The Stylish Bride by Julie Sabatino

Elite wedding stylist Julie Sabatino and The Peninsula New York have teamed up to help brides conduct a stress-free search for the dress of their dreams.

Modern weddings are not for the faint-hearted. In fact, one recent survey reports that these days, nearly 50 percent of brides experience stress brought on by wedding planning and nearly one in three elects for specialist advisors or hands-on help from a professional planner or stylist. One ofNew York’s leading wedding stylists, Julie Sabatino, whose company The Stylish Bride, has partnered with The Peninsula New York for the ‘Dress Shopping with The Stylish Bride’ package that provides a bespoke, high-end, luxury bridal fashion styling service, is not surprised by the figures. “I got into this business because of the experience I had with my own wedding 10 years ago, trying to find the perfect gown to wear,” says Sabatino, who has styled some of America’s most high-profile and best-known celebrity brides since founding her business in 2003.

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The Search for the Dream Dress

From Munich to uptown NY is just a couple of hours by plane, but this time it was a journey into a totally different world. At home we only talk about my upcoming wedding in autumn and now, in the Big Apple, I go searching for the dress of my dream with the expert Julie Sabatino.  After checking in the Peninsula Hotel I move into my luxurious suite. I got a warm welcome from the Concierge, and a personal card, fruits and cupcakes are waiting for me in my suite.  My first wedding dress appointment is the next morning.  After swimming in the pool, which fortunately was open at 6am as I still had jetlag, I met Julie Sabatino and the Photographer Andrea Langer to discuss first wishes and details. Till we leave I am treated with a two-hour massage.

First stop for finding the perfect dress: “Gabriella New York Bridal Salon” in the Meatpacking District.  The selection is huge, and I right here I have already found 3 dresses which I wanted to take home.  But we went on to the next appointment at Amsale at Upper East Side.  At this salon the designer is helping the brides with ideas and alterations.  After a delicious lunch and a double espresso, I am introduced to the really entertaining designer Peter Soronen. A unique piece made to custom fit my body unfortunately is not what I am looking for, as I would have to come to NYC for additional fittings.  The last stop is the exquisite bridal salon at Bergdorf Goodman.  Here you can find all classics from Oscar de la Renta to Vera Wang.  On the ground floor we stop by Van Cleef & Arpels and have a glass of champagne.

That day I tried at least 30 different dresses, starting with a white sheer and very flowy gown to a room-filling dress over and over decorated with Swarovski crystals.  I haven`t decided yet, as the loveliest support with gown shopping does not eliminate that I have to make the decision. To get a fresh mind I dive into the New Yorker night- and cultural scene.  A dinner at Omen is a must, and the performances at Kraftwerk at MoMa are also something I do not want to miss.  It was a nice time with you, New York, see you soon!

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Stylist Julie Sabatino helps brides perfect their big-day looks by offering sartorial guidance on everything from the gown to the jewels.  Her services include a customized shopping itinerary and appointments with sometimes exclusive bridal couture stores, garment district showrooms and estate jewelery dealers. Prices upon request.

“We are seeing silhouettes ranging from one shoulder gowns to long illusion sleeves and everything in-between,” says Julie Sabatino, owner of The Stylish Bride, a bridal fashion styling company in Manhattan. “Non-strapless dresses are gaining popularity and have picked up momentum since Kate Middleton chose a long-sleeve lace V-neck gown and celebrities like Lauren Bush and Ivanka Trump opted for non-strapless dresses.”

For the bride searching for a sexy wedding-day look, there is no shortage of plunging V-neck- lines — which Sabatino says will both flatter your décolletage and highlight your face.

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The Best Dresses for your Body

“One thing’s for sure: Every brides wants to look gorgeous on her wedding day.  But how can you pluck the perfect gown from an overwhelming sea of choices? Enter Julie Sabatino, owner of The Stylish Bride, in Manhattan.  As a wedding fashion consultant, she helps brides of all shapes and sizes walk down the aisle looking their best.  Steal her secrets for finding a dress that miraculously makes flaws disappear.”

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Stylist Julie Sabatino helps brides perfect their big-day looks by offering sartorial guidance on everything from the gown to the jewels.  Her services include a customized shopping itinerary and appointments with sometimes exclusive bridal couture stores, garment district showrooms and estate jewelery dealers. Prices upon request.

Julie Sabatino of The Stylish Bride notes that boleros provide a more conservative ceremony look and can be removed for the party.  “My clients are looking to copy Kate’s look, but are influenced by her timeless style.” she says.

Field Notes: Splurging on Everything but the Dress

“A gown is worn once, but an accessory is forever, said Julie Sabatino, a bridal fashion stylist who owns TheStylishBride.com.  ”My client wants to invest in an accessory that can be worn again.  It’s a good way to maximize the investment.”  One of her recent clients bought an expensive brooch, hoping it would become a family heirloom.

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Dress Rx and the City

“Narrowing choices and weighing options…it’s a full time job this dress shopping business. Just ask Julie Sabatino, owner of The Stylish Bride in NYC, who’s made it her mission to pilot brides to their perfect look. Equal parts fashion stylist, industry insider, and best friend, Julie’s now making her unbiased advice and privileged access available to nation wide clients with her New York Experience. What begins with a phone consultation develops into a shopping trip in Manhattan with VIP appointments at some of the city’s 50+ salons. In addition to the value of her informed opinions, Julie offers a comprehensive yet targeted look at the current collections that, in her words, “gives brides the confidence that they made the right decision.”

Personal Shoppers

Julie Sabatino, whose New York City-based The Stylish Bride provides a personal shopping service for brides, touts the benefits: “I’m a huge time saver. Instead of having to go to 10 different boutiques to look for your wedding dress, I can take you to three, based on my knowledge of the industry” she says. Amsale, Elizabeth Fillmore, and Monique Lhuillier are just a few of the designers she visits with brides. Sabatino prefers shopping with clients for the wedding dress; a bride who has her mind set on a certain style may be more adventurous with a professional by her side. Once the dress is chosen, Sabatino pulls in the accessories, from jewelry to handbags, shoes and undergarments.

In hopes of extending her service to brides nationwide, Sabatino recently introduced The New York Experience. The concept: Out-of-town brides come to New York City, and with Sabatino’s help, shop their hearts out. “Everyone wants to go to Vera Wang,” she says, “but there is so much more out there that brides might not know about.” The clients are chauffeured around town, taking in as many stores as they want, and are provided with a gourmet lunch.

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Aisle Style
Hire a Stylist to Put Your Look Together

Why not splurge on a fashion expert to help you coordinate the most important ensemble of your life? Julie Sabatino, of The Stylish Bride in N.Y.C., takes clients (such as two-time Survivor contestant Stephanie LaGrossa) to the city’s best bridal houses and jewelers to find just the right dress, shoes and accessories. For an extra charge, a town car ferries you to each appointment.

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Try It: Personal Shoppers

Julie Sabatino, who graduated from New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology worked for bridal gown designer Amsale before starting her wedding-gown-personal-shopping company, The Stylish Bride.  “I tried 150 gowns in four months before I got married.  I was a complete nightmare because I had no guidance.”  For $200 an hour, she’ll streamline your search depending on specific needs and price-point, and eliminate unnecessary trips to hectic bridal salons.  She accompanies clients on three shopping appointments before they find their dress (on average), and she can also do short-notice= help helped one bride fine a dress in less than a month.  More than 100 brides have breezed through Carolina Herrera and Bergdorf Goodman with Sabatino at their side.  Also, for out-of-town clients, she provides the “New York Experience” a shopping itinerary that includes a chauffeur and lunch.  “It’s a full weekend of bridal fun,” she says.

“Julie Sabatino, owner of NYC’s The Stylish Bride, suggests showing your style at the boutiques: ‘If you have a favorite article of clothing, it’s a good idea to wear it, to give the consultant an idea of how to guide you.’”

Most salons provide strapless bras and specialty undergarments for customers to try with certain styles.  But if you plan to use shape wear, like Spanx, for the wedding, wear it to the stores, says Sabatino, as dresses will fit differently.”

“A dress does look different on the body than it does on the hanger, “ Sabatino says, noting that sometimes a client selects a style far from her original plan.

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Ask Us: Style

Q: Where exactly on my head should I place my veil?

A: It depends on your hairstyle, says NYC-based bridal stylist Julie Sabatino.  If you wear your hair in a bun or chignon, the veil should be placed just about the knot of hair (unless your bun is very high, in which case the veil should go below it).  For a half-up style, attach the veil to where the hair is gathered.  If you wear your hair down, the veil should be attached with a comb at the back of your head.  To experiment with your look, book a trial run with your hairstylist and bring your veil.

Picture Perfect
Contributor, Julie Sabatino, Fashion Stylist for “Picture Perfect”

Julie understands the frustration a bride-to-be encounters when looking for that dream gown; she tried on more than 100 before finding the perfect one for her own wedding in 2001. The experience led her to start her own company, The Stylish Bride, which offers one-on-one bridal fashion and style consulting (recent clients include Stephanie LaGrossa of CBS’s Survivor). For the DWH shoot, “I looked for dresses that weren’t typical beach style gowns,” she says. “You don’t have to wear a sheath dress to get married on an island. Barbados, with its old world charm and stunning scenery, made a great backdrop for theses glamorous gowns.” Julie lives in New York City with her husband Michael. She has been featured in the pages of Inside Weddings, and Grace Ormonde Wedding Style, and appeared on the Style Network’s Who’s Wedding Is It Anyway?

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Southern Charm
Styled by Julie Sabatino

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Ask Us: Style

q: Should my dress reach the floor after alterations?

A:  No. The dress should be about an inch off the floor in the front (and the back, after it’s bustled) to prevent you (and others) from stepping on it, says stylist Julie Sabatino of NYC-based The Stylish Bride.

4 Elegant Brides, Love Story

“In keeping with the formality of the wedding, Heather chose a gown by Vera Wang with three different layers of organza and peau de soie, embroidered and beaded with crystals and pearls.  Bridal stylist Julie Sabatino assisted Heather with her fittings to make sure the gown looked flawless.  With her dress, she wore a headpiece, also by Vera Wang, and pearl and diamond earrings borrowed from estate jeweler Stephen P. Kahan.”

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Bridal Web Shopper

“Fashion consultant Julie Sabatino of the NYC firm The Stylish Bride likes the unique evening bags at mooroo.com.”

“Sabatino often comes to the site modelbride.com for jeweled hair pins- ‘a nice option for women who don’t want a tiara or comb,’ she says.”

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How-to Guide

Q. How many gowns are too many to try?

A. Seven to ten is the number of dresses a bride can comfortably try on during a one-hour appointment; any more tends to be overwhelming, says Julie Sabatino, owner of The Stylish Bride, a NYC shopping service. To streamline the process, she has brides focus on three criteria- style of wedding, body type, and budget- and identify what she likes and dislikes about each design. “Every gown she tries on should be a progression from there, until, she has one or two favorites at the salon, and then one or two favorites overall.” When it is the right dress, “her body language changes. She feels good and doesn’t want to take it off,” Sabatino says. “Adding a veil solidifies this; it’s the first moment she sees herself as a bride. That’s when the tears come!”

Aisle File: Dress Success

“New York is a big city…even bigger for the bride-to-be searching for the perfect look for her wedding day. Allow fashion stylist Julie Sabatino of The Stylish Bride to be your tour guide. With her expertise in the world of bridal fashion, Sabatino maps your way through the city, providing a personal shopping service that doesn’t stop at just the dress.  Starting with a consultation to identify your ideal look, The Stylish Bride narrows down your search to select salons or designers that will cater to your taste…”

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New York Fashion and Beauty!

Bridesmaids almost never wear the exact same dresses anymore, which is great news when your bridesmaids include a pregnant sister, a waif-like cousin, and a bottom-heavy best friend.  Julie Sabatino, fashion consultant at the New York-based firm The Stylish Bride, which provides styling and personal shopping for brides and their bridesmaids, has a solution. “Choose a designer that offers many different silhouettes in the same fabrics and colors,” she says.

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Wedding Style

A-list bridal stylist Julie Sabatino, whose company, The Stylish Bride, outfits Manhattan and the Hamptons shared some of the most recent bridal trends with Social Life.  During our lunch of bellinis, gazpacho, and truffle artichoke salads we talked about a mélange of fabrics and accessories from chantilly lace, swags, fluted cap sleeves, Grecian silks, custom moonstone or mother-of-pearl bridesmaid chokers, beaded Moyna bags to antique cream strappy Manolos.

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The Stylish Bride client Linda Koulistis’s wedding featured in a two page article in Nefi magazine.

White Noise: Attire

“Be careful when choosing who to bring with you to do dress shopping. Consider doing the preliminary round on your own and then once you have narrowed down choices, bring someone who’s going to be honest with you.” Julie Sabatino

Shaping the Stylish Bride

“Julie Sabatino took nearly four months and spent time in more than a hundred dressing rooms before she found the gown she wanted, only to realize that she still had to find accessories like a veil, tiara, necklace, earrings, bracelet, and shoes. An exhausted Sabatino found herself wishing for a personal bridal consultant who could guide her through the crucial fashion decisions leading up to the most important day of her life. In that moment, The Stylish Bride was born.”

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Something New

Have Your Own Wedding Stylist

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Hot Hang Outs

Julie’s picks on where to relax and hangout during Bridal Market.

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Love’s Light

Julie Sabatino is the stylist for the Love’s Light fashion story in the Fall / Winter 2005 issue of Wedding Style Magazine.

Today we are excited to feature Julie Sabatino of The Stylish Bride. She is the industry leader in Wedding Fashion Styling. She is constantly studying wedding trends to help guide and find the right fashion fit for brides and their bridal party.

Julie knows everything there is to know about picking the perfect dress. She helped pick out the perfect gifts below as well as provided us with this years wedding musts.

See all her picks>

  Berkshires Inspired Shoot from The Stylish Bride and Lyndsey Hamilton Event

This shoot dreamt up by Lyndsey Hamilton Events, Rebecca Shepherd and The Stylish Bride at Stonover Farm. It’s basically my dream. Barn chic with some 60′s glamour thrown in for the after party, how can you go wrong? It’s perfect part elegant and whimsical – leaving us with one inspiring gallery of images from Elisabeth Millay, which you can see right here.

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50+ Must Follow People on Twitter for Wedding & Event Planning

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Gowns for Girls With a Lot Going On Up Top

Today we thought we would feature Gowns for Girls with Ample Bosom. We turned to bridal styling expert, Julie Sabatino and recent bride Mayra, who tackled this issue first hand.

See their selections and their reasons why >

Julie shares her top picks for bridal gifts this season for Mark and Graham’s Bridal Tastemakers Series.

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20 Ways to Cut Wedding Costs

Julie Sabatino provides tips on how to create a stylish bridal look for less. See tips 16-19!

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To me, ‘classic style’ is a love for things that are timeless and sophisticated. Weather it’s a gold monogram necklace or the perfect handbag, I am drawn to items that will never go out of style.  I often think about passing things down to my children and grand children, so I make sure when I select things that not only will they stand the test of time, but that I’ll love the for just as long.

– Julie Sabatino

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Julie Sabatino is the founder of The Stylish Bride, a business dedicated to connecting with and supporting remarkable women in their journey to find the perfect wedding dress and ensure the wedding look of their dreams. When her own trips across New York City to find that dream dress proved endlessly frustrating, Julie realized what the bridal industry was lacking: someone to truly listen to what the bride wants. For the last eight years, Julie has dedicated herself to knowing everything there is to know about wedding fashion for her clients and helping make their wedding look a reality.

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Julie Sabatino guest blogs and tweets during NYC Bridal Market!

Julie will be on location reporting for us this weekend at Bridal Market in NYC and delivering all of her fashionista findings about which lacy, tulle-riffic or sparkly gowns catch her discerning eye for the upcoming season!

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{FRIDAY BUZZ} WEDDING DAY SHOPPING TIPS WITH BRIDAL STYLIST JULIE SABATINO OF THE STYLISH BRIDE

“What do you want to look like on your wedding day?   That’s the most important question New York City’s wedding fashion stylist Julie Sabatino {of The Stylish Bride fame} asks her brides. While shopping for her own dream gown as a bride-to-be, she yearned for someone to give her guidance and non-biased honesty. When she discovered that person didn’t exist – she became her! We sat down with this fabulous fashionista and got her hit list for finding the wedding gown that’s perfectly, uniquely, brilliantly you.”

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“Shopping for a wedding dress is an exciting and sometimes daunting task.  Add in the factors at play for a destination wedding and you’ve likely got a longer list of requirements before you find “the one.”  So to help you with the process, we called on our friend Julie Sabatino from The Stylish Bride to help get you down the aisle in the picture perfect wedding dress that’s right for you.  We asked her what to keep in mind, what trends are in and out, and what she’s loving in bridal couture this season.”

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“I was ready to give up until I met the wonderful owner of The Stylish Bride: Ms. Julie Sabatino.  Julie is a stylist to some of the most elegant brides that walk down the aisle – New York and the world round.  This woman looked like me; dressed how I dreamed I could; and she totally “got it”.  While complaining about my black-tie troubles she said, “Well, my dear, I do believe it’s time you had a dress made – and I know just the men to do it!”‘

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The Stylish Bride and The Peninsula New York will join together to offer the Dress Shopping with The Stylish Bride Package.  This dedicated package will offer brides the chance to have the ultimate luxury VIP wedding dress shopping experience with Julie Sabatino of The Stylish Bride in the bridal fashion capital of the world, all while being pampered during their stay at the five-star Peninsula New York.  The bride will enjoy a luxurious two days of bridal dress shopping with Julie Sabatino, the innovator behind the industry of “Wedding Fashion Styling” and whose brides fly in from around the world to shop with her in New York City.

As a renowned expert in the field Julie is frequently quoted as a bridal fashion expert in publications such as The New York Times, Martha Stewart Weddings, InStyle, Glamour and New York Magazine amongst others, and has styled numerous high-profile and celebrity brides since founding her business in 2003. For more information:

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“Brides fly to New York from around the world to shop for their wedding dress with Julie Sabatino of The Stylish Bride. Every aspect of the bride’s experience is in the utmost luxury. It all begins with a consultation where Julie gets to know the bride’s personal style and type of wedding. Julie then assembles a customized two-day shopping itinerary that strategically plans out how each bride will experience the best New York has to offer. On the shopping day a private sedan transports them around Manhattan to the top bridal salons and designer’s studios.

At every stop the bride experiences VIP treatment, including: working with Julie’s hand-selected consultant at each store, pre-selected gowns that fit with their personal style, one-on-one access to the designers and store owners, and celebratory champagne when the gown is chosen. With a dossier of resources, Julie can help the most discerning bride and their family with every aspect of the fashion for their wedding.”

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“You’re engaged! Yay! And, like so many women, your first thought may have been: what am I going to wear?! Whether that thought leads to blissful excitement or sheer panic, your wedding dress is perhaps the most important fashion decision of your life. Between the fact that all eyes will be on you and the photos that’ll be around forever, you’ve gotta admit: That’s a lot of pressure on one dress!

“Julie Sabatino of thestylishbride.com is here to help you find your dream wedding dress. Julie is a bridal fashion stylist who coordinates dream gowns with the perfect shoes, clutch, jewelry, and hair accessories. Having a professional like this can be extremely helpful, but if you don’t have access to someone like Julie, here are three tips she has graciously shared with our readers to help get you started.”

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Wedding Wednesday

It’s Wedding Wednesday here at the Bon Bon Blog and although I’m not technically showcasing a wedding, I would like to highlight a good friend of ours in the wedding industry. After all, beautiful weddings start with amazing vendors in your corner!

As you may know, Soiree has had an office in New York City for a couple years now. Having an office in the city has allowed us to make some wonderful contacts! One in particular is our friend, Julie Sabatino, who owns and operates The Stylish Bride.

Julie saw a need for brides to have a mediator between their vision, their families ideas and the inundating amount of options available to them in bridal fashion. Julie studies fashion, attends markets and uses her amazing contacts with designers to alleviate any stressors that can overwhelm her clients when shopping for the perfect dress. I personally have sent brides to her to help find their unique style and the results are always stunning. She recently revamped her website and added a testimonials video…I was happy to sing her praises on the video.

Click here to take a peek!

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“Julie Sabatino, founder of The Stylish Bride in New York, has also been noticing the shift. “I’m seeing a return to classic style and glamour. Surprisingly, this is translating into bridal fashion through brides’ renewed interest in fuller A-line skirts. It’s so refreshing, and perhaps on trend because of Kate Middletown’s gown and the influence of the royal wedding. I think we will see a greater number of brides wearing a veil as she did, and considering long sleeves.”

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“You may be one of those women who dreamed of her wedding dress since you were a little girl. But chances are you also fantasized about a fairy godmother being there to outfit you from head to toe. New Yorker Julie Sabatino, founder of The Stylish Bride, is a dream come true. She will help you find the perfect wedding dress, as well as the veil, jewelry, shoes — and bra! — to match. If necessary, she’ll also assist your Prince Charming with the selection of his suit or tuxedo. We asked Julie for her advice on making these decisions a little easier, without the help of a magic wand.”

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Beauty and Style Expert

“Bridal stylist and fashion expert Julie Sabatino is the answer for busy brides who want to look impeccable on their wedding day. Julie is Founder and President of The Stylish Bride, a fashion consulting service dedicated to reducing the time and stress involved in attaining each bride’s unique wedding day style.”

Read “Bridal Trends for Fall” online >

Read “How to Keep Your Bridesmaid Happy” online >

Read “Personalize Your Wedding Day” online >

Read “Trend Tips for Fall Brides” online >

Finding The Perfect Wedding Dress

New York-based Julie Sabatino of “The Stylish Bride” is dedicated to making the wedding dress shopping experience fun and stress free for her brides. When she’s not working one-on-one with brides, she’s giving advice in magazine articles and on TV.

Bridal Stylist

“Owner Julie Sabatino’s customizable services include helping you select the perfect dress, the right accessories, hair-style, make-up, and she can even be there on your wedding day. Julie also offers a New York Experience package for out of town brides that want to come to New York to find their perfect wedding dress.”

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