Our Favorite Boston Area Businesses to Help You Look Your Bridal Best

Posted on August 21, 2023 | by
Boston bride-to-be trying on wedding dresses at a bridal shop with her friends

Tis the season…for getting hitched! Brides all over Boston are busy making their lists. After all, looking radiant on your wedding day takes quite a bit of planning and effort! Bridal services can be booked 12 to 18 months ahead of time, so it’s best to make arrangements as soon as possible—especially if you’re walking down the aisle in peak season. 

While it may be tempting to shop online or at big-box chains for your bridal needs, we encourage you to support locally-owned boutiques, vendors, and service providers. These small businesses are the backbone of our community, take pride in their work, and genuinely care about helping you look and feel gorgeous on your special day.

Ready to feel flawless and look picture-perfect from head to toe? Book an appointment with any of these beloved small businesses today, and watch the magic they can create to match your dream wedding vibe, budget, and timeline.

The Dress

Searching for your dream wedding dress can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. At a high-end bridal boutique, you get a truly personalized shopping experience and the most unique selection of timeless (or trending) gown styles!

Most wedding dresses will require some adjustments or alterations such as hemming for length, adding detailing, or taking in or letting out fabric to achieve the perfect fit. A professional seamstress or tailor with experience in wedding dress alterations can help you achieve the look you desire.

Timing is essential when it comes to finding and altering your wedding dress. Designer dresses typically take around four to six months to order, followed by one to three months for tailoring and alterations. To avoid any last-minute stress, we recommend starting your wedding dress search at a wedding boutique 9-12 months before your wedding day to allow enough time for fittings and alterations.

Where to shop for a wedding gown:

The Bling

To create a stunning ensemble for your wedding day, you need the right necklaces, earrings, and rings. Your bridal jewelry should accentuate your wedding dress, highlighting it in scale and adding color and contrast, while also reflecting your unique personality. A reliable and established jeweler can provide you with quality pieces that will make you shine and sparkle at the altar and on the dance floor.

Timing is crucial when it comes to customizing your wedding jewelry. Especially if you want to have the option to create a unique piece in collaboration with a professional jewelry designer, you may need up to a year to plan your dream-worthy bling.

Where to shop for wedding jewelry:

The Flowers

Before you start discussing floral arrangements with professional florists, take some time to determine your preferences, including types of flowers and arrangement styles. While brides often think of color and floral varieties first, you will also choose your ideal bouquet’s size, shape, fragrance, and finishing accents like ribbons.

A skilled florist can help ensure that the scale and style of your bouquet complements your appearance and matches the vibe of your venue, the season, and overall event. 

We recommend booking a florist 6 to 9 months in advance. However, keep in mind that the most popular wedding florists have schedules that fill up 12 to 18 months ahead of time. So, if you have a very specific type of flower or look in mind, it’s best to book ASAP.

Where to find a wedding florist:

The Photos

Your wedding photos will document everything about your day, telling the story from the intimate moment you begin to get ready to the grand exit or send-off at the end of your reception. Documenting the day will allow you to live in the moment, and make all the hard work you put into planning and executing your event worth it.

Your bridal portraits will capture every detail of your look, from your radiant smile to the intricate lace of your dress or the texture of your heels. A professional photographer who specializes in weddings and portraiture understands that the bride is the focal point and will use their expertise to create images that you can cherish forever.

But not all wedding photographers are alike. Research the services and testimonials of several before committing to one that fits your style. We recommend booking one at least a year before your big day, to ensure you get the best possible photos.

Our picks for wedding photography:

The Look

The season and time of day of your wedding celebration, along with your venue and color palette, can inspire the perfect bridal hair and makeup look for you. Consult with a beauty professional to find what will best flatter your skin tone and your hair length, color, and texture.

We recommend booking your “glam squad” six to ten months before the wedding date. It’s also wise to have a trial run of your hair and makeup look 1-3 months before your wedding day. This will also enable you to plan for any necessary haircuts or coloring in advance.

Where to go for wedding hair and makeup:

The Glow 

Your wedding day is the number one occasion to look your most stunning, as all eyes will be on you. Whether you’re a bride, bridesmaid, or the mother of the bride or groom, treatments like Botox®, dermal filler, and professional skin treatments can help you put your best face forward. After all, you deserve to look and feel fabulous on your special day!

The team of qualified aesthetic experts at Boston Plastic Surgery offer treatments ranging from professional medical-grade facials to transformative surgical procedures. During your complimentary consultation, we’ll consider several factors such as your goals for your appearance, your skin and anatomy, your lifestyle and budget, and even the time of year you’re getting married and honeymooning! Based on our evaluation, we’ll provide you with personalized recommendations for treatments and products that will address your concerns and provide you with optimal results.

Our experienced aesthetic team will work with your goals, your budget, and your timeline to help you achieve beautiful skin for your wedding day.

We recommend scheduling your consultation at least one year before your wedding day to plan the right treatments on a timeline that meets your aesthetic goals. Don’t put off scheduling your appointment because of other wedding-related tasks: some treatments are quick and can be performed during your lunch break or between other appointments, and many achieve best results after a series of routine treatments!

Here are some of the top non-surgical procedures to help you look your bridal best:

Aesthetician Services & Facials

Botox-Type Injectables & Dermal Fillers 

Minimally-Invasive Body Contouring

Laser Treatments

Additional Services

Our expert aesthetic team is led by award-winning board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Fouad Samaha at Boston Plastic Surgery. Our Skin Wellness Center and medical spa can design a custom treatment plan to help you perfect your bridal look and achieve safe, natural-looking results for your big day! To schedule a consultation, please call our practice at (617) 786-7600 or contact us online today.