“My grandpa passed away a few months ago. I visited his house today for the first time since and his wife has their wedding outfits hanging like this in their house.”
Click on the photo to see more pictures that will make you believe in true love.
How to say "YES" to the Dress
The DC Ladies has quickly become one of my favorite local blogs for just about all things that involve women in DC. When they asked us to guest post for #TheDCLadiesWeddingWeek, I had to say yes! In case you missed our post over there last week, here it is again in its entirety:
The Bride's Look:
Gown - Victoria Nicole from Ellie's Bridal Boutique
Jewlery - 14k white gold Halo diamond engagement ring with center stone & 18k white gold deco-inspired diamond bracelet
Photography - Procopio Photography
So you’ve got a ring and now it’s time for the moment you’ve really been waiting for: finding that dream gown of yours!
Some of you may have already pulled out your notebook of wedding dresses you’ve been sketching since age 6, and others may be dreading the bridal salon experience the most of all. Big or small, tomboy or fashionista, you should expect to find a gown that you are comfortable in and have fun doing so! Here are some tips so you can make the most of your memories saying yes to the dress without all the stress.
1) Research before Budget Planning
Most bridal salons will ask you upfront what your budget is. If you have an answer, that’s great! But most brides forget to include all the “extras” in their bridal attire budget. How much will your jewelry, veil, undergarments, shoes, and alterations cost? When you talk about your bridal gown budget, have you considered how much all those necessary “extras” will cost? Without considering these elements and doing your research, you will likely underestimate realistic spending goals. Avoid the frustration of feeling you are over-budget down the line by planning appropriately now. Find out the price range of bridal salons before making your appointments and ask about undergarments, accessories, and alterations while you are standing in your favorite gowns to get the most accurate estimates.
2) Research Your Bridal Salons
This one is a bit tricky because it’s hard to do, and I only mention it to make a point. Choosing which bridal salon to visit is a lot like choosing a restaurant: while they are all carry wedding gowns, each salon offers a different atmosphere and ambience which will create completely different experiences for you. Do you prefer a more up-scale salon specializing in couture fashions or would you feel more comfortable in a more casual, down-to-earth environment? While this aspect of bridal gown shopping is worth considering, you likely will not find the answer until you physically visit each bridal shop. Bottom line: don’t let “bad” bridal experience keep you down for the rest of your adventure. There are plenty more salons out there to fit your attitude and style, so there is nothing to fear!
3) Know Your Timelines
We like to advise brides to plan 6 to 8 months for bridal gowns to arrive in our store after they have been ordered, if not more! The exact time frame may vary by designer, time of year your order is placed, and time of year of your wedding. You should also plan about 2 months for alterations after the dress has come in, ideally ordering your bridal gown at least 9 months prior to your wedding. Rush orders may be available for certain styles at an additional cost. The more time you allow yourself, the less stress you will feel; it always better to order sooner rather than later. But don’t let this time frame scare you! We know that not every bride is able to allot this much time; know that it is possible to complete the entire process much sooner. If time is really an issue for you, consider purchasing a sample gown off-the-rack, or calling local salons to ask your expert consultants what your options are.
4) More is Not Always Merrier
Many brides want to bring some family members and/or friends to the appointment. We encourage you to have no more than 2-4 guests, as it may become overwhelming. A larger crowd tends to bring a larger range of opinions. Remember, this is your dress for your day—don’t let anyone tell you differently. One to two highly trusted opinions is usually a nice accompaniment to the experience. If you really need “everyone” to be there, consider making a separate trip after you have chosen your gown and invite the rest of your loving entourage to the big reveal at a separate appointment or during your fittings (when the gown is brand new and in your size anyway).
5) Window Shop from Home
You’ve been eyeing wedding dresses online and in magazines since before you were even engaged. I know it, you know it, we all know it. That’s a good thing though! Feel free to collect photos of all your wedding inspiration in a bridal binder or on Pinterest to give your consultant a better sense of your taste and style. This is not necessary by any means, but certainly is a fun step that you’ve probably already started!
6) Have an Open Mind
After all that hard work putting all your ideas and inspirations together, you must have your wedding day look pretty narrowed down. Don’t be so sure about that! Gowns always look different in a magazine vs. on a hanger vs. on your body so you never know what you might end up loving. Trust your consultant if she wants you to try on something a little different than what you envisioned. What’s the worst that can happen? Either the gown immediately gets tossed to the veto pile, or you are pleasantly surprised when suddenly you find yourself saying yes to the dress!
7) Use Your Imagination
The whole point of trying on bridal gowns is so you know what you will look like on your wedding day, right? Unfortunately, it is typically not as simple as it sounds. Shopping for a wedding gown takes a lot of imagination. As beautiful as you will look in your gown while standing in the salon, just imagine how infinitely better the whole look will be when you place yourself with the appropriate hair and makeup, surrounded by beautiful flowers at your venue. Don’t forget to account for jewelry, veils, and other accessories that will have to compliment your gown as well. For example, if you know you want big, sparkly bling to accessorize with, you may not want to be so quick to dismiss that gown that feels “too plain” on its own. Many of our brides end up customizing many aspects of their gowns from the way it was originally designed. It may seem scary at first, but we promise you won’t regret using a bit of imagination once you see your dream truly come to life.
8) Beware of the Marathon run
Are you making appointments weeks in advance so you can perfectly schedule six different bridal appointments on a Saturday? If so, you are going to be absolutely exhausted. If you have yet to try on a bridal gown, I can almost guarantee that you are underestimating how physically exhausting getting in and out of wedding dresses non-stop for a full day will be. And as much as you would like to have a “moment” when you put on THE gown, unfortunately the enthusiasm wears off by the end of the day when the exhaustion sets in. Gowns and boutiques start to blur together, and while the day was tons of fun, experiencing it in this may will be overwhelming. Instead of finding the perfect gown, you will likely need a break to clear your head and revisit the favorites the following week. For the most effective and enjoyable experience, avoid going to more than three salons in a day. Better yet, avoid going to more than three total (unless you really have disastrous experiences–see #2).
9) Location, Location, Location
It really does break my heart a little to hear a bride say, “I love this gown but I’m getting married on a beach.” At the end of the day, it really is your decision so if that is how you feel then I can only be happy for the gown that you end up choosing. However, if I can put in my two cents… I think that’s nonsense. You are the bride. It is your wedding day.
Whether you are getting married on a beach, in a courthouse, or in your backyard, that should not exclude you from wearing the gown that makes your heart sing. The fact that you are a bride makes the event formal enough to wear a ball gown no matter where you are. That fact that you are getting married is all that anyone will think about, not that you are too dressed too for your wedding day.
10) Don’t make decisions from your photos.
Have you ever wondered why most bridal salons do not allow you to take photos? This is one of the reasons. If you do happen to sneak a few pics, just remember that the dresses look 1000 times better on you than on your phone/camera. Many salons have less than optimal lighting (to be honest, our boutique is one of worst for photos), which does nothing to flatter either you or the gown. We want you to remember the way you felt standing in the dress looking in the mirror, falling in love with all the details that your phone was not able to capture. Sometimes a bride will love a dress when she is standing in it but is less than impressed when she gets home. On the day of your wedding your dress will only be remembered by people seeing it in person or from the photos from the professional photographer that you hired. Trust your instincts when you are gown shopping. If you love the dress but can’t make a commitment that day, then take time to think it over for a few days and go back and try it on again. Seeing it in person once more versus seeing it on a phone is far more beneficial.
Most importantly, relax and have fun! Whether you are shopping alone or with your whole gang, don’t worry about others’ opinions. Your day. Your dress. You deserve to be happy in your gown; don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Let us know what you think! Did doing any of these things help you during your wedding gown search? Do you have any additional advice for other brides-to-be beginning their search? Comment below or email us your thoughts!
For more from The DC Ladies, see some our favorite wedding features. You can also find them on facebook, twitter, and pinterest. They've got a lot of great information to offer:
- Wedding Beauty Timeline
- Finding a Venue: What to Know Before You Go
- Finding a Venue: Questions to Ask at a Site Visit
- Using Sparklers at your Next Event
- Tips for DIY Flowers
- Engagement Session Beauty
Jim Hjelm 2013 Trunk Show
Experience the Fall 2013 Jim Hjelm bridal collection at Ellie's Bridal Boutique October 4-6.
The Jim Hjelm Couture wedding dress collection, from JLM Couture’s upscale bridal gown division, includes modern yet classic bridal gowns that represent sophistication and confidence for the bride who has a flair for dramatic elegance. Silk Crepe, silk satin chiffon, tulle and lace are used in the Jim Hjelm Couture collection, creating a magnificent group of beautifully designed wedding dresses. Creative accents that make the gowns extra special include criss-cross back straps, halter necklines,elaborate embroidery, silk flowers and an illusion design element on several wedding dresses created with a very fine stretch fabric, of opaque colors with tiny crystals. And to top it off, these gowns are proudly designed by Francesca Pitera and made in the USA.
If you value modern, sophisticated elegance designed from high-quality fabrics (without having to spend $10,000 on a gown), this event is absolutely for you. Visit Ellie's Bridal Boutique to view
Jim Hjelm's newest collection and enjoy 10% OFF the purchase of any Jim
Hjelm gown during this exclusive in-house event.
Many of these gowns will featured in our boutique for one weekend only. Ellie's Bridal is the only bridal salon in Virginia carrying Jim Hjelm's 2013 collection so don't miss your chance to view these amazing designs and get the exclusive *trunk show only* price
Appointments are required to attend this event. Call us to book your appointment today.
*Note: These gowns typically retail for over $3,000 original price – that's hundreds of dollars of savings at a Trunk Show!*
Ellie's Bridal Boutique Receives 2013 Best of Alexandria Award
U.S. Commerce Association's Award Plaque Honors the Achievement
PRESS RELEASE
NEW YORK, NY, September 11, 2013 -- For the third consecutive year, Ellie's Bridal Boutique has been selected for the 2013 Best of Alexandria Award in the Wedding & Bridal Stores category by the U.S. Commerce Association (USCA).
The USCA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.
Nationwide, only 1 in 120 (less than 1%) 2013 Award recipients qualified as Three-Time Award Winners. Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2013 USCA Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USCA and data provided by third parties.
About U.S. Commerce Association (USCA)
U.S. Commerce Association (USCA) is a New York City based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USCA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising.
The USCA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs across America.
SOURCE: U.S. Commerce Association
CONTACT: U.S. Commerce Association Email: PublicRelations@uscaaward.com URL: http://www.uscaaward.com
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Relaunching Ellie's Website & Blog
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).
Meet Our Staff: Silvia
When you look at Silvia's work you are often left in amazement. We, too, often wonder how she does it. Silvia is our magic maker, prized worker, and expert seamstress. We have many wonderful people here at Ellie's Bridal Boutique, but Silvia is our unsung hero. She's behind the scenes working hard to make sure the gowns are fit to the Bride just right. She's the one that works hard to ensure the gown looks flawless. She's the one that makes your concepts into reality. Between her and Crystal, their combined expertise can seemingly do anything with fabric. If you know anything about sewing, you'll be impressed to learn that Silvia doesn't need someone to give her a pattern for a dress -- she makes up her own in her head.
Silvia has been working at Ellie's Bridal Boutique since the beginning. In fact, she was the first seamstress that we ever hired. She is definitely a person you would call family (& we certainly do). So "Thank You" Silvia for being part of our family and for working your magic to make our brides look as stunning as possible.
Wedding Bouquet Video Camera
What a neat idea to add a camera in your bouquet! It shows you in first person your point of view of what you saw during your exciting moments. If you are thinking of using videography to capture your wedding day memories, this is a must.
Comment below and tell us how you will keep your Wedding Day alive for years to come.
The DC Ladies Recap: The Long and Short of Wedding Planning
The other day Kellie dished out some guidelines for where to start in the overwhelming world of wedding planning. What we didn't mention was how the length of your engagement may affect how you approach your planning. Luckily, Margo has this topic covered. We have Margo's recap below; the full article is here. Margo is the owner of The Bright Occassions, a local boutique wedding planning company.
Long Engagements
- Enjoy being engaged, but stay away from wedding magazines or blogs!
- Budget and save.
- Set a general wedding date and planning start date.
- Do not ask your bridal party before you start planning.
- Use your time wisely.
- DIY projects.
When couples first get engaged, they are often bombarded with questions from family and friends. One of the advantages of a longer engagement is that you can take your time before answering all of their questions. If you know your engagement length will be well over a year, avoid jumping into planning, reading wedding magazines or browsing blogs/Pinterest for ideas. Take a few months to enjoy being an engaged couple before you start to overwhelm yourself with all of the options and planning.
Short Engagements
- Consider Hiring a Wedding Planner.
- Start with the Who, Where, When, and How.
- Know what you need to do first, enlist help.
- Discard the unnecessary.
- Limit your options, and move on once a decision is made.
- Consider the untraditional.
If you are planning a wedding in 6 months or less, there will be a lot of decisions to make and not a ton of time. Having a Wedding Planner can help in a lot of ways! Perhaps the biggest way, is that as a professional they are not planning a wedding for the first time, they can move quickly providing the appropriate venue and vendor options that are available your date and budget. In addition, they can help manage your time, provide design solutions, as well as contact and negotiate with vendors on your behalf.
Getting Started with Wedding Planning
Getting Started with Wedding Planning – via Ellie's Bridal Blog
Congratulations, you are engaged!! Now that you have finally arrived to this point in your life, what should you do? As a bride-to-be herself, our very own Kellie will share her wedding planning insight that she has gained through both planning her own wedding and experience working in the bridal industry.
Personally, I find WeddingWire to be very helpful. Who knew you no longer have to go to a million sites? You can find a lot on one place! See image on the right for what you can utilize for your wedding planning alone. In case the WeddingWire/all-in-one-place approach isn't for you, here is a list of 10 Wedding Websites that Every Bride Needs. No matter what resources you use, you should certainly kick off your planning by thinking about these points:
#1 Plan your budget.
Understand your limitations and prioritize. If there is something you really want, talk to the vendors for ideas and suggestions to get something similar that is closer to the price you are looking to stay at. This requires you to be flexible and open to suggestions.
#2 Get inspiration
Figure out what kind of wedding you want. How do you want it to look, what vendors are in the area you want to get married, and where you want to get married. With Pinterest, bridal magazines, and a plethora of wedding blogs at your fingertips, you will never feel short of wedding inspiration. If you own an iPad, The DC Ladies have a fabulous post on how to integrate your ipad/tablet into all your wedding planning needs.
#3 Find a venue that you LOVE
This will determine how many guests can fit and afford. The guest list can build up very quickly. Knowing how much the venue charges per person, you can place a reasonable estimate on how many guests you can invite. If having 200 people is very important to you, you can look at venues that can accommodate the amount of guests and be within the budget you can afford. Check out Venues on Wedding Wire or The Knot to help you see what is in the area and start making appointments.
#4 Request Quotes
Don't be afraid to start requesting quotes from vendors you are interested in. Take the time to learn everything you can. You want to make sure they have what you are looking for.
#5 Put together your online website
It's a great way to give detailed information that cannot fit in the invitations. You can share how you met, the proposal, who's in the wedding, fun activities in the area.
#6 Plan pre-wedding events
Personally, I have been to many weddings. Sometimes you do not know anyone but the couple and a few friends. When planning a wedding, take advantage that people are coming into town to be with you. Plan fun events before the wedding so your guests can make new friends and have time with you. The day of the ceremony is crazy and have limited time to spend with everyone. Events leading up to the big day will help you really spend quality time with everyone.
#7 Create down-time
Plan to have time for last minute details and to get away from the craziness. You want to enjoy everything because it goes by fast. Make sure you take the time to de-stress and relax. You'll need time to get yourself all together. So don't forget to plan time for yourself the week of the wedding.
#8 Expect the unexpected
Realize that something may pop up that you were not expecting. Tell yourself, it's your wedding and you are going to enjoy everything no matter what happens.
#9 Research the value of a Wedding Planner
Every engaged couple should at least think about hiring a Wedding Planner, in which case you should read this so you know a little more about what a wedding planner actually does. Great wedding planners are known to work with your budget, and ultimately help you spend less rather than spending more. If you know you want to plan your wedding completely on your own, you may still want to hire a planner for day-of coordination. You may not realize the full value of one until you learn about the near-disasters that you didn't have to deal with only after the wedding.
If you have any other tips or advice that helped with your wedding planning, please help share those [not so] secret tips. You can also follow our Wedding Planning Tips Pinterest board and view our collection of the most helpful pictures and posts we could find.
From Fashion Week to Bridal Attire: 2013 Trends
We were completely honored when Chris Laich asked us to guest-write a post for his [awesome] blog. Chris Laich Music Services provides elegant DJ services and live musicians for weddings and corporate events in the Virginia, DC, and Maryland areas, and is Washington’s most critically acclaimed wedding DJ. He has even been listed as one of the hottest wedding DJs in the country by Modern Bride Magazine as well as the top wedding DJ in the area by Washingtonian magazine.
Thanks again for inviting us on your blog, Chris! In case you missed it, here is our post again:
Bridal Attire Fashion and Advice from DC Area Experts – Part 3 with Ellie’s Bridal Boutique
We often find that fashion follows fashion, and that includes everything from Hollywood red carpet to ready-to-wear to bridal attire. We found some of the top trends for 2013 to show you how your favorite runway looks will translate to the pages of your favorite wedding magazine.
Florals
Blue by Enzoani DILLON – Ellie's Bridal Boutique (Alexandria, VA)
Without a doubt, floral prints were one of the top trends seen at New York’s Fashion Week earlier this year.This trend is fun and feminine in any fashion setting so it’s not a surprise to see florals emerging in everything bridal, giving a romantic, fairy-tale spin to a look that is still light enough for any spring garden.
For bridal gowns, bold floral patterns add an artful flare when used in place of traditional lace patterns. Proven popular with brides, Blue by Enzoani's Dillon gown (pictured right) is a perfect example of this. Looks like this trend is here to stay!
How Floral trends translate to Bridal Attire – via Ellie's Bridal Blog
Far left:Elle Magazine features floral runway designs from New York’s Fashion Week Center left: Zara’s newest collection features a casual Piqué Floral BlazerCenter right: After Six bridesmaid style 6600 Far right: Dessy Collection bridesmaid style 2833
Pleated Waist
Who ever guessed that pleats would find its way back into our hearts? But one click onto Forever 21’s “New Arrivals” page shows us options to make pleated shirts and skirts cute and wearable again. Above we illustrate how this return styles easily translates into classic bridesmaid and bridal styles. Despite popular belief, these styles are incredibly flattering for most figure types.
How fashion trends translate to Bridal Attire #pleats #pleated waist skirt – via Ellie's Bridal Blog
Left:Forever 21 Sheer Pleated Waist Top Center: Alfred Sung bridesmaid style D524 Right: Justin Alexander Signature style 9688
Bold Ruffles
How fashion trends translate to Bridal Attire #ruffles – via Ellie's Bridal Blog
InStyle’s ruffles trend overview
We’ve seen ruffles before, but as Instyle notes, “these stiff, austere waves are more modern than the floppier furls of past seasons.” Ruffles of past seasons were soft and flowy, moving with every step and swing. The larger, bolder ruffles of 2013 are more carefully constructed and placed with the greatest attention. Gowns with this design in mind are intentionally chic and in vogue, perfect for the fashion-forward bride.
How fashion trends translate to Bridal Attire #ruffles – via Ellie's Bridal Blog
Left: Alfred Sung bridesmaid style D544 Center: Dessy Collection bridesmaid style 2867 Right: Allure Romance style 2605
Metallics
Metallics are in for Spring 2013. Shiny textures & iridescent fabrics were seen all over Fashion Week’s runways earlier this year. To keep the elegance of bridal wear alive, the metallics of bridesmaids dresses are typically more subtle than on most runways. Iridescent and luminescent chiffons offer a soft metallic sparkle that radiates the most romantic aura and should be admired up close. He magical look and feel of these fabrics will be most appreciated as your bridal party graces down the aisle past the gazing eyes of your guests. Certain colors offered in Dupioni, Peau de soie, and Silky taffeta fabrics offer a more vibrant metallic shine that is more eye-catching and modern for bolder bridal parties.
How fashion trends translate to Bridal Attire #metallics – via Ellie's Bridal Blog
Top left:Fashion Magazine features Metallics on 2013 runways Far right: Jim Hjelm Occasions bridemaids style 5151 in Dupioni Bottom row: Justin Alexander Spring 2013 Signature Collection
Knowing that today’s brides are looking to strike that perfect balance between modern trends, individuality, and timeless style, top bridal designers knew that incorporating the metallic trend into wedding gowns would be a bit more challenging. Stylish brides will love the use of neutral, non-traditional colors and both textured and crystal beaded embroidery used to achieve a glamorous bridal look that gives it nod to modern runway fashion.
Brides may also choose to use shiny shoes and accessories to complement a more traditional bridal gown and keep up with the metallic trend.
Peekaboo
InStyle loves how adventurous the Peekaboo look is. The most daring of brides may want to stun their crowd with this provocative style, though most brides prefer to adhere to more understated appearances for their Big Day. Typically in bridal, you will find the peekaboo in a much more refined way that still shows off the thinly veiled “reveal-and-conceal” dramatic look the style was intended for. Keyhole and illusion detailing across the back is the most popular way this fashion trend finds its way into the elegant tastes of wedding attire.
How fashion trends translate to Bridal Attire #peekaboo – via Ellie's Bridal Blog
Left: InStyle’s peekaboo overview Right: Fada from Blue by Enzoani
Lace, Lace, Lace
It’s all about lace! While never out of fashion, we have seen a sharp and steady increase in the popularity of lace since the timelessness and grace of Kate Middleton awed the world on her wedding day just two years ago. Lace gowns are being paired with nearly every other fashion trend out there (see above). With more lace options than ever, lace-loving brides every silhouette and neckline imaginable. Lace-loving brides, this is the ideal time to find your gown. We are also seeing lace displayed on a growing number of bridesmaid designs.
How fashion trends translate to Bridal Attire #lace – via Ellie's Bridal Blog
Far left: Taylor Swift at CMT’s Artist of the Year awards Center left: Allure Romance style 2604 Center right: Stacy Keibler at Screen Actors Guild Awards Far right: Allure Romance 2610
I really could go on forever with this post! It really was a restraint to keep from adding a dozen more photos to the above post... showing gowns with combinations of some of the above trend... highlighting more trends with more photos... You'll just have to make an appointment with us to come in and see the rest!
