One-half of the business is custom gowns. The other half is divided between women who bring in their mother's or grandmother's gown for alteration or women who purchase vintage gowns.

The bridalwear retrospective at Once Upon a Bride begins in the late 1800s. All of her vintage gowns are at least 25 years old, said LaFromboise.

Turn-of-the-century bridal attire is characterized by a high neckline and a cinched waist. The circa 1890 to 1910 gowns have a traditional Victorian look. The fabrics used are white silk and cotton embellished by hand-embroidered lace.

The "flapper" gown reigned in the 1920s. The predominant feature is the sheath-style of the dress. Necklines vary and waistlines are both natural and dropped. Some of the gowns are characterized by a bias cut at the hemline which gives it a flip effect. Usually the fabric is silk chartreuse. Orange blossoms were used in this era to decorate the gown at the waistline, hemline and on the cap. The flapper bride wore a small cap called a cloche with her gown.

In the 1930s and 1940s, the fabric used for bridal dresses became heavier. The swing and ease of the flapper yielded to heavy satin. The heaviness of the fabric is balanced by minimalism of design. The classic look is emphasized by a small amount of lace or decorative embellishment. Dresses are styled with a fitted bodice and full skirt.

The 1950s is the decade of "poofy" taffeta. The fabrics are silk organza with Chantilly lace appliquéd on the skirting. The fitted bodice gives way to full skirts reinforced by petticoats. If this "party girl" look is too much for a customer, LaFromboise can remove the stiff interfacing and clean the gown. The result is a softer, flowing effect.

LaFromboise has developed an expertise around storing a bridal gown. For the woman who hopes her daughter or granddaughter may one day wear her dress, proper storage of the dress becomes paramount. The fabric of antique dresses can become dried and disintegrate if the wrong paper is used. She has consulted with people knowledgeable in fabric restoration at the Shelburne Museum and advises clients to store their dresses in an acid-free box with acid-free tissue paper. Packing materials can be purchased from her for about $65.

The prospective bride who hasn't found the right gown can design an original that LaFromboise will custom sew. The customer seeking a unique gown does not need to be constrained by traditional notions of fabric. One of her most beautiful gowns was done in black velvet for a woman in her 40s, said LaFromboise.

Although women yearn for a traditional look in their gowns, they appear to have moved away from the demure gaze under the wedding veil. The woman with the black velvet gown wore rhinestone clips in her hair. Other brides favor a tiara or a floral circlet. One woman wore a Juliet cap with a point at the forehead. The headwear provides an opportunity to add color. The flowers in the circlet, whether silk or dried, can include color. Or the circlet can be wrapped with ribbon, such as burgundy velvet with dark burgundy roses.

June is no longer the most popular time to get married. Most of LaFromboise's customers marry from mid-August to early October. Because of this seasonality, most of the dresses she sells are a lighter fabric. There are more December brides than ever before although this time is constrained by the weather and concerns over guests' travel plans.

At Needleman's in Newport and St. Albans, bridal consultant Tracy Reed finds that 80 percent of her customers marry from May to October. Since the lead time for the sale of a wedding dress is about eight months, she is selling now for next spring and summer's bridal season.

Her customers favor a one-piece gown with a boned tank top and A-line skirt. She sees a lot of customers preferring ivory instead of white in fabrics from silk to matte satin to chiffon. The headpiece of choice is a tiara of pearls or rhinestones. A lightweight tulle veil is attached to the tiara and falls to waist length.

The age of Reed's customers span a thirty year period. In the same day, she sold a gown to a 23-year-old and a 45-year-old woman. Dress preference does not seem to differ according to the age of the customer or previous marital status. With 30 percent of the business being women entering a second marriage, Reed finds women still want a traditional gown with all of the frills.

Reed sees a preference for a detachable train. After the formal pictures are taken, the bride likes to remove the train and kick up her heels. With a preponderance of outdoor weddings in the spring and summer, the removal of the train also protects it from grass stains and tearing.

Needleman's gowns are priced from $99 to $1,280. The majority of the business falls in the $500 to $800 range. The store sells about 300 to 400 gowns a year.