STEPHANIE JAMES TRUNK SHOW!!!

WHO: Brides looking for gorgeous tea length dresses!

WHEN: Tuesday November 23rd through Sunday November 28th.

WHERE: Magnifique Boutique

HOW: Please call or email to make an appointment to try on a large selection of these amazing dresses

SNEAK PEEK: We will have the dresses at the Bravo Wedding Affair on Sunday November 21st.



Tiffani Saxton Designs

We are thrilled to be carrying Tiffani Saxton Designs!

Her gorgeous hair delicacies are truly stunning from Tiaras and Headbands to custom made Combs and Pins. She uses Swarovski crystals and Freshwater Pearls in many of her pieces. She can also customize a piece to match your dress and the style that you want for your wedding day.

Bridal Hats by Love and Sass!

We are very excited to announce that we now carry the fabulous custom made bridal hats from Love and Sass!

"You can do all kinds of wonderful things with hats. They can be dramatic, romantic, whimsical, or traditional -- and not in a stuffy way." In fact, hats have been the preference of some of the world's most fashionable brides: The Duchess of Windsor wore a blue straw halo-style hat trimmed with pink and blue coq feathers, Rita Hayworth chose an enormous cartwheel, and Grace Kelly wore a Juliet cap that matched the lace of her gown.

Once you have settled on a few choices, arrange to try the hats on with your bridal attire. If, on the other hand, you don't find your dream creation -- or a hat that fits properly -- you can work with Tree Marie from Love and Sass to design one of your own. Bring a fabric swatch and a picture of your dress, plus pictures of hats that are similar to the one you are imagining, so Tree can see what you are after. 

Don't be afraid to experiment. It may merely be a matter of turning up a brim or tilting a hat at a slight angle to find that special wedding-day crowning glory. www.loveandsass.com

Enchanted Corsets

Last Sunday at the Braov Wedding Affair I spotted a group of ladies wearing these amazing corsets and skirts and I thought wow those are really beautiful and unique. I knew then that I needed to meet the designer and just a few hours later I had the pleasure of meeting Lisa Marie owner and designer of Enchanted Corsets. Yesterday she had the chance to come and see the boutique and now we have 3 of her sample corsets in the boutique including one with a skirt. These can be used for wedding day, wedding night or whenever. They are custom made so the ones we have in the boutique are not to try on but, to see the corsets and what can be done for the skirts if you are looking to have a full gown made. The corseted top in wedding fashion is making a huge comeback and if you have ever watched Say Yes to the Dress you can see the racy corset styles of dresses that I am referring to. So if you are looking for an amazing custom corset gown or just a custom corset Enchanted Corsets is the best.
Visit tbe website

I FOUND MY DRESS ONLINE FOR SO MUCH LESS.....

In todays marketplace and economy it is common to find something that you like in a store and then see if  you can find it for less online. I even do this myself with computers and office supplies but, for a wedding gown I would never do this! You are taking a HUGE risk when you purchase a gown online. This is because what you see online is not what you get.

You might go to a boutique and even get the style number and then you see it online for a fraction of the cost. This is because the online companies are illegally using the photos from the designers and then in fine print saying that the dress will not be exact but "similar" to the photo. Also if the online site says you can change the color or alter the dress in ways the actual designer would not then it is a knockoff, I recently found a site where you can choose what designer tag you want in the dress.

What many people do not know is that the gown designers do not sell their gowns online AT ALL. Only authorized retailiers are allowed to sell their gowns and even we are not allowed to sell the dresses online and would have the line revoked if we did! Now many designers are putting tracking devices in the gowns so they can find out if any of the online stores are selling their dresses and who they are getting them from.

If everyone were to buy their dress online then all of the bridal shops would go out of business and you would not have a place to go and actually try on the dresses.Please support our local economy and don't buy your dress from an overseas web based company. There is something to be said about customer service and the gown shopping experience. So remember if it's too good to be true it probbably is and you get what you pay for!!!

Here are a few websites that you should avoid!!!
Best Bridal Prices
House of  Brides
Weddingo
E Bridal Superstore
Best Dress Price
Preidress

"The Competition"

Many people think that the bridal shops here in Portland don't like eachother and that we are super competitive which is just not true. Many of the shops have different dress lines that they carry and different customers that they are trying to reach.


Myself and a few of the competitors are very friendly with eachother because it is just so much easier to refer a bride to a place that will give the bride what she is looking for if you don't have what she needs. One of my favorites is The Silver Lining the owner Michelle is super nice and she has a HUGE selection of gowns including one of my favorite lines Pronovias. So if you are looking for a pronovias gown The Silver Lining is the place to go!
The Silver Lining

Recent Bridal Shows

In the height of wedding "planning" season there are many bridal shows out there and these are couple that we recently participated in. The NW Wed Pro Bridal Show at the Willamette Valley Country Club in Canby. This was a smaller bridal show but, in a gorgeous location. We also got some fantastic photos from the show here are a few pictures from that show...

On Sunday February 21st we participated in the Bravo Wedding Affair at the Embassy Suites. We were located in the Colonal Lindbergh Ballroom. This is a much bigger show but, I love this show because each of the rooms has a theme and all of the vendors go way above and beyond in their booth set up. Here are a few pictures from that show as well!

Magnifique Is NOT Tres Fabu

I recently received a call from a bride upset about a wedding last year and the dress was ruined etc. However, we were not even open yet!! Just to be clear we did not take over Tres Fabu, we are not in their old location, we have no connection to Tres Fabu except that we both are in the wedding industry.

This is NOT us this location is CLOSED and they no longer sell wedding gowns here!


Magnifique Boutique is located in the Historic Sellwood (antique row)

Upcoming Bridal Shows...

Magnifique Boutique will be at the following Bridal Shows...

Sunday January 24, 2010
Gray Gables Estate Open House
This is for current or prospective Gray Gables Brides and you would need to RSVP for this event by calling

Barbara & Genevieve

Wedding Coordinators
Gray Gables Estate
503-654-0470
barbara@graygables.com

February 6th and 7th, 2010
NW Wed Pro Bridal Show
Willamette Valley County Club
http://www.nwwedpro.com/

February 21, 2010
Bravo Wedding Affair
Embassy Suites Downtown Portland
http://www.bravowedding.com/

VOTE for Magnifique Boutique!

Vote for Magnifique Boutique as Best Bridal Shop or Best New Bridal Business. We would love to be recognized as one of Oregon Best!

Vote Here

Appointment Notes...

I have been having problems with brides running late or not showing up for appointments. I am just letting you all know that I only have one dressing room, and my time on weekends especially is very tight, so I am squeezing everyone in 1 1/2 hour slots. If you are late or early, you run into other brides, etc. I am allowing 15 minute grace periods and then I am afraid you will lose your appointment. Rescheduling is very hard, as I have so few weekend slots open.


Showing up early would not be a bad idea, There are plenty of things to do around here if you find yourself with time to kill.

Thanks so much!!


Jennie :)

About US!

Recently we have had clients that have wanted to know more about the owners of Magnifique Boutique. Besides the "about us" information on our website. Well here is some fun and random information about the owners of a little boutique that is Magnifique!!!

Scott and I got married in September of 2008 at Stonehedge Gardens in Hood River. We were only engaged for about 4 months because Scott proposed to me in April of 2008 so my dress shopping and wedding planning was all done very quickly however, our wedding was more than we could have ever imagined. You will see pictures from our wedding in the boutique. We have the pictures here because we are currently remodeling our 1904 Victorian farmhouse located in West Linn that we purchased in March of 2008. The house is still in the remodeling phase so we can relate to all of you that are in the same building boat.

When we are not working at the boutique or at our house we love to spend time with our fabulous friends and family. We enjoy all that Portland has to offer from camping and boating in the summer to skiing and snowboarding in the winter. We also try to work out when we can and you will find me taking classes at 24 hour fitness. Along with designing Street of Dreams Homes Scott also works part time at the airport Home Depot. (It's his favorite place anyway so he may as well just work there).

We have 2 dogs a Siberian Husky named Jynx and a Beagle named Piper for the time being they are our babies and sometimes you will find them baking in the sun on the deck of the boutique. We are a dog friendly bridal boutique which may sound crazy but, it works for us. The dogs are clean and stay out of the dress area. We also enjoy dancing we have taken classes in Swing, Lindy hop and numerous country dances. When we can talk our friends into it you might find us at Bushwhackers on the dance floor. So now you know a little more about us and we look forward to helping you find that dress of your dreams or plan that perfect event.

Cheers,

Jennie and Scott

Stephanie James Couture

We are very excited that we have some of the Stephanie James Couture dresses in now. These will be here for a limited time so if you want  to try them on please make an appointment soon. I just love these dresses and they are perfect for the Portland beide. Here are a few pictures of these fantastic dresses!

2010 Bridal Fashion Trends

This is an exciting decade when it comes to bridal gowns. 2010 brings lots of choices to bridal fashion.
The focus this season is skirts with fuller and more dramatic silhouettes. Embellishments such as flower appliqués, bows, masses of ruffles or draped layers are incredible details that create individuality and style.

Fabrics for the next year are leaning back to the industry favorites. Lace, taffeta and tulles take the limelight. These light fabrics can create lots of airy volume allowing for a more comfortable gown on a hot summer day. Perfect for the ball gown bride because one thing is for sure…the ball gown is back. The only difference is that there will be a lot more drama on the lower half.


Another emerging trend is eye catching accents with the use of beading. Less fabric detail and more glitter is definitely in vogue. Embellished "jewelry style accents" in skillful patterns are incorporated into the design which forms part of the dress. This means less searching for that perfect piece of jewelry.

Another great trend is the Tea Legnth dress. This is perfect for a retro style wedding or any outdoor wedding.

Finally, two emerging fashion trends worth noting:

1. Color
While our society still thinks of a wedding dress in white, many brides are now confident enough to step outside the box and embrace a color that flatters their skin tone. Shades such as, silver blue, muted pinks, soft yellow and purple are popular choices.

2. The Two Dress Dilemma
Celebrities have set the tone here, by changing from their traditional wedding gown after the ceremony to a more contemporary slinky silhouette by evening. Whether the choice is a short number to show off a great pair of shoes or long and slender silhouette, it is a great excuse to buy another wedding dress. As long as the budget permits not too many of us would require much arm twisting here.

The 2009 trends that still carried forward to this year


1. One shoulder dresses have taken the runway by storm in 2009, so it is no surprise that it is a focal point in bridal fashion Drama created by architecturally manipulating fabric into many different types of details gives the basic strapless dress a whole new look.

2. Asymmetry, ruching and draping are still the rage and you will find it everywhere. It is rare to see a plain dress that doesn’t have some type of fold, pleat or gathers.

Today’s brides are exercising their right to portray their unique personality by selecting the perfect dress. Choosing a wedding gown is always a special time in a bride’s life. No matter what their taste is, they are sure to find an incredible creation in 2010 at Magnifique Boutique.

DONT FALL IN LOVE WITH A PICTURE!

Recently I have had many brides looking for a dress that they found in a fashion magazine and want to purchase that exact dress. Then when they try on the dress they are upset that it does not look as how they imagined it would or match the look of the picture. It is rare that a dress in a magazine will end up being the perfect dress for you. Your dress shopping  experience will be much better if you go to a shop and try on many styles of gowns so you can find the style that fits you best. Many brides are suprised that they end up not getting what they originally had in mind or saw in a picture. So remember the dress shopping experience is supposed to be fun and remember to keep an open mind, you might suprise yourself!

WARNING - DO NOT BUY A WEDDING GOWN ONLINE!

When searching for a good bridal gown online store, there are many of them that show up in your search results however, there are a lot of online bridal stores who use original designer wedding gown photos and slash the price dramatically in the hopes of persuading online shoppers that they’re getting a huge deal on designer dresses.

Here is REAL DEAL-- Designers DO NOT support online bridal stores! I have contacted all possible designers that you could think of, and NONE OF THEM support online bridal stores (unless the online bridal store has a physical bridal boutique). So, what do these online stores sell? They sell designer replica gowns. What I am strongly against is using the designers’ original photos to promote their products and mislead the  shopper. If they want to create their own version of the designer gowns, they have to make an effort to create a sample dress for their buyers to see—NOT just show the original photo and tell them “your dress will look similar to this…” There are a lot of bride-to-be’s who still fall for this scam.

Please do not be misled, and if it sounds to good to be true it is and you get what you pay for. Go to a bridal shop where you can try on, touch and see exactly what your gown is going to look like. This will save you a lot of heartache and money in the long run.

Rose City Bridal Showcase

We participated in the Rose City Bridal Showcase this weekend and it was a great success! Our booth replicated our shop space with a Paris theme and we had 13 wedding gowns in the fashion show. Here are some pictures of the booth and the fashion show.

Magnifique Boutique New Commcercial

We are very excited that we now have a commercial on Weddings Portland Style! If you would like to view our commercial just click on the attached link. Weddings Portland Style

Addition to our "Couture Consignment" gowns

We are excited to have a gorgeous Birnbaum & Bullock (Selma) gown. It is made of beautiful 100% raw silk, is strapless, in a refined “mermaid” style, and has a beautiful trumpet skirt that just touches the floor. It is a classic style with a bit of sexiness and whimsy. Please call for an appointment to come and try on this spectacular gown.

Magnifique Boutique welcomes WTOO Gowns by Watters & Watters

We are excited to announce that we will now be adding to our amazing line of gowns. We are now going to carry WTOO gowns by Watters & Watters. Personally I am close to this line as my wedding gown was a WTOO gown. These gowns are gorgeous and we are excited to add this line to our gown collection. We will also be carrying the WTOO bridesmaids dresses as well.