Barefoot Bestie Blog

Meet Your Gown Whisperers

At The Barefoot Bride, YOU are the star of the show. We know how stressful it can be shopping for a gown and our motto is LET’S HAVE FUN!

We have over 2500 gowns which makes us one of the largest (by inventory) bridal boutiques in the country (most average 300 - 1000). BUT we wanted to make sure our barefoot brides felt the charm of a smaller boutique with a lot of glitter, confetti and SWINGS ~ more on that later.

Here is the team that you will be working with!

Joelle ~ the owner, but def not “the boss”

Joelle started this crazy concept of “not your traditional” bridal boutique about 15 years ago after searching for her own gown and not having the best time doing it. Joelle is energetic and her number one goal is to find you a gown, whether it be in one appointment or five! She’s even found the perfect gown at another shop to make sure her brides are beaming and giddy on their wedding day.

Her we’re a team mentality is what keeps the rest of the crew happy and creative!

Meg ~ Boss Babe

Meg is the first person you’ll speak with & the holder down of the fort. We tease that she is the bouncer, bartender and boss babe, although boss babe is 100% accurate. Meg keeps The Barefoot Bride running not so behind the scenes. Her super fun personality comes across with every interaction to make sure you feel welcome and wonderful at The Barefoot Bride

Callie ~ Gown Whisperer

Callie is our ball of energy and good vibes. Always looking for a chance to dance with our crew and yours. Her style and eye are impeccable and she’ll keep you smiling from ear to ear during your appointment. Be ready to dance ~ it doesn’t take much to get Callie in the groove!

Alteration Tips from one of our fave Designers Robert bullock

Nip and Tuck... A Guide to Wedding Dress Alterations

Not just anyone with a sewing machine and tape measure can make you and your wedding gown look great together. Do your homework and shine on your wedding day. Here’s how:

I remember reading an interview where a very famous designer spoke about childhood trips to Paris with her mother to view the season’s fashion shows and for her mom to have fittings on a new wardrobe. She spoke about it as if it were the most normal childhood experience ever.

Like we all did that as children, right? Come on, how many of us experience anything remotely close to Paris runways and perfect fitting fashion? Sure, you may have had a fitting on your prom gown…or maybe that dress fit nicely because you were young, beautiful, and could wear a perfect size 4, 6 or 10. That, of course, was before you became a full-blown woman and your body decided to change directions, before your bottom became a different size from your top or your boobs went on a separate journey from the rest of your body.  Hormones change as you get older, those visits to McDonalds may have reached critical mass, or your body simply got better acquainted with gravity. That’s life.

In the real world, for real women, the first time you usually drop some real bucks on a garment is when you are getting married. It’s worth it, but read on to make sure you are making the most of your dream purchase. There’s nothing quite like knowing you and your dress –like you and your marriage partner – look fantastic together.

The excitement of shopping for your gown, the anticipation of wearing it on that special day, the dreams and fantasies of your life ahead grab you.  All these things should grab you…but often the last thing on your mind is the alterations your gown will likely need.

You buy that fabulous dress and wait (and wait…) for it to arrive. Then, one day the phone rings and your sales consultant on the other end says, “Your gown just arrived!” You do a little dance. Then what? You run to the store (when they can schedule you in) and try it on. Some shops have in-house alterations. Some do not. Some that don’t offer the service themselves will conduct fittings for you with an out-of-house alteration person. Some simply hand you your gown with a list of local alterations people.

Hear me, brides. All “alterations people” are not created equally. And this is not a time to make a mistake. You want your stunning gown to fit amazingly on your perfect day.

I get photos of brides who wore my gowns almost daily and over the years I have seen some outstanding tailoring. I also have seen botched jobs that made me want to cry. A beautiful dress is only a work of art when it fits correctly.

Most people getting their gown altered don’t have sewing or tailoring experience so the process can be somewhat intimidating. You put your trust in someone you don’t even know and hope for the best.

Don’t.

Your dress and your day deserves better than simply hoping for the best.