Bateau Bridal Boutique - A Local Anchorage Bridal Shop
I recently had the pleasure to speak with a local bridal shop owner, Tara from Bateau Bridal Boutique.
Her appointment-only boutique has been around for 9 years and occupies a cozy 1947 era home in the Spenard neighborhood of Anchorage, Alaska.
Tara loves looking for quality, integrity and story when shopping for designers to add to their bridal dress collection.
She strives to create a shopping environment that is thoughtful in price points and has gorgeous options for all body types.
Her customers appreciate attention to detail and she prides herself on being able to give her customers one on one customer service.
Keep reading to learn more about Bateau Bridal Boutique and to get some helpful hints on shopping for your wedding gown.
Learn more about Bateau Bridal Boutique: https://www.bateaubridalboutique.com/
Tara, owner of Bateau Bridal Boutique.
What does the dress shopping or dress buying experience look like inside Bateau Bridal Boutique?
Bateau Bridal Boutique offers private appointment-only service. Tara wants to give you a personalized experience.
You get to pick the music you want to listen to and then she’ll encourage you to talk about what you’re looking for in a dress and your overall vision for yourself as a bride.
If you know you need a dress but are not quite sure what you’re looking for, Tara and her thoughtful staff can help. After serving brides for over 9 years, she knows all the right questions to ask in order to help you find exactly what you want.
Once you’ve settled on a few dress options to try, you’ll be invited to try on the dresses privately and then come out to display yourself to your guests and Tara’s staff.
It’s always fun to dress shop with friends and family but she recommends inviting a max of 3 or 4 others to come shopping with you. This way you keep it intimate and personal and don’t get overwhelmed by too many opinions.
How do you recommend someone find the perfect wedding dress?
Tara says that for most people, once they put on their dream dress they just can’t stop smiling and they don’t want to take it off. Once this happens, you’ve found the one.
When I went shopping for my wedding dress, after trying on what seemed to be countless dresses I wondered, how do I know when I’ve found the one?
My aunt gave me this advice: once you put on your wedding dress, you’ll just know. You will feel so amazing and happy.
She says that a lot of brides want to take off dresses pretty quickly. If, on the other hand, you find yourself lingering in a dress and not wanting to take it off, you may have just found the one.
Go into dress shopping with an open mind. You may think you want one thing but actually fall in love with a different style.
This totally happened to me. I had envisioned a modest and simple looking gown but ended up falling in love with a Vera Wang gown with layers and layers of frilly tulle. It was nothing I had envisioned.
Once on, I couldn’t stop smiling. I has found the one!
Tara says to give yourself a lot of time so you’re not rushed.
And once you have found the one, be happy and move on. Decision fatigue can be real. So have your own back after each wedding decision. Make a choice and be done!
A gorgeous dress from Bateau Bridal Boutique.
Ok, you’ve found the wedding dress of your dreams. Now what?
Once you’ve found your dream dress it’s time to special order it in your ideal size. Unless of course you happen to buy off the rack - meaning they have your style and size in stock.
Most likely, even when ordering your ideal size, you will need to get it tailored in order for it to fit perfectly.
Tara is able to refer to local tailors who can expertly alter your gown once you’ve found the one.
What do bridal gowns cost?
Bateau Bridal Boutique offers plenty of dresses right off the rack for under 1,000.00.
More than half their inventory is under 2500.00 and otherwise range from 1,500.00 to 4,000.00.
Some of the brides I work with shop outside of Alaska for dresses. Why should they come to you instead?
Tara said that in the past, people had the mindset that they have to leave AK to find something new and different.
She wants people to know that they may be able to find the same dress in her store.
Tara and her staff travel outside to go to market in order to get the most fashion forward gowns.
She wants brides to know that they don’t have to travel to find a dress. You really don't have to fly out of state. You can shop locally for dresses, accessories and tailoring.
You can support Alaskan businesses and find an amazing wedding dress.
Learn more about Bateau Bridal Boutique: https://www.bateaubridalboutique.com/
When should brides start shopping for a wedding dress?
Make sure to shop for your dress 9-12 months in advance.
You want to make sure you can order in the one you want if need be.
You’ll want to start tailoring your dress 8 weeks before your event.
Do you have any general dress do’s and don’ts to share with people?
Tara thinks the biggest thing to remember is to be happy with your body the way it is. If your weight goes up or down a tailor can fix the dress.
Buy a dress that fits you now. It can always be altered again later.
And here’s my own funny dress sizing story: I was sized for my dress in a midwest heat wave with temps around 100 degrees. I then came back to Alaska to get married on a particularly cold July day that was in the 50’s.
That’s a big temperature difference!
Unfortunately for me it meant my dress was almost falling off during the wedding. Little did I know that my body tends to swell in the heat. In retrospect a tailoring appointment a few days before the wedding, in Alaska, would have been ideal.
She agrees that getting sized in the right climate is important.
As a final thought, Tara wants every woman (of every size and shape) to feel good and beautiful.
I love this. Because truly, we are exactly who we are supposed to be. We shouldn't be smaller or bigger, shorter or taller.
Being ourselves is our biggest gift to the world. If I see you feeling beautiful in your body, it will inspire me to feel beautiful as well.
Learn more about Bateau Bridal Boutique: https://www.bateaubridalboutique.com/
Wedding gown from Bauteau Bridal.