Disney Fairy Tale Weddings comes to Ellie's Bridal Boutique

March 21, 2020 Ellie Tanner

We’re in the midst of our Allure Bridals Trunk Show, which has not turned out quite the way we originally anticipated. Despite the novel coronavirus outbreak, the trunk show has been a surprising success (all things considered with a more empty feeling salon). We are so impressed with our brides who have been so amazingly flexible, accommodating, and considerate of public health concerns throughout all the crazy and changing times these days.

In celebration of our trunk show, we wanted to let you in on a secret we’ve been keeping! We are so proud and excited to announce that we will be joining Allure Bridals and Disney to bring you the ultimate fairy tale. Dreaming of walking down the aisle in a Disney Princess inspired dress? Your dream can now come true with the new Disney Fairy Tale Weddings Collection, which will be available at Ellie’s Bridal Boutique for DC-area brides.

Sketches of Ariel and Belle inspired gowns from the new Disney Fairy Tale Weddings collection

Disney fans can have the wedding of their dreams thanks to an official line of Disney Princess wedding gowns. Originally, the line was supposed to debut at New York Bridal Fashion Week in April, and officially arrive in our store shortly thereafter. TBD how that timeline is adjusted now that New York Bridal Fashion Week has been cancelled due to current events. “So many brides grow up admiring their favorite Disney Princess characters and are inspired by their journeys, gowns and stories of the classic films,” said Allure Bridals CEO, Kelly Crum.

“Our design team worked tirelessly on each of these incredible gowns, as each dress features intricate detailing specifically inspired by the timeless characters known and loved by all of us.”

— Allure Bridals CEO, Kelly Crum

Gowns include both ballgowns and mermaid silhouettes made of mikado silk, sparkly tulle, chiffon, ruffled organza, lace, crystal beading, pearls or appliqué embellishments. “We are honored to work with Disney on this collection and see the romance of it come to life,” Crum added.

ICYMI: In other Disney news, Jasmine will return in an Aladdin sequel that's in the works, while the Little Mermaid live-action remake found its Prince Eric in November by casting Jonah Hauer-King alongside Halle Bailey as Ariel.

"Blush" like a Celebrity for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October 1, 2014 Ellie Tanner

This month, we are celebrating #Pinktober by spreading the joy of PINK dresses. Purchase your blush/pink/peach/moscato bridal (or bridesmaids!) gown at Ellie's Bridal during the month of October for extra savings and rock out in pink like these celebrities did for their wedding day:

Jessica Biel

Reese Witherspoon

Anne Hathaway

Gwen Stefani

Portia de Rossi

Both blondes wore Zac Posen to their 2008 ceremony.

Which pink/blush gown do you like best? Comment below to let us know!

Wedding Through Two Different Lenses

September 22, 2014 Ellie Tanner

On the off chance you thought wedding photography was just about having a nice camera and knowing how to use it, we present to you a Kate Spade inspired stylized wedding through the eyes and lenses of two fabulous photographers.

These two little sneak peeks are a great example of how a photographer's vision, technical photography skills, and post processing choices give each of their albums a personality of their own. It's important to remember that photographers are artists that completely immerse themselves into their work. SO much happens behind the scenes that we don't see when we are in front of the camera!

We absolutely love how our Kate Spade shoot turned out (special thanks to Margo of Bright Occasions & The DC Ladies!) and hope you'll appreciate the passionate work our wedding photographers do when turning your wedding day into a memorable work of art.

Vendor Information:

Photography: Procopio Photography & Mollie Tobias Photography | Wedding Planning & Styling: Bright Occasions -Contact: Margo Fischer |Venue: Carnegie Library - Contact: Kristina Noell or Ashley Forrester | Catering: Katie Musser, 550 Events - Contact: Katie Musser | Wedding Cake: Kendall’s Cakes - Contact: Meghan De Angelis |Desserts: Huda’s Sweet Bee Bakery - Contact: Huda Baterjee | Invitations & Paper: Tabibi Design - Contact: Tina Tabibi | Rentals: DC Rentals - Contact: Kathleen Schmidt | Floral Design: Eight Tree Street - Contact: Contact: Maribel Kalata | Hair: Amie Decker of Amie Decker Beauty | Makeup: Suzanne Della Pella of Amie Decker Beauty - Contact: Amie Decker | Garter: The Garter Girl - Contact: Julianne Smith | Bridal Gown and Bridesmaid Dresses: Ellie’s Bridal Boutique - Contact: Ellie’s Bridal | Bridal Jewelry: Diamond Connects - Contact: Diamond Connects |Bridesmaid Jewelry: Rene Kauder – Independent Stylist for Stella & Dot - Contact: Rene Kauder

The Bride’s Look:

Bridal Gown – Victoria-Nicole/1106

Shoes – Kate Spade

Engagement Ring: custom made 14k white gold Halo diamond engagement ring with center stone Radiant fancy yellow 1.21 carat total weight VS2 clarity & 0.37 carat total weight white diamond side stones Retails: $11,622

Bracelet: custom made 18k white gold deco-inspired diamond bracelet 4.81 carat total weight Retail: $13,300

Earrings: custom made 18kt white deco-inspired drop earrings 5.24 total weight Retail: $9,672

The Bridesmaid’s Look:

Bridesmaids – Jim Hjelm Occasions 1) JH5125 2) JH5185 3) JH5363

Necklace – Somervell Necklace $59.00

Earings – Nancy Studs $24.00

Bracelet – Christina Link Bracelet $49.00

Wedding Gowns Over/Under $4,000

September 5, 2014 Ellie Tanner

High-end designer bridal gowns are made with the most stylish designs in mind, luxurious fabrics, and impeccable gown construction. With all those must-have qualities, it's no surprise that the cost of a wedding dress can add up quickly. Although we may be biased, we truly believe that the most important outfit of your life is worth every penny.

That being said, the Ellie's Bridal team also believes that good fabric and fabulous designs are available at every price point. We've done the hard work and hunting for you, bringing the best selection of affordable designer bridal gowns under one roof.

Can you tell which gowns are over or under? Bridal gowns in the left column retail for $4,000-$10,000 while gowns on the right are found right here at Ellie's Bridal Boutique for under $4,000.

Designer Wedding Gowns
OVER $4000

Wedding Gowns
UNDER $4000
at Ellie's Bridal Boutique

Style 2169 by Casablanca  -- Wedding Dresses under $4,000 at Ellie's Bridal Boutique (Alexandria, VA) — Style 2169 by Casablanca -- Wedding Dresses under $4,000 at Ellie's Bridal Boutique (Alexandria, VA)

Style 9745 by Justin Alexander -- Wedding Dresses under $4,000 at Ellie's Bridal Boutique (Alexandria, VA) — Style 9745 by Justin Alexander -- Wedding Dresses under $4,000 at Ellie's Bridal Boutique (Alexandria, VA)

Style 8721 by Justin Alexander -- Wedding Dresses under $4,000 at Ellie's Bridal Boutique (Alexandria, VA)

Style 8731 by Justin Alexander -- Wedding Dresses under $4,000 at Ellie's Bridal Boutique (Alexandria, VA)

Style 2713 by Allure Romance  -- Wedding Dresses under $4,000 at Ellie's Bridal Boutique (Alexandria, VA) — Style 2713 by Allure Romance -- Wedding Dresses under $4,000 at Ellie's Bridal Boutique (Alexandria, VA)

Style 5977 by Stella York -- Wedding Dresses under $4,000 at Ellie's Bridal Boutique (Alexandria, VA) — Style 5977 by Stella York -- Wedding Dresses under $4,000 at Ellie's Bridal Boutique (Alexandria, VA)

Style 8724 by Justin Alexander -- Wedding Dresses under $4,000 at Ellie's Bridal Boutique (Alexandria, VA) — Style 8724 by Justin Alexander -- Wedding Dresses under $4,000 at Ellie's Bridal Boutique (Alexandria, VA)

Style 8659 by Justin Alexander -- Wedding Dresses under $4,000 at Ellie's Bridal Boutique (Alexandria, VA) — Style 8659 by Justin Alexander -- Wedding Dresses under $4,000 at Ellie's Bridal Boutique (Alexandria, VA)

Style 2455 by Allure Romance -- Wedding Dresses under $4,000 at Ellie's Bridal Boutique (Alexandria, VA) — Style 2455 by Allure Romance -- Wedding Dresses under $4,000 at Ellie's Bridal Boutique (Alexandria, VA)

Brielle by Rivini Rita Vinieris — Brielle by Rivini Rita Vinieris

Style 3787 by Sincerity – Wedding Dresses under $4,000 at Ellie's Bridal Boutique (Alexandria, VA) — Style 3787 by Sincerity – Wedding Dresses under $4,000 at Ellie's Bridal Boutique (Alexandria, VA)

Adelle by Rivini Rita Vinieris — Adelle by Rivini Rita Vinieris

Style 8709 by Justin Alexander -- Wedding Dresses under $4,000 at Ellie's Bridal Boutique (Alexandria, VA)

BONUS:

Trendier brides will love this crystal and pearl beaded Sabrina keyhole neckline on a asymmetric ruched bodice by Rivini (below, left). See Justin Alexander 8735 for one weekend only at our Justin Alexander Trunk Show (September 12-14) to get the look for under $4,000.

Crystal by Rivini Rita Vinieris — Crystal by Rivini Rita Vinieris

Style 8725 by Justin AlexanderJustin Alexander Trunk Show at Ellie's Bridal Boutique (September 12-14, 2014) — Style 8725 by Justin Alexander

Justin Alexander Trunk Show at Ellie's Bridal Boutique (September 12-14, 2014)

Bridal gowns at Ellie's Bridal Boutique range from about $900 - $5000.

Top 5 Best Surprise Wedding Dance Moves

August 18, 2014 Ellie Tanner

NUMBER 5

I'll admit, I'm much more impressed with the special effects and pyrotechnics than anything else on this one. I mean, did you look at that dance floor yet??

our crazy wadding dance mix

NUMBER 4

I am so sorry I don't have a higher quality video for you (I even took the effort to look), but I promise that no amount of poor resolution can hide the awesomeness that occurs int he next wedding dance number.

NUMBER 3

Really, I'm just a sucker for handsome men looking this sharp with moves this suave.

THIS IS A NEW BETTER VERSION WITH LESS OF THAT UNBEARABLE SCREAMING! My brother Sean Rajaee surprised his bride with a choreographed American/Persian groomsmen dance at his wedding June 21, 2014. The dance started off with a Beyonce song then went into the bride (Ariana's) favorite band the Backstreet Boys and ended with the Bruno Mars song "Marry You."

NUMBER 2

This groom has some serious moves! The grand set-up, upbeat pop music, moves I can't even begin to compete with, and top-notch videography make this video a personal favorite.

A wedding reception surprise dance by the groom and groomsmen to none other than Justin Bieber's "Baby"! A beautiful gift to his beautiful bride... Enjoy! (video by studio 205 films) check out our friend from www.doamore.com!

NUMBER 1

I absolutely love how much fun everyone in this video is having. And by everyone, I mean just about everyone is on the floor dancing. It's hard not to break out into a smile as the energy from that room seeps through your computer screen. This bride had her wedding party and guests learn 3 different dances so the next 3:57 could happen, making it her favorite part of the wedding.

We made all our our guests learn 3 dances for our wedding- and this is what happened. #Mecca Wedding To subscribe to my channel click here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfw8x3VR-ElcaWW2Tg_jgSA?annotation_id=annotation_4119905641&feature=iv&src_vid=BNLVWl8JfjI&sub_confirmation=1 Choreographed by Tiffany Moore.

Did you, or will you, have a surprise wedding number at your wedding? What do you think of surprise dance numbers at weddings?

Share your thoughts below and show us your videos!

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

Glamorous Bridesmaids with Hollywood Looks

April 24, 2014 Ellie Tanner

Get Emma Stone's Academy Awards look with Alfred Sung D535

You'll never fail to look super cute when you take a page from Audrey Hepburn's book. After Six 6631 is here to help!

Alfred Sung D477 gives a nod to Jackie O's iconic style while updating the lines to give a more modern look.

Pay tribute to Elizabeth Taylor's classic bombshell sense of style with Alfred Sung D480.

True Love Locked in a Closet

October 16, 2013 Ellie Tanner

“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.”

— via Reddit

Click on the photo to see more pictures that will make you believe in true love.

Source: http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/pictures-th...

Wedding Bouquet Video Camera

April 15, 2013 Ellie Tanner

6 months before our wedding, my wife and I decided to hide a GoPro HD Hero 2 video camera in her wedding bouquet. The wide angle first person viewpoint of her walking down the aisle is something we can look back on many years from now.

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.

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!

Jessica Biel

Reese Witherspoon

Anne Hathaway

Gwen Stefani