Scottsdale

Ask an Expert - 7 Wedding Gown Questions Answered by Laurie Dickman - Laurie's Bridal, Scottsdale AZ

I’ve been planning weddings for a long time and one of the things that I’ve come to appreciate is that I work with a lot of fabulous professionals that really know their stuff. I’ve also learned that each specialty has a number of quirks about it that always inspire questions. In our Ask the Expert series, we’re going to talk with, well, the experts and answer some of those fun questions that you may or may not have wondered about.

In this post we are going to talk with Laurie Dickman with Laurie’s Bridal based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Laurie sells amazing gowns with a personal touch. She truly cares about each one of her clients and wants them to feel gorgeous on their wedding day! Here’s a little more about Laurie -


Originally from New York, Laurie’s flair for fashion began in her teenage years, when she started working part-time at a high-end clothing and dress boutique in her local mall. In the very early 1990’s, she started working for a leading bridal dress and headpiece manufacturer. Laurie worked her way up and was soon traveling all over the United States as a Trunk Show Coordinator, training store owners, and their employees on how to properly sell wedding gowns, to educate their customers and to help listen to what the consumer wanted and bring that back to the company.

‘I loved every single thing about our wedding! I still look at my wedding pictures and LOVE LOVE LOVE my own wedding gown and yes, I still love my groom too!’ I tell all of my brides to be true to who they are when choosing their bridal gown. Don’t worry about matching the venue, but match who you are. ~ Laurie

Laurie wants all of her customers to have fun. With a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere, surrounded by gorgeous dresses, it’s not difficult to find that dress of your dreams here. Bridal appointments are private and exclusive and you get to work with Laurie, herself! Being a hands-on owner, Laurie definitely brings the fun back into dress shopping!


Now, about those questions -

1. What is the ideal number of people to bring with when trying on dresses?

Ideally, we recommend you bring the 2-3 closest people in your life. Buying a bridal gown is very emotional and personal. Too many opinions may not be a good thing.

2. How soon should I start looking for a dress?

We recommend 12-15 months in advance. Most special order gowns, meaning, not purchasing off the rack, can take anywhere from 5-9 months, depending on the designer.

3. When should I schedule alterations?

Typically alterations should be scheduled about 2-3 months before your wedding, depending on the time of year. There is a busy season for alterations and you don’t want to find your alterations specialist saying they don’t have time to take you.

4. Should I get a bustle?

ABSOLUTELY!  Why wouldn’t you want to get a bustle?  Do you want to be lugging around that gorgeous train all night? I tell all my brides, bustling is an art and can be almost as spectacular as the front of your gown.  By the way, that little loop under the skirt, is NOT a bustle. It’s for the bridal shops to lift the bustle up off the floor and hang it up. An alterations specialist is worth every penny! 

5. Will you recommend a dress for me, or do I need to know what style I want to wear?

I chat with every bride prior to her appointment to hear what her vision and her thoughts are. By the time she comes in, I already have an idea of what she’s thinking. I tell every single bride, “My job as a stylist is to also put you in gowns that you may not have thought of. A good stylist will put you in gowns that look amazing on you, whether or not you like them, that’s up to you.”

6. What should I bring with me for my appointment?

UNDERWEAR!!!  Not only should you wear your underwear, but please wear proper underwear, not a thong. Nude seamless panties are perfect. You’ll be in and out of gowns all day and need to be comfortable.  Trying on bridal gowns is like trying on bathing suits, until it’s yours, underwear is a must ☺

 Also you may wish to wear a strapless bra.  Even though most gowns come with built in bra cups, a strapless bra will help you feel more comfortable. 

7. What is your favorite tip for people dress shopping?

Every single bride hears this from me, I should trademark it I say it so often: “Be true to who you are because you don’t want to look back at your pictures and think oh my, what was I thinking.” It’s ok to say yes at the first shop, in the first dress. Don’t be pressured into buying something you think everyone else wants you to buy. Most importantly, have fun! This is an exciting time in your life, that you plan to only do once!

Looking for your wedding dress? Make an appointment with Laurie today! And tell her I sent you!


Website - https://lauriesbridal.com

Emails - LauriesBridal@Gmail.com

Telephone - 480-699-3973

Address - 14891 N. Northsight Blvd Northsight Crossing Shopping Center Scottsdale, AZ 85260

What Is A Virtual Wedding Show???

Virtual Conference Image

So there is pre-Covid life which I think most of us are really missing right now. And then there is during Covid life, which unfortunately is our current reality. And I’m going to be honest with you, during Covid life is really, really terrible in so many ways - no parties, no get-togethers, limited travel, limited everything including how you plan for your wedding.

Remember this -

Engagement Ring


Leads to this (usually) -

But in-between we have a whole lot of this -

Wedding planning involves a ton of research, talking to loads of people and spending tons of money. Pre-Covid, you would talk to your friends over dinner for referrals and to make plans, meet with more than a few professionals as you try to hire just the right person for the job, oh and attend wedding shows/open houses.

All of which YOU CAN’T DO RIGHT NOW!!!!

Does this mean that you’re supposed to wing it? Not plan a wedding? Try and figure things out using Google and praying that you are hiring someone with value, integrity and who has just the right stuff?

Or…

You could attend a virtual wedding show. What’s that you say?? You’ve never heard of a virtual wedding show?!?! Let me tell you all about it!!!

A virtual wedding show has so many perks that I don’t know why we didn’t have them pre-Covid!

  • They are typically free or very low cost to attend.

  • You don’t have to fight through traffic and pay for parking.

  • Crowds are non-existent (unless you have 1,000 of your best friends staying at your house).

  • No back breaking bag full of promotional materials that you took just to get someone to leave you alone.

  • They are full of curated, professional vendors that are on a schedule so you can pop in and only watch the ones you are interested in.

  • You can interact with the vendors on a one-to-one basis and ask all the questions, without feeling over-whelmed.

  • Typically you are still offered a discount or some other perk for signing on.

  • You can attend in your PJ’s or hanging out by the pool.

  • No need to get a babysitter, you can watch on mute while the kiddos are in the other room.

  • Need an excuse to get together with your besties but don’t want to expose them to 3,000 other people? Have a watch party with mimosas!

  • No masks or social distancing AT ALL!

You’ll still get to meet amazing vendors! You’ll still get to work on planning your wedding! You’ll still get those moments of “OMG, I really am getting married”.

So, you’re hooked and ready to sign on for the next show???

Mark your calendar for November 15th, 2020 at 11:00 am and register for your free ticket to the Arizona Online Wedding Show!

Real Wedding - Enisa and Mike - Starfire Golf Club and Legacy Ballroom - Scottsdale and Phoenix, AZ

Sweet I Do's Wedding Management Specialist Starfire Golf Club Legacy Ballroom Scottsdale Phoenix Arizona Wedding Portrait.jpg

Arizona can have some amazing weather, but it is slightly unpredictable. Sometimes May has gorgeous weather with just the right amount of sunshine and the temperatures are perfect for an outdoor wedding. And, sometimes the weather doesn’t cooperate and it’s beyond warm. When the temperature exceeds 100 degrees, air conditioning (among many other things) is a must but to have air conditioning you need electricity. When there is a power grid failure it all goes dark and hot! No air conditioning for the couple, the wedding party, families or guests, no ice for water, no lighting in the getting ready room (or anywhere else), no refrigeration to store flowers, no power to run any of the facilities. What do you do? You let your wedding planner handle it, have a couple of drinks and you get married anyway! And the result is this beautiful wedding!

Enisa and Mike had a very specific look in mind for the ceremony (green, water, non-typical Arizona) & then a very different look for the reception (glamorous, elegant). They also needed a location that would be willing to allow the party to go into the early morning, have a large outdoor area for smoking & distinctly separate areas for cocktail hour & dinner/dancing. Enter the fabulous Starfire Golf Club and Legacy Ballroom! Take a peek at their beautiful wedding day!

Professional Team -

Ceremony Venue - Starfire Golf Club

Reception Venue - Legacy Ballroom

Photographer - Ina Ivanova Photography

Videographer - Saiaf Films

Coordinator - Sweet I Do’s

Floral - Flowers By Jodi

Catering - Magic Touch Catering

Catering (Appetizers/Desserts) - Azoria Foods

DJ - M3

Cake - European Bakery

Hair and Makeup - MBS Bridal Beauty

Bartender- Pour Masters

Ceremony Music - Ocotillo Music

Transportation - Limoz

Rentals (Linens) - Southwick Linens

Rentals (Cocktail Hour) - A-Z Equipment Rentals

Rentals (Columns, Chargers) - You Can’t Beat This Party Rentals

Suit - Men’s Warehouse

Dress - Avancy Bridal

Real Wedding - Michelle & Andrew's Wedding Candy Buffet - Grayhawk Golf Club - Scottsdale, Arizona

Michelle & Andrew wanted something to add a bit of whimsy to their semi-destination wedding at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona. They reached out to us and together we created a pretty pink and gray candy buffet that was just a little bit whimsical and a little bit classical and a huge hit with their guests.

The Details

Michelle & Andrew chose a few classic candies and a few fun candies to complete their vision. Guests were able to select chocolate or yogurt covered pretzels, strawberry or pina colada gummy bears, Trolli Strawberry Puffs, watermelon rings and pink and gray sixlets (these are delicious! They taste like a Whopper but have the consistency of milk chocolate!!). The treat containers were pink and gray organza bags with a cute personalized tag. Floating candles, silver votives and a fun sign completed the table.