The Brides' Project

Archive for the ‘Congratulations’ Category

This week we received several packages in the mail, had several brides popping in, and were also happy to hear from 3 lovely brides who bought or donated dresses here!

Saskia Vegter found her dress here, had her veil custom made by Helen, and went to see the lovely Pom Penner for alterations to make her dress fit perfectly.  And, to top it off, will be returning the dress & veil with her shoes and purse by the end of October so it can all be enjoyed again!  And for those who love her dress… we also have another one just like it in a different size  Congratulations Saskia, you look simply gorgeous!

Lisa says, “I was married on July 3 2010. I purchased my dress last summer before I moved from Toronto. A friend told me about The Brides Project and I knew it was a good fit for me – I found it wasteful to spend thousands of dollars on a dress you wear once.  I loved every aspect of  shopping at the The Brides Project – it was a relaxed atmosphere where my maid of honor could chose a dress for me ( I think I am missing “the bride gene” ! )  I didn’t try on dresses anywhere else and selected a dress that day. I love what The Brides Project is doing and will continue to tell all my newly engaged friends about it.”  She promises that the gown will be coming back to be enjoyed again!

Congratulations Lisa!  We all think you look like a model, and want to wish you a Chris a lifetime of laughter and love! (Photography by Paolo Magliaro of Stillvision).

And Helen had fun unpacking a box from the mailman with a real treat inside… Averil’s dress from her 2007 wedding.  This great picture was taken by Ashley Tulloch, and the gown is here waiting for  you with a special note from Averil.  Thanks so much for sending your dress! We hope its great karma gets passed on again and again, and that another bride will be just as pleased with this lovely rose satin gown!

Nicole found her wedding dress at The Brides’ Project and Pom made it fit like a glove! A very beautiful, corseted glove. A bride wears her wedding dress for many hours, so not only does it have to fit, it has to stay put (no wardrobe malfunctions, please!), and be comfortable on the dance floor. As Nicole’s photographer, I can tell you her dress passed the endurance test with flying colours!

Nicole, we wish you and Jeremy wedded bliss Thanks for letting us be a part of your Big Day!

Shortly after my wedding, I found myself trying to figure out what to do with my dress. I decided that instead of locking it away in a dark closet, I wanted to donate it so that someone else could get to enjoy it and feel as beautiful in it as I did on my wedding day. I did my research and that’s when I stumbled upon The Brides’ Project.

I read on their Web site that they have two very important goals – to provide every bride with the things she needs for a beautiful wedding within her budget, and to support cancer charities by donating all their profits. I was sold.

I called to inquire and realized this was exactly where I wanted to donate my dress. Unfortunately, life got pretty hectic (we moved, I started a new job, I got pregnant and then had a baby) so my good deed was put on the backburner. Until today.

I finally got down to the Toronto location (at Broadview and Victor) and dropped off my dress. (Note: they also have a location in Ann Arbor, Michigan.)

I wasn’t entirely sure how I would feel dropping it off. Part of me thought I might regret it, or feel a little apprehensive. But I didn’t. I felt relief. And more importantly I felt gratification. Truth be told, my dress hadn’t made its way out of the garment bag since my wedding.

So while my wedding day was a beautiful day full of love, happiness, family, friends and amazing memories, for me it was never about being a princess for the day, it wasn’t about the beautiful dress, or being the centre of attention. For me, my wedding day was solely about uniting my family. It was the day I married my soulmate, and the day I officially became a stepmom. That meant more to me than any dress ever could. So parting with the dress was easy for me. And hey, if I ever want to reminisce I can just pull out the hundreds of pictures I have of me in the dress. Isn’t that why we spend thousands of dollars on a photographer?

I sincerely hope that someone else can have the same experience in it as I did, but more importantly, I hope a cancer charity can benefit from the funds they’ll receive from the sale of my dress.

And that is how I decided to do more. Even if it’s only one dress at a time.

Response from The Brides’ Project: Thank you so much Soulla!  As we mentioned when you popped in, this dress is SO fabulous that we actually have 2 of them!  One is Soulla’s in size 6, and the other in size 10 or 12.

We’d like to congratulate Janis and Gloria on winning Proud FM’s Big Gay Wedding on Top of Toronto!!!  This beautiful couple won all kinds of wonderful prizes to help make their wedding day spectacular, including their dresses from yours truly at The Brides’ Project.

We loved meeting them, and knowing that our dresses will help to make their Sept 5th wedding day super-special.   Congratulations and best wishes from all of us!  Can’t wait to see you both all dressed up!

Is this absolutely stunning dress donated by the lovely Teresina!  The lace train is phenomenal, and yet the dress is light… their wedding was in Mexico.  It’s about a size 8/10 and is here for the next bride to love.  Teresina and hubby just moved and are expecting… and felt it was time for the dress to be enjoyed again  Congrats and thanks to them!

In the company of their family and friends, our lovely TBP bride Jennifer married her high school sweetheart Nesar in an outdoor ceremony at Edward Gardens this past Saturday, which was thankfully in the morning BEFORE the torrential rains began. Helen officiated, Gail photographed, and there were tears of joy

Congratulations Jennifer and Nesar, we wish you many more years together, in wedded bliss!

Our lovely client Sandra married her longtime love, Jon, in a gorgeous outdoor ceremony on the grounds of Todmorden Mills and Gallery last Saturday. She wore a dress purchased at The Brides’ Project, had it tailored by our associate Pearl Seto [site], and our in-house photographer Gail [site] was there to capture the day. The trainless dress was floaty and light, perfect for an outdoor summer wedding amidst the trees and rocking out on the dance floor all night.

This photo was taken just before the ceremony, while friends and family were gathering to witness this special occasion.

Sandra, you looked so absolutely radiant you made everyone at the ceremony cry

The G20 definitely made things tough for many brides, grooms, limo companies, officiants, photographers, DJ’s and everyone else involved in the industry over the weekend.  WE hope that everyone managed to have a wonderful wedding day nonethless… and pass on our congrats to folks like Pebble, Michael, Vicki, Andra, Tom and the many others who celebrated.

Thanks for inviting us to share in your day… and inviting us to help

Cheers from all the staff on the weekend… Gail, Emma, and Helen.  We look forward to pics to share!!

We absolutely love it when clients find a dress here, and then truly make it their own.  Over the next several months, we also have a team of wonderful talented ladies from Ryerson’s School of Fashion Design helping us as well, and will be featuring their creations.   Keep posted for introductions and updates about that!

In the meantime, the lovely Karen Willoughby brought her dress ‘home to Mama’ after finding it here.  This is the dress she originally bought:

And here is the work in progress… I am completely awed by her patience and skill!

And… the topping on the cake is always a beaming and beautiful bride to truly do the gown justice!  Congratulations Karen… and thank you so much for not only sharing these great pictures, but also bringing the dress in to be loved again!

Last week I received a call that really blew my socks off.  Kelly had bought her dress here, and called not only to tell us she was bringing it ‘home to Mama’ for another bride to enjoy, but also that they had raised $500 for The Brides’ Project at their wedding.  Holy smokes!

Instead of clinking glasses or singing songs for kisses… these two asked guests to make a donation instead.  Between oodles of smooches and generous guests, they raised a bundle.

You can see for yourself how radiant she looks on her wedding day… and hmmm… is that a grin on hubby’s face knowing that soon it’s time to pucker up?!  Thank you both, so much.  Credit for the photo to John Paytash.

Congratulations to both Jacki and Heidi!  We absolutely LOVE it when brides write to share comments about their day, and to show us their gowns in action!  It’s one thing to see a dress on the rack… much more exciting seeing a bride finding the gown of her dreams… but the best is seeing her on her day as she beams

Let me introduce the lovely Jacki and her handsome hubby Mike.  The McPhersons had a lovely cottage country day… and I think the paddles as pew bows are just fabulous!  They look so relaxed and comfy – obviously in their element not only in the setting, but as husband and wife.  We’d like to also thank Anna White, Through the Looking Glass Photography, www.annaslookingglass.com for the lovely pics!

Our second submission this week was from Heidi.  She popped in on the weekend very quickly and put a wonderful package in my arms… the dress brought ‘home to Mama’ to be enjoyed again!  Thanks Heidi.  And with her permission, here are some pics of the gown with the bride to do it true justice  The dress has accumulated some amazing karma from 2 brides now… only improved with some fixins from Pom Penner (our seamstress) and currently in the washer to be ready to be worn again (don’t shudder… it’ll be perfect!).

Heidi and Jacki, your contributions mean a lot to us, and ALL our staff here at TBP wish you great joy, happy paddling (Jacki), and smiles for a lifetime for you and your hubbies.

I’ve heard so much about the latest fad to ‘trash the dress’ by having fun during your photo shoot.  Y’know, you can have fun without destroying what can be a beautiful and valuable gift!  Jane definitely had a wonderful time in her silk Anne Barge gown, and that was not limited to pictures from across the street in Riverdale Park, riding the streetcar, and some very yummy ice cream!!!

Keep in mind as well that we have 2 really important professionals on our sides here… amazing cleaners who can render a gown back to ‘brand new’ status, and our team of seamstresses who can fix up beads and do all kinds of other amazing things!

Thanks so much to Jane, this dress is full of good karma, good humour from her day, and is waiting for the next bride to not only take it on a trip down the aisle… but on a swirl on a merry-go-round as well!

A heartwarming email from newlywed Krista landed in our inbox recently with a bundle of pretty photos from her wedding last August. She found us last year while searching for veils and shared some gorgeous photos taken by her photographer Calla Evans [http://callaevansphotography.com].

Our very own Helen Sweet is also a veil-maker (as well as an officiant!), and she is the go-to lady for any veil questions while you’re in the shop. We know veil-shopping can be confusing for brides — this is new territory (unless you already have a veil in your closet?) and the choices (and prices!) are highly varied. While the array of options are less dizzying when compared to shopping for a dress, it’s an accessory that takes time to shop for.

We have a veil room in the shop if you prefer to buy off the rack, or Helen can custom make a veil for you. No appointment is necessary to browse our veil collection, but we do tend to get busy with dress fittings, so leave yourself some time to ask questions and look around.

Hee hee… just to follow up on Gail’s theme…

Here’s a beautiful gown that has ‘come home to mama’.  Sweet Carolyn found this dress here a year ago, and is shown below beaming in the sunshine with her handsome hubby John in Pebble Beach, CA.  Gosh, our dresses really get around… wish I could hitch a ride with one!  If I remember correctly, the gown is a La Sposa (extremely well-made dresses), and Carol had alterations done by Pearl Seto to make it fit like a glove!  This size 14 dress has also been professionally cleaned by Val (see Services – Gown Cleaning & Alterations for more info on these wonderful vendors).

And the back of the dress…

We want to make sure to give credit to the photographer, Brad Cole Photography, and appreciate Carolyn and John giving us permission to show off yet another of our beautiful brides on her wedding day  Our congratulations to you both!

We’d like to offer our Congratulations to Pam and Allen.  They’re a beautiful and sweet couple, newly married, and Pam brought in her dress today to offer that great karma to another bride.  It’s GORGEOUS, as is she on her wedding day!

The dress is about a size… 16 maybe?  Hard to tell!  It has a corset back so it fits many sizes, and with the help of Pom or Pearl, can easily be made to fit YOU.  It’s a lovely off-white taffeta so it’s light and comfy.  Thanks so much Pam!  It was a delight to meet you both, and we are so grateful for your contribution!

Our warmest congratulations to Kim and Andrew who were married on Sept. 12.  Kim scooped up a dress during our summer sale, and had it taken out because she was 7 months pregnant at the time of the wedding.  ”I had the alterations done by Pearl Seto – who was amazing and very affordable!”

We’re so glad you felt beautiful, and talk about having two wonderful events to celebrate at the same time!!!  Kim is expecting any day now, and we wish her an easy and healthy delivery of the new addition to their family.

Kim tells us, “My husband Andrew and I had a magical day. ”   We’re so glad we could be a small part of that.

Photos are by David Morris Photography (www.davidphoto.ca).

FYI… The Brides’ Project does have a selection of gowns for expectant brides, and the latest statistics I read are 1 in 6!  We’re happy to share our selection and knowledge about the many options to feel beautiful in a gown that will fit you like a glove.  In conjunction with our seamstresses Pearl and Pom and their endless talents, your Brides’ Project gown will be comfy and flattering all in one!!!

Congratulations to our lovely brides Ashley, Clare and Niki who were recently married!

Ashley (on the left) found this gorgeous gown here, and as she reports, had a wonderful experience in doing so. “I love all you did to make my shopping FUN!!!”

Both she and her husband are firefighters, so giving back comes naturally to both of them while managing to stay within their budget.  Her photos show that you definitely don’t need to sacrifice style and beauty to meet your budget!!!

Below is a picture of Niki in her TBP gown.  This is what she had to say, “Thanks to the Brides Project, I had the dress of my dreams to complete the day.  I am still having some sentimental time with it, but hope to have it cleaned and back to you by the new year, in hopes another bride will fall as deeply in love with it as I did.”

Clare also wrote and said “I got many compliments on my dress – and even more when I told them about TBP. Thank you for making my dress shopping experience so much fun. TBP really fits with who we are and how we embrace life.”

And she was one vibrant and beautiful bride!!! See for yourself!!

Thanks so much Ashley, Clare and Niki.  We wish you all and your hubbies lifetimes of bliss!!!!  We greatly appreciate your contributions!

If you are recently married, please consider donating your gown to make a day like Ashley, Clare and Niki’s beautiful and memorable. After all, what greater compliment can there be about your dress, than another bride falling in love with it, and having it make her day just as special as yours while making a lasting contribution.

We are tickled pink when our clients send us photos of their wedding, especially when we hear about the fabulous honeymoons that follow! A four-month worldwide trip sounds absolutely divine. (Is it possible to be tickled pink AND green with envy??)

Tami wrote to us recently and sent along a few photos, which I’ll add to our Client Photos & Fun section once this post falls off the main page.

Hi Helen,

This is just a quick note to say a HUGE thank you and The Brides’ Project for helping me find a great dress for a wonderful day. I happened to be back in Toronto for Christmas 2007 when I scored the best find in the world. Our wedding day was Sunday, August 17, 2008 in Vancouver, BC. It was one of the most blissed out days of my life. My husband and I ended up unintentionally doing the matchy matchy thing. He wore his grandfather’s suit and looked angelic. I felt like the belle of the ball. My gown didn’t break the bank and the money went to a great cause. The ultimate win win. As an aside, my sister got married the year before us and boy was she JEALOUS that I got my dress from you. Ha! Ha!

I’ve been meaning to write to you for a while, but was away on a 4 month super extended honeymoon around the world. Talk about being blessed.

I’ve attached some photos of what we dub “The Chris and Tami Show”. Please feel free to post them. Many thanks again!

Much love and respect,
t.

Our heartfelt thanks for this letter, Tami, and we wish you and Chris all the best in your new life together!

It’s pretty busy at The Brides’ Project, but we have some exciting news for you. Watch for an announcement coming up very soon!

We love to show off our happy brides in their beautiful gowns, purchased right here at our shop on Broadview. Make The Big Day even more memorable by adding a personal touch to your dress, which is exactly what Jordana did:

My name is Jordana Park. I came into your salon in May and bought a Maggie Sattoro dress. It was champagne and I loved it… We ended up adding a sash to the dress and my grandmothers brooch.

My wedding was on October 12th. It was a beautiful day, we had it in Innisfil, next to Barrie.

I have tried to spread the word about your salon. I truly believe that what you are doing is a wonderful thing.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to recycle, donate to a wonderful cause and to have the dress of my dreams.

Thank you again
Jordana

We love it when clients send us their wedding photos! It makes our volunteer work that much more rewarding when we can see photos of your Big Day and how great you look in your dress.

Crystal and Ian tied the knot on January 25, 2009 and sent us a couple of pictures to accompany their lovely note. What a fine-looking couple and we love the sassy photos! We’ve also added the photos to the Client Photos and Fun page.