This year has been deemed the year of the fashion wedding, according to Harper's Bazaar.
Paige Tapia, the owner of the Bridal Suite in Bend, with her daughter Brittany, says the shop has seen a lot of bohemian-style wedding dresses. "It's a broad group, but we've seen mostly vintage lace, lightweight, and something you would want to wear outside," she says. Tapia says she's sold many dresses with low backs or dresses with some type of illusion fabric showing more of a back. Dresses with sleeves are also becoming popular.
Before buying a dress, shoppers should know that it takes anywhere from four to seven months before the dress is ready to wear. Tapia says for those purchasing a dress from the rack, the alterations usually take about four months, but when ordering a custom-made gown, it can take several more months. "The typical dress takes four months, and the average cost of a wedding dress in the U.S. is around $1,700," she says.
In Bend, she says the average bridal gown costs between $1,100 and $1,300. She adds that shopping at the Bridal Suite is a very personalized experience. She says they've worked with brides wanting dresses in every color from blue and pink to brown as well as custom orders such as kimonos. The shop has large dressing rooms designed to accommodate up to four people or if the bride-to-be would rather surprise her entourage, Tapia says there's also plenty of seating space in the store. The Bridal Suite does on-site alterations and carries bridesmaids' dresses, tuxedos, prom dresses and flower girl dresses, too. "We sit down and talk about the wedding, colors, and we really get to know our brides before we start with the experience," she says.
