Get to Know: Cloud Nine Bridal

Purchasing your wedding dress… what a fun (at times overwhelming) experience! So many different styles and options, how do you narrow it down? Let alone choose just one? Well, like anything in the wedding industry, you trust the professionals. Cloud Nine Bridal in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho is a boutique bridal and formal wear shop run and staffed by just that – pros. Lisa, Kaitlyn and their staff are amazing people who know what they are doing and how to make you feel like your most beautiful self! They very graciously took time out of their busy schedules to answer some questions not only about their shop, but also about the wedding dress shopping experience. Continue reading for a little insight into this amazing, women-led small business!

Tell me a little about how Cloud Nine Bridal got started and what the plans are for the future.

Lisa had been doing bridal alterations for many years in the community so when she was approached by a friend to start Cloud Nine Bridal she just couldn’t resist. She loved the idea of having a bridal shop to be able to work with brides every step of the way to make their bridal gown dreams become a reality.

All the plans we originally had for the future have been put on hold with COVID, but above all, we want to keep helping brides find their gowns in a fun and low-stress environment.

What is your favorite part of the process of helping brides find that perfect dress?

One of my all-time favorite parts of the process is when we have a bride who isn’t always the most confident in their body (I would say the majority of our brides are this way) and you get them in a dress that just hits all the right places, and you can see them light up when they see themselves for the first time. With bridal, it is impossible to not look stunning in a dress that fits, and for some brides that is the first time they have ever truly felt that beautiful.

As a stylist, does it make your job easier when a bride comes in with at least an idea of what she wants?

We love when brides come in with a few things they like (or don’t like). A large part of our job is using the information we know about how dresses fit and some key things the bride is or isn’t wanting to narrow down from our 300+ in-store dresses to just 6 or 8 for them to try on. I would say about 90% of the time when we have a bride come in who “knows” exactly what she wants they end up falling in love with the complete opposite. These types of brides have fallen in love with a style based on how it fits someone else, so as they try on dresses, they find it isn’t what feels best on their body.

On average, what can brides expect to spend on a wedding dress in your store?

The majority of our gowns range from $1,000 – $1,500 with a few falling above and below that. Purchasing one of our gowns “off-the-rack” is a great way to potentially save money if it is one of the gowns that is discounted to help make room for our newest season gowns.

Do you offer brides anything else in your store other than wedding dresses/alterations?

We have lots of bridal accessories and some fun bride gifts like robes, emergency kits, and sashes as well as gown cleaning and preservation. We also have our formal wear side (Silver Linings) that has some “little white dresses” that are perfect for bridal showers, rehearsals, and receptions. This side also has some fun accessories, bridesmaid dresses, and mother’s gowns.

What do you recommend in regard to bringing an entourage?

We recommend keeping entourages small (under 5 is the best) and with the people whose opinions mean the most. Large groups are fun but if a bride is really trying to find her dress that day it can be overwhelming to have that many differing opinions all at once.

Any additional information or advice you would like to pass along to brides?

Planning ahead right now is the way to go if a bride is wanting to order a dress. For most bridal gowns to be ordered and altered you are looking at about an 8+ month timeline. COVID has caused a slow down in gown production and shipping that we are not expecting to recover from for at least the next year.

Ready to make your appointment at Cloud Nine Bridal? Good! Visit their website to submit an appointment request or give them a call at (208) 449-2149. And be sure to follow their Facebook and Instagram pages for some beautiful dress inspiration!

If you found this article helpful and want to learn more about what I can do to help make sure you have the vendor dream team, head on over to the services page or packages and pricing information. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me or leave a comment below! And be sure to read the other interviews I have had the pleasure of conducting with McBride Floral Design and Zach Nichols Photography.

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