Meet The Chic Team: Alana
Hi Alana! Before we get to talking about dresses, weddings and all that good stuff, tell me a bit about yourself like where you're from, how long you've been at Chic Parisien and what you do at the store....
I'm from San Juan Puerto Rico. Been at Chic Parisien since 2007. I am bridal gown sales consultant.
Did you always imagine yourself working in the wedding industry?
Never in my wildest dream.
What's the very first thing you tell a customer when she comes in to shop for a dress?
After welcoming them to the store my first question is usually, have you shopped before and if so if they think they have might found "The Dress."
Not to play favorites, but what kind of dress is your personal favorite?
My preference is simple, ethereal, bohemian.
How have dresses changed from when you started working at Chic Parisien until now?
Dresses now are much more sexier!
Is there a trend in the bridal industry that you can't get enough of?
Open backs, illusion necklines
Do you have a go-to piece of advice for a bride who's nervous about dress shopping?
Once you have found "The Dress" you will take a weight off your shoulders and then you can concentrate on the other details you need for your wedding.
All brides are different, how do you help a bride find her personal style in her wedding gown?
I ask if they have a vision of how would they like to look on their wedding day.
What kind of research do you think is best for a bride to do before coming to visit you? Or do you think it's best to come in very open to being surprised?
I ask for them to search our website and the websites of our designers since they have pictures of their entire collection and make a note of the ones she would like to try on.
Do you have a favorite memory in the store that you can share with us?
I had a bride once, after trying on a few dresses found one she loved, but could not decide cause she was in love with a dress she had seen in a magazine. She went to the car for that picture and when I looked at it it was the dress she had just tried on with me, and then she said yes to the dress.
Lastly, what song are you listening to on repeat nowadays?