Something Old, Something New, Something Britex!

Wedding season is getting into swing, so each week we're going to give you a detailed look at all of the bridal fabrics, embellishments and know-how that Britex has to offer–from the firsthand perspectives of our experts on the floor.  This week, we're speaking with Laura at the third floor bridal counter, who has a decade of experience in making brides and wedding parties as beautiful as they can be. 

Q: Tell us a little about the Britex bridal counter. A: Well, we have an extensive range of pretty much everything a bride or her bridal party might need in order to make their attire memorable and unique.  There are so many choices it can get a little overwhelming–most brides are looking for white or ivory, and it's amazing the range of shades and tones within those two colors. So it can be tricky to find a trim for each bride's gown, but we can pretty much do it. A lot of my day is spent just separating the white from the ivory–it's a really important distinction when you're trying to put your hand as quickly as possible on a particular trim. Whites range from a blue white to a pale, pale almost-ivory, maybe even with pale pink touches. Ivory can run anywhere from a light toffee tone or champagne to almost white, but all ivories tend to be warmer tones.

Q: In addition to bridal trims, what other kinds of accessories do you stock? A: We have pre-made veils in single tiers, two tiers and circle-cut to accommodate brides who might want anything from a simple single tier to a short blusher to a long veil with a blusher (a blusher is that lovely layer that goes in front of the face for the big reveal). Some brides choose to wear the blusher in the back because they want more volume. Alternatively, we carry an assortment of really beautiful tiaras, combs, and headbands with crystals and pearls. Some are really simple and some are intricate and ornate. We like to give the tiaras names–one of the most impressive styles is the "Czarina." In terms of colored trim, we have gorgeous golds, very beautiful silvers, metallics, crystal trims with gold and silver and even rose gold settings, plus an extensive range of venise, chantilly and alencon edges for veils. Most brides either want something to match their gowns–which are frequently already trimmed in lace, so we need to find something complementary–or to create an additional element on a sleek, simple gown.

Q: What are some of the new trends you've been seeing? A: Venise lace has been much more popular recently, and we've gotten a lot of new shapes, colors and patterns. It's a very useful and beautiful type of lace: most people recognize it for its ability to be cut apart easily to make new shapes and appliques. For the bridal party, mother-of-the-bride, or bride who wants to experiment with color in her own dress, we have a lot of beautiful beaded laces and trims that can pick up all of the shades in a bridal palette, and accent and complement virtually any fabric. Right now, we're seeing a lot of demand for taupe, rose gold, grey and silver. And of course there's always someone who needs a chartreuse or a vivid pink, and we've got that too. We can do both elegant and eclectic.

Q: What is your favorite thing at the counter right now? A: I am so excited about some of the new alençons that we've been able to acquire with leafy patterns. The detail is incredible. They're French…and it's solely due to our European contacts that we're able to get things like that.

Q: How about a memorable bride? A: Oh, boy. There are a lot. One bride recently wanted to incorporate black into her gown, and that can be especially challenging if you don't want it to come off as costume-y. she came in three different times at various stage of putting together the gown. The first time she left in tears because things weren't going the way she imagined; she needed some time to really assimilate all of the options to figure out what she was going to be able to do and talk with her seamstress. The second time we tried more things and found something perfect:  beautiful and romantic, and occasion-worthy for bridal. The third time, she came in to show me pictures of the wedding. The gown was lovely and she was lovely in it–and so happy! In the end, that's really what we're here for.