The Modern Bride’s Trousseau

I remember the butterflies in my stomach when my boyfriend, Scott, got down on one knee to propose. After that unforgettable moment, when I, of course, said yes, he immediately whisked me away to my birthday party, which was now a surprise engagement party with my closest family and friends! I felt like the luckiest girl alive.

As many brides and grooms do, we began our planning with a list of key decisions to make. We set a date, reserved the church, found the perfect reception venue and booked a florist that could make my peony bouquet dreams come true. We overindulged by taste testing every delectable flavor available for the four-tiered polka dot cake I had dreamed about, and we spent quality time shopping for the perfect dress.

I had the best wedding planners, my mom and sister, to help with all the details. The only thing I didn’t plan for was what I was going to wear to all of my pre- and post-wedding events! So many pictures were going to be taken, and pictures are a window into your memories. I wanted to feel comfortable and confident at all the events, to ensure that I could focus on my family, friends and celebrating, not on my attire. It was in that moment that I realized I needed to create a modern trousseau.

Years ago, all brides had a trousseau that was stored in a hope chest, a special place to keep their bridal looks and special sentiments for the wedding day. Now, brides have so many events to dress for besides the actual wedding! Planning ahead always helps to eliminate stress around big events such as a wedding!

So, I carefully made a list of all of the events that were being planned:
•  Engagement pictures
•  Engagement party
•  Bridal shower
•  Bachelorette party
•  Bridal luncheon
•  Rehearsal dinner
•  “Day After Wedding” brunch
•   Honeymoon

For each event, I considered the following:
•  In what season will the event take place?
•  How many looks do I need for each event?
•  Is it a dressy or a casual event?
•  What style do I want to wear?
•  What color do I want to wear?

Then I created my own wedding Pinterest board just for the outfits in all of the categories listed above. I pinned for inspiration and only pinned ideas that I loved. After I finished my pre-planning, I made a shopping list. Looking at my inspiration pictures helped me to pinpoint styles and ensembles I loved and would feel confident wearing at that event in my new married life. My list guided me to select items that I might have forgotten I needed, such as that new strapless bra or new swimsuit for the honeymoon! I didn’t have to shop for everything all at once, but when I did shop, I knew exactly what I was looking for and I didn’t buy something unless I absolutely loved it, thus eliminating any chance for shopping remorse and spending extra, unnecessary money!

When my bridal events rolled around, I felt confident and beautiful, and I was able to enjoy spending time with all of the amazing people who wanted to celebrate with us. Most importantly, I was able to focus on the most important thing of all, spending the rest of my life with my hubs. ■

Are you feeling stressed about what to wear to an upcoming event? Bridal shopping is one of my specialties! From start to finish or just for a few events, I can make the process simple and seamless. Are you the mother of the bride or a family member feeling overwhelmed? I can help you, too! Contact me at abby@abbywoodwear to set up a consultation!

Abby Wood is a wardrobe stylist and style blogger in Kansas City, and her education in design plus retail experience make her an expert in fit, fabric, style and trends. Her professional experience in fashion began with an apprenticeship with a bridal designer, shifted to creating and showing her  own line, moving up to management and training at a retail level and now professional styling as an independent consultant. Abby loves to work with individuals and help them develop and evolve their own sense of style. Find her at abbywoodwear.com. For daily style finds and tips, you can find Abby instablogging as @abbywoodwear on Instagram and Facebook.