Weddingbee Blog

Spiffy’s had learned there was a bridal shop in New Bedford, MA where the owner will look at your personal style and pick out your dress. It had worked for many people before me. I have to admit that I was slightly nervous to release control to someone else. This was my favorite decision—I didn’t want someone else making it! It is almost like refusing to go to a psychic for fear of what she will tell you. In the end, I decided to go for it.

Spiffy was able to track down the name and phone number of this fabled dress whisperer through her friend at work. There is no website for Julie’s Bridal, just a few reviews stating she does not tolerate any bridezilla-type behavior. Hey! I think I like her already. I called the number and scheduled an appointment. Everyone was pretty, “Zebra, would you find your dang dress already?” so only Sara accompanied me to my appointment.

I’m going to warn you, Julie’s is not exactly in the nicest part of town. Indeed, my dress lives in the ghetto of the heroin capital of the United States. It’s a hole in the wall, for sure. But damnit, everything inside is awe.some.—including Julie.

Be sure to make an appointment.

She only schedules brides for certain hours when the store is closed. Talk about feeling V.I.P.! Her second floor is dedicated to brides and sure you may have to climb a staircase riddled with wedding gowns, but judge not the cover until ye have read the book! Julie asked me to bring in a photo of the dresses I was interested in. I brought a picture of the first dress I fell in love with, Ms. Symphony. She took one look at my personal style and the picture and had already worked her magic. She told me Symphony was originally a veil company that recently began producing wedding gowns. She also told me she had the original dress in-store that Symphony used as inspiration, and the original at her store was cheaper than the copy I was going to buy at another store. I’m listening, sweet baby Jesus, am I listening.

She began to pull 13 dresses off the rack and piled them onto the floor (they are in plastic). The pile came up to my waist when she was finished. She then took me into the back room, let me keep my jeans on and helped me into each and every one of the dresses. If the dress didn’t work we immediately tried on the next. If it was a contender we’d take a trip to the big mirror to show Sara. In less than an hour I had slipped on my wedding gown, turned to the mirror, smiled, and sighed. I had found my dress. It was the 2^nd to last dress she had me try on, and it was also the one she knew I would pick. She knew. She is the dang dress whisperer, of course she knew! Sara knew, I knew, Julie knew—we were knew-anitas!

The best part of Julie is that she isn’t going to feed you a load of bull. She tells it like it is. Some more sensitive brides might not appreciate her honesty but I absolutely love it. She’s not mean, or menacing, but she will tell you if your breast friends look wonky in that dress. Julie has been in business for over 40 years, with her longtime seamstress.

BUT! The bestest, most wonderfully amazing, sing from the rooftops, supercalafragalistic part about Julie’s Bridal—alterations are FREE! That’s right, Free ninety nine!

Whenever I start analyzing my decision, wondering if I picked the right dress, I look at my face in the picture when I first see myself in my gown. Everything is all right when I smile like that. Of course I made the right decision.

Next up, get your panties ready because you’re going to meet Adeline!