When it came to dressing for her May 6 wedding, Ashley Oliver Thomas struggled to narrow down the many options available while also having to find a new job.
“Initially, the whole wedding planning process, including the pressure to find the perfect dress, intimidated me,” says Ms. Oliver Thomas, 35, a director of diversity for a Cincinnati employment agency.
Her wedding planner suggested that Mrs. Oliver Thomas, who lives in Lexington, Ky. “My wedding planner explained that a stylist would be my bridal concierge, personal shopper, attorney, and consultant all in one,” she said. “I immediately felt relieved at the thought of that support.”
Ms. Oliver Thomas hired Selina Howard, the creative director of Vainglorious Brides, a bridal stylist based in Atlanta.
After receiving Ms. Oliver Thomas’s wedding mood board (think Pinterest inspiration), Ms. Howard and her team got to work researching accessories for the bride, bridesmaids, and mother of the bride.
“It was much more convenient to browse a list of 12 pairs of bridal shoes in my price range, compiled by my stylist, than searching through the thousands online,” said Ms. Oliver Thomas. “And because Selina knows the industry jargon, she saved me so much emotional work by communicating with my dress salespeople on my behalf, advocating for changes I wanted to make to my two wedding dresses, and making suggestions to improve my appearance.”
Just as a planner oversees the creative aspects of a wedding, the bridal stylist coordinates the various elements of the wedding attire. And business, stylists say, has increased significantly since the pandemic.
“Many brides who had their dresses locked up in boutiques turned to help with alternatives,” says Anny Choi, a New York-based stylist, adding that sales had increased 47 percent between 2021 and 2022 alone. “Couples now have large or multi-day events for which they need outfits,” she added. “And many brides have gone the non-traditional route of wearing vintage, ready-to-wear, or couture, so they want help from an expert who can find their clothes.”
Grooms have also shown more interest in improving their appearance on the wedding day. “Grooms also want to be styled and groomed, and sometimes our grooms have more demands than the brides,” said Ms. Howard.
For many couples looking to document their wedding on social media, bridal stylists are often at the top of their supplier list. “People think stylists are just for red carpet events, but it’s interesting to see how that has changed over the last two to three years,” Ms. Choi said. “Now I see brides hire a stylist as soon as they get engaged, even before booking a planner or another wedding vendor.”
Costs vary greatly, with some stylists charging by the hour and others offering packages. According to Ms. Howard, “A bridal stylist typically costs $1,500 to $8,700, depending on whether you book virtual, partial styling, or a full-service experience.”
Full service usually means shopping for a wedding dress and all accessories, along with hair and makeup suggestions. Part styling can include services such as accessories-only shopping, as well as customization advice and help choosing looks for wedding-related events.
“You can choose and customize your options based on your bridal wear needs and how involved you want your stylist to be,” Ms. Choi said.
One benefit of hiring a bridal stylist is that you have access to what’s new and trending. “A good bridal stylist will attend all the shows during Bridal Fashion Week and have relationships with designers and boutiques, so they need to be well aware of what’s coming out next season, what the stores are currently carrying and what would work best for the individual customer within that range,” said Julie Sabatino, a New York-based bridal stylist.
Hannah Johnstone said she hired Ms. Choi, a former fashion editor at Vogue magazine, to help her step out of her comfort zone for her June 24, 2023 wedding. “I’m more conservative when it comes to styling myself, and I wanted someone who could help me push my style and feel my best on my wedding weekend,” says Ms. Johnstone, 28, a founder of Ladder, an educational technology company in Palo Alto, California. “I also loved the idea of having my seven bridesmaids in different colors and styles of dresses, but wasn’t confident I’d be able to put together a cohesive look without the help of an experienced eye.”
Stylists often work as part of a team of salespeople who construct the couple’s vision for the wedding day and the events surrounding it. “We spend a lot of time talking to the couple’s wedding planner, and sometimes even the floral designer, about what the overall look and feel of the wedding will be, so we can make sure what we’re proposing coordinates beautifully with what’s being planned,” Ms. Sabatino said.
When choosing a bridal stylist, choose someone whose aesthetic aligns with yours and whose opinion you can trust, said Gabrielle Hurwitz, a New York-based bridal stylist.
“You’ll be spending a lot of time with your hairdresser, so find someone you get along with,” she said. “Wedding dress shopping can be a very intimate experience where insecurities surface and family dynamics come into play. You want to work with someone who is part of your team and supports you in stressful situations so you can enjoy the planning and shopping process.
Mrs Hurwitz, who charges an hourly rate, says she spends an average of about 30 hours preparing for an entire weekend of events.
And because bridal stylists are very different from a regular fashion stylist, it’s crucial to know they understand wedding gowns and the entire fitting process, including the adjustments, said Jackie Avrumson, another New York-based bridal stylist.
“Look for someone who will be clear from the start about how they will work with you to meet your expectations,” she said.
