Dress Shopping Redefined: What Makes Blush & Raven the Ultimate Bridal Destination in Calgary

Stepping into the world of wedding planning is like embarking on a journey filled with excitement, dreams, and a touch of anticipation. Among the myriad of decisions to be made, finding that perfect wedding dress stands as a pivotal moment for every bride-to-be. Enter Blush & Raven, a name that has swiftly risen to prominence as the ultimate bridal destination in Calgary. In this blog, we delve into the enchanting realm of dress shopping redefined, uncovering the elements that set Blush & Raven apart as more than just a bridal boutique. From exquisite craftsmanship to an unparalleled shopping experience, join us as we explore how Blush & Raven has effortlessly woven its way into the hearts of brides, making the pursuit of that dream gown an unforgettable chapter of the wedding journey.

A LUXURY EXPERIENCE

Blush & Raven offers a luxury one-on-one styling experience for the bride who values quality and authenticity. Brides will be greeted into a serene new space by their professional stylist and guided into a private bridal suite designed to hold an intimate experience for them and their loved ones. We, as a team, have carefully selected couture designers from around the globe who specially align with us and our bride and are exclusively within Alberta at Blush & Raven. The physical connection to handcrafted gowns, emotional support from loved ones, and expert guidance contribute to a memorable and unique journey that cannot be replicated. This tailored approach ensures brides feel understood, confident, and the best version of themselves during their gown shopping experience and ultimately, on their big day.

CUSTOMIZATION

Most of the designers carried by Blush & Raven are extremely customizable with the option to change elements of a gown to truly capture a bride’s vision! Each piece is hand made which allows Blush & Raven and their brides to make the dress one-of-a-kind. From changing the neckline, to extending the train, to making elements detachable, Blush & Raven and the designers will go above and beyond to ensure your gown is perfect for you!

IN-HOUSE STYLISTS

The dedicated stylists at Blush & Raven provide a highly tailored experience exploring your bridal vision, starting with what is the most important to you during your shopping experience. From the moment of your booking request to your one-on-one appointment with their stylists, they take the time to understand who you are and what’s important to you to help build a curated selection of unforgettable dresses for you to try. As a small, woman-owned and operated business, Blush & Raven is a tight knit team that truly cares about the experience of every bride that walks through the doors! They take the time to familiarize themselves with every gown and every designer, so they are able to expertly assist you. Blush & Raven believes a bride should feel like their best self on their wedding day, therefore, they commit to stay focused to showcase each bride’s personal vision every step of the way.

THE DETAILS
When to Order

Made-to-order gowns take between 8-10 months to arrive in store. We suggest leaving 2 months to allow for alterations prior to your wedding date. Your ideal time to order is between 10-12 months. This is the ideal, not the absolute. Keep in mind, most designers will require a rush fee with less than 4-5 months prior to the event date.

Sizing

While most of Blush & Raven’s floor samples are between sizes 8-12, they do carry samples up to size 18. With that said, they have some clips, slips and tricks that give you the most accurate representation to your best suited size. In addition, our designers are extremely versatile and happy to work with us to ensure your gown is ordered closest to your true size. It is important to us that our designers can offer versatility in sizing for all bodies. Most of our designers can range from a size 0-32.

As for ordering your made-to-order gown, Blush & Raven has an extremely thorough process. Once you’ve chosen a gown, your stylist will take specific measurements that the designer requests, chat you through how the measurements are feeling on your body and discuss how they all work into the size chart. Blush & Raven works with handmade designers so many of them are capable of offering Split-Sizing or Tri-Sizing options, because we understand that despite gowns being made to a standard size chart, women’s bodies are usually not standard! Once your gown arrives in store, the team at Blush & Raven ensures that all sizing is correct, have you in for your Pick Up Appointment, and sends you off to alterations with a beautiful, new gown, handmade just for you!

Return and Exchange Policies

Blush & Raven is a by-appointment only boutique, with a showroom of sample inventory. They work with designers that make handmade, bespoke, made to order gowns at individual customer request. Having a made-to-order wedding gown means that your dress is made specifically for you, never tried on or worn by anyone else. Many times, gowns are customized based on a bride’s preferences, or trisized to a bride’s specific measurements making them extremely personalized! Therefore, Blush & Raven does not offer returns or exchanges.

LOCAL DESIGNERS

Blush & Raven is proud to offer bridal collections from fashion houses and boutique ateliers within Canada and from around the world that are exclusively found at Blush & Raven in Alberta. Each piece is hand made by extremely talented, small teams of seamstresses. Their designers specialize in premium fabrics, versatility and runway couture, and embrace the unconventional edge of high fashion glamor while balancing the softness and delicacy of the bridal world.

Check out the designers Blush & Raven carries here

Communication with prospective brides starts from the moment they submit an appointment request, which includes questions about your vibe and your wedding. From the moment you come in, you’ll be greeted by an expert stylist at Blush & Raven who will sit down with you and have a conversation to get to know all about you, before they find you the dress that makes you feel like the best version of yourself! When you say yes, you’ll be given details on an approximate timeline. From there, Blush & Raven will liaise with you in the following months on updated timelines or updates from the designers. Once your gown comes in, the team at Blush & Raven goes through a quality control and lets you know your gown has arrived. When you come in for your pick up, the stylists will make sure all is well with the dress and take some time to look at accessories and veil options to pair with and style your gown! After your wedding day, Blush & Raven anxiously awaits for you to send pictures of your beautiful self! From the moment you pop onto the Blush & Raven website to your big day, they are committed to you, your gown, and your wedding! And of course, if you have any questions, reach out to to the team at anytime!

Check out real, beautiful Blush & Raven brides here

“From the moment you walk through our doors, you will be greeted into a serene, new space where no detail is left unturned. We have several different types of styling appointments to suit your needs; from the number of guests you wish to bring, to the amount of time you desire, added refreshments and comfort. We strive for you to feel at your best self the moment you walk through our doors. In building and designing our boutique, we envisioned what the ultimate bridal experience should feel like and, with that, we transformed true bridal into reality. Our warm, welcoming, luxury space will make you feel at peace. Our commitment to crafting an intimate environment for brides and their loved ones ensures that your dress finding experience is a profoundly emotional and special one. This personalized and intentional approach provides an intimate bridal journey, combining luxurious details, couture gowns, and an expert stylizing experience to find the dress that makes you feel like the best version of you, and only you.”