Celestial Tenille

Both images from Celestial Tenille's facebook page

So. I rang our ceremony venue last week, to ask what I should do to get around to booking them. And, to my surprise, was told that certain dates for October 2010 were already booked! My! This put the fear of god in me, and I've promptly been rushing about sorting out Wedding Things. Now bear in mind we're going overseas for a holiday in a fortnight, we have a new little puppy needing vaccines and love and chew toys, and it looks like we might finally be settling on the property we've been trying to buy for a year, BCB just got back from a fortnight overseas for work... and you start to imagine how cuh-razy life is seeming.

But. Anyway. The fear of god thing. My GP (!) asked if I'd started dress shopping yet, and I said 'Nah, figure I'll do it middle of next year,' only to be told that many dressmakers require a six month turnaround! Argh! So I rushed into the nearest bridal salon, one that I walk past every day for work, Celestial Tenille.


Very, very impressed. Their sales assistant was lovely and friendly, and showed me swatches, and dresses going to other girls, and samples, and sketches. She explained that they don't need six months lead time because everything is made in Australia (nice for anyone with garment labour concerns). She explained the different kinds of fabrics, and how they prefer plainer dress cuts so that you can choose lots of different embellishment. I told her about my fear of god, and she joked that one's parents have to book the reception venue as soon as you're born these days. While they like appointments because then they can show you sketches of dresses that aren't on the rack, you're welcome any time to just drop by and try on a gown. Very relaxing.

That said, nothing there made me gasp (just not quite my style, and at around the $4k mark for made to measure/ semi-couture (you can mix and match dress parts, and change some bits slightly) it's more than I want to spend. But if you're after non-frothy and lovely service and a bit of a say in your gown, I definitely recommend them.