We know you’ll find just what you’re looking for because we carry the most sought-after bridesmaid dress labels in the wedding industry. Our best-selling bridesmaids dress designers include After Six, Dessy, Alfred Angelo, Social Bridesmaids, Da Vinci and Lela Rose.

Another one of our top lines is Jim Hjelm Occasions. The label has unveiled its Spring 2013 Collection to rave reviews and we’re just as knocked out by it as the fashion writers and critics. The line has an easy elegance and an effortless sophistication that stops you in right in your tracks.

Your bridesmaids will look incredible standing beside you in a Jim Hjelm Occasions dress like Style JH5314 (pictured). This beauty is a crinkle chiffon A-line gown that’s highlighted by a halter ruffled neckline and features a draped empire bodice. The color that’s shown here is guava.

When you take a look around, you will quickly realize that there are many, many bridesmaids dresses at New York Bride & Groom that are just as beautiful and distinctive.

Between finding the wedding dress of your dreams and choosing bridesmaids gowns that will thrill even the most fashionable dressers in your wedding party, there’s no doubt that we should be your number one wedding destination for Charlotte and the surrounding metro area.

And don’t forget: Appointments are never necessary to shop with us. Drop in when it’s convenient for you!

These dresses will, of course, be available at New York Bride & Groom in our Maggie Sottero boutique, the only one of its kind in America. Drop in anytime we’re open — no appointment needed — to see our Maggie Sottero selection, as well as all of our stunning wedding dress lines. Unlike other wedding dress shops, we welcome cameras so feel free to take photos of the dresses that catch your eye.

Once you’ve visited New York Bride & Groom — with our more than 15,000 square feet of modern luxury, over 20 dressing rooms and a full staff every day of passionate, helpful assistants — we’re confident you will agree that we are the premier wedding dress shop in the Charlotte metro area and beyond.

Click the image to see a video clip of highlights from Maggie Sottero’s runway show. Just imagine how beautiful you would look and feel walking down the aisle in one of these stunning creations.

Here’s a list of five crucial things every bridesmaid should do leading up to the wedding.

1) Ask the bride right away how you can help. The answer might be something major or something minor — or sometimes nothing at all. It doesn’t matter. The important thing is she knows you’re there if she needs you.

2) Keep yourself under control at the bachelorette party. Have a good time and make sure others do too. But, don’t overdo it. Don’t put others in the awkward position of having to babysit you because you’ve overindulged.

3) You’ll wear the dress and you’ll like it. While we’ve no doubt your exquisite personal style would lead the gathered crowd to erupt in a chapel-shaking standing ovation were you to appear in your own clothing, the fact is the wedding is not your fashion showcase. Have your bridesmaid dress tailored to fit perfectly and wear it with pride.

4) If the bride wants your opinion, she’ll ask for it. It doesn’t matter that the colors aren’t your taste or that you prefer cloth napkins or that the hired DJ doesn’t play your favorite style of music. Don’t kill the joy with killjoy opinions. Your job is to smile and be supportive.

5) Spend time making memories together. Carpool for the wedding dress search. Meet at the florist’s to plan the arrangements. Listen — this one’s a biggie. Whether you’re having lunch, chatting on the phone or sitting in the chairs at the nail salon, always offer an attentive ear.

When the wedding is done and the bride reflects on the whole experience, you want her to think of how glad she is that you were a part of it because your support made it even more amazing.

Here are three key tuxedo-related tips that can make a big difference on the big day.

1) The most important factor is the fit. Understand that no tux is trendy or classy enough to make the groom look good if it is ill-fitting. To ensure that you get a precise fit, have your measurements taken professionally. The Tuxedo Department staff at New York Bride & Groom knows all the ins and outs of measuring for a great fit and always make certain that’s what you get. In other words, relax — we’ve got this!

2) The tux has to complement the dress. This not only means matching the color but also matching the style as well. In other words, don’t choose a 1930’s gangster-inspired tux with matching fedora if your fiance’s dress is modern and chic. One quick color tip: If the dress is white, be sure your shirt is also white and not ivory. An ivory shirt can make a white dress look yellowed in photos. Our staff will be happy to help you coordinate your garments if you’d like.

3) Don’t wear your cousin’s tux from 10 years ago. Styles change, so even if the fit is fine and the color works, you won’t look your best in a tux with an outdated cut and silhouette. This is never a problem with us because all of our tuxes come from the top designers, including Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Stephen Geoffrey, Tony Bowls, Andrew Fezza, Perry Ellis, Jean Yves and more. You’ll always be on-trend when you rent from us.

Don’t forget that we stock a full range of tuxedo samples for you to inspect. You can actually feel the material, precisely appraise the colors and even see side-by-side how your suit choices match with her wedding dress. After going through this process, you will be able to place your tuxedo order with New York Bride & Groom with full confidence.

At New York Bride & Groom, we believe in the concept of the corporate citizen

BABC raises funds for programs serving cancer patients and their families by reselling donated wedding dresses from brides, as well as offering a selection of new garments provided by designers, manufacturers and bridal shops. If there is a more powerful or poetic way to help someone through their darkest days than by using the symbol of what many consider one of their happiest days, we can’t think of it.

To support the wonderful work BABC does for women and men fighting breast cancer, New York Bride & Groom has recently donated $10,000 worth of wedding dresses. If you or someone you know has a wedding dress suitable for giving to this wonderful, life-saving organization, click here for additional details.

Wedding dress shopping in Charlotte, NC

What’s the homework? Going over the following half-dozen things that need to be considered and settled before you set foot out the door. Once you’ve pondered the suggestions and made the decisions required, you’re ready to head over to New York Bride & Groom and have a ball.

Let’s get started…

1. Set your budget before you begin your wedding dress search. Once you’re actively shopping, inform the salesperson of your price range up front. It will make the experience simpler and more enjoyable to look at dresses you know you can afford. Don’t worry that you won’t find a beautiful dress without giving an arm and a leg. New York Bride & Groom carries exquisite gowns in a variety of price points.

2. Have the date and location of your wedding nailed down before you start shopping. These factors are extremely important for selecting a dress that’s appropriate for your event. The ideal dress for a July beach wedding will be completely different from one that’s perfect for a cathedral wedding in December.

3. Like the old saying goes, too many cooks spoil the broth. Limit your shopping party to a few close friends and family. A bit of feedback is great when you’re trying on dresses, but too much can easily become counterproductive. This is about finding your dress for your wedding. When there are clashing opinions within your party, remember that in the end, yours is the only one that truly counts.

4. Let the salesperson know what you like and don’t like about the dresses you’re being shown. Don’t worry about being a bridezilla — just remember to “say what you mean, mean what you say, but don’t say it mean.” You won’t hurt anyone’s feelings by being honest. In fact, you’ll make the process easier for everyone involved.

5. Try on wedding dresses you hadn’t previously imagined yourself wearing. There aren’t any rules and you aren’t under any obligation so explore your options. Even the dresses you don’t like could have characteristics or embellishments that, once you’ve seen them on you, are worth searching for in another style.

6. Don’t talk yourself into making the search for the right dress an arduous task. Think about it this way: you know your own taste and you know what looks good on you. It’s entirely possible for you to find “the one” on your first trip to New York Bride & Groom. There’s no need to force yourself to visit every bridal shop within three counties simply because you think this process has to be long and involved. It doesn’t — and, in fact, it shouldn’t be. Listen to your heart and just say yes when it tells you to.

Okay, that’s it; you’re all set. Remember, you never need an appointment to shop at New York Bride & Groom, so we’re ready when you are. See you soon!

Alissa Walter (left) and bride-to-be Renee Stroinski.

What do you do when you’re a deliriously happy new bride who feels like you’ve been given everything you ever wanted? Well, if you’re Washington, D.C. newlywed Alisa Walter, you pass the blessings on. On Nov. 19, NBC’s “Today” show played host as Walter gifted her gorgeous silk wedding gown to Renee Stroinski, a bride-to-be who couldn’t afford a dress for her own impending ceremony. See the video here.

Walter says she felt so lucky to have the wedding of her dreams that she wanted to help someone else experience the same joy. That’s when she hit upon the idea of giving away her $800 dress. She publicized her offer in an online post that contained a photo of the dress. Dozens of requests for the garment were submitted, but Walter says she was particularly struck by one message. Stroinksi, a New Jersey student with thousands of dollars of college debt, expressed the same strong desire to pay the blessing forward by passing the dress to another economically challenged bride.

“Today” got word of Walter’s gesture and invited the ladies to meet on the show for the hand-off. Their on-air segment was quite touching. Stroinski was teary-eyed as she sized up her new gown. “I knew it was the one before I even knew I could have it,” she said. In a beautiful touch of cosmic coincidence, the ladies are the same dress size.

What a beautiful gesture and a wonderful way to build up good karma for a new marriage.