Pssst.. Did you know that owner of Once Upon A Time Weddings, Erin Bouchard, hand creates unique Wedding Invitations? If you’re looking for something unique then you have to check out her samples of wedding invitations. Remember, your invitations are your guests first glimpse into what your wedding will be like. So impress them with something that stands out.
Once Upon A Time Weddings wishes to thank our loyal customers and welcome new ones at our Christmas Open House. Come sip some hot apple cider, eat some Christmas goodies, and shop for those hard to buy people on your list. We've got some great unique gifts in the store.
Happy Friday! Hope everyone has had a great week! I started wanted to take a minute to let you know about an ongoing contest on our website. Because, really who doesn't love free things? Every two months, we draw for a free veil and accessory from the list of names submitted on our website. Not wearing a veil? No worries, just choose two free accessories (necklaces, earrings, hair pieces, tiaras, flowers, etc) So hurry on over to http://www.onceuponatimeweddings.ca/ Click on win a free gift, fill out the information and boom you're registered. Pretty easy eh? What are you waiting for? Go do it now!
The ideal number of friends or relatives to bring gown shopping is one to three. (And three can even be pushing it if they are all highly opinionated ladies!) Although it can be fun to try on gowns for all six of your bridesmaids and have them ooh and aah over you, remember that the point is to find your wedding gown, not just to try on lots of dresses. You are better off choosing a couple of friends who will be able to remain focused on you and on what you really want.
SAMPLE SALE: Sample sales are an awesome way to save money and get a designer gown. A couple times a year Once Upon A Time Weddings will sell sample gowns and you can save up to 50% off! What’s the difference between a designer gown and a mass produced copy? FIT & FLATTER. The bodices are constructed so differently, its insane. Instead of 2 seams in the bodice of a mass produced gown (the top of the gown that is shaped around your curves), you have 6- 12 in a designer gown. What does that mean? It means the construction of the gown can now curve with your curves. All of a sudden, gowns fit you correctly, they don’t pull, and you don’t have chicken-wings popping out from your pits over the neckline of the gown. Most women don’t like that feature of cheap gowns. Inexpensive gowns are often guilty of using the neckline to hold up a strapless gown - which gives you armpit spill/ aka chicken wings. A designer bodice is held up through the waist, and the fit is to die for. And cost on a designer gown? They start at only $899. Totally reasonable and totally worth it. If you care how you look, you should check out the designer version of your gown. Who wants Prado when you can have Prada? And if you get it in a sample sale, odds are it is cheaper than the knock off hanging at the big box store.
4. Get ALL the guys measured at least 6-8 weeks prior to the wedding. This is your drop-dead date. Which means if you miss it, you may end up paying additional fees. This is also the part of renting tuxes that throws most people. You do not have to be measured at the store that is ordering your tuxes. You can have measurements done at a tailor, suit store, or bridal shop. Call and ask before you head over because different stores will have different policies for ‘out of house’ tux measurements.
8. Don’t worry about dropping your tuxes off right after the wedding. Tux returns can be done on Monday. Have fun at the wedding. And should you fall into a pool or have some accident with your tux, don’t worry - your damage waiver will a dirty tux. (Designer tuxes cost about $600-$900 to replace - don’t fall in the pool).
2. FORGET THE ADS: Those models wearing the designer gown in the ad you are looking at is a good reference point to start from, but that is all it is good for. Photos can be manipulated to make a dress look like it does something that it does not. Never trust a photo. (Mind you, a pro award-winning photographer is giving you this tip).
6. DON’T EVEN THINK IT: You might be thinking I can so try on the dress – this shop down the street carries my dress. I’ll just try it on there and order it online. You have two major problems with this mindset. #1 – The shop you are using is individually owned and operated. That means the dress you are trying on and the services (consultants, dressing rooms, and time) cost something. To go into a privately owned store and use their stock and staff, tie up dressing rooms, and then buy online is whorey. If you have trouble rationalizing this – look at it this way. This is someone’s aunt, sister, or mother who is trying to feed her kids. You go in waste her time, wear out her dresses thereby devaluing them, and then you say sionora and buy from the net. It’s technically not stealing, but it should leave you feeling like scum because it IS a scummy thing to do. If you have no conscious and can look the woman helping you in the eye and still feel okay with yourself, you have a second major issue. #2 - Online retailers don’t give a crap about you. If you have a problem with your order, your dress is damaged, you need a seamstress, or you need your gown steamed – you are 100% on your own. The most often net ordering issue I hear is that they never placed the order for the gown with the vendor. You’ll find out with less than one weeks notice (assuming you even get notice) and then you are back to square one with no dress. This happens VERY OFTEN. It is a major problem because no one thinks it will happen to them. You also have the problem of the net vendor taking your money, not ordering your dress, and going under. And since this is not a local person who has to sit next to you at church, they keep your money and don’t feel guilty about it. Nameless and faceless business are NOT your friend. Save the internet purchases for stuff that doesn’t matter if it shows up or not.
Once Upon A Time Weddings has a great group of staff and at one of our meetings we were discussing how we could let the wonderful residents of Strathroy know about the different services that we carry, while giving back in some way to the other business folks in Strathroy, since we know how hard they work to keep their business running. The idea to dress someone for an upcoming event arose and when we realized that the Strathroy’s Annual Chamber of Commerce was approaching, we thought it would be a great opportunity to showcase some of our products. When we learned that Ken Bumstead, owner of Giant Tiger, was nominated we realized we had found a perfect match. 
Once Upon A Time Weddings has expanded to include tuxedo rentals through Bud Gowan Formal Wear in London. We chose Bud Gowan because of it’s longstanding reputation and service in London. Customers can now purchase or rent men’s formal wear in Strathroy at Once Upon A Time Weddings, saving them those trips to London.
