Sound Bridal Advice: our pal Elmo

This morning as I was helping a wonderfully laid back bride, I had an interesting thought, "Why is it that brides sometimes lose their identity in their wedding?" You see, at the beginning of the appointment, my bride (who showed up in a T-shirt and jeans) requested a very beaded and extravagant look, that she didn't actually want. By the middle of the appointment I had identified the problem and we found a simple ruched gown (that looked awesome on her) that was more up her alley. The problem is, this bride is not alone. Why is it that the second a dreamy man puts a ring on our finger we forget who we are and what we like? Are we so caught up in being brides we've forgotten Sesame Street's mantra of "Be yourself"?  Thus, I've compiled a list of the top 3 areas that seem to be problematic for a gal's ability to remain true to herself.

Try an unconventional aisle runner!

1. Traditions: When I got married the number one thing that stressed me out was superfluous traditions imposed upon me by wedding websites and well meaning aquaintances. Don't get me wrong, there are certian traditions that exist because they are good and polite and meaningful (yes, you still have to write thank you cards!), but there are others that may not be your cup of tea, and that is ok! These days half the brides who walk through our doors don't buy veils, wear white shoes, walk down the aisle to the wedding march, or light unity candles. I've been to black tie weddings with full 7 course meals and open bars, and weddings where we ate barbeque and the bride walked down the aisle to the song from Pirates of The Caribbean. Would I make all the decisions these brides did? No. But I did walk away thinking, "wow, that wedding was so (insert the bride and groom's names here)"... and that made me really, really happy.

Cowboy boots are way more fun than dyed shoes!

2. Attire: I mentioned it before, but it bears repeating: you don't have to wear what everyone else is wearing! If you want to be encrusted head to toe with crystals and lace and be the bridey-est bride that ever existed then more power to you! And if you want to wear Toms under your dress and a Dallas Cowboys garter, because your man loves him some Tony Romo, then I will support you wholeheartedly.

Let a friend bake cupcakes instead!

3. Wedding Details: The best thing that you can do to keep your wedding planning organized is using tools like Theknot.com or Martha Stewart's online checklist. Here you'll find every single detail you'll need to keep track of listed out, so that you can be reminded of what to do (and when). However, I quickly learned that many of the details these sites suggest are simply not things that I care about. I never had to check "research linens", "customize your lighting", "create personalized monogram to project on the dance floor", or "decide on your ice sculpture" off my list, because I was fine with my venue's linens, I was getting married in a well lit room, I couldn't care less about monograms, and I did not want any sort of ice sculpture. You truly don't have to care about every little detail! (you really don't). If you're indifferent about the cake flavor, let your fiance or the maid of honor do the tasting. If you know a great florist give them a little creative freedom. By letting go of some of the details, you'll be a much more relaxed bride, and you won't find yourself with a wedding that is full of things you really don't love or need.

If being yourself involves this cake, maybe reconsider... ;)

The bottom line is this: There are a million details in a wedding... if you stress about each one or try and make decisions based on what you think is expected of you, you'll find yourself in a wedding that isn't yours and wearing a beanie instead of a veil to cover the bald patches from pulling your hair out. :) Remember our friend Elmo, and be yourself ladies!

Our Family Album: an introduction

My father in law is the most diligent scrap-booker I've ever met in my life. Every event, milestone, and person that is vaguely connected with our family gets put in chronological order with colorful backgrounds and witty comments.
       Why do you care about my father in law's compulsion to dicut? Well, as you probably feared, this is the part where I create a corny analogy and say that all of us at Rin's are a family at this point. (After all, when you think about the reality shows out there [it's all true!] you'll understand how we gain a sense of solidarity with co workers that can only be summed up as family!). And so in the spirit of my father in law, I'm beginning this blog with a little family album that introduces us to you!




Rin with David Tutera at Chicago Market.

Rin: A few moons ago Rin moved to the states from Thailand and opened her own shop. 30 years later, after learning English, developing a foundational knowledge of the bridal world, persevering through economic peaks and pits, and weathering the pouf sleeves of the 80s and the basque-waisted 90s, Rin has created one of the premiere bridal salons of the Bay Area. When she isn't doing the miriage of things that a shop owner does, Rin can be found volunteering for her local Bhuddist temple, helping the relief efforts for the floods in Thailand, or spending time with her husband and two sons.


Susan on the drive to Tahoe.

Susan: After traveling the world (including a long stint in Australia!) to complete her degree in Fashion Design, this Chicago native decided to place her roots in the Bay Area. Susan's eye for design and knowledge of sewing has proved to be an invaluable asset as she can see how each and every dress can be modified to custom fit each bride's needs and tastes. I can think of a number of times Susan has suggested raising a waistline, adding appliques, or pairing a dress with an accessory that completely makes the dress for the bride! Susan's interest in bridal took a noteworthy turn a couple months ago when she went to Market for the first time. Within 2 weeks of returning she had designed several gowns and hand sewn and beaded the first one! When she's not designing each bride's personal look or making gowns of her own, Susan can be found waist deep in the world of fashion. In addition to designing clothing, she also has done the makeup and hair for photo shoots, fashion shows, and film. This fashion knowledge will be shared on the blog, as Susan will be posting weekly fashion, makeup and hair tips and tutorials, as well as a mix of all things relevant.

Anabel in Las Vegas.

Anabel: There never was a Jack of all trades that could hold a candle to our Anabel. On any given day you will find her showing dresses, maintaining all of our office work, mending samples, helping with alterations, or helping translate for our Hispanic brides. She wears many hats, and she wears each one of them tremendously well. We all became acutely aware of just how much Anabel does when she went on maternity leave in the summer to have her adorable son, Antonio. However, despite our panic and dread, the apocalypse didn't come over those 3 months she was gone, and we welcomed her back in the fall. When she's not holding down the fort here, she can be found spending time with her family, playing with her adorable son, and watching Spongebob with her nieces.

Julie with her American Paint horse "Jack" at a show.

Julie: After 14 years in the bridal business, Julie is our resident expert. She started at The Unique Bride right out of high school and has worked with every designer under the sun (and many of the personalities you see hosting their own bridal shows now!). With nothing more than a few descriptive words Julie can track down the perfect dress for every bride's style, body type, and budget. When she isn't in the shop, Julie is found defending her title of Turner Classic Movie trivia champion, and promoting and showing her American Paint horse, "Invite Only Zippen," aka "Jack". In the past few years she's won enough buckles to decorate the belts of every cowboy in Texas, and read enough books to keep Amazon in business, but she still finds time to keep up to date on all things bridal!




Patricia frolicking in a field.

Patricia: Patricia gives Julie a run for her money in years of experience, clocking in at over 9! She came to Rin's several years ago and has been keeping herself busy ever since! Even in the slow seasons, Patricia is constantly on the move, doing everything from updating all our catalogs to painting window displays! Brides find Patricia to be refreshingly laid back, and very efficient in finding what they're looking for. Outside of the shop, Patricia loves cooking, gardening, reading, working out and spending a night out with the girls.



Christina in Disneyland with her hubby.

Christina: Last but not least, there's me. I've been in bridal for a couple years now, and find it to be one of the most interesting occupations imaginable (take that as you will!). I started in bridal after my own dress shopping experiences (which included everything from a consultant telling me "I didn't talk to you much at first because you looked like you could be a "bridezilla" to another one offering to knock of $5 if I bought the dress from her instead of the super sweet consultant that originally showed it to me). My degree in English and my love for finding crafty ways to be cheap inspired me to start this blog with Susan. While Susan educates you on all things relevant, I will be showing you how to balance out your budget by DIYing your way down the aisle. With the help of my bff Martha, and a little bit of modge podge we'll make all your bridal dreams come true....or at least make you throw up from our shameless cheeziness!