Turning Pinterest Wedding Gowns into Reality: Amazing Backs

Falling in love with Pinterest wedding photos and wondering if those looks are even possible to attain? Luckily, we love Pinterest too and are here to save the day for DC brides everywhere!

Not gonna lie, it's really satisfying so see popular pins and be able to say, "we've got that look."  :)

Wanda Borges – popular on Pinterest

Get the look with Mikaella 1802 right here at Ellie's Bridal
[EDIT: This sample has since been sold from our store]

Katie May – popular on Pinterest

Get the look with Mikella 1911

Inbal Dror – popular on Pinterest

Get the look with Justin Alexander 8737

Jane Yeh – popular on Pinterest

Get the look with Justin Alexander 8727

Catherine Dean – popular on Pinterest

Get the look with Allure Romance 2716

And there are times we have exactly what you are looking for  :-)

Mikaella 1661 – popular on Pinterest

Mikaella 1661 right here at Ellie's Bridal Boutique

Justin Alexander 8557 – popular on Pinterest

Justin Alexander 8557 right here at Ellie's Bridal Boutique

Jim Hjelm 8011 – popular on Pinterest

Jim Hjelm 8011 right here at Ellie's Bridal

For even more gowns with stunning detail or backless options, call 703-683-VOWS to make your appointment and join the Ellie's Bridal Family <3

Retailer Perspective: Shopping at Bridal Market

How do we shop for bridal dresses for our boutique? What kinds of things do we look for and think about? Much of the process is just like how you would shop for own bridal gown. We are always mindful of quality, price, style and design because we want what our brides want. On the other hand, we are shopping for other people and not ourselves. We are expected to read the minds and tastes of people we have yet to meet and be cognizant of fashion trends a year in advance. So what do we look for? This shouldn't come as a surprise, but often it's simply a matter of you asking us. This past season we thought Ellie's Bridal Boutique had plenty of gowns with keyhole backs to choose from. Brides kept asking for more. We listened. So we will be welcoming Casablanca 2102 (Below: top left) for its keyhole back. On facebook Rachel asked for "lace paired with other fabrics." Even though just one bride asked specifically, we listened to that, too. And so we will soon welcome Casablanca 2108 (Below: top right) for its mixture of lace and tulle fabrics. We even picked out Mikaella 1763 (Below: bottom left) for its keyhole back AND lace straps on satin skirt. Nikki requested "tulle skirts with sparkle... as opposed to sparkly skirts typically being satin." We are proud to now feature Justin Alexander 8638 (Below: bottom right), a gown with ruched tulle covering sequin, which arrived in our store just last week! We got a variety of gowns based on your feedback. You'll just have to wait to see the rest as they trickle into our store over the next few months!

Probably one of the most obvious factors is allowing variety in our selection. We have heard so many brides proclaim, "I want the top of Dress A with the bottom of Dress B!" Our main goal here is to find a feature that brides love in a gown, then give them options to have that. About two years ago, when the strapless trend was still at its height, we decided to bring in something a little different with Justin Alexander 8530 (Below: left image). While we had several necklines to start, the bateau received the most compliments. Unfortunately, the only gowns in our store with that neckline were more fitted sheath or trumpet gowns. It was only natural that we expanded the selection. So as soon we laid eyes on Justin Alexander 8630 (Below: right image) we instantly knew that it had to be part of our collection. In fact, it also arrived in our boutique last week!

There are so many other details we need to think about when deciding which gowns to bring into our salon. I'll elaborate more on how we think about gown quality, alteration capability, our past experience and reputation, and a host of other factors that come into play at later date. In the meantime, just know that we truly have your interests heart. This is your special day and we really do want to make you feel like you can have it all and turn your dreams into a reality.

And if you haven't already, definitely check out this post for more Spring 2013 previews.

Wedding Gown Photo Ideas

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.

Out With the Old, In With the New

Now that things are finally calming down from the bustling excitement of last weekend's Back to Savings Sample Sale, we want to show you just what all the fuss was about from our end.

Brides are not the only ones shopping for wedding gowns year-round. In fact, bridal salons are required to purchase bridal gowns twice a year: every Spring and Fall season. And trust me, just once a year is more than enough to keep our inventory quite alive. If you have visited before, you know exactly what we mean. We simply have too many wedding dresses. The solution? You guessed it: sample sale.

We love sample sales because they are a win-win for brides-to-be and bridal salons. Not only do you get the opportunity get great deals on gorgeous gowns, but it allows us to clear the racks in preparation for the next season. This is also why our sample sales also include gowns that have been in our boutique for less than a full season - we simply don't have enough space!

So now that we've made a little room, here's a an exclusive sneak peek at a few of the gowns we seriously can't wait to show you. None of these gowns have been even been advertised yet, so I hope we don't get in trouble for this from our designers!

Between the fabulous fit-n-flare silhouette, fun pick-ups, and detailing of this illusion neckline, we're sure that brides will love Mikaella's modern twist to this simple, classic look.

For something just a bit sexier, we are loving this fitted, chiffon gown by Sincerity. Just wait until you see the back!

Sincerity also has this fantastic tea-length gown that we know brides will absolutely adore. The lace top can be detachable so you can even go strapless if you want to update this dress to a more contemporary look.

One of the gowns that we are probably the most excited about is this Justin Alexander. The crocheted lace detail gives a dramatic twist to this otherwise traditional ball gown.

Having a destination wedding on the beach, or thinking that these gowns are just not your style? Sweetheart has just the gown for you.

Can't wait to see our new collections? Neither can we. Unfortunately, we aren't expecting these gowns to arrive in our boutique for another couple months but we still have plenty of other styles to choose from. The good news is, now you know we have a bit of everything. And if this post isn't enough for you, see what we currently have in our store.

No matter your taste or style, call us at 703-683-VOWS(8697) to schedule your appointment.

Happy 1 Year Anniversary to Jen & Jim!!

 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.

Spring is in the Air!

Well... almost.. We've had a BEAUTIFUL February so far, so I think it's fair to say it's pretty much spring already. And with Spring comes... NEW DRESSES! We have our brand new Spring 2012 dresses out on the floor, ready and waiting for you!

Here is just a preview of what this season has in store:

Designer: Ella

This is one of my very favorite dresses in the store! You can get it with or without the belt pictured above and you can wear it with another belt or just simply elegant on its own.

This gown says "Princess" without going over the top. The light fabric of the skirt and the way it drapes across the body make this dress look magical and ethereal. The shape is absolutely stunning on any body type and the style is versatile to many weddings. This dress isn't tied down to any labels as a "Garden Wedding Dress" or "Beach Wedding Dress" or "Formal Wedding Dress." This dress lets the woman who is wearing it define it!

This dress is ideal for a girl who wants to feel like she has just stepped out of a fairytale... but also wants to show off her great figure!! The romantic feel of this dress will help you create your very own modern fairytale with your personal Prince Charming.

Designer: Mikaella

If you are a Bride who is DESPERATE for some pockets... Mikaella is the designer for you! She has several gorgeous gowns with pockets!

In the store, I have put these dresses on girls who didn't even specify they would like pockets because they automatically assumed that any dress with pockets would probably be ugly. But when they put these amazing Mikaella gowns on, their eyes would absolutely light up as they quickly shoved their hands into the pockets.

So believe it or not folks... Pockets and Pretty are NOT mutually exclusive!!

Here is another very sweet gown from Mikaella... and with MORE POCKETS!! I hope you guys are eating up all this pocket talk. Just think of it! You could be standing up at the altar with your sweetie with you Iphone in one pocket, ready to change your relationship status on Facebook as soon as the recessional starts!

Ooorrrrr not... ;)

Either way, you can't go wrong with this sweet and simple Mikaella!

Designer: Justin Alexander

The other day, I had a bride trying on a couple Justin Alexander gowns and her mother asked who the designer was and I told her, she looked at me funny and questioned, "A Boy?" She just couldn't believe that a man had created such stunning wedding gowns! But I guess those men get it right once in awhile... or else none of us would even be looking at wedding dresses in the first place!

This gown is probably the MOST fashion-forward dress in our entire shop. It just screams fashionista. If you have dreams of walking the runway or the red carpet, this is the dress for you.To me, it has an almost iconic look to it. It reminds me of Audrey Hepburn! What she might wear if she was getting married in 2012! In this gown, Justin has wrapped up elegance, sophistication, and pure style.

Justin Strikes Again!! This is another example of Justin Alexander's simple elegance and stylish design. You can kind of see this in the photo, but in person this dress shines like candlelight. You will be the one setting the mood as you flicker softly like a candle flame. This is another pick that I think Audrey would snag for her 2012 wedding as well. If you are looking for timeless and iconic, Justin is your man.

All of these dresses (and sooo many more Spring 2012 dresses) are available at Ellie's Bridal Boutique in Old Town Alexandria. As always, you can call us at 703-683-8697 to schedule an appointment if you want to make a date with one of these beauties.

And if you are looking for more wedding inspiration, you are in luck! Because Ellie's Bridal Boutique now has a Pinterest!! Click Here for hours and hours filled with nothing but awesome wedding inspiration! And if you need an invitation to join, feel free to tell us on Facebook or right here on Tumblr!!