Candice (00:02.082)

Hey, it's your coach Candice. Have you ever wished you could sit front row at New York Bridal Fashion Week, hear what everyone's actually saying behind the scenes and know what's about to influence your clients before it even hits your Instagram feed? Well, today is a little different because I'm bringing you inside New York Bridal Fashion Week with one of my absolute favorite people, one of my closest friends, Beth Chapman from the White Dress by the Shore, Beth Chapman.

styling, the bridal retailer academy, the white dress society. She has a lot of things going on. So I'm very grateful that she's made some time to join me today. And we're breaking down all the trends that Beth saw, what everyone is talking about behind the scenes and what all of this actually means for you. If you want to stay ahead and also create work that feels very current and elevated. And I think conversations like the one we'll have today matter so much because

As much as I love to talk about business trends and strategies, it's also important for you to pay attention to creative trends that shape what your clients want from their wedding. And these trends that we'll talk about today, they show up in your inquiries, they show up in your design boards, your photography, and also your clients' expectations a lot faster than you might think. And so today's conversation is for any wedding pro who wants to lead creatively.

instead of playing catch up. Let's get into it.

Welcome back to the podcast. you're new here, hi, I'm so glad you're here. You picked a really special episode to start with. Make sure you're hitting follow so you don't miss another episode. And if you love behind the scenes moments like this, make sure that you send this episode to a business bestie who would also be obsessed with today's conversation. I'd also love to hear from you because we can do more episodes like this if you like it. So take out your phone.

Candice (02:00.226)

Look me up on Instagram, shoot me a DM, let me know what your thoughts are. And on that note, Beth, welcome back to the show. I'm so glad you're here. I can't remember the last time we had you on the show. It's been a while.

Beth Chapman (02:08.786)

Hi, so happy to be back.

Beth Chapman (02:16.05)

I know. I think I was your very first guest. Isn't that crazy? Yeah. Yeah.

Candice (02:18.516)

You were my very first guest. Yeah. Yeah. So now you're my very new guest here on the show. And I'm finally bringing you on to talk about something other than business to talk about your wheelhouse, which is trends and fashion. And so I'm so grateful that you are able to come on today and lend some time to talk about everything that you, I mean, you literally just came back from a bridal market like 12 hours ago. Yeah.

Beth Chapman (02:25.892)

Yeah!

Beth Chapman (02:45.106)

Last night. 10.30 last night. Yeah, exactly. Hot off the press. Yeah.

Candice (02:48.958)

Yeah. And, you, how many days were you in New York city?

Beth Chapman (02:53.522)

I got there Monday evening and I left Thursday evening. So it was really Tuesday, all day Tuesday, all day Wednesday, all day Thursday. So three full days of bridal fashion. Yeah.

Candice (02:57.858)

Nice, okay, so you.

Candice (03:02.358)

Yeah. Yeah, it's a lot. Well, what I would love to do before we dive into all your hot takes and everything that you think we should be paying attention to and even things that you think we shouldn't be paying attention to. I would love for you to set the scene for us because not everybody listening has been to New York Bridal Fashion Week. Not everybody is able to go to this. And you have done this like 50 times. And so you are the ultimate pro.

Beth Chapman (03:29.426)

Yeah.

Candice (03:31.98)

You do this because it's your job. It's not just fun. And so I would love for you to just take us there and kind of set the scene of what New York Bridal Fashion Week is really like and what does it actually feel like to be there.

Beth Chapman (03:44.75)

It's exciting, it's exhausting, it's exhilarating. It's a lot of things. And this truly, think I figured out this time was like my 50th, over 50th, Bridal Market is what we used to call it. But now it's Bridal Fashion Week between New York's. I go twice a year to New York. Bridal Fashion Week happens twice a year. And then I also for my store attend Chicago Bridal Market. So between all of those, it's over 50 markets that I've attended, which is wild.

But it's a time when designers present their collections. What we were doing in New York this time around was we were seeing fashions for spring, summer 2027. So they are presenting a year in advance. as I go wearing two hats to bridal fashion week, I go as a buyer to buy for my bridal store, the White Dress by the Shore. And then I also go as a stylist with my stylist hat to look for fashions for the trends that are happening.

in bridal fashion and to shop for some of my clients for their upcoming weddings. So what we saw in New York now is going to be delivered in late summer, early fall. And so it'll be purchased for spring and summer weddings of 2027. So that's why they call it summer 2027. And really what it is, it's evolved so much in the number of years that I've been in business, but

There are all different ways that you can see the collections. Some designers still do fashion shows, which is really exciting. They're a little bit more few and far between. It's very expensive to put on a fashion show. And there are so many designers now. So it's difficult to have that captive audience that you need to make it worth your while. But there were some shows. There are also what they call presentations where you will just go, there will be models maybe standing.

you know, Nardos, for example, did her presentation at the Rainbow Room. And if anyone's ever been to the Rainbow Room, the dance floor actually is a circle and it rotates. And so she had her models all standing, you know, apart, rotating around in a circle like a lazy Susan, a bridal lazy Susan, very fun. you know, those are presentations where you just sort of see the collections. And then there's buying appointments.

Candice (05:50.094)

So smart.

Candice (05:53.96)

Thank

Beth Chapman (06:04.952)

where buyers go and the collection is presented to them dress by dress. And that's when you hear the wholesale, the suggested retail, the inspiration for the collection, any customizations, you have the opportunity to ask questions. So the experience is quite different for someone who's spending actual dollars and buying for their store or for their business versus someone.

like a planner or an influencer who's going to just experience, you know, bridal fashion week and fall in love with all things bridal that are there.

Candice (06:38.178)

Yeah, I mean, it's exhausting. It's a lot of work. It sounds like a lot of fun, and it is a lot of fun. But it is also really exhausting because for you, you're in back-to-back appointments and you're racing around to New York City. Yeah.

Beth Chapman (06:41.637)

It is the love.

Beth Chapman (06:52.006)

That's it. There's no, there are a few shows, so to speak, that occur, you know, like Melange de Blanc and Union Square Couture, where a collection of designers will come together in a hotel or one fine day, always shows in this great building in the 20s. So you can, you have a collection of designers in one place that makes it a little bit easier for you, but there is no central hub in New York, which is very frustrating. I sit on the bridal couch.

Candice (07:18.134)

Yeah, but there used to be.

Beth Chapman (07:20.144)

Yeah, well, there used to be sort of, yeah, there used to be way back when the Waldorf and then the Piers, which was run by the Knot and the Knot really became Melange de Blanc. But I sit on the Bridal Council, which is kind of like, for lack of a better term, the governing body. It's a lot of designers that sit on the on the council. I'm very honored to be one of just three retailers that sit on the council. And we really set

the schedule for when market is going to happen and also really try to dictate, you we try to influence designers to, you know, if you're going to do shows, like have all the shows being in the first half of the week or the first half of the day. And so the writing appointments can be in the afternoon and we try to keep everyone in either on one side of the city or in a central part of the city. It never works out. We try it every year. It never works out. And so not only are you back to back, but it's like,

Candice (08:05.941)

No.

Beth Chapman (08:10.726)

back to back, uptown, downtown. It is the biggest schlep you've ever experienced and expensive and exhausting. And all you eat are some nuts that you throw in your glass. We've joked that it's like the market diet. It's like macrons and champagne. That's what you eat. It sounds glamorous, day one. And then after that, you're like, I'm going to die. Yeah.

Candice (08:26.07)

Yeah, that's all anybody's serving anywhere.

Beth Chapman (08:33.782)

I wish it were a little bit more organized. When I do go to Chicago, part of the reason why I go to Chicago is it's all in one building in the Chicago Mart, which is this beautiful historic building. It's not as glamorous as New York, but it gets the job done. Like you can see, you can do it in a much more condensed period of time. they're just different and it's just, know, the city that never sleeps, I guess, New York, you never sleep when you're there for Bridal Fashion Week.

Candice (08:59.502)

That's true. Especially with your schedule because you're doing so much. not just buying for your store, but you're also looking at different designers for your styling clients and you're an educator in the bridal industry. So there's a lot that you also host your students and I know you do events for your students too. So it's a lot. And I've gone with you many times to bridal fashion week in New York and we always had so much fun, but I would leave there and be completely...

Beth Chapman (09:21.905)

Yeah.

Candice (09:27.682)

Depleted and you. Yes. I know. Well, what I had hoped this episode could really be was as if you were, you know, with Beth and I having tacos and margaritas.

Beth Chapman (09:27.954)

my gosh. Your feet are like bloody stumps and you're so tired. Yes, exactly. This shows how much I love you that I am on here with you the morning of.

Candice (09:46.71)

Let's say you joined us for a post bridal market recap at one of our favorite restaurants, which is Geronimo's, which we've gone to many times in downtown New Haven for margaritas, table side guacamole and tacos. Yes. And we were just dishing about what Beth saw and what we think about it.

Beth Chapman (09:56.882)

Yucca fries.

Candice (10:07.83)

So that is sort of the inspiration for today's episode and you guys getting to be a fly on the wall and here all about Bridal Fashion Week. So on that note, I have some questions that I thought could really kick us off and kind of get the wheels spinning here. My first question is, what trend did you see that you thought immediately, okay, this is gonna be everywhere?

Beth Chapman (10:20.71)

Yeah. Yeah.

Beth Chapman (10:35.202)

a tough one to answer because there were a lot of trends this time. Last season, I think we could say it was the Basque waste, right? If I see one more Basque waste, I might perish. Thank goodness there weren't that many. It's been like corsets and Basque waste. But this time, there were a lot of trends that really evolved. And so it's hard to say that there was just one that exemplified spring, summer 2027, which I actually think is

Candice (10:47.662)

It's so dramatic.

Beth Chapman (11:04.998)

really exciting because from a bride's perspective and a designer's perspective, you know, for you guys as designers and planners, it really means that like the world is your oyster. There's a lot that you could dig into. The overall overarching theme, I think that I saw that I love is femininity. It was really all about feminine details, which I really, really love. And really a return to, dare I say classic.

Candice (11:06.445)

Yeah.

Beth Chapman (11:34.742)

there was a lot more modesty, which I loved. there was like a timeless classic elegance, which I is really my personal aesthetic and the aesthetic of my, of my styling clients and my store. So for me, I was like, praise this is like, you know, I was like a kid in a candy store. I was really, really, really happy. so I think we're really shifting to sort of a more traditional, feel. And, know, I think there's a lot.

a lot of buzz about vintage right now, right? Like vintage everything. I think because that's really dictated by Gen Z. Gen Z loves thrifting and they love recycling and all the things, upcycling. And so a lot of designers kind of took that to heart, I think, and really designed things that looked vintage, that like,

Candice (12:26.776)

Like what era? What era are we talking?

Beth Chapman (12:29.038)

It's across all different eras. That's what's so interesting. there was definitely, there's a nod to the 90s going on right now. Let's be honest, of course, because of love story. So.

Candice (12:40.526)

Hello, we need to stop there because I was hoping you'd bring this up and I did not ask you about this specifically. I was gonna text you and be like, are you watching Love Story? Because CBK have been obsessed with her for many years. I'm surprised that you guys didn't cross paths in New York City, did you?

Beth Chapman (12:44.54)

Yeah.

Beth Chapman (12:56.954)

No, no, I wish. I mean, I wish, but we were, she was always downtown, know? Midtown, uptown, you know, she was like hanging out down there.

Candice (12:59.726)

Yeah. Yeah.

Candice (13:07.131)

But I feel like if you had cross paths, I would have definitely heard about that story.

Beth Chapman (13:11.794)

I wish. I don't even think I ever had a sighting, to be honest. No, I don't think I ever did. But I was just as obsessed as everyone else. I was working in fashion in the 90s at their heyday. And she dictated so many trends then. And I secretly love that it's back. So of course, we saw a lot of bias cut and slip dresses, not as many as I thought we were going to see. I really thought it was going to be over the top. And it really wasn't. But so there was like a minimalist, clean,

Candice (13:15.459)

No?

Candice (13:20.735)

yeah.

Beth Chapman (13:41.234)

90s vibe. There was definitely, I mean, really it's spanned. We went from like the 20s to the 90s. Like, you know, there's this trend right now that's, it really started last season, continued this season, very unstructured. So of course we've been living in this like corseted, bask waist, like very dramatic Bridgerton type top. And the opposite of that.

The other end of the spectrum is like a very 1920s strapless, like picture, like just like a strapless straight column type silhouette. One of the silhouettes that I'm loving that has emerged that I'm obsessed with is a column, just like a straight, not a fit to pair, like straight. It goes across fabrics. It doesn't matter. There's a lot of like tunics. There's also that same influence picture like.

Candice (14:24.78)

Is it beated?

Beth Chapman (14:35.066)

a strapless tunic, is like 1920s came back in the 60s, but then with another skirt underneath it or like a wide leg pants. So like very unconstructed, which I would love for like a rehearsal dinner look, right? Or like the day after brunch look or a shower look, you know, a wedding related look I really love or, know, a New York city wedding and a lot of of thing. Yeah. So I feel like that's really fresh and it's like this vintage inspired look.

Candice (14:57.294)

courthouse. Yeah, yeah.

Beth Chapman (15:04.966)

but totally modern at the same time, which is really fun and great. now we saw clean fabrics, beaded fabrics, all across the board. We saw a lot of, you know, there's been a lot of definition of the waist of corsets. Now it's really shifted down a little bit to the hips. So lots of hip draping, like swooping across the hips.

Candice (15:09.74)

Yeah, well, I love that their designers are reinterpreting.

Beth Chapman (15:33.38)

which actually I feel like is really inspiring for you guys as designers because there's so much going on with that swoopy draping and decor, right? And so I love that feeling of it carrying through from the fashion to the decor. There's a lot happening with peplums, which I've always been a peplum fan. So if anyone doesn't know what a peplum is,

That's something that is like you're cinched at the waist and then it's like a piece of fabric that comes out over your hips and stops right above your high hip. And then that lends itself very much to having like a straight column underneath it or even a ball gown. It's a lot of hip emphasis, which who would have thought, know, brides with the whole Bridgerton look, we're seeing right now a lot of extra crinoline at the hips, which you you think who wants more hip definition, but.

When you make your hips bigger, your waist looks smaller. So we're all in to that. So lots of definition at the hips, which is really interesting. And a lot of differentiation of necklines, which I really found refreshing. So definitely a modesty. There's V-necks, but definitely higher. Lots of off the shoulders, boat necks. We're seeing illusion come back again. So like sheerness up at the top.

Candice (16:25.976)

Right.

Beth Chapman (16:52.728)

tons of tons of coverage options, know, lace jackets, capes, really interesting structure jackets over a wedding gown, which I love. So I'm just loving this return to modesty because it brings so many options to brides and it allows you to change up your wedding day look without having to necessarily change your wedding gown, which is really exciting and fun. So for me, it's just, you know, options, which I love. I love options. Yeah.

Candice (17:15.182)

you

Candice (17:20.694)

Yeah, love that. What about color? What types of colors did you see really pop? Whether it's like maids, dresses, or maybe even colors in bridal gowns.

Beth Chapman (17:31.11)

There's a lot of color in bridal right now, of course, of course it's spring summer, you so of course there's always a bit, but definitely soft pastel colors. So very dusty muted pinks. There's a dress from Sarah Norrie that I'm like, she always has a printed dress in her collection. And this latest one is like dreamy and like amazing.

It's really like a mauvey, dusty pink that is the center of her floral. Light blue, Nardos in her collection has this hand-painted, she's been doing a lot with hand painting. I'm working on a custom gown right now for a client that's hand painted and I'm so excited. But the one that she just showed in her new collection has a touch of light blue in it that's really, really beautiful. Nardos did a lot of color, which I really love.

It's just really spring like light green, mauvey pink and light blue. I would say really pretty. Yeah. I really did. Yeah. If they were showing color, that's the color that that was emerging. Yeah. Great colors.

Candice (18:23.352)

were them standouts, yeah, you saw those across designers, saw those colors. Yeah, yeah.

Candice (18:33.998)

Great colors too. I love a soft pastel, so pretty. That was trending last year, so it's not surprising that it's coming in to collections that are showing this year. Yeah.

Beth Chapman (18:41.062)

Yeah.

Beth Chapman (18:44.932)

Yeah, yeah. And just overall, a lot of fabric interests, which I think also lends itself so well to you guys in design. It's just really interesting textural fabrics, whether it's a jacquard. What a jacquard is, is when a floral pattern is embossed into the fabric. So lots of jacquards in all different sizes. We're still seeing three dimensional florals. Lots of traditional laces, like an Alonso and traditional corded lace.

But also some really interesting laces with like oversized floral. floral details were very, very predominant, particularly in different scales and shapes and with layers of texture. So it could be a traditional Alanson lace with a larger lace layered over it and, and or like a three dimensional layered on top. So lots of dimension.

We've seen it for a couple of seasons, but it continued some pleating in the fabrics. So lots and lots of fabric interests, which I really love because I always love when there's an invisible thread between the fashion and the decor. And I left this fashion week feeling like there were so many opportunities for that to happen with weddings. So it made me really excited for not just fashion, but weddings in general going forward because I think there's so much opportunity for.

Candice (19:55.884)

Yeah.

Beth Chapman (20:10.854)

decor as well.

Candice (20:12.258)

yeah, draping has been such a big trend over the last year-ish. We actually covered that in Planner's playbook. We did a whole trend report on dramatic draping. So draping has been a really big trend. And it's great to see that you're seeing dramatic draping in garments, which is only gonna continue to influence what we do in design. And for all designers listening, whether you're imitation, floral, planning,

the dress always sets the tone or at least you hope it does. You hope they select the right dress to set the tone for the rest of the design. So knowing what brides will be choosing when they go shopping this fall for their wedding next year or even further away is so important for you because it's gonna really dictate the inspiration you have to work with as you start to design for your clients.

Beth Chapman (21:02.426)

Yeah. And if your client is working with a stylist or hopefully you have a relationship with a stylist that you can introduce to your client, please don't gatekeep. Like share the palette, share your inspiration, work together to build it together because it's very difficult as a stylist, as you can imagine, to help a client select the fashion. And it tends to be one of the first things they do. Right. And so we don't want it to be disconnected. I want to be able to

share in that and have those conversations. And there are some designers, most, not most that I work with, work with me, but there are some designers that gatekeep it a little bit. And that doesn't help anybody. We need to work together and really bring them together. And I've had amazing things where I've, you I recently did a wedding last summer that was so beautiful. And I ended up, they were having sort of like an Italian, alfresco, romantic,

Candice (21:45.024)

No. Yeah.

Beth Chapman (22:02.16)

rehearse a welcome party. And I ended up doing a gown with them from the mom that was yellow and it had these lemons on it. It so beautiful. And the planner was like, my God, I love the lemons. I'm incorporating them into my decor. So it goes both ways, which is really fun and exciting.

Candice (22:17.184)

Yeah, well any designer knows the feeling when you get a great client and they have a great style or aesthetic that they're trying to push forward in the wedding and then they show you the gown that they selected and it's the opposite reaction where the gown does not match the aesthetic. I can vividly remember a client who wanted a rustic wedding but like a very high-end rustic wedding, gorgeous. And her gown was like something out of Cinderella and I'm thinking to myself like how am I gonna make this talk? Like how is this going to work?

Beth Chapman (22:28.636)

words, right?

Candice (22:47.088)

quite frankly, it's just not going to work. Yeah.

Beth Chapman (22:51.588)

And personalization is, brides love personalization right now, right? And I love having personal elements involved and incorporated into the decor, whether that's taking some vintage element of a family members and incorporating into their fashion in some way. So also to be able to have that continuity to take those personal details and carry it from the fashion into the decor, I love it. It just, makes the wedding so unique and so even more special and memorable.

But those conversations are so important to have in order to make that work.

Candice (23:24.622)

Yeah, well to make those connections for sure. Yeah, it's all hands on deck when it comes to coming up with creative concepts and trying to weave things together. What do you, so styling to me I think is, we can look at gowns and see how they come down the runway, but we also have to talk about the styling of the models or the styling of the garments and other pieces that are put together. I styling is really the workhorse. Anybody can wear a nice shirt, but not everybody can style it in a way that's very interesting or that makes people stop and say, where did you get that shirt?

Beth Chapman (23:26.322)

You it?

Beth Chapman (23:32.4)

Mm-hmm.

Candice (23:54.528)

From a styling perspective, what types of accessories or what types of maybe even hair, makeup, other styling elements do you think really stood out to you at this market?

Beth Chapman (24:06.578)

Because of that return to like classic and sort of the nod to vintage mantias, lace mantias, like traditional lace mantias, like starting at the comb and coming down are in full force, like with a full on blusher, like the whole nine, which I am here for all day long. So that was just a consistent thread through so many designers, which I'm so excited about because

Candice (24:19.096)

gorgeous.

Candice (24:26.786)

Yeah.

Beth Chapman (24:33.774)

Whether that be a family heirloom that you're lucky to have to pass down or something that we can recreate or take lace from your mother's or grandmother's dress and make that mantilla so exciting. Because of the floral details that we saw, there were a lot of floral accessories as well. Like really interesting. We're seeing a return of the headpiece. So headpiece is coming back, you know, even to the point of like.

Candice (24:52.098)

Really?

Beth Chapman (24:57.54)

flowers on the comb of the veil. Like, remember that? Like, yeah, that's all coming back because the other extreme of I talked about all these laces and textural and all of that, the other extreme of this is there's still a lot of clean being shown, like very simple, clean, mccado, satin, satin by crepe. And so you can, if your bride opts for a clean aesthetic of a gown, you can still incorporate floral through, you know, an accessory detail. So

there was a lot of that. And neck interest. So there's a lot of neck interest in the gowns. The necklines are coming up, neck interest in the gowns. But when there is a strapless dress, lot of necklaces. So there's a lot of interest coming back. Statement necklace is almost more like kind of sitting like a choker, like not choker around your neck, like choker around your collarbone, just like a collar, so to speak, a collar necklace.

Candice (25:40.27)

What kind of necklaces, like statement necklaces from 2010 style?

Candice (25:52.834)

Right.

Candice (25:56.364)

Yeah.

Beth Chapman (25:57.702)

yeah, just more smaller earrings, more interest at the neck. Yeah. Which hasn't been around for a while. So it's depth. There's definitely a lot of, know, the, the, the interest is moving sort of from the waist to the neck and the hip is sort of how we're evolving, know, always evolving.

Candice (26:02.804)

Interesting. Yes.

Candice (26:13.705)

Yeah. It's so funny to hear that because I think back to like 2009, 2010 and how big statement necklaces were. mean, we all had them in our closet. I can't dust off my J.Crew statement necklaces. I don't know if this...

Beth Chapman (26:23.43)

Yeah. Girl, it's coming back. Prepare yourself. Yeah, no, it's coming back. Yeah.

Your bubble necklace? Remember how many bubble necklaces we had?

Candice (26:38.018)

We had so many. They weighed when we would travel together. mean, our suitcase was filled with bubble necklaces that weighed a million pounds.

Beth Chapman (26:42.194)

I know. You had a suitcase for, yeah. Seriously. Yeah, yeah. It's definitely like, it's interesting. It's almost like more is more is coming back. Like the silhouettes that are really predominant, the skirt shape that's really predominant is the ball gown. It's ball gowns and knee lines. And where it is, where there is a slimmer skirt, it's more of a column than a fit to flare. I fit to fit to flares will always be around. Don't get me wrong. But if we talk about trends and what's trending, it's really like more is more and it's kind of fun.

Candice (26:57.421)

Yeah.

Candice (27:12.128)

Yeah, well, I love that maximalism vibe. I love, love, love it. And it's nice to actually see a balance between having this kind of maximalist energy in fashion, but also in design, and then balancing that with something that is more streamlined or classic or CBK inspired, with that kind of clean girl or old money aesthetic. I love the balance between the two.

Beth Chapman (27:14.578)

I'm here for it.

Beth Chapman (27:23.442)

Mm-hmm.

Beth Chapman (27:28.678)

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Candice (27:36.226)

I even think that there is, I think, a place for both of those, depending on what you're designing, there is a place for both of those aesthetics to live somewhere in a wedding weekend where you can have a maximalist energy for something. Maybe it's an after party, maybe it's a welcome party, and there is a clean girl, simple, classic aesthetic for the ceremony. You can graduate style throughout the day, get more maximalist as you go in your fashion and your design.

Beth Chapman (27:45.426)

100%.

Beth Chapman (27:53.2)

And we're happy.

Beth Chapman (28:02.054)

Yeah, I love it because for as a stylist, like that's like everything to me, right? Because wedding related looks, of course, as we know, are not going anywhere. They're still so popular. I'm definitely seeing a shift towards brides wanting to stay in their gown longer, if not all night and evolve their look. And so.

Candice (28:19.502)

Do you think that's because of budget? Like, do you think that's because?

Beth Chapman (28:22.598)

No, I don't think it has anything to do with budget because they are still spending money, but they're spending money on other wedding related looks. It's a sentimentality thing. They love their gown so much, they wanna stay in it longer, which I love. I'm like, yes, girl, hey, man. But that's why I love how you could have a topper or some kind of interesting something and a lace mantilla for the ceremony. And then of course, those,

Candice (28:36.0)

Yeah, that's great. It's how should be. Yes.

Beth Chapman (28:49.03)

the topper and the lace mantilla come off and then maybe we put on an amazing necklace and that's what your first dance is. And then we just can evolve the look throughout the night while keeping the same dress. But I love what you're saying of like being able to experiment and play with other looks for your other wedding related events. You know, your welcome party, your after party and just switching it up, you know, and not having it be such a traditional look that you did for your wedding look. Playing with the cool girl vibe or

Candice (29:06.935)

Yeah.

Candice (29:15.276)

Yeah.

Beth Chapman (29:19.152)

you know, some kind of amazing statement dress. I love it.

Candice (29:23.79)

I do too, I mean, I just think that stylistically, we're not all one note in our fashion, in our closet, in our home. We have rooms that might swing a little bit more traditional or something might be a little more funky or a little more vintage or a little more mid-century. And so when it comes to planning a wedding and coming up with an aesthetic and look, you don't wanna just be flat and just have a one look throughout the whole day. You want to evolve it. And there's something fun about.

starting off the day in a very traditional way and getting more maximalist as the day, more kooky and crazy and colorful and fun or sexy as the day goes on. I mean, you can even invert that depending on your personality and do something really outrageously fun or maximalist for the ceremony and then get more refined as the evening goes. And I just love that clients can experiment with a few different aesthetics, but there's.

you know, something that is tying it all together, whether it's color or texture or a specific theme, like you were mentioning this lemon Italian vibe, which is so fun, very on trend, you know, having that theme run through, but just getting more Dolce as the night goes on, getting more, you know, yeah.

Beth Chapman (30:30.362)

Yeah. And for you guys from a planning aesthetic, of course, you want your event to evolve throughout the day and the evening, right? You want there to be these pleasant surprises, these unexpected elements that pop up for the guest experience, right? And I want the exact same thing for the fashion. Like, I don't want it to be the same thing all night long. Like, let's give your guests something to look at, you know, and something to photograph. And all of that, I think, creates amazing memories.

Candice (30:37.78)

Yes.

Candice (30:53.27)

Yeah.

Candice (30:59.958)

Yeah, I totally agree. How, going back to CBK, because I'm just so obsessed with her and the whole look, I'm just so obsessed with it. In a broader context, pop culture influencing bridal fashion.

Are you seeing more direct influence from pop culture, things like love story or even celebrity weddings directly affecting bridal fashion now than before? And so what kind of role does pop culture play?

Beth Chapman (31:31.15)

I think it always has. I do think it's faster now. I think the role that it's playing now is with the advent of social media. You know, they see it, they want it, right? It used to be like it was in a magazine and you know, just, it just was this, everything was slower. Now it's so much faster. And what the challenge that we face, and it's not for every bride. There are some brides who are very, very influenced by the latest and the greatest and what other people are doing. And then there are other brides.

that want more of a traditional wedding or they're very clear on their own personal aesthetic and they wanna stick to that. So what's challenging is this like immediacy, this sort of Amazon effect that brides are used to. Like I want it, I can get it, right? And bridal doesn't work that way. And it takes six months to produce your dress. And so...

I hope that we as an industry can turn that into a positive rather than a negative, you know, and play up the fact that there's a nostalgia to it, that this is the way that your mother shopped for her dress and bought her dress and your grandmother, and this is the way that you're going to do it. And play up that aspect of it and the fact that you get everything else in your life so quickly and you can get it online and get it delivered the next day. And let's lean into the anticipation.

of this gown and the fact that this garment is being made specifically for you. Like that's an amazing thing. So I think we as an industry have to all lean into that because a challenge we're facing as retailers is that with social media, Bridal Fashion Week happens and the designers of course are showing their collections on Instagram, for example, right? And brides are seeing that.

Candice (32:58.292)

Ew, yeah. Yeah.

Beth Chapman (33:22.532)

And they're thinking that means that translates to I can have this now. They can't have it till spring, summer, 2027, girl. And so what's happening is like the way the cycle works is it takes take just like it takes a bride's garment four to six months to be produced. My stock that I purchase at bridal fashion week or bridal market takes that long to be produced as well. So as I'm about to go to bridal market, I am getting

Candice (33:27.468)

Right.

Yeah.

Beth Chapman (33:49.968)

deliveries from what I bought back in October. So I have new product hitting. And so we as an industry have to pay more attention to putting the emphasis on let's celebrate and talk about what just delivered to stores and make that as exciting for brides as what's going down the runway. They're both exciting, but we can't lose sight of the fact that this is delivering to stores and you can have it right now. Like, let's make a moment out of that.

Candice (34:04.514)

Yes. Yes.

Beth Chapman (34:17.968)

because as a retailer otherwise she's onto the next and this thing hasn't even hit my floor yet.

Candice (34:22.848)

I know it's hard actually to try to find that balance because we are so instant gratification and trends do move a lot quicker now than they may be used to because of social media. But then things circle right back around. it just, you know, I guess it works itself out, but that is very challenging because somebody who is paying attention to what's happening in Bridal Fashion Week right now sees a dress that they absolutely have to have.

Beth Chapman (34:31.611)

Yeah.

Candice (34:45.068)

you're going to call around to a hundred stores, nobody's going to have it because it's not going to be ready for four to six months. And it also goes to show you just how much the wedding industry lags behind in all this stuff, including how we're designing events or designing invitations or designing flowers. We lack, but because we're also in lockstep with bridal fashion. So if you see something come down the runway for Paris fashion week, we're not going to see that in the bridal industry. We're not going to see the ripple effect.

of something like that in the bridal industry for a year and so we're always kind of playing catch-up whether it's fashion or home decor.

Beth Chapman (35:22.982)

Yeah, we might see it at the couture level because you know, they are both those those fashion designers in Paris and our couture fashion designers in New York are both looking at sort of the same trend reports and they're both going to the same fabric shows. And so they're seeing those things emerge at the same time. So we might see it at the very highest level. But in terms of it trickling down to a twenty five hundred dollar dress, right? We're not going to see that until to your point, you know.

Candice (35:26.688)

Yeah.

Candice (35:33.944)

Yeah.

Candice (35:45.645)

Yeah.

Beth Chapman (35:49.914)

A year from now, so it just it depends. The very savvy brides know that immediately following bridal fashion week, and this is why they have to work with a stylist shameless plug that those dresses will be available for a short period of time in stores for like the two weeks following market. They can try them on and they can even buy them. But then they go away because they have to go into production like they have to take. They have to use those to create the patterns and put them into production so that they can be made, but.

You know, the unfortunate part about that is it's the dress that was shown at bridal fashion week. So it's literally a size zero or two. So if you're not that size, you're not going to be able to really truly tell if that's the dress for you. So you have to be patient and wait.

Candice (36:31.66)

Yeah. Well, there's something you mentioned that we've talked about a few times on the podcast the last couple of months. It was in my State of the Winning Industry report where I talked about nostalgia playing a big role in what couples are looking for and the fact that couples

Well, all of us, think, are looking for more nostalgic experiences, more analog type experiences, offline experiences. It's great to hear that nostalgia is making a comeback in fashion and that we're looking backwards towards trends from the 20s all the way to the 1990s to influence modern interpretations of that.

So I love hearing that nostalgia played a big role. I think another thing is quality. So I think a lot of couples and all of us are also focusing more on not having things right away or not having the cheapest version of something, but we're spending money and we're looking for the best quality version of things. And I'm wondering if you felt like quality or craftsmanship.

or the story behind a vintage fabric that they might be showing on the runway is made an appearance at Bridal Fashion Week.

Beth Chapman (37:42.734)

It definitely did. I was actually having a conversation with a journalist at one of the shows about this very topic. And she was trying to do a, I was giving her some designer names because she wanted to do a story on gowns that were made, designers that manufacture in the United States. Cause there are still quite a few actually. And she was asking me as a retailer and a stylist about my client's appreciation for that.

And I said, know what, really, definitely really depends. We have some clients who it's so very important to, and you have other clients, honestly, often that's dictated by money that your budget just doesn't allow for it. And so they don't care. They just want the look at any price. They're the same people who shop a sheen, right? They have no awareness. Or maybe they do have awareness, and they just don't give a shit, right? So it really just depends what their values are.

but the ones that do appreciate it, appreciate it so much. So we just started working with a designer who I've been friends with for years, but I finally, finally the stars aligned and I just brought her into my bridal boutique. Her name is Wey-Loo Forsalone. She's a phenomenal designer and she designs and manufactures in Greenwich, Connecticut. And she uses all European fabrics, which by the way,

Candice (38:43.082)

So much, yeah.

Candice (38:58.848)

wow.

Beth Chapman (39:03.654)

This is interesting for you guys to know. Well, let me say this first. She European fabrics. She's so amazing. She's so talented. And when we tell our brides about it, that they're made in Connecticut, they love it. They really love it so much and they appreciate the fit and the fabrics. And it's so amazing. But one thing that's really important for you guys to know is there is a shortage of European laces and it's going to continue to happen. The mills that make these laces in France and Italy

just like our seamstresses in the United States, the artisans are no, there's no sort of training for these artisans and there's no bench strength. And so there's no one that's trained in making these laces. And we are seeing extreme shortages of laces, beautiful European laces and very high spikes in prices. And so that may have an influence on things like table linens for you guys.

Candice (39:58.338)

Right.

Beth Chapman (40:00.656)

draping fabrics, things like that. So that's just something to pay attention to in the industry. We have a veil designer that we work with out of Colorado, who I love, Sarah Gabriel, woman-owned business, all of her female, are all female artisans that hand make each of these veils. And right now, certain veils, we're having to tell brides, the veil won't come in until a month before your wedding because of the lead time of these laces. But she's finding

Candice (40:26.478)

That's scary though for them. Yeah, that's a little nerve-racking.

Beth Chapman (40:28.74)

It's scary, like it's a hard delivery to make literally and figuratively. we, know, she's finding other mills in places like Canada because she's avoiding trying to avoid desperately not to go to China. And so she's finding other mills, but that just could be something that affects you, that affects you guys as you come in. But, but we have clients that will say like your veil is handmade in.

Colorado, you know by a woman artisan who's going to sign your the tag of your veil So, you know who made it and some people are like, I love that so much. my god Yes, i'm going to spend 1200 on this veil and then we have other people who literally say to our face my god, that's ridiculous. I can get that veil 100 on Etsy and we're like, you know what? Go right Never dress the lace is going to be crap. But you know what? Godspeed

Candice (41:09.856)

Yeah. Go ahead. Do it. What I'm... Yeah.

It's the look though. so that is the difference between, you know, your fast fashion and your sheen, or even your Zara, your H &M's, and then buying from a boutique or from a small business. I'm seeing a lot of conversation from Gen Z around fabric quality, which kind of shocked me actually.

Beth Chapman (41:23.419)

Nah.

Candice (41:37.774)

I'm seeing a large conversation against polyester. A lot of Gen Z people talking about cotton and where they're getting their fabrics and where to shop for fabrics and also how we're overpaying for polyester, how we're overpaying for plastic garments and plastic shoes and plastic shirts. So that was really fascinating to hear this whole conversation just around garment, just everyday garment quality and how much polyester is in our clothing and how that affects the environment.

Beth Chapman (41:52.487)

Thank you.

Beth Chapman (42:06.194)

Yeah.

Candice (42:07.788)

So these are all things that I think conversations that are going to continue to take place with this generation. It's great to see more awareness around quality. Now, of course, in order to afford certain levels of quality, you have to spend money and not everybody's. Yeah. Yeah.

Beth Chapman (42:23.174)

Well, that's just it. But I do feel when those conversations happen on TikTok, they are explaining how long you can own this garment for, that there is this longevity to this garment because of the quality. Like, yes, you're going to pay more upfront. They use the girl math, and they're pays for itself 10 times over. And as a retailer, and I'm an educator as

Candice (42:33.48)

Yeah.

Beth Chapman (42:48.408)

as you are, and I'm an educator of retailers and I've really been playing this up as such a positive for us. This return to analog and them wanting to have these in store, you know, in person experiences. We have brick and mortar stores. We have the ability to bring that to them. We have the ability to take personalization to another level.

We have the ability to talk up the inspiration behind the collection, where the fabrics are from. Like all of those things to me are so exciting because it reminds me of where we started and what the industry was like where it began. So I think this is all a very good thing, but to your point, it does come with a price tag. And I think people are already seeing prices of everything go up, but.

Candice (43:21.752)

Yes.

Beth Chapman (43:39.622)

bridal fashion, you know, the days of thousand dollar wedding dresses, at least in a store like mine. An independent, you know, small retailer, you can get it at David's, you can get it at Anthro, but you have to recognize where those are being manufactured and where they're coming from and how they're made. Yeah.

Candice (43:46.414)

are over, over, yeah.

Candice (43:59.63)

100 % and you're overpaying for plastic clothes is basically what you're doing. Absolutely. Yeah.

Beth Chapman (44:03.922)

Correct. Like you think you're getting a deal, but you actually don't realize how much you're getting overcharged for what your quality of what you're actually getting. 100%. Yeah.

Candice (44:14.198)

Wondering, one thing that I'm seeing a lot on the home decor side, so I anticipate this is gonna be a trend in wedding design is a lot of chrome, a lot of silver. I'm seeing a resurgence of chrome, silver, and I'm wondering if you saw a lean towards cooler metals or if there was a mixture of gold, rose gold and chrome.

Beth Chapman (44:39.122)

You know, we didn't, there was not a lot of metals of any kind incorporated into bridal fashion. I'm trying to think back to accessories and there was not predominantly one metal color over another. So it'll be interesting to see how that goes. I am seeing in fashion, like just being in New York and walking the streets of New York, I'm seeing a lot of chrome shoes and like chrome accessories for sure.

Candice (45:00.974)

Yeah.

Beth Chapman (45:05.49)

So it'll be curious to see if that translates over. I do think it will translate to wedding related looks. Like when I think about, you know, after party dresses and after party looks, it's definitely leaning more towards silver than gold for sure. So it'll be curious to see, especially because some of these, colors that we're seeing, the pinks and the greens and the, the, mobs.

Candice (45:05.506)

Yeah.

Candice (45:23.447)

Yep.

Beth Chapman (45:33.03)

to me lend themselves more gold than silver. So it'll be curious to see how this all plays out. Maybe we'll be dealing with mixed metals, which I always love. So yeah, we'll see.

Candice (45:40.802)

Love mixed metal look, yeah, absolutely love. Who is your favorite designer this season? What designer really stood out to you?

Beth Chapman (45:47.218)

That is so, that is like such a, that's like asking me to choose my favorite child. my gosh. I think I love different designers for different reasons. I always loved Danielle Frankel, like if, if, if for innovation, I think that she's so innovative in her fabrics and she really sets the tone for so many other designers.

Candice (45:57.773)

Hmm.

Beth Chapman (46:12.946)

I loved and I always loved Nardos's collection. She doesn't really play by the rules and all aspects of her, which I really love. She did a lot of color, so much texture. Like she didn't look like anyone else, which I really appreciate and love because after a while it really becomes a sea of white. And you're like, oh my gosh, seriously, I can't see that one more time.

Candice (46:35.884)

does. You're splitting hairs and trying to think of what's revolutionary about this shirt. Yes.

Beth Chapman (46:43.418)

And as a retailer, as a buyer, and you're like, I've literally I've seen that 16 times and PS our brides feel the same way because they're shopping in multiple stores and then they it's like, how do they choose? So I always love you know, Sarah Norrie is always beautiful to me one one trend that I didn't mention, which is happening a lot right now is ballet core. we're seeing that we're seeing it.

Candice (47:03.042)

Yeah, we're seeing that. Yeah.

Beth Chapman (47:04.804)

in ready to this is one trend that is happening simultaneously and ready to wear in fashion, which is really fun because that doesn't always happen. So a lot more tool. I think next season we're going to see even more tool. But she incorporated tool in like really playful ways mixed with lace. Not it was it was just very pretty. But tool is looking very fresh again, which I really like.

Candice (47:09.92)

Fantastic, yeah.

Candice (47:26.71)

and ballet flats, what was happening on feet? Ooh, that's fun.

Beth Chapman (47:29.774)

ballet heels. posted, it might, I don't know when this is, this will be gone probably by the time, but on my story, one of the models was wearing these like picture a pink ballet slipper lace up, but it had a heel. And I was like, she was wearing a T-length tulle dress with a lace. It was very like Carrie Bradshaw. And I was like, these shoes are everything. They were so great.

Candice (47:42.702)

Have fun.

Candice (47:48.491)

Yeah.

Candice (47:52.078)

love it. That's like what my grandmother wore. Well, I don't think she wore a ballet heel, but she wore a T-length tulle skirt with a boat neck satin top. Yeah. I know.

Beth Chapman (47:59.578)

Yes, it's back. Yeah. Grandma Vera. Yeah. And I know. Bows, there's bows happening. Like it's all the things, it's all the things I love. So it's so great. I'm trying to think what other designers I was dying over. I think those, I have to still do my recap and go through and pour through all the pictures. Cause I also can't be at every show that I get invited to. It's impossible. So.

Candice (48:22.061)

Yeah.

Beth Chapman (48:23.674)

I have some really great friends who are photographers and they like instantly upload their professional images and send me their galleries, which is so nice. So it's like, if I can't be there, I'm seeing it within hours of the show and it's so sweet and they allow me to use their images on my social. So stay tuned to my social for my trend recap. But you know, I was really pleased with so many designers this time and that makes me so happy for our industry because

Candice (48:46.99)

That's good to hear.

Yeah, that's good to hear. Yeah.

Beth Chapman (48:51.762)

There was a lot of, there was not as much sameness as we have seen for season after season. And that particularly happens, you know, when the economy is a little tough, people play it safe and designers play it safe. And then retailers are like, my gosh, for heaven's sake, I've seen this before. They reinterpret bestsellers and you're like, I already own this. And so I think there was a lot of newness and freshness and, you know, very much what I feel to be saleable for our bride. So I was thrilled.

Candice (49:12.024)

Yeah.

Candice (49:21.07)

That's so exciting. And I believe this was Haley Page's comeback this fashion week, right? That's so exciting.

Beth Chapman (49:25.752)

It was. Yeah. Well, so this was her second collection since her comeback. But what I liked about this collection was her first collection was really sort of a nod to what she had done previously. It was very much reinterpretation of things that had worked in her previous life. And this collection was truly a rebirth. It was all new designs, all new dresses. She's so innovative. She's not like any other designer out there.

She always does color. She's always done color. She always does whimsy so well. You know, it's for the non-traditional bride. It's for the bride who wants to make a statement, who wants to have fun on their wedding day. I their wedding day is all about glam and fun. And she definitely brought that. And it was so exciting to, you know, I've had a front row seat this whole time and I'm just so...

I'm so happy for her. The very last event that I went to last evening was a very intimate tea party to celebrate her comeback. such a beautiful, it was beautifully done. And there was lots of tributes to her and people getting up and talking about her and the band that there was music, live music, and the singer sung that song, you know, that song, Rise Up. my gosh. I was like.

Candice (50:33.879)

So fun.

Candice (50:51.563)

yeah, yeah. Were you guys crying? This sounds emotional. my god.

Beth Chapman (50:53.862)

Stop it. Everyone was like, stop it. And she was wearing Hailey's After the Storm dress, which is that rainbow dress. And it just was like, I'm so happy for her. She has not only risen up, she's thrived and she stood up for what she believed in. And there's such a strong, powerful message in that. I'm thrilled for the success that she will have. And she's also getting married. So she's getting married in September.

Candice (51:00.726)

wow.

Candice (51:08.6)

Yeah.

Candice (51:21.196)

Wow, so it's happening. That's so exciting.

Beth Chapman (51:23.29)

it's finally happening because she was not able to design wedding dresses at all. Like she couldn't even sketch, you know? And so like we had a shoe event with her and she was like, Beth, can't, I can't sketch. I can't even sketch a dress. Like I can't do anything. And so she didn't, she wants to design her own wedding dress. And she was like, I need to wait until I can. And so she did. And so I'm so happy for them and yeah.

Candice (51:28.236)

Yeah.

Candice (51:39.918)

Yeah. So excited for her. Yeah, it's so exciting. She was a guest on our podcast many moons ago and I just saw that she was on Khloe Kardashian's podcast. So I'm gonna have to go listen to that. She might get me to listen to Khloe. I think I saw it on TikTok. I saw a clip of it on TikTok. I'm pretty sure. Yeah.

Beth Chapman (51:52.198)

she was, I saw her, I don't know, I don't know if it's, has it come out? I don't know if it's come out yet. Has it come out yet? Maybe I saw her like the day I was with her in Chicago the day after it came out and I was like, tell me everything. But she, yeah, she had a great time. I can't wait to listen to it as well. Yeah.

Candice (52:07.432)

Candice (52:12.334)

yeah, it's gonna be great. It's really great to see someone, I mean, if you followed Haley Page's journey, we won't recap it here, but you can certainly go read about it if you're not really sure what we're talking about. She was probably the most beloved dress designer and she lost her name.

due to her relationship with the company that owned the rights to her name. And it was a very difficult experience, years long, financially extremely expensive. And she stayed the course. And I'm gonna be honest, I didn't think that the result that she...

Beth Chapman (52:38.716)

years.

Candice (52:49.178)

has was ever gonna be the result that she would achieve, not because she wasn't determined enough or she wasn't capable enough, but just because business is so cutthroat and I just didn't think that this would ever be the case for her. And one day, I feel like it came out of nowhere. I just looked and saw that the entire situation had resolved itself and she truly is so deserving of this next chapter. I'm so happy for her. Yeah, totally.

Beth Chapman (53:13.468)

so deserving and I think it's a reflection of who she is versus who she was up against. you know, I think, you know, your values and your morals are everything and what you stand for. And she stood up for what was right. And what I love about her, and I say this to her all the time, is it's like, I actually have a picture of her on my desk that I'm looking at right now. And she wrote on it, says, Beth, you are a diamond in a rhinestone world forever grateful.

Candice (53:18.06)

Yes.

Candice (53:35.63)

Oh, you are. You are though.

Beth Chapman (53:39.266)

What I love about it is that she made her mess her message and she took an awful gut wrenching experience that she went through and she created a foundation called the Girl You Might Know Foundation in supportive of creatives to ensure that no one else ever signs a contract that they are not aware of what they're signing. You know, it has happened to the music art in the music industry for years and years and years and so many fashion designers, Pierre Cardin, like so many that this has happened to.

Candice (54:07.328)

Even in the wedding industry, it's happened too.

Beth Chapman (54:09.458)

100%. And so she wants to make sure that never ever happens again. And so this foundation provides legal support to people who may not be able to afford it, who are creatives, so that before they get into a contract, they are aware and to help them craft their and negotiate their contracts. So I'm really proud of her that she not only fought her fight, but she's fighting other people's fight too, so that no one else has to go through what she's gone through. And she's done it with grace and heart.

and she deserves all the happiness. So I'm hoping we sell so many of her wedding gowns in my store because she was so deserving.

Candice (54:42.318)

I know, I'm so excited for her. Yeah, it's really great to see. It's all things are possible. Yeah, it's so great to see. And of course we can't wait to see her wedding and who's designing it and everything that comes out of it. I'm sure it will definitely have a ripple effect in the industry. So that's something to definitely pay attention to from a pop culture perspective.

Beth Chapman (54:47.367)

Yeah.

Beth Chapman (54:51.378)

Bye.

Beth Chapman (54:57.458)

It will.

Candice (55:01.228)

that is definitely something to pay attention to. Okay, so recap from what I hear from you, there is a return to femininity here, a lot of feminine draping, feminine fabrics, just femininity across the board, a return to modesty, which is interesting. I'm assuming not like, you know, Mormon modesty, but modesty nonetheless.

Beth Chapman (55:24.978)

Really, it's whatever level of modesty you want. You're our option. You're our options. But definitely more covered up than we have been, than we have in previous seasons and lots of coverage options, which I think is amazing.

Candice (55:32.59)

nothing wrong with that. Love that. And that's so great. It's so inclusive for everyone. And it allows you to start to take things off as the night progresses. If things are switchable, which is great in fashion. return to modesty, which is great. Also a return to nostalgia and vintage from a variety of eras from the 20s all the way up to the 90s.

Beth Chapman (55:39.132)

Absolutely.

Beth Chapman (55:44.806)

Yeah!

Candice (55:57.074)

maximalism plus clean girl is still there. I don't think that's gonna go anywhere, especially with CBK's whole pop culture moment. I don't expect that to go anywhere. So any other trends that we didn't cover or anything else that you can think of?

Beth Chapman (56:11.826)

I think that's really it. It's really, I love it because, mantillas, traditional veils, definitely. But I think it's a great time to be a bride. It's really, it's a great time to be in the industry. There's so many options and you can make your wedding whatever you want it to be based on your personal aesthetic. And there's lots of opportunities to bring in personal elements and nostalgic elements.

from family members or things that are important to you. And I couldn't love that more because that's really what weddings are all about, are creating these memories and celebrating these life moments that are happening now or have happened in the past.

Candice (56:49.87)

Yeah, love it. Well, I'm going to link to Beth Chapman in the show notes. So if you want to check out Beth Chapman store, make sure to visit the white dress. She has an amazing store in Clinton, Connecticut. She's been in business for a number of years, many, years, over 20 years. 22.

Beth Chapman (57:06.45)

2022.

Candice (57:09.556)

She is also a stylist. So for anybody listening who is looking for a bridal stylist for your clients, Beth is the number one stylist in the industry. You can absolutely reach out to her and get more details. She travels all over the world to style clients. That's yes, wedding dressing service. She has an amazing team as well. So she's not just based in Connecticut in the Tri-State area for that. She travels. If you're a bridal retailer,

Beth Chapman (57:24.914)

Dave, what an interesting service.

Candice (57:36.598)

She has an incredible course called the Bridal Retailer Academy. And she also has an amazing membership for retailers called the White Dress Society. Both of her programs are incredible.

And if you loved the conversation that we had here today, Beth is having these conversations plus all the ins and outs of running a bridal store and being a stylist and all the interesting nuance that comes along with that in her program. So I definitely want you to check that out. And if you're a planner and you're interested in talking more about trends and how trends affect the work that you do, this is something that we talk about inside the Planner's Playbook. So I'll link that below as well.

Beth, as always, it's so good to talk shop with you. You and I could sit here and gossip about fashion and forever, but of course we can't do that today. But thank you so much for being on the episode today and sharing just a firsthand, literal 24 hours later account of what you saw at Bridal Fashion Week. I appreciate you so much.

Beth Chapman (58:23.442)

forever.

Beth Chapman (58:37.97)

absolute pleasure anytime.

Candice (58:40.61)

All right, friends. Well, if you enjoyed this episode, I'd love to hear from you as always. So take your phone out, DM me on Instagram, share with me your thoughts. If you want to hear more episodes like this, I can easily record more trend-based episodes. So please reach out to me and let me know what your thoughts are. And as always, thank you so much for being here and spending time with Beth and I today. We value it so much. I want to remind you there's so much power in your purpose, and I'll see you next week.