One of the biggest decisions a woman has to make after saying “yes” is choosing which style dress to wear on her big day. Several local shops consider it their job to help ease that stress and pressure, so the bride can turn from saying yes to her groom, to saying yes to her dress.

Natalie Day, manager of Azarue’s Bridal & Formal, loves getting to help brides do just that. “I get to meet brides and bridal parties from all over the Ark-La-Tex,” Natalie said. “Brides come from near and far for our one-of-a-kind bridal experience. We make it our goal to treat every bride that enters our store like family, so getting to know a bride is an essential step in every appointment.”

Located at 450 Benton Road in Bossier City, Azarue’s continues to consistently help brides find the perfect dress for their big day. “Every bride is different – however, every bride has a 'look' when they know it’s their gown! We firmly believe that finding the perfect gown lays a solid foundation for a phenomenal wedding day,” Natalie said.

According to Natalie, Beach and Boho Brides are a current popular trend. “Bohemian with a classic spin is what we’re seeing a lot of for Spring/Summer 2017,” Natalie said. “The princess look is something we no longer see much of. It’s a gorgeous alternative, just not as popular right now.”

“New trends in bridal accessories include foot jewelry for our beach brides, shoulder jewelry for our glamorous brides and flower crowns for our bohemian brides,” Natalie said. “Belts are also a timeless accessory for every bride, and can immediately complete a gown.”

SAY YES TO THE DRESS

“For brides on a budget, sometimes less is more,” Natalie advised. “Our motto is that we have a gown for every bride, on any type of budget, from our Simple Elegance section of our store, to our unique selection of Couture merchandise. But price aside, it’s all about how you feel. If you feel beautiful, it adds to the magic of one of the best days of your life!” Visit www.azarues.com for more information.

Leigh Flood, owner of Bella Bridesmaids in Shreveport, has just as much fun helping the wedding party look special on the big day.

“I think the biggest thing right now is that there are no rules! We have lots of brides mixing and matching colors, fabrics, and even bringing in prints and sequins into the bridal party,” Flood said. “The mix-and-match idea looks effortless but is actually more work on the front end. We spend lots of time with these brides, making sure each and every dress works perfectly with each other.”

On the flip side, Flood advised they are also seeing some brides turn back to traditional long, structured formal dresses. “So there is something for everyone right now!” Flood said.

According to Flood, current color trends include dusty rose, burgundy, light blues and neutrals, such as champagne and blush.

“We are also seeing lots of brides accessorize their bridesmaids with sparkly belts, or adding one to the maid of honor so that she stands out. We also see lots of brides giving matching jewelry as bridesmaid’s gifts. We carry Kendra Scott in our showroom, and their color bar allows brides to create their own unique pieces just for their wedding.”

She also has advice for the brides regarding their wedding party. “The biggest thing we see bridesmaids complain about is when the bride doesn’t give enough direction, such as ‘pick any dress in the color blush’,” Flood said. “Brides, your ladies want to make you happy! Only you truly know the vision for your big day, so give your ladies more structure. If you want them to be able to pick their own dress, narrow it down to one to two designers, choose a color and fabric and then let them choose. This will give them an opportunity to pick a dress they love and stay within your theme for the wedding.”

Flood loves the variety that’s in place now in wedding parties. “Gone are the days of telling your ladies to just wear a black dress,” Flood said. “Brides want their maids to feel just as special as they do on their big day. The bridesmaids are the opening act to the main show, so they should feel just as beautiful.”

Bridesmaids often struggle with a budget just like brides do. “We have something for every budget,” Flood said. “One of the things Bella Bridesmaids strives for is a dress that girls can wear again – so they don’t spend money on something that will just hang in their closet after the wedding. We have styles that can be dressed up and dressed down for any occasion, so you truly can wear them over and again!” Flood thinks the best advice she can give as a shop owner is to encourage fearlessness. “Don’t be scared to try something different. We have over 700 styles in our showroom, and it’s hard to tell on the hanger – so trust your stylist to guide you in the right direction for your body type.”

Bella Bridesmaids is located at 750 Southfield Road, Shreveport. Visit them on Facebook or their Web site at www.bellabridesmaids.com.