The idea of having a stylist for your wedding is a new idea to the Midwest crowd; however, brides all of the world have been hiring professional consultants to help style their looks and their overall event for their big day. Style-Architects is a company that not only offers brides professional design services for their event, but they also offer the fabulous talent of Faith Brue. Faith is the official stylist for Style-Architects and has stunning taste when it comes to choosing what to dress her clients in - and especially when there is a party involved. With the world of Pinterest, endless amounts of wedding blogs and magazines, brides know exactly the look and feel that they want for their weddings; however, they might be looking for some extra help to pull off the dream-look both flawlessly and effortlessly. We caught up with Faith and asked her some questions on why it's valuable to hire a stylist for your wedding day looks!
Q. No matter what you are doing, you always have incredible style. How did you start as a stylist?
A. They say that you should do as a profession what you do when you procrastinate. With all of my other jobs and even when I was in school, I spent my free time reading magazines, style blogs and going out looking for the newest trends. When I graduated college, I was a wedding planner and I found that my favorite part of the job was styling the bride and groom and their wedding party. People in my life kept telling me that I should turn my passion into a career and just go for it. I finally found my perfect place at Style-Architects as a wardrobe and fashion stylist. I love giving people the confidence and tools they need to look and feel good.
Q. What is your role at Style-Architects?
A. My official title is 'Wardrobe + Fashion Stylist.' Within that, I wear a few different hats. One part of my job is to style photo shoots for magazines and photographers. For instance, I do the Style Transformation section for MN Monthly magazine every month where we do a complete style overhaul for a client. I also do various fashion spreads and look-books for our clients. I also work with individuals that need to revamp their wardrobe; weather that be through a closet detox, personal shopping or a combination of both. I also do bridal styling which has many facets. One thing that many brides need help with is styling their engagement shoots. These photos show who you are as a couple and you will have them for a long time to come. You want to look like yourselves, but the best versions of yourselves. I can help make that happen. I also help brides find their wedding gown, bridesmaid dresses and the men's attire. Sometimes you need a third party, a discerning eye to help you keep your vision in focus.
Q. What were the first steps a bride should take when styling her wedding?
A. One thing that is very important for brides to keep in the back of their mind when styling their wedding is timelessness. You are going to have these pictures for the rest of your life and you don't want to look back and regret following a fleeting trend. Also, remember to dress for your body and accentuate the features that you are most proud of. For instance, if you are sensitive about having a larger bust, don't buy a strapless gown that you will need to be pulling up all night. When it comes to your bridal party, don't feel that you need to follow all of the rules about matching dresses, shoes and jewelry. Your bridesmaids will thank you if they get to show a bit of their personality in their ensemble. It is almost impossible to find one silhouette that will look good on six different body types. When it comes to the groomsmen, they usually need a bit more structure or they will end up looking pretty sloppy. One idea that I have seen lately is to have all of the men wear bow-ties with different patterns on them. Just remember this is your day and you only get to do it once!
Q. Do you have any advice for grooms and how to be stylish?
A. There is no need to take all personality out of your look when you are the groom. This wedding should represent you and your bride and part of that should shine through in what you wear. At the same time, don't go so crazy that you will regret it in a couple of years. Bring out your style in interesting cuff links, an unusual tie or quirky socks. Another thing that a groom can do is keep it buttoned up and classic for the ceremony and then spice it up for the reception with a different jacket or funky shoes for dancing.
Q. There is a current trend to have the bridesmaids choose their own (and different) dresses. What is your opinion on this?
A. I think that this could go over fabulous or be a total bust! Read your bridal party and how they would feel about it. Some may love the idea of being able to pick out their own look while others panic at the thought of having to go shopping and be responsible to find something that the bride will like as well.
Q. What was your philosophy in investing in the details of your day (money wise)? What should the priorities be?
A. There are usually a couple of things that are most important to both you and the groom. Hone in on these things first and see where your budget finds you. For instance, photography and location were most important to my husband and I when setting the budget for our wedding. From there, decide within your own look what is most important to you. For some brides, the shoes or the jewelry are more important than the actual dress. I don't think that the designer of the dress needs to sway you one way or another because there are so many gorgeous gowns that you can get for half the price. The main objective is to find a dress that you feel stunning in and the rest will fall into place.
Q. How does the time of year and venue effect the style of the wedding party's attire?
A. Make sure when you are shopping for your self and your wedding party, that you put yourself in the season that the wedding will be in and what colors and fabrics will be appropriate. I also think that it is important to dress for the venue that your wedding is at. For instance, if you are getting married at a country club, you will want to keep your attire classic and timeless with a simple silhouette and tuxedo's for the men. Bring elements of your surroundings into the overall look of the bridal party to make it feel seamless.
Q. Do you think brides benefit from using a professional stylist for their wedding day? Why?
A. Having a stylist for your wedding takes the pressure off of the bride to make all of the details fall into place. Having the stylist there who's goal it is to make everyone look their best. There are so many weddings where the groom and groomsmen don't know how to wear a suit correctly and end up walking down the aisle looking disheveled. There is also a lot of confusion surrounding the bride's veil and train. Although there are very specific directions given to the mother of the bride or the maid of honor at the final dress fitting, it is hard to remember on the wedding day when there are so many other things going on. I also help to make sure the dress looks its best during your photos, when the photographer can miss little details that are out of place.
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