| A message from %%!account_organization%%. |
|
OUR WEDDING WEDNESDAYS SERIES CONTINUES...
About to embark on the (marriage) adventure of a lifetime? Congratulations from our family to yours! Planning a wedding can be stressful. At Vardy's Jewelers, we'd like to help you beyond the rings and wedding jewelry. We meet a lot of brides and grooms on their journey to the altar and are honored to be given an intimate view into such an important part of many people's lives. Along the way, we've been privileged to meet many talents in the wedding industry.
In this email series, we confer with local experts to bring together valuable advice in advance of your big day. Every other Wednesday this summer, we select a wedding-related topic and research it on your behalf. Previous emails have covered two of the top decisions related to wedding planning: 1) selecting a venue and 2) booking a wedding photographer; this week's topic is often next on the list: wedding gowns.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
After setting a date, most engaged couples book their venue and wedding photographer since the most desirable locations and talents book up to a year (sometimes two) in advance. The search for the bride's dress is time-sensitive as well because lead times may be in excess of six months for a custom gown; most bridal salons have 2-6 month lag times between finding a dress and taking delivery.
Our go-to wedding dress expert is couture designer, Angelina Haole (www.angelinahaole.com). Angelina's custom creations are in high demand by Bay Area brides; she also specializes in destination wedding dresses...see below for a glimpse of a gown she created for a private ceremony in Verona, Italy. Angelina participated in our maiden foray into wedding-related events last year and offers a refreshingly simple and straightforward approach to wedding dress shopping.
|
|
|
|
|
|
ANGELINA'S 5 MUST-KNOW WEDDING DRESS TIPS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1. RESPECT YOUR BODY TYPE
Remember that it's not only what you like, it's how you look—choose a silhouette that makes the most of your unique shape.
2. CHOOSE YOUR EXPERIENCE
You can buy your dress off the rack, at a bridal salon, through the Internet, or treat yourself to a full custom experience. Make sure to educate yourself on all options and keep the total experience in mind.
3. WRITE A MISSION STATEMENT
Or maybe just a few words that embody what you're looking for in a dress. Effortless, elegant, whimsical, sexy...reminding yourself of your goals will save you time and confusion by helping you limit the field.
4. COORDINATE YOUR WEDDING
This may seem obvious, but make sure your dream dress works with your wedding location and decor. If your wedding says "metropolitan luxury" your dress shouldn't say "shabby chic".
5. BE A DRESSED UP VERSION OF YOU
This is no time to reinvent your personal style! Choose a dress that makes you look and feel effortless on your big day and proud every time you look at your wedding photos.
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 BAY AREA BRIDAL BOUTIQUES WE LOVE
|
|
|
|
|
|
There are SO many bridal salons in the Bay Area, it can be overwhelming to narrow your choices to a manageable few. Our top three recommendations for local boutiques are below (we also highly recommend a chat with Angelina Haole to see if a custom dress is right for you!).
Be sure to make an appointment (they are free) and bring a few trusted friends or family members to help you choose your dream gown. Happy shopping!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
HAUTE BRIDE
Haute Bride is an intimate bridal boutique in downtown Los Gatos. Started in 2012 by owner/designer Lindsie Jones, the boutique focuses on fashion-forward accessories for the bride and bridal party in addition to a well-curated selection of couture bridal gowns. Haute Bride's wedding dresses typically range between $1900-7000 and brides are recommended to order gowns 8-9 months in advance (5-6 month lead time from the designer plus 2-3 months for fittings leading up to your wedding day). For more information, visit https://www.hautebride.com/
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BHLDN - PALO ALTO
BHLDN is Anthropologie's limited line of bridal gowns and bridal party attire (from ethereal to glitter-encrusted creations, you're certain to find a dress you'll love). The Palo Alto store, featuring an upstairs BHLDN salon, opened in November 2016. There are many beautiful and affordable (below $1000!) options to choose from; lead times vary but six months is about average from order to delivery. For more information, visit https://www.bhldn.com/
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
VERA WANG - SAN FRANCISCO
Vera Wang aficionados, rejoice! Did you know you can enjoy the full Vera Wang experience in the Bay Area? Opened in 2013, the boutique offers a stunning array of Vera-designed gowns ranging from $5,000-25,000 (average gown price is about $8,000). Brides are advised to allow at least six months from order to delivery, with three final fittings squeezed into the two-month period before the wedding. For more information, visit https://www.verawang.com/#wedding
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A FACEBOOK GROUP FOR BRIDES+GROOMS!
Calling all brides and grooms...if you haven't yet done so, we invite you to join our private Facebook group, South Bay Brides & Grooms, to connect with other Bay Area couples for all things WEDDING! Our interest in Vardy's brides and grooms doesn't stop at the rings, we want to be part of this exciting time in your lives and help however we can (mainly by giving you a safe space to connect and chat with each other).
This is a private, moderated and closed group for brides and grooms (no vendors will be invited to participate — we don't want you to be spammed). Our aim is to help create a wedding-oriented community where you can share information with each other — venues, photographers, dressmakers, bakers, DJ's and more. From time to time, we'll add a few of our favorite Bay Area wedding professionals (based upon our personal and professional interactions with them).
If you're getting married and you've got advice you'd like to share with other couples, want to ask a question or simply want to connect with other happy couples, this is the place for you!
To join, log into Facebook and search for South Bay Brides & Grooms — request to join and we'll approve your membership right away.
|
|
|
|
|
|
CELEBRATIONS: WEDDINGS & ENGAGEMENTS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Congratulations to one of our recently engaged couples, Lorrine Babauta and Gary Patterson! Lorrine's stunning Hearts on Fire engagement ring perfectly suits her and their recent engagement photos make us so happy! Best wishes to the future Mr. and Mrs. Patterson from all of us at Vardy's Jewelers! Photos by Herve Philippe of TerrificShot Photography.
Got an engagement or wedding photo for Vardy's Wedding Wall and the Celebrations section of our client emails? Please send them our way! You and your beloved could be featured right here!
|
|
|
|
|
|
@VARDYSJEWELERS ON INSTAGRAM
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Store Hours
Tuesday - Wednesday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Thursday 11:00 am to 6:00 pm
Friday - Saturday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vardy’s Jewelers has been creating unique, handcrafted jewelry in Cupertino since 1981. Vardy’s is proud to offer distinctive pieces with timeless style. Old World European craftsmanship meets contemporary technology resulting in an extraordinary offering of custom and artistic designs of heirloom quality, designed and created on the premises. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
