Shopping for a Wedding Dress in KC

Shopping for a Wedding Dress in KC

A few weeks back, I went on a day-trip to Kansas City to look for wedding dresses for one of my besties. Brett is getting married on July 28, 2012 at the beautiful Fontanelle Forest. Brett and her fiance Nick are a nontraditional couple. They want a outdoor wedding focused on their relationship and love for dancing. Because a majority of their wedding will take place in the open air surrounded by the forest, it was really important that we found a dress for Brett that was both flattering and comfortable.

Looking for a dress can be an emotional experience. Sometimes brides have no idea what they want. Other brides start dress shopping with a specific style in mind only to learn that style is not the best option for them. Brett’s dress search wasn’t clear-cut, but in the end, she bought the absolute perfect dress for her wedding.

We began our trip at The Gown Gallery situated in an old building near the Power and Light District. If you’re looking for a dress with a lot of pizazz whether it be stones, feathers, or volume, The Gown Gallery is the place to shop.

We all agreed that Brett should try on flowing sheath-style and empire waist dresses to ensure she’d be comfortable. She tried on a beautiful Mikaela dress that looked great on her, but confusion set in once we saw how the Tara Keely fit and flare dress accentuated her perfect hour-glass shape. There was no doubt that both styles looked great on her, but the fit and flare style seemed more bridal and different than the maxi dresses Brett frequently wears in her everyday wardrobe.

Image 1: Mikaella BridalImage 2: Tara Keely

We then visited Altar Bridal which carries elegant and understated dresses. The consultants were very accommodating and helpful, and we got to play with all of the fun accessories in the store.

Altar Bridal from AleaLovely on Vimeo.

Brett was still struggling between what she expected in the sheath-style dress and the new-found fit and flare style that her crew (made up of the mother of the bride, the mother of the groom, and me) couldn’t stop raving about. The dress highlights of this store included the Ivy and Aster sheath and the Heidi Elnora fit and flare, but we knew there was still something missing, so we moved on.

Image 1: Ivy and AsterImage 2: Heidi Elnora

Image: Sarah Seven

Brett had fallen in love with Sarah Seven’s designs months ago, but the designer’s dresses are only sold in two stores nationwide. I spent weeks working with Sarah Seven to ship one of her dresses to Bella Bridesmaids in Kansas City. Luckily, the dress was delivered by UPS the morning of our visit. Sarah Seven uses the softest and lightest fabrics. They are truly incredible, and the Practically Perfect Dress shown on the right became the top contender for Brett.

Our last store visit was with Bridal Extraordinaire. Brett tried on multiple gowns, but the dress she ended up purchasing was the one dress she tried on when I purchased my dress in Minnesota a year prior. She had come full circle. I won’t show a picture, because I don’t want to spoil the surprise for Nick, but I can tell you SHE WILL BE STUNNING! The dress was the perfect combination of the sheath and fit and flare styles, and through working with the owners, I was able to get the price of the dress lowered by about $900.

We spent 14 hours that day on the hunt for THE dress. And Brett is the perfect example of how far patience can get you. As long as you stay calm and positive, you’ll find the dress. My next post is going to include a bunch of my favorite wedding dresses from the 2012 season. See you soon!