Archives for July 2021

Wedding Gowns + Aesthetics

July 28, 2021 By Leave a Comment

We have been working together with many brides this last month on custom dresses and alterations. Many brides that had weddings scheduled for 2020 have had them rescheduled to 2021. It has been a busy few months for us! Last month, we altered this elegant white gown for the bride. We added an English Pick-Up Bustle which you can learn more about in our ‘All About Bustles’ Blog series here. 

This gown is a great example of ‘less is more’. Every detail and design is purposeful and clear. It can be overwhelming making that final decision on a gown. We recommend breaking down your aesthetic preferences into smaller categories to help make the process more simple. So what exactly should you consider? Here are some elements to consider when choosing your gown:

  • Color – there are infinite shades of white, do you want to go more towards an off white or a bright white, or do you want to experiment with some nontraditional colors?
  • Sleeves – what season is your wedding in? Do you want a lace long sleeve or maybe you want to go strapless? What makes you feel beautiful?
  • Neckline – high necklines or sweetheart cut? Or maybe you want something more linear cuts as an aesthetic choice? Is there a neckline that is more flattering on you?
  • Back Styles – there are so many beautiful back cuts to explore, maybe you want something simple, or maybe you want an elaborate cut on the back.
  • Waist + Silhouette – how do you want your gown to hug your body? Do you want a tight fit or do you want more of a ballgown style? 
  • Fabrics – fabrics can be an aesthetic choice and it can also be a comfort choice. Do you want fabric that feels luxurious on your skin? Or maybe you want a fabric that has a shine to it?
  • The extras – what details are must-haves for you? Is it beading, lace, sequins, ribbons, or would you rather not have extra details?


We hope this helps you break down the different elements of the wedding dress during the wedding dress process. Ultimately, when making your choices, think about what makes you feel good or what you think flatters your body more. It truly is all about feeling comfortable and beautiful in your skin. If you want to take the adventurous step into a custom wedding gown, Jennifer of JOA, will guide you through every step of the way. She will make sure every detail is aligned with your vision and will help make the process an exciting and memorable one! Get in touch for wedding gowns and alterations at love@jenniferoberg.com.

Filed Under: Alterations, Bustles, Dressmaking, Restyling

TLC For Your Wedding Gown

July 20, 2021 By Leave a Comment

A little TLC for your wedding gown is always important and can go a long way! Gowns can quickly wrinkle and getting out tough stains is never fun. So from the time you take your gown home after that final fitting to the moment you walk down the aisle on your wedding day, make sure to do these 5 things in order to keep your wedding dress in tip top shape. 

 

  1. Storage + Protection – Make sure to keep your gown in a breathable garment bag to protect it from dust and other accidental stains. Try to allow your dress to hang up as high as possible so the train can hang down. Avoid keeping it in a place where the sun can cause discoloration. 
  2. Transportation – When transporting your gown, make sure to keep it in a garment bag and if space allows, either hang it up or lay it flat on top of other items to prevent it from getting wrinkled quickly.
  3. Sprays + Makeup – Apply any perfumes, hairsprays, or makeup BEFORE you put on your wedding gown. Sprays and makeup can easily stain your gown, so make sure you are very careful with this around your dress.
  4. Use a towel – If you absolutely need to eat in your dress or reapply any makeup, cover your gown with a towel to prevent any accident stains from occurring. Even if it is just a quick touch up, you never know what accidents could happen.
  5. Hire a professional – You will likely have accumulated some natural wrinkles in your gown by the time of your wedding day. Hire a professional to steam + press your gown on your wedding day. They will have the expertise and the professional equipment to assist you. Our JOA team is highly-skilled with handling all types of fabrics and materials, and is available for on-site services.

Take care of your wedding gown, give it a little TLC, and your gown will be ready for your special day! As a professional dressmaking and design studio, we highly recommend booking a professional to steam and press your wedding gown ahead of time. You will be glad you did! It will save you stress on your wedding day and ensure that any tough wrinkles are taken care of. At JOA we have worked with all types of fabrics and designer gowns. With the professionalism of our JOA team and our top quality equipment, your wedding gown will be beautifully cared for. To book our steaming and pressing services email love@jenniferoberg.com.

Filed Under: Dressmaking

Gown Restyles

July 14, 2021 By Leave a Comment

The perfect gown isn’t always out there. Sometimes you just have to create it! Gown restyles are a great way to add the missing details to a beautiful dress. When you work with the right person, a few changes can completely transform a dress.  It takes more than a basic seamstress to do this work.  A skilled dressmaker like Jennifer, who has not only sewing knowledge but also pattern making and dressmaking skills is able to restyle a dress into something new. You can even get that custom dress feeling when you restyle a dress!

We recently worked with a Maid of Honor to restyle her gown. She came to us with a gorgeous rose gold sequin dress with a fun side slit. The dress had a very low, revealing back and skinny straps. Our client wanted a bit more coverage than the dress offered. We believe in helping our clients feel their best. We wanted to make sure our client felt comfortable in what she was wearing so that she could confidently shine in her dress!

For this gown, our restyles involved providing more coverage while adding some eloquent details to compliment the style of the gown. We started by taking extra fabric from the hem and adding it to the back of the dress to provide more coverage. We then added chiffon arm drapes to the gown. This gave an elegant off the shoulder cut and added extra texture to the straight cut of the dress. It simultaneously added extra coverage. Matching the arm drapes to the rose gold color of the dress was a momentary challenge. It was hard to find the extra shade of rose gold chiffon. The inherent sheerness of chiffon allowed us to use a taupe chiffon and a rose chiffon and layer them in three layers – taupe, rose, taupe – to create a color that matched the dress. A hem, extra fabric to the back, and added arm drapes were the little details that transformed this gown! 

If you are stuck trying to find the right dress, don’t forget you can always restyle. It is such a great way to create the perfect dress, especially if you find a dress that is ALMOST the one, but it is simply missing those final details that matter to you. And this also goes along with dresses that just don’t fit your body quite right. We will make any dress, whether too big or too small, appear as if every curve and seam was made just for you and your body. The perfect gown is just a needle and thread away!

Filed Under: Alterations, Restyling

How to Take Your Wedding Dress on a Plane

July 7, 2021 By Leave a Comment

Maui sees many destination brides each year! Brides have been paving the way forward with ways of flying with their wedding dresses for many years now. The thought of flying with a wedding dress can make most brides pretty anxious. After all, no one wants to arrive at their destination with a wrinkled or ruined wedding dress. Chances are your wedding dress has become a very precious garment for you by this time. So we have gathered some of our tips for traveling with your wedding dress to ensure it arrives in tip top shape.

  • Contact your airline – Every airline is different. We recommend contacting your airline and asking about storing large and delicate items, such as your wedding gown. They may have an extra space where you will be able to store your gown separate from the overhead storage. Alternatively you may need to store it in the overhead compartment. Make sure you determine where you can store your wedding gown so you can properly secure and fold your dress before arriving at the airport.
  • Consult your dressmaker or the bridal shop you purchased your dress from – depending on the size of your dress and the length of your train, packaging your dress in a garment bag can vary significantly. Consulting your dressmaker is a great way to get expert advice on packaging your dress for the plane. They will help you delicately lay and fold your gown in the safest way possible.
  • Buy a breathable garment bag to store your gown in – We recommend buying a 20” gusset garment bag made out of breathable material. Muslin is a great option, try to go for 100% cotton fiber and unbleached fabric. And if you are worried about any unexpected spills on the plane, you can place a plastic covering over top of this garment bag. 
  • Keep an eye out for empty seats on the plane – Here is your golden ticket for your wedding gown. If your plane has some empty seats try to swap seats so you can use the empty seat for your dress. This is the perfect situation! 
  • Don’t panic at the sight of wrinkles on your gown – Your dress will likely accumulate a few wrinkles and creases here and there during your travels. Don’t worry, this is completely normal and expected. 
  • Find a dressmaker at your wedding destination prior to arriving – Regardless if your dress is perfectly packaged or not, make sure you seek out a dressmaker to help you with professional steaming and pressing for your wedding gown. They will have professional tools and the expertise of working with a plethora of fabrics. Be sure to book this ahead of time. Dressmakers working in destination locations can be very busy bees.

Destination brides and Maui brides if you are traveling to or from Maui don’t hesitate to contact us. We will gladly assist you with storing your gown for traveling or with steaming and pressing services upon arrival. Regardless, we will make sure your wedding gown is perfectly cared for for your wedding day. Get in touch at love@jenniferoberg.com to schedule your appointment.

Filed Under: Alterations, Bustles, Dressmaking, Sewing Tips + Tricks