When Sample Sales Meet Alterations

October 12, 2014 Ellie Tanner

She found the dress of her dreams, and even had to try it on "just to see." Of course, she fell in love even more. She loved everything about it: the lace, the color, the quality and fit, even the little "eyelashes" of the scalloped lace trim were a detail she couldn't live without. Devastated that the price tag was over $4,000, and certainly over her budget, we had to find another solution. Welcome, sample gowns with great savings to save the day!

This was the gown of her dreams, but with price tag over $4,000 it was way over her budget.

This gown was the gown she found instead...

Details of the “original” gown our bride purchased at our Sample Sale

The gown we had on sale was not quite what she wanted, but still had the same fabrics and fit that made her fall in love with Jim Hjelm in the first place.

A few Alterations sessions later, and voila! The gown of her dreams for a price she could afford!

The original gown she couldn’t afford. Looks like our bride wore her dream dress, after all!

During the Alterations there was another surprise! Our bride found out she’s pregnant!!

April + David: A Lesson in Planning a Wedding that is Uniquely True to Yourself

July 28, 2014 Ellie Tanner

April + David – Justin Alexander gown from Ellie's Bridal Boutique

April is a beautiful person – absolutely beautiful, inside and out. I know that's cliche to say, but her cheerful upbeat attitude, easy-going charm, and warm generosity just make me smile. She's got sparkle, spunk, and flair, and isn't afraid to be her wonderful self. While we didn't get to spend nearly enough quality time with this bride, we're glad that David gets to be the one to stand by her side. Happy One Year Anniversary, April & David. We are so very honored to have played a small part in your incredibly special day.

I can't get enough of their wedding photos and can't wait for you to read their story below:

Sapphire and diamond engagement ring with diamond wedding band. On ecru wedding invitation.

David and I met while working as Archaeologists in Illinois. We did not get a long at first, but we soon became really close friends and eventually started dating. We got engaged at Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. It was a complete surprise to me! We had been together for seven years, so I wasn't expecting it!

David and I love the outdoors, it’s where we met, worked, and got engaged so we wanted to incorporate that into our wedding. It was really important to us to be close to family and friends, so we chose a location in Illinois to have our wedding. The Morton Arboretum, in Lisle, Illinois, was the perfect venue location for us with its beautiful scenery. We loved the natural beauty of the outdoors and the historic feel of the Founder's room, the historic library of the Morton family. The carved wood and the stained glass windows perfectly fit our personalities. We both love the mix of modern and vintage styles. We wanted to keep with the vintage feel of the room, so we had a harpist to play our ceremony, she was amazing! I walked down the aisle with both my parents to the song "At Last".

Our officiant was wonderful; she really connected with our personalities and wrote an absolutely beautiful ceremony for us. We had a rock ceremony, every guest made a wish on a stone they held the whole ceremony and all the stones were combined into a vessel with ours to symbolize bringing our two families together. David and I designed and made our own programs and we had bubbles for our exit outside to the cocktail hour. I love sewing, so I made the ring bearer pillow my nephew used to walk down the aisle with.

I saw a dress on Justin Alexander's website and fell in love. It had the sparkle and vintage feel I was looking for. I contacted Ellie’s Bridal in Alexandria, Virginia to see if they carried it in store. They didn’t but, said I could have the sample shipped in on loan for me to try on. They were super helpful both over the phone, email, and facebook. I scheduled several appointments at various bridal salons in the metro area, but saved Ellie’s for last. I had some okay experiences and some awful ones at the other salons. I tried on a lot of dresses, but nothing felt right. I finally had my last appointment at Ellie’s. They had my dress ready for me hanging in the dressing room; as soon as I saw it I knew it was the one. I didn't try on any other dresses there because that dress was perfect. It was the only one that made me feel like a bride and had just the right amount of drama I was looking for.

I wore my grandmother's vintage necklace that I have always wanted to wear on my wedding day. It was important to me to find a dress that matched the vintage feel of the necklace. My veil is very unique and really shows my personality. I love the large flower and crystals, I really wanted something different. My amazing shoes also had a larger flower on them as well. I really wanted to look and feel like a beautiful flower on my wedding day and I did!

I had three bridesmaids and I could not have chosen better ladies to be there for me on my day. They wore necklaces I made for them in mint and silver. I found very romantic dresses in the color mint, which is my favorite color!! The dresses flattered everyone.

Our groomsmen wore the same tux as David, but they had mint ties to match the bridesmaids. They all looked absolutely stunning!

Tall centerpieces with hydrangia and roses. Ivory tablecloths with green napkins. Mint green wedding cake.

Hydrangea and rose centerpieces with candles.

Our wedding colors were mint, blush, lime and ivory. We really wanted to have fresh colors that represented the beautiful landscapes of our venue and the feel of summer. Our flowers were absolutely beautiful! Our florist, also my father-in-law, did an amazing job capturing our vision. Our theme was "Natural Elegance" and it really fit with our venue and the feel of our wedding! Our cake was beautiful and yummy! It was done in mint colored fondant with lace ribbon. We had three large ivory roses at the top instead of a cake topper. Our tables were decorated with ivory, blush and green flowers with lots of candles. Our welcome table had a bonsai tree and place cards that matched our invitations. The entire room smelled like peonies.

All our guests had an amazing time as did we! David and I planned the entire wedding ourselves from out of state, which was a lot of hard work! In the end, everything came together beautifully and we could not have asked for a more perfect day!

List of Vendors

Photographers - Just Love Me Photography

Wedding bands and rings - Quinn’s Goldsmiths

Ceremony + Reception:

Venue - The Morton Arboretum
Catering - Classic Fare Catering
Linens - BBJ Linens
Cake - The Cakery
Officiant - Elizabeth-Anne Stewart
Harpist - Dawn Bishop
DJ - Katie LaBombard via Toast and Jam
Floral Design and Decor- Flowers by Frank (815) 895-5979 and Bonsai tree

Paper Products:

Invitations, Menus, and Place cards - Wedding Paper Divas
Programs - DIY bride and groom

Bride's Attire:

Wedding dress - Justin Alexander
Necklace - Grandmother's necklace
Bracelet and Earrings - Charming Charlie’s
Veil- Sarah Gabriel Ione Veil via Bella Bridal
Makeup and Hair - Angel Face Makeup
Shoes - LuLu Townsend via DSW Shoes

Bridesmaids Attire:

Dresses - Dessy Collection
Earrings - Charming Charlie’s
Necklaces - DIY Bride

Men's Attire:

Groom's/groomsmen suits and shoes - Vera Wang Black via Men's Wearhouse
Pocket squares - Dessy Group in "Meadow"

Ring bearer Suit and shoes - Ducky's Formal Wear
Ring bearer Pillow - DIY Bride

Sample Sale Recap

November 25, 2013 Ellie Tanner

We're all cleaned up from our pre-holiday SAMPLE SALE this past weekend and are now gearing up for all the families coming for Thanksgiving weekend!

CONGRATULATIONS to all the brides-to-be that found their beautiful gowns for such an unbeatable price. Here are some of the dresses our brides fell in love with over the weekend.

Welcome to the Ellie's Bridal Family. We are honored to be part of such a special part of your Wedding Day. Don't forget to send us wedding pics!!

If you missed out on our Sample Sale this past weekend, don't fret! We offer sample gowns year round for any bride on a tight budget or short timeline. Make an appointment and let us know that you are interested in purchasing a sample gown so we can work with you to make your dreams come true.

Relaunching Ellie's Website & Blog

September 8, 2013 Ellie Tanner

Today we are officially launching Ellie's Bridal newly re-designed website! With the website launched and the return of our permanent URL, we are back on the map & ready to blog.

Special thanks to Michelle, Ellie's bride & CEO of Mischa Communications, for all her kind words and assisstance. After her 10/13/12 wedding, Michelle still managed to keep her tabs on us while maintaining her growing business. Meanwhile, we found ourselves experiencing some difficulty with our web host, requiring a "temporary" website away from our permanent URL. Michelle took notice and quickly offered her time and company expertise We are honored to serve such generous and loving brides like Michelle. This is why we stay in this business!

Because of the transition to our new website, we've been slacking on our blog posts this summer. This is most unfortunate because we have so many great things to share with you! We'll just have to bring you up to speed in the coming weeks :)

This has been an exciting summer here at Ellie's as we transition to bring you bigger and better things. We can't wait to share all that we have to offer to you. As always, please send us your feedback and let us know how we can better your experience (because everything we do is for you).

Wedding Veil Regrets

March 4, 2013 Ellie Tanner

About 2 out of 10 brides come in to our boutique unsure if they would like a veil or not. If you do not think you want a veil, we suggest just to try one on anyway. You never know how you will feel until you try one on and see yourself in the mirror with a wedding gown and the veil for the first time. We find that more than half of the time, brides who said they did not want one change their mind. There is something about the veil and a wedding gown that makes each bride feel like it is really happening to them, they are getting married!!!

Jenna’s veil had a delicate scalloped lace trim added an additional layer of elegance to her look

Heidi decided to go with a fuller veil to add a bit more pep to her walk down the aisle.

Ruth’s birdcage veil was the perfect final touch for her wedding day look

For a bit of neon spunk, get some inspiration from Elizabeth with her colored fascinator and birdcage veil

Devon’s scalloped lace veil was the perfect match & compliement to her gown.

Lisa is definitely never going to regret wearing a veil with this image hanging sitting on her desk!

Ingrid’s beaded trim on her veil was the perfect accessory to her beaded cap sleeves & added just the right amount of extra sparkle she needed to acheive her fairytale look

There is no doubt that her veil adds an extra surch of emotion to this pre-ceremony photo of Liz

Annie was able to capture this whimsical image with the help of her cathedral-length veil

We found one blogger was torn and decided not to have a veil and now regrets it. She wishes she had changed her mind and now brings up some excellent points and stunning photos that you could have if you choose to have a veil too. We have to say, she found some great photos!

Thank you to our wonderful Ellie's Brides and their amazing photographers who shared these breath taking photographs with us.

What are your thoughts on veils? Comment below and let us know what you think!

Why We Choose Stella York

February 11, 2013 Ellie Tanner

Glamorous. Sexy. Extravagant. A Stella York wedding dress is more than just a designer label. It’s an indelible mind-set — with each creation a perfect complement to a bride’s attitude, style and spirit.

That's what Stella York is all about. Previously known as Ella Bridals, Stella York is an Australian-based company that never fails to bring in fresh designs that are not only merely beautiful but a statement of your spirit. Their light weight and comfort ensure that you will feel free enough to let your personality truly shine it's best on your wedding day. We also love Stella York because their mission fits our own: quality of fabric, fit, and finish at a competitive price. Here at Ellie's Bridal Boutique, we truly believe that it is possible to find a high quality gown for under $1500, and Stella York is proof of that.

Stella York is designed for the bride looking to find the magic that only she could create on her wedding day. She's a bride full of spirited dreams and an energy that radiates around her. See what we mean and view our gallery below to share the magic these three Ellie's brides experienced with their Stella York gowns this past year.

Needless to say, we are so excited to have Stella York Trunk Show at Ellie's Bridal Boutique! Make your appointment today for March 9-10, 2013 to view Stella York's newest bridal collection and enjoy 10% OFF* the purchase of any Stella York gown.

Many of the featured wedding gowns will be in out store for ONE WEEKEND ONLY ! Spaces are limited, so don't miss out by waiting to book your appointment for this exclusive event!

Appointments are required to attend this event. Call 703-683-VOWS(8697) to book your appointment today & RSVP on our Facebook Invitation.

*Purchases must be made March 9th or 10th to qualify for the discount.

Featured Weddings: Lisa's Destination wedding in Greece, Jenny's Old Amusement Park wedding, Jeorjina's Grand Caymen wedding

Sample Sales: Disarming Doubts

November 12, 2012 Ellie Tanner

Despite popular belief, there is NO such thing as “too big.” With our custom alterations, we’ll make your gown look like it was made just for you. We even have a few tricks up our sleeves to make a gown a couple sizes bigger, too. Our fantastic Alterations team took Ruth’s sample size 12 down to about a size 6!! We were so glad to see she felt comfortable enough for some good old-fashioned bed jumping for her post-ceremony celebration.

Want to make design changes? No problem, our in house alterations department are experts on customizing wedding gowns. Our magic-making Alterations team was able to turn Denise’s strapless sample gown into a form-fitting stunner with detachable straps to fit the mood for both her Catholic ceremony and party-all-night reception!

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Click here to see just a few of our veteran brides who recently went From Sample Sale to Wedding Day, and check us out on Pinterest for just a few (seriously, we have way more) of the things we have for you on sale.

Wedding Gown Photo Ideas

October 9, 2012 Ellie Tanner

Congratulations! You're engaged and we have helped to pick out your jaw dropping Wedding Gown and the perfect Bridesmaids gowns!

Now that you've spent all that time in search of your perfect gown you better bet that you're going to get some great wedding shots out of it! How about you show off your fashionista style by beautifully displaying your wedding gown on a custom-made hanger or find the perfect back-drop to show off all your attire?

Our own Janelle had a custom hanger to show off her beautiful wedding gown by Ella Rosa (top left). What a great way to have your new last name incorporated in your wedding photos! If you like this idea, we have seen some beautiful options on Etsy. We recommend the custom wooden hangers as opposed to the wired ones to prevent wedding hangers from bending due to the weight of many bridal gowns. Other ideas includs adding pearls down the top side of the hanger (top right: above) or creating custom hangers for your Bridesmaids (top right: below). These work great as idal party gifts and look beautiful in pictures, too.

Another one of our brides, Jen, picked out a beautiful hanger to place on a romantic chandelier to show off her Mikaella dress (bottom left). We also found that some of our other brides, including Devon in Blue by Enzoani (center left) & Brittani in Casablanca (center right), combined a few stunning photos all together in one. Not only do you see the gown in one portion but other romantic shots as well.

We couldn't help ourselves and check out pinterest to find some great locations to display your wedding and bridesmaid gowns together. One that caught our eye has the gowns on a neutral fence (bottom left). If you are about to get married, or already have, where do you see your dress being photographed?

Check out some of our other brides' fantastic photos on Facebook. Ellie's Bride Heidi, Ellie's Bride Alicia, Ellie's Bride Rachel, and more. Clearly the best place for wedding inspiration is amongst the Ellie's Bridal Family.

Wedding with a Twist

October 1, 2012 Ellie Tanner

At Ellie's Bridal Boutique, we are so excited to hear the stories of our Brides and what they plan to do for their wedding. Our Bride Carmen had such great ideas to make their wedding fun with a new twist. We can't reveal the full details until after her big day (10/11/12 -- it's coming up!!) but we wanted to share a couple fun videos of weddings with a twist. Check out JK Wedding Entrance Dance. It takes traditional to modern.

Uploaded by ue004037 on 2011-09-22.

The JK wedding inspired this spoof of Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

East 17's House of Love blasting out of the sound system, Prince William leapfrogging over brother Harry and Kate Middleton dancing down the aisle, it is the Royal Wedding, but not as you know it.

To help get the party started one bride, featured on The Becker Blog, gave out masquerade masks for guests to wear during the party celebration.

Help get the party started by handing out masquerade masks for guests to wear during the party celebration. #Reception #EscortCards

How did you make your wedding fun and different?

Happy 1 Year Anniversary to Jen & Jim!!

September 10, 2012 Ellie Tanner

Jen in @Mikaella Bridal -- Ever After Visuals Mother-Daughter Photography Team (09/10/11)

Jen's bridal party was in full Ellie's Bridal attire with her light and fun Mikaella wedding gown and accompanied by bridesmaids dressed in Jim Hjelm Occasions. In fact, the bridesmaid pictured immediately to the left of Jen (photo below) also bought her bridal gown at Ellie's! Coincidentally, her name is Mikaella and she was also married in a Mikaella wedding gown.

Before Jen was officially set on her gown, there was one test it had to pass first. And with that, she got down and boogied right in the middle of the store while wearing our sample. After her dance was complete she stood up straight and declared, "Okay, this is it!" We definitely had a few good laughs that day.

You too can create such a lovely wedding by taking advantage of nature's beauty. Take a look to see how they had such romantic shots in the evening under an enchanted tree and romantic photos by a lovely, dreamy lake. Jen & Jim chose a location that not only had nature's beauty but architectural beauty to help give them different looks throughout their day.

Congratulations on the first year of their 'new' adventure. Here's to many, many more years to come! We sincerely hope that your first year of marriage has been everything you hoped for, and more.