The business of wedding attire is forever changing and adapting to the current style. Elicia Bonham, bridal consultant and owner of Country Bridals and Formal Wear in Jaffrey, knows this well.
Providing appointment-only sessions, Country Bridals works with each bride-to-be to cater their selection to the wants and needs of the customer.
“My suggestion to any bride is to be open-minded when you come in, have an idea of what you think you might like, but be willing to try on anything, so that you’re sure,” Bonham said.
Seasoned to the bridal business
Country Bridals and Formal Wear has been family-owned since 2002. Three generations of women working there have served the community of Jaffrey and the surrounding areas for close to 25 years.
The business model accommodates both changing trends and opinionated customers who come with wedding shopping.
Working individually with each bride or groom for 90 minutes, the team picks out dresses based on photos and customers’ broad or narrow likes, dislikes and budget. Bonham said this allows customers to enjoy the process.
“It can be very overwhelming because there’s a lot of stuff,” she said.
In addition to catering to current styles — right now the basque waist is the most popular — Country Bridals has a large selection of sizes and price options. Dresses are priced from $800 to $3,000, depending on what each customer is looking for.
Bonham said the store always offers a select number of sale dresses from past seasons that customers can buy off the rack, as well as discount dresses that are no longer available.
“We like to have different ranges for all kinds of people. Everybody gets married,” Bonham said.
While Country Bridals does not rent bridal gowns, due to the alterations each gown requires, the store does rent tuxedos for bridal parties.
By accommodating a range of options and situations, Country Bridals welcomes customers from across New England and surrounding states.
Bonham said there’s plenty of enjoyment in the wedding business, too.
“It’s fun to be able to steer them in the right direction as to what they’re looking for and try to help them find the perfect thing,” she said.
Problems at hand
As dresses go in and out of style, the tradition of sewing has become less popular.
In the past, Country Bridals altered all its dresses in-house and even provided alterations for dresses bought elsewhere. Now, with only one seamstress on staff, the store focuses solely on altering bridal gowns but can recommend a list of seamstresses in the area.
“When I was in school, I made my prom dress,” Bonham said.
Now, her children make stuffed animals in classes instead of clothing. Among younger generations, interest in sewing seems to have waned.
Recommendations for the newly engaged
With years of experience behind her, Bonham has plenty of advice for brides-to-be. The main pillars: give yourself enough time, research beforehand, and pick the right people to bring to your appointment.
“Everybody has a different opinion on what dress they like, but they have to be basically on your side,” Bonham said.
Country Bridals recommends a bride start shopping eight to 12 months before the wedding date to ensure the dress arrives with enough time for alterations, which can take up to four months.
“Timeline is huge,” Bonham stressed.
Her advice extends to the search for a seamstress: take your time and do your research.
In the end, Bonham wants brides to have fun leading up to their big day, and she enjoys working with customers to find their perfect dress.
“It’s just a good time,” she said.