Dress shopping tips for the Mother of the Bride/Groom

In our years of experience with weddings, we have found that many times the mother of the bride or groom will stress over finding the perfect dress!  Rest assured, shopping for a mothers dress can be fun and stress-free!  Here are a few tips for any of you moms out there who just don't know where to start.

1. Start early The thing that a lot of moms don't understand is that standard delivery for a mothers gown is 12-14 weeks! And, don't forget to factor in time for alterations (approximately 1-2 months) once the dress comes in. With that being said, we love when a mom comes to us 6 months or more before the wedding to order her dress. The options are endless when you have more time! However, don't worry if you have a wedding coming up and you didn't allow youself that much time. Most of the manufacturers we carry do offer rush deliveries (for a small additional charge) to get the perfect gown delivered within about 6-8 weeks.  Of course we also have the option of purchasing a gown that we have in stock if the wedding is very close.

2. Have an open mind Once they start trying on, many moms are surprised by what they actually like! Be open to trying a variety of styles, from soft and flowy to sleek and sexy. Just like the bride, you don't know what you'll like until you try!  We have many moms that even choose a bridesmaids dress to wear, not just the traditional mothers gown.

3. Coordinate with the wedding party, but you don't have to "match"
Of course you want to look like you belong with the wedding, but it is not necessary to match the bridesmaids, or the other mom for that matter.  Keep in mind that unless you have any daughters that are bridesmaids, you probably won't have any formal pictures taken with the bridesmaids.  So...that means you have even more color possibilities!  Make sure the bride approves of your color choice, but don't feel confined to choose a dress that is matching with the bridesmaids.

4.  Be comfortable and confident!
The most important thing to keep in mind is to purchase a dress that is comfortable, and that you feel good in!  Whether that means you are wearing short, long, a jacket, lots of sparkle, or very plain, be comfortable and confident!

Beautiful Caterina dress that is flattering for all sizes and comes in many colors!

Elegant Mori Lee bridesmaid dress that easily can double as a mother's gown

Teal knee length dress by VM

Stunning Montage dress with flattering jacket 

Beautiful lace balero jacket gives this dress just the right touch

A New Twist on an Old Tradition

Looking for an updated, trendy look for your traditional bridal bouquet? Check out the brooch bouquet!  These bundles of sparkle are all the rage!

How do you find the right pieces to go into a brooch bouquet?  Go digging through your great grandma's jewelry box and you are sure to find some amazing pieces to add, and now you have a bouquet with some sentimental value! Antiquing is also a great way to come across some unique sparkle for your bouquet.

These blingy bouquets are so amazing for so many reasons.  They are wonderful because you can keep them forever!  Five, ten, fifteen years later you can still touch and feel the actual bouquet you carried down the aisle! They also give you endless color options to choose from so that your bouquet is a perfect complement to your bridesmaids gowns.  Brooch bouquets also give you a chance to walk down the aisle holding valuable heirlooms from generations of family members. They are memorable! I guarantee if you choose one of these bouquets, your guests will remember the classy bling you held in your hands as you walked down the aisle on your wedding day!

Check with your florist about adding this special touch to your wedding!

Here is a great example of a brooch bouquet trimmed with live flowers

100% bling!

Another brooch/live flower combo

Prom 2013 is just around the corner!

A few of us just returned from Formal Fashion Week in Atlanta and our heads are spinning! This is where we had the chance to preview thousands of 2013 prom gowns from all of the major designers such as Mori Lee, Jovani, Sherri Hill, Flirt, Tony Bowls, and many more! Wow!!

For those of you who are wondering, here is what a typical day is like at prom market. Wake up at 6:30, grab a Starbucks on the way to the first show at 8:00am. (Can't start the day without a little caffeine!) Sit down and watch 2 hours worth of beautiful dresses go up and down the runway. Make lots of notes! Run to the next showroom, swallow down a quick bite of their catered meal, and sit down and watch 2 more hours worth of beautiful dresses go up and down the runway. Repeat about 6 times until 8:00pm! At 8:00pm try to remember what you saw all day! :) Yes, it is exhausting, but what a blast!

Here's a quick summary of what we see trending for 2013. For those of you who like simple, flowy looks, there are lots out there for 2013!!! Many beautiful chiffons with minimal beading in soft mints, champagnes, and ivories. But don't worry, if you're a girl who likes to bling it up, there will be plenty for you to choose from too! Dresses with head-to-toe beading, flashy sequins and sexy slits are also on the rise for prom 2013. For the more mature look, there are actually a few soft lace dresses!

And if you are more of a sweet, ballgown type of girl, you will still find your Cinderella look. Whether Prom 2013 will be your first prom, or your third or fourth, we will have the perfect dress for you! We can't wait to show you our entire collection of prom gowns in just a few months!

Here is a picture of a few of our wonderful friends from Mori Lee! We had a great time in the Mori Lee showroom with them! From L to R: Sales Reps Mike and Ann Parrett, Sales Manager Marty Boikess, and Sales Rep Steve Glazier

Here's a picture of a model on the runway at the Tony Bowls showroom.

Buyers Beware

The internet is a wonderful tool to research and find out more about almost anything. We have seen several Brides, Bridesmaids and folks going to formal events who have researched and then bought online only to be disappointed with what they received. Unfortunately there are many, many unscrupulous sites on the Internet who will use pictures from Major Bridal Designers and then send items that they have copied, using inferior fabrics and shoddy workmanship. At J & B we are here to help you and will give you the absolute BEST Quality for your formal event at the fairest price. When you are shopping for your wedding - don't be disappointed. Let us help you and take the worry out of your formalwear shopping.

Royal Wedding Gown replica debut!

This time last week, the world waited in anticipation to get the very first peek of the long awaited "royal wedding gown" to be worn by Kate Middleton. Now, one week later, the world is still buzzing at the unexpected, simplistic, yet ultra elegant gown that Kate chose to wear as she married her prince. The bridal industry is stirring with excitement over this gown, and designers are creating duplicate gowns as we speak so that any bride can have this beautiful look at a reasonable price if she chooses.

Madeline Gardner, designer of Mori Lee wedding gowns, and her crew gathered around the TV in their studio at 5:00AM last Friday to see the first glimpse of Kate's wedding gown as she stepped out of the car and walked toward the cathedral. Madeline immediately began sketching and only a few hours later had a replica made that was debuted at St. Patrick's cathedral in New York city and featured on Inside Edition that evening.

J&B is so excited to announce that we were chosen as the first store in the country to debut this gown outside of New York City and it will be shown exclusively at J&B from 9:30-5 this Saturday, May 7! The gown will retail at $1,000 and will be a part of J&B's collection and available to order in approximately 3 weeks. Thank you Madeline, and the entire team at Mori Lee for allowing us this tremendous opportunity!

Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011

Thanks for voting us Brides Choice 2011!

Prom 2011

Prom Season 2011 is in full swing. We were just notified that International Prom Association is offering a Free Dress a Day to one lucky Prom Gal.

Check out this link to register for your free dress!