Here at Moonlight Bridal, we’re ecstatic about our upcoming trunk show at Suzanne’s Bridal Boutique in Gilbert, Arizona. Owned by Suzanne Novak, the boutique brings the colorful spirit of her native Hawaii to the greater Phoenix area.

That “aloha spirit” is what makes Suzanne’s stand out from the rest — the atmosphere is warm, inviting and full of love for each and every bride.

We sat down with Suzanne’s to get the details on the boutique, the upcoming trunk show and the latest trends in bridal fashion. Read on to learn more about the woman behind the magic, and be sure to visit Suzanne’s in person November 4-6 to check out the latest Moonlight styles!

Q. How did you get your start as a business? What is the back story for the boutique?

A. Got my start in the business doing alterations for other bridal shops.  Realized this was my passion and decided to do it for myself :). In addition, I'm terribly cute, extremely talented, but mostly humble :).

Q. What trends are you currently seeing in bridal fashion? Are there any personal favorites? 

A. The trends we're seeing for 2017 so far are a lot of 3-D floral details, romantic oversize bows, off-the-shoulder gowns, cut-out or sheer cathedral trains, and of course my personal favorite, capes. Capes are a great new option to wear instead of a veil for the fashion-forward bride.

Q. Can you walk us through a step-by-step process of the typical wedding dress shopping experience at your store?

A. To begin, our brides and their guests are greeted warmly at the front desk by our receptionist Robyn and will check in with her. Then the bride will be introduced to her bridal stylist and will have a brief discussion on what kind of dress style she is looking for. The store layout will be explained and the bride will be taken through a brief walk through of the store. Dress styles will be pulled by the bridal stylist and the bride herself and then the try-on process will begin. The bride is assisted into each dress by the bridal stylist.

The bride can walk out of her dressing room and stand in front of a 3-way mirror and a seating area to model her gown choices. If she finds her dream gown with us, she will be measured for her correct gown size and will place her dress order in the preferred color. The brand-new gown will arrive in store anywhere from 2-6 months later and at that point the alterations process with Suzanne herself will begin. 

Q. Is there any key "wedding dress shopping secret" that's often overlooked by brides? If so, what?

A. Usually brides will purchase a dress from a boutique, pick up the gown and will be left to find somewhere to do the alterations. When a bride purchases her gown at a full service bridal salon like Suzanne's, she's taken care of from beginning to end with bridesmaid dresses, mother of the occasion dresses, veils, accessories, tuxedo rentals, pressing, alterations, cleaning, and gown preservation. 

Q. What's your favorite part of owning a wedding dress boutique?

A. Building lasting relationships with our brides and providing excellent customer service is our top priority and is the best part of this business. Having our brides come back with their newly engaged friends and family is the biggest compliment we can receive. 

Q. What advice would you offer someone who's considering looking at a dress in your shop?

A. A few tips for shopping in our store would be to consider different dress styles than you had in mind. Sometimes a bride will come in with a specific dress silhouette in mind without thinking about the best dress style to fit and flatter her body type. Just stay open minded if you have never been dress shopping before.

Another tip for a bride who is looking at a dress in our store is to come in with a budget in mind. We will always ask you your dress budget before pulling dresses so we never make you fall in love with a dress out of your price range. 

Q. What sets Suzanne's Bridal apart from other wedding dress boutiques?

A. Suzanne. She has been doing wedding gown and formal wear alterations for 40 years! If you're going to trust anyone with your wedding gown alterations it should be her. We also always have the newest wedding gown trends from top designers in store! 

Q. What can visitors expect at a trunk show? Will there be any special trunk show promotions?

A. Brides can expect to try on an array of different dress styles that are not typically in store and are here for one weekend only. If a bride purchases her dress during the trunk show weekend she will receive 10% off her gown purchase when paid in full.

We’re truly looking forward to showcasing the latest Moonlight Bridal styles at the upcoming trunk show and proud to work with bridal boutiques like Suzanne’s! Be sure to visit Suzanne’s Bridal Boutique, located at 645 N. Gilbert Rd. Suite 174-176 in Gilbert, Arizona, November 4-6 to explore the hottest trends in bridal fashion.