weekend they celebrated their 10th anniversary in business on Clay Avenue. It was special for me to be part of their anniversary celebration as 10 years in a brick and mortar location is no easy feat. Before the day of my appointment, I completed a questionnaire online that helped my consultant (“Twirl girl”) understand a bit about my style and preferences when dress shopping. It was nice to go shopping after I had already picked out major elements of the day including date, venue, colors, etc. to know what dress would fit the vibe of our wedding.
At my appointment, I was fortunate enough to be accompanied by a crew of people. Joining me included half of my side of the bridal party – my maid of honor Stefani and bridesmaid Mya – as well as my mother, my sister Sarah, Alan’s mom Lisa, and his younger sister Kate. I went into the appointment pretty married (punny, I know) to the idea that I would end up with an A-line dress that definitely would not be strapless. In the end, I stayed pretty true to that idea, but definitely went a different direction than I initially thought in terms of color, material, etc. My appointment at Twirl lasted 1.5 hours (most last one, but I had to take all the photos for this post) and I tried on 8 dresses total. There were a few I knew immediately wouldn’t work, but I am glad that I did try on options wildly different than my vision as a good reference point in finding THE dress.
Below, you’ll see some of the gorgeous dresses that weren’t winners for me. I loved trying on a variety of colors, shapes, and fits to see how they each made me feel and fell on my body. Immediately below was one of the wilder (IMO) options I tried, complete with lace and fringe. If I were getting married on a beach, this would have honestly been a real contender. It looked nothing like some of the styles I picked in the initial appointment questionnaire, but I was excited to see a totally unique pick on my body.
I tried on ball gowns, sequins, lace, chiffon, mermaid, you name it. I can’t emphasize enough how important variety was in my appointment. I definitely don’t think there is a perfect way to find your wedding dress. I imagined, for me, the process would be relatively painless. After all, I picked both my prom dresses after only trying on 2 options each year. It’s true when they say to keep an open mind, but there is no right way to make the purchase. Some people shop around and visit multiple stores; some brides knock it out in one day of looking. If anything, I would say budget is the most important part of the plan. I did go slightly over-budget in my purchase and do wish I had been a little more vocal in the process to make sure I stayed on target. Once you put on *the* one, it’s pretty difficult to back-peddle to a different price point. I am overjoyed at the dress I did purchase and made some accommodations in other parts of our budget to make sure the perfect one came home with me.
I have to brag on the atmosphere of Twirl for a moment. They make you feel pretty top notch right out of the gate with mimosas and accommodations for appointments of all sizes. I don’t think there is a perfect number of people to bring with you to dress shop, but I was really lucky to have a group of supportive women with me that didn’t let their opinions ring louder than my own. The boutique itself is in a cute house near downtown Lexington and is truly girly and inviting. They only hold one fitting appointment at a time so the experience feels really special in front of the big mirror with your people and without the insanity of others rushing around you. Different from other bridal appointments I’ve been to with friends, I did not scour tons of racks for dresses in bags. My friends and family also did not pick out options during the appointment. It was really relaxing to trust the consultant, Taylor, to bring new options and suggest dresses based on how the appointment progressed. I also asked to play with some accessories throughout the process, instead of just at the end. Additions like a veil, belts, clips, etc. can impact your overall look greatly and it was nice to see how small touches really changed my view of certain styles.
Overall, I had a really effortless experience while shopping. For what it’s worth, none of the dresses shown in this post even come close to the one I picked. The one I took home was the 3rd dress of the day I tried on, and knew I couldn’t wait to get back into it. It was important for me to feel truly comfortable in my pick – I don’t want to be fighting fabric, squirming from itchiness, or sweating to death on our wedding day. Think about factors like this that don’t directly concern style while you’re shopping to make sure your dress is practical for the ceremony and reception you’re having. I won’t be changing between our ceremony and reception – this dress is going to stay on me as we dance all night. I am SO pleased with my pick. As cringe-worthy as it is to “say yes to the dress”, I am so happy I did at Twirl and I promise there were happy tears.
I have to extend a special thank you to these girls for helping me in the process. Taylor (left) was my appointment consultant and did an amazing job pulling options for me and listening to my thoughts. I tried to keep it pretty low-key, and she helped me remember not to settle for one that wasn’t perfect for me. Ty and Liz (right) have been cheerleaders for brides all across Kentucky and beyond. Ty is Twirl’s owner and Liz is the Twirl manager – I’ve actually known Liz for over a decade because my sister was close to her growing up. It was really special for me to share this moment with them because we’re all three very networked into the local business community in Lexington.
I asked Liz if she’d comment on what working in the bridal industry means to her, as well as what it’s like to manage a small business in a community like Lexington. Her words couldn’t be more fitting:
The beauty of working in the bridal industry is that we are in the business of celebrating women in such a unique capacity. We are given the opportunity every day to empower women to feel confident, radiant, and like the most beautiful versions of themselves. Getting to be a part of a woman’s journey towards becoming a wife is no small thing and we consider it a true honor & joy that our brides allow us to be a part of this season with them. When you shop local, you are directly impacting the lives and families of the people you see within that small business’s walls – whether that be physical or virtual.
One of the things I love so much about local, small businesses is that there is always a story behind why the business started. Whether it was inherited from a loved one, someone’s dream coming true after working a job they hated, or was started out of seeing the need for it because of your own personal season of life, there’s always a story that started the business and I love that. When you shop local, whether you realize it or not, you are a part of that story when you purchase or support that business. You are a part of confirming and encouraging the small business owner that their dream was worth chasing and their work is making an impact. Lexington is full of so many amazing small businesses, so when you shop local in our community, you are impacting lives in countless ways and being a part of stories that cultivate legacies simply with your purchasing power. Shopping locally through small businesses is a beautiful gift for both the entrepreneur and the consumer. Our stories are forever intertwined because you decided to support another person’s dream.
To echo Liz, buying a wedding dress is big step towards an even bigger commitment to becoming a wife. It has already been a special process to plan this day during our engagement. Although no one will remember the napkins or drink koozies, every decision you make during this time should contribute to a sentiment of love and celebration on your day together. Alan and I will be using local vendors and small businesses wherever possible during this experience. I am so grateful to have so many talented contributors on our team for this special day in 2020. It’s going to be great, y’all!
This post has been sponsored, in-part, by Twirl Boutique. Thank you for continuing to support the brands that make Space, Place & Southern Grace possible!
