Service, selection make dress shopping easier

While brides-to-be may be stressing over finding the perfect dress, they might be comforted to know many Lincoln bridal shops offer unique services and care to help women don a special gown.

Megan Walkenhorst, a Fremont bride-to-be, says that when shopping for her dress, customer service was important in reducing the stress of planning a wedding.

After trying on dresses at a bridal shop with an unhelpful salesperson who didn't allow Walkenhorst to browse as she wanted, she was grateful to find better customer service at a different bridal shop.

"The lady focused on me and not on four other people at the same time," Walkenhorst explained. "I was allowed to try on a bunch of dresses."

Lincoln bridal shops have special offers and services to make sure brides-to-be have the perfect experience while shopping for their gown.

Brides shoping at Ellynne Bridal, 4400 S. 70th St., receive a 10 percent discount along with the opportunity to do one-stop shopping, said Alexis Geist, an Ellynne Bridal employee. Ellynne Bridal is a full-service bridal shop, offering tuxes, invitations, decorations and more.

J'Maries Bridal Shoppe, 4848 Normal Blvd., is also a full-service bridal shop with a large selection.

"We carry the most designer manufacturers in one store than anywhere in Nebraska," owner Peggy Clagett said.

The Bridal Gown Outlet, 3920 N. 27th St., offers customization of all accessories, along with tinting veils and shoes, to make the perfect wedding gown ensemble for any bride-to-be.

The idea of tinting veils and shoes to match a wedding dress sounds peculiar when thinking of the typical white wedding dress, but according to many Lincoln bridal shops, these days it's not strange to see more colorful dresses.

Besides the classic ivory and white, colors such as champagne, pinks and reds are being incorporated into wedding dresses this year, Geist said.

Ruching is also becoming very popular, explained Schutz. Ruching is commonly known as the pillow-tucked or pickup skirt, where the skirt of the dress looks as if it has been tucked under.

Another upcoming style is the strapless gown. Spaghetti straps and square halters are out, explained Geist. She also talked about the changing neckline. The most popular neckline currently is the sweetheart neckline.

"The high neckline is no longer popular," explained Clagett.

With all of these services and styles to choose from, are brides-to-be getting exactly what they want?

Geist suggests that brides be open-minded when shopping for dresses. Many brides find that dresses they would have never tried on end up being the perfect dress.

Shopping at a bridal shop with lots of styles is a must. Walkenhorst tried on at least 30 dresses before finding the right dress for her September wedding.

Above everything, Schutz advises brides-to-be: "Don't sweat the small stuff."

Not everything can be perfect for a wedding, she explained, so don't get upset when it doesn't turn out as planned.