Photo: Laura Allen
From the best wedding dress styles available on the market to the latest designer trends and finding the best gowns for every body type, we're talking about the ins and out of wedding dress shopping with bridal boutique owners from across the country. They're sharing their top insider secrets, hottest local intel, and everything else you'll need to have a blast finding your wedding dress (Think mani-pedi with your mom, brunch with your bridesmaids, and cocktails with your besties!).
Catherine Fox Milian's mother founded the original Chic Parisien bridal boutique in Coral Gables, Florida, in 1969; since then, the shop has grown into an international bridal destination. Here, Millian dishes her top wedding dress shopping secrets:
Brides: Tell us about your store.
Catherine Fox Milian: We're the only shop in South Florida that carries Monique Lhuillier. And 60 percent of our customers come from South America—we get brides from all over Central America and the Caribbean.
Brides: What's a perennially popular silhouette?
About nine years ago, when we got our first strapless dress in the store—it was by Amsale—we all thought, No one is going to buy that! Now, when a bride asks to try on a style that's not strapless, we actually struggle to find a wide-enough selection.
Brides: What's a silhouette that's tricky to pull off? Empire-waist dresses. The skirt begins under the bustline and just hangs from there—it's not very flattering on most people.
As for where to go in South Florida while you're wedding dress shopping, here are Millian's suggestions:
Mani-pedi: Elemis Spa "The facials, hand and foot treatments, and massages are great for pre-wedding pampering."
Celebratory Drinks: Mariposa "This restaurant on the third floor of Coral Gables' Neiman Marcus store is an elegant place for a glass of champagne."
Local sights: Vizcaya Museum & Gardens
"This National Historic Landmark is a wonderful place to spend an afternoon. You can get married there, too!"