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

With the amount of spills that we have had to clean up and the amount of gowns we have had to clean due to someone bringing in a beverage or a food item, we have decided to just keep everyone (and everything) safe and clean and happy by not allowing food or drink inside Lorien. 

We realize that Lorien is a much more comfortable space than a lot of traditional bridal boutiques, but that does not mean that we do not have the same EXPENSIVE inventory as those boutiques. Because we do!! So if you wouldn't walk into another high-end bridal shop with food or drink, you should't do so at Lorien either.

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. 

So the best thing to do is have your champagne toast or finish your coffee date before your bridal appointment so that you can come in to Lorien without the worry of possibly having to pay to have a gown cleaned. 

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.
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 team, who then creates the gown, then they send the gown to the design headquarters when it is done, 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, or you might be a bride who bought a gown online, decided you hated it, and now need a bridal gown ASAP), there are “in-stock” 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 already (most designers keep an abundance of their most popular gowns in produciton without orders, so there ends up being some in stock for closer wedding dates).
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, and we suggest that you talk to your guests, and make sure that everyone is on the same page (like whose opinion is most important, who is paying for the gown, etc.) so that there's no conflict during your appointment. 

It doesn't happen a lot, but some appointments can be derailed if there's too many people with different views on what the bride "should" be wearing/paying/etc. 

ABSOLUTELY! If you let us know beforehand, your consultant might just dress up too!
Let’s make this experience the best it can be! 
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 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 quite a few years 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 (or jumpsuit - we've got a couple of those) 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 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!
Two of our designers work with custom sizes (they do not have a size chart, they go off of your own measurements) but the other three, as well as most large-scale designers, have 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, 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! WTOO gowns are available to be ordered up to a size 32, Willowby up to a size 24, Allure up to a size 30, and MOST Maggie Sottero gowns up to a size 28. 

We know that these sizes are not going to fit every body, and we are currently on the hunt for designers that create gowns up to a size 40, but we have not found the right one yet, so that's an on-going search. The game is afoot! 

BUT, as far as samples go, Lorien already carries a larger average sample size than most bridal shops (since the average size of a bride in the US is NOT a size 6) AND we carry many samples over a size 20 because we want to fit as many bodies as possible into the gowns here.

Don't worry, our size zero friends!! We've got some smaller samples for you too! It's a struggle being a size-inclusive shop, as you have to have something for everyone, but we do our best to do just that. One of the core principles that Lorien was established on is body positivity. We want all of our brides to feel as though there were enough gowns here that fit and excited them!

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!!