Unfortunately, no. We do not allow any food or drink into the shop.

Water is just fine! And we have some here for you if you'd like it, but we just can't allow anything else.

If you do bring in coffee or snacks, we ask that you leave them at the front desk.

We would prefer not to have to charge any of our clients a gown cleaning fee because they spilled their Frappuccino on a dress.

...It's happened.

Preferably 8-10 months before your wedding. However, this is one of the most debated questions when it comes to bridal shopping. The problem with this question is that there are many different bridal designers and they all work on different timelines.

HOWEVER, most established, large-scale bridal designers work on a similar timeline.

This is where the 6-month time frame comes from.

Bridal gowns are ordered at Lorien, then the order is sent to the designer, who sends it to their production team, who then creates the gown, then they send the gown to the design headquarters when it is done for quality control, and the gown is THEN sent to Lorien for the bride to pick up!

It’s a process, and your gown is made after it is ordered, so it takes a little bit of time.

HOWEVER (again) there are rush options.

If you need your gown just a little bit quicker than 6 months, your stylist will check to see if there are any rush options for the gown you are interestd in, or if it is a “quick ship” gown which just means it is a gown that is created quicker than others.

If you need your gown a LOT sooner than 6 months (procrastination happens to the best of us) there are “in-stock” and off-the-rack options.

Either your stylist can discuss possibly selling you a gown off the rack, or a particular gown may be in stock at the designer’s headquarters as sometimes they make extra of particular designs for these exact situations.

There are many ways that Lorien can get your gown for you in time, so don’t stress about it. That’s our job!

Appointments are up to 90 minutes long (with a little bit of wiggle room if need be).

You are allowed to bring up to 4 guests with you because that is all the seating we have here. You can bring more guests if you let us know, and you also talk to your guests and tell them that one or two of them might have to stand during the appintment. HOWEVER, we can not allow more than 6 guests (seven total attendants including the bride) into the shop for an appointment. There is not enough space, and this is to keep the bride's sanity as well :)

ABSOLUTELY! If you let us know beforehand, your consultant might just dress up too!

Let's make your appointment like a mini comic-con!

You bring the cosplayers, we’ll bring the merch (aka bridal gowns and accessories).

Nope! We can’t guarantee that you won’t leave the shop with some new book, movie, or television suggestions, but Lorien is definitely a place for ALL brides.

As the owner of Lorien, I will say that I definitely feel the need to give back to the community of nerds that has given me so much joy, friendship, and adventure over the years. However, the main reason that I wanted to create this shop is because, after being in the bridal fashion business for over a decade now, I have seen too many brides feel uncomfortable in the traditional bridal shop setting, or get their dreams smashed by feeling pressured into a gown that they felt didn't completely suit their personality.

Who’s paying for your wedding?

I’m guessing societal norms aren’t.

Throw those away!

Wear the gown of your dreams!

And if your dreams are to wear a “traditional” gown, then go for it!
We’ve got a bunch of amazingly beautiful classic gowns that I am in love with.

Lorien is not only for nerdy brides that want to have a Dungeons and Dragons themed wedding (though that’s amazing and please do this if you’re into DND). Lorien is a place for anyone and everyone who just wants to feel comfortable expressing themselves, and in no way pressured when shopping for their bridal wear.

Depends.

Bridal sizing runs very different (a lot smaller) than street clothes, so definitely do not expect to order a size 10 if that’s the size you wear in jeans.

That number is not something we like to dwell on as bridal stylists, though, so you shouldn’t either.

Your size is not really that number anyway. It's three or four or five measurements that we take to determine what number on a specific designer's size chart that you will fit best into, and have to do the least alterations to in order to make it the perfect fit!

Each designer has their own size chart that your stylist will go over with you to help you choose the best size. They’ll suggest a size for you, after taking into consideration the gown's shape and structure and fabric, but the decision on what size to order is ultimately yours.

Don’t worry, our stylists are very well versed in bridal sizing and can walk you through it all with ease.

Yes, and yes! Even though our designers have a size chart that goes up to a specific size, we can order a gown with custom measurements over that largest size from MOST of our designers! That means we can order gowns that will fit most bodies, and that has always been one of our main goals. Size inclusivity is very important to us.

As far as our samples here go, Lorien already carries a larger average sample size than most bridal shops AND we carry many many samples over a size 20. Also, we don't separate sizes here. We are truly size-inclusive, not making our "plus size" clientele go upstairs to a different part of the shop to try on gowns. Can you tell that bothers me, as a plus size human, myself? Haha

Don't worry, our size zero friends!! Our gowns can be ordered from 00-32 on average, and sometimes with custom measurements below or over those sizes, and our samples in house run from sizes 6-28.

Parking can be found either in the parking structure behind the shop (off of Wilson and Artsakh) (if driving east on Wilson, pass the shop and turn right onto Artsakh, going south, and that will lead you straight into the structure; if driving west on Wilson, before you get to the shop, turn left onto Artsakh, going south, and that will lead you straight into the structure) or on Brand Blvd on the street. Parking in the structure is free for 90 minutes, then $1.00 per every 30 minutes following. Yay for cheap parking!

We get this question a lot. We also have seen many bridal websites suggesting that you wear a specific bra, shapewear, high heels… no.

Not at all necessary.

If you’re not going to wear it on your wedding day, don’t wear it to shop for trying on wedding gowns.

Plus, most of the gowns we have here at Lorien have enough structure to cut out the need for any sort of shapewear, let alone a special bra.

Your alterations seamstress can always sew bra cups into the gown if necessary, as well.

TIP: leggings or bike shorts are GREAT for tying on gowns because they help with slipping the gown on easier, and tends to make you more comfortable. AND ballet flats are great to wear if you feel the need to wear shoes while trying on gowns because they're the easiest to have on your feet while getting in and out of gowns. Those would be the only suggestions we really think are helpful, but you should wear whatever you feel like wearing that day. Be comfortable. It's our job to work with what you give us :)

PS- We love when our brides cosplay, so of course we want you to wear whatever you’d like. Let’s have fun!!