As the largest bridal salon in New Zealand, Astra Bridal prides itself on creating a great bridal experience and taking the stress out of selecting and receiving your wedding gown. With four beautiful stores, passionate and knowledgeable staff, and a huge range of on-trend gown styles from international designers, Astra Bridal is a great place to start your search from your dream dress.

We spoke to owner Lori McPherson about what makes Astra Bridal special…

How long has Astra Bridal been around?

Astra Bridal has been part of the New Zealand bridal scene since 1997.

How many branches and brands does Astra Bridal entail now?

We have four Astra Bridal stores and two Bridal Outlets.

*Photos from the fashion pages of Bride & Groom magazine*

What inspired you to get into the bridal fashion industry?

Appreciation of beautiful garments and a desire to work in a business that is centred on women and making them feel good. It never ceases to amaze me the intricate workmanship that goes into hand-beading gowns. And then to see a well-designed and cut gown that flatters the brides is so special. After all this time I can still tear up when I see a bride in ‘her’ gown.

What are the benefits of shopping at a bridal boutique like Astra Bridal?

We have a large range and don’t cater to one single ‘look’. We can show gowns that appeal to the elegant bride wanting a simple gown, to the princess wanting all the bells and whistles. We are honoured to work with such talented designers and I am on the design assessment team for Maggie Sottero. I travel to the States twice a year to have input into the designs that will be seen on the runway in upcoming seasons. So comments and requests from brides can make it straight back to the designer.

We also take for granted our gown delivery ability. With all our years and designers behind us we know that we can take away any worry for the bride about whether her gown is going to show up or not. We have seen boutiques come and go over the years, some leaving behind a trail of devastated brides.

What is the number one piece of advice you would give a bride searching for her dream gown?

Start with an open mind and be prepared to trust advice given to you by your Astra stylist and entourage. With our brides we are in the fitting room with them and giving them advice on what suits their body shape and what style will achieve their desired look. Our most common piece of feedback is that the gown that is chosen is the one the stylist picked, not the one they thought they wanted!

Tell us about some of your favourite designers that can be found at Astra Bridal...

Each of our collections are chosen for their specific look and design aesthetic.

Theia Bridal are gorgeous simple silhouettes. Designer Don O’Neill has designed for royalty, including Meghan Markle when she travelled to Australia. If you crushed on her wedding gown, you will love his gowns.

Maggie Sottero has world-renowned fit and have the most amazing fabrics. They spend a lot of time getting the gowns cuts to be really flattering and also comfortable to wear. They are also constantly innovating – their latest range included gowns with built-in shapewear.

Jenny Yoo We are excited to have Jenny’s urban chic gowns joining us in 2020. She exudes style using clever draping and a classic bodice. I love how she can cut through so much and just produce a gown, nothing more, nothing less.

What are your trend predictions for bridal fashion for the coming year and beyond?

Over our 22 years we have seen bridal change from the majority of brides having the same look to today’s bride who is really individual. I don’t think there will be any trend that will take Kiwi brides by storm, but they will continue to embrace international fashion and looks and seek the latest designs. We are seeing much more of an emphasis on the fabric and cut of a gown than the addition of laces and beading. But to call them plain would just take away from the amazing design and tailoring that has gone into the gown.

Whimsical trends will continue with some illusion bodices, capes and interesting train shapes. Veils are definitely becoming more prominent in a bride’s look – we have started our “build a veil” programme to allow brides to design their own veil, personally selecting their own laces and cuts.

What are you and the team at Astra Bridal most passionate about?

Throughout our company our watchword is making women feel good. Our mantra is to not make a bride feel any less based on her, size, sexual orientation, appearance or budget. It doesn’t mean we don’t discuss those things – we prefer everything to be known so that we can do the best job possible. We want our brides to love their bodies, love their gown and shine for the person they are getting married to – they love you for who you are already – we just want to convince you that you should too! Sometimes we ask about budget and a bride can think it is just so we can sell her up, but it is actually because we want to be respectful of what people want to spend. We also know that there are boutiques who only carry gowns up to a size 14, or charge additional fees to have a gown made over a certain size. We consider that to be outrageous! There is no discount if you are a size 2 and no surcharge if you are a size 22!

Every first Thursday night of the month, you’re invited to visit any of Astra Bridal’s four boutiques, enjoy a glass of bubbles, treats and have a chat with their experienced wedding stylists. Browse through the range of gowns and accessories in a relaxed environment, and have your burning questions answered. RSVP direct with Astra Bridal.