Finding My Dream Wedding Gown...

Probably one of the most fun parts of wedding planning is shopping for the wedding gown. With the advent of so many reality shows dedicated to brides-to-be finding their perfect wedding gowns, there is a lot of expectation that comes with these appointments.

I am no stranger to the experience of wedding gown shopping. For 10 months I worked as a bridal consultant at the largest bridal salon in New Jersey, Castle Couture. It was truly a magical experience and the scenes created from Say Yes to the Dress are just as real and exciting in person.

But this time I was on the other side of the appointment. Finally I was the bride and it was my time to shop for the wedding dress of my dreams. I went back to my old place of business and brought with me my mom and my sister. It was an experience that we've been dreaming of and talking about for years. Two is the perfect number of opinions as well, it's not too overwhelming but it offers some great perspective.

I often joke about the stamina I had to wait so long into my engagement to finally go wedding gown shopping. I got engaged on December 8th and made it all the way to March 22nd before slipping into a wedding dress. It was fantastic though, because in that time I was able to find a venue, book other vendors and have a solid foundation for what the wedding would be like. It also gave me time to do research and have firm ideas in what I was interested in trying on.

I came in with 3 buzzwords for my consultant: traditional, classic and elegant. I had in mind two styles but was truly open to trying anything on. Of course I had my Pinterest pictures out and ready and that gave my consultant a great visual of my overall taste. She also let me walk around the salon and pull some dresses too, which I really appreciated.

When we started getting the first dress clipped, I could tell immediately that this would be the dress to beat. It was spectacular to say the least. I practically ran out of the room to show my family and it couldn't have been longer than 30 seconds before my mom and I were crying. I could not believe how perfect the first dress was. I was so relieved that I found something I actually loved so much. We tried it with a veil and it just solidified the whole look for me.

But it was the very first dress and it's always a good idea to try on a few others before committing. Plus it's also so much fun and you should never rush the appointment, after all, how many more chances in life will you get to do something like this?

We tried on a few other dresses, all of which were beautiful and there was at least one that I also really loved. My mom and sister gave great feedback and were so positive and encouraging during the whole process. It was so fun seeing other silhouettes. Since I wasn't locked into trying on only one style, it was really important to get a taste of everything, all the way from a ballgown to a mermaid. But that first dress just spoke to me. I could actually see myself walking down the aisle and getting married in that dress.

Finally we put it back on and matched it with a great veil and side comb. It was so exciting to put the whole look together. If you have the time to do it, I definitely recommend selecting everything all at once.

My sister asked me if this was the dress and I laughed nervously. I loved this dress but I think it's a little scary when it's time to make the decision. It's a gown that I've dreamed of my whole life but to actually say the words is harder than you might think. But in my heart I knew it was right so after a moment I said "Yes, this is totally my dress!"

I am so thrilled to have had such a positive experience and to have shared it with my mom and sister makes me feel incredibly blessed. My advice for anyone about to start this experience is to stay open-minded and positive. Wear a strapless, nude colored bra and nude colored underwear. Wear heels similar in height to what you would wear on the day of your wedding. Think of general buzzwords that capture your style. Try on different silhouettes, get a taste for everything. Also have your hair and make up done extra nicely so you can see the whole look come together.  But most of all have fun, laugh and enjoy every moment, because these are the moments that you look back on and cherish forever.

All About Castle Couture

So as promised this post is all about the bridal salon I work at! Castle Couture is located on Route 9 South in Marlboro, it's an excellent location for people looking for high quality fashion without the hustle and bussle of traveling to NYC. When you walk in for the first time it can definitely be overwhelming, you are literally surrounded by hundreds of beautiful gowns, I said on my first day it was like walking in heaven.

The salon is very modern, clean, elegant and you feel like you're in some posh New York store. Pictures are below! What's truly remarkable is the number of top designers that they carry, I'll also provide a link to their website so you can see the just how many choices you have to select from. There really is no other salon in New Jersey that can match it.

According to popular bridal website, TheKnot.com, the average cost of a wedding gown is around $1100. Castle Couture easily caters to that budget or any budget for that matter while at the same time treating you like a princess that you deserve.

And if you're not looking for a bridal gown, that's okay too! Castle Couture also offers an enormous amount of evening wear, mother of the bride or groom gowns and prom and pageant wear as well! There is also a diamond store for any type of jewelry that you may be interested in, it really has everything!

Castle Couture's Website

NEW JOB!!!!

Hi everyone!!! I am so excited to finally say that I'm officially off of the job market! Some of you may already know that I recently graduated college and the road to finding a first job was not easy.

I started the search in late April and focused mainly on the PR industry, looking for any entry-level positions that were available. My main resource was LinkedIn, it provided me with great access to companies I had never heard of before, it was really easy to navigate and most importantly it gave me the ability to connect to professionals in the industry.

By the time I graduated I had already been on a couple of interviews but they all fell short and when I was done with school I was left with no job waiting for me. A lot of people said to me it was a great opportunity to enjoy my time off and relax but I knew in my heart I had no chance of relaxing if I didn't have a job on the horizon. But that's not to say I was sitting around just waiting for a job to fall in my lap. I was lucky to have a least an interview or two a week, all related PR or marketing but it just wasn't working out and I was getting really frustrated. Even my go to resource LinkedIn didn't have anything new to offer which made it scarier. I kept thinking there was no way I would find work by the end of the summer.

I decided that I needed a new strategy. As much as I loved PR and obtained a degree in it, my main passion has been for a long time bridal (if this blog wasn't an indication enough LOL). I started looking into anything bridal/wedding related and needed to expand my resources as well. I made profiles on Monster and Indeed and was thrilled to actually find jobs that I could apply for.

One job in particular caught my eye, a bridal salon that is close to my house was looking for a Bridal Consultant. The salon is called Castle Couture, it is absolutely beautiful and I knew that was the place for me. I applied for the position and before I knew it I got the job! Since I had background in PR and social media marketing, I will definitely be helping with that but I'm also now a Bridal Consultant in training, shadowing other consultants and meeting brides and their families who are excited to find their wedding gown and plan their special day.

Yesterday was my first day and I felt as if I was walking in heaven. I can't describe the amount of happiness and joy I feel to not only be working but to be doing it in an industry I love and doing what I love. Something I always say is if you follow your passion then success with follow you. When I finally applied that concept to my job hunt I found the right job for me in the right place for me. All of the frustration and disappointment that comes with graduating, looking for a job, and not getting a job was worth it in the end. And even though it was only a four week period, it really felt like an eternity.

Now I am so excited to start a new chapter in my life and share it with all of you! Keep a lookout for a full post on Castle Couture and why it is really a treasure to any bride in the Central/Northern part of New Jersey.