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Why be a princess when you could be a queen?

September 21, 2020

Beautiful bride Amanda was sure she wanted a princess gown, but after trying on countless gowns she was losing the will to shop… “In my mind, the dress was always a ballgown or princess dress,” says Amanda. “Despite trying a million on, I hadn’t fallen in love with anything.  Nothing grabbed me and made me feel special.” After a long and fruitless hunt across many different bridal stores, Amanda visited one of our boutiques, along with her mum and bridesmaids. “Again, I tried on princess dress after princess dress… but I didn’t fall in love. “Then my bridal advisor suggested I try something different.  She suggested a more fitted, mermaid-style dress would fit my figure amazingly.  One of my bridesmaids agreed and instantly chose a dress for me to try on…” Amanda stared at the gown on the hanger, and wasn’t at all sold.  “Initially I hated it to look at,” she admits.  “I didn’t like the colour – it was blush – and I didn’t like that it was strapless.  But I agreed to try it on, just to keep them quiet!” No sooner had Amanda slipped into the mermaid gown than she realised she couldn’t have been more wrong – the dress was everything she’d been looking for – even though it was nothing she’d been looking for! “It fit amazingly.  I felt like a queen.  I felt beautiful.  And I was beaming,” Amanda remembers. “I came out of the changing room to show everyone, and they could all see by my face that I’d found the one!” To complete the moment, both Amanda’s mum and her maid of honour immediately burst into tears. Amanda felt incredible in her dredss – so much so she didn’t want to take it off.  But there was still one problem… While she’d done a U-turn on the silhouette she wanted, there was part of the original dream dress Amanda wasn’t ready to forget about. “I had my heart set on a keyhole back, but the dress I’d now fallen in love with didn’t have one,” Amanda explains.  “It was strapless with a sweetheart neckline.” Our bridal team were quick to put Amanda’s mind at rest.  Because Amanda’s dress had been designed by our own in-house design team, our seamstresses had access to the exact lace that made up the rest of the gown and offered to make Amanda a special bespoke addition to her bodice. “She told me I could purchase the matching lace and have a custom keyhole back put in!” says Amanda.  “Once I knew that, my mind was made up!” But Amanda’s dress stresses weren’t quite over yet. “When I came for my first fitting, I was devastated – I’d lost too much weight!  The dress no longer fitted me snugly, and it no longer flattered my figure.  I’d lost so much weight, in fact, that I needed the dress resizing from a size 16 to a size 12.” Amanda started to panic, but her seamstress came to the rescue. “She was so honest with me,” says Amanda.  “She told me that to have her alter the dress that much would cost a fortune, and that it would be much more sensible to swap the dress for an actual size 12 – which I did right away for just the small restocking fee.” Once Amanda had her dress in her size, the seamstress started her work right away.  Amanda returned for two more fittings to make sure the bespoke alterations were perfect.  By her final fitting, the keyhole back was complete! “The seamstress was really professional, friendly, and most of all made me feel completely at ease,” Amanda recalls. At her final fitting, she finished her gown off with the perfect accessories – a tiara, a veil, and even a custom sparkly belt. “I cannot express how much I fell in love with my custom dress – and with all the accessories too,” says Amanda.  “I was so happy and excited that I had butterflies.  It honestly was just perfect – not only the dress, but the service I received was outstanding.” Amanda simply couldn’t wait to wear her perfect bespoke gown down the aisle. “On my wedding day, I can hand on heart say I’ve never felt so beautiful,” she says.  “My dress is one of a kind, and that magical seamstress truly made the day.” If you find a gown you love in any of our boutiques and are interested in bespoke alterations to really make it your own, please don’t hesitate to ask a bridal advisor or seamstress.  The fact that every gown you’ll try at an Elite Bridal boutique was designed by our own amazing team means there are some amazing possibilities – and more than anything we want you to feel like a queen on your big day! To book an appointment at any of our stores in Hull, Castleford or – as of the 21st – our brand new Brighouse boutique, visit https://elite-bridal.com/booking/

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"If that isn’t meant to be, I don’t know what is."

September 21, 2020

Zoe dressed herself and her whole huge bridal party in Elite Bridal gowns… but it was long after she’d picked and purchased the dresses that she realised just how fated her choices really were! Zoe had been with her gorgeous groom Steve for 11 years when they finally decided to tie the knot, and she couldn’t be happier or more in love. She initially visited Elite Bridal just to look at bridesmaid dresses, having spotted a style she loved online.  But Zoe was completely taken aback when she walked in. “Nothing could’ve prepared me for what I was walking into,” Zoe said.  “The store was stunning.  The staff couldn’t do enough for you.  We were seen straight away, and the bridesmaid dress I had my eye on looked even more beautiful on than I’d imagined. Zoe’s bridal party wasn’t small, and consisted of bridesmaids of all ages! So she chose matching adult and junior bridesmaid dresses, all in coral chiffon with assymetric crystal embellishments. For her youngest bridesmaids, she chose ivory flower girl dresses and accented them with a matching coral sash. “I immediately arranged a date which suited every member of my big bridal party, so we could try on and purchase their dresses.  But a few days later, I also came back with my mum…” Zoe had been completely focused on her bridesmaids, and hadn’t expected to try on dresses for herself.  But once she’d been in the boutique, she couldn’t resist. “I picked several dresses out and began trying on,” says Zoe.  “They were all lovely and I did like them, but I never got the ‘bride feeling’ everyone talks about… then I came to the fifth and final dress we’d picked out. “This dress was my least favourite on the hanger… but as soon as I stepped into it and the sleeves went up my arms, it felt different to any other dress I’d tried on.  It just seemed to feel right. “The moment I walked out of the changing rooms, my mum’s little face  lit up and her eyes filled with happy tears.  That was it for me.  I said yes to the dress right then and there, and my gorgeous mum said it was a gift to me. “As my bridesmaids hadn’t been there with me, I decided that when they all came back for their bridesmaid appointment I’d reveal my own dress.  Elite Bridal helped me make it happen, and the reveal was perfect.” With bridal and bridesmaid dresses picked and purchased, Zoe just had her two eldest daughters to sort out.  They were young enough to still have a lot of growing to do before the wedding, so Elite Bridal helped Zoe select a date the following year to come in and have them fitted for their dresses. “But our story doesn’t stop there,” says Zoe. Each of Elite Bridal’s gowns has a style code so we can quickly look up details of each dress, and see at a glance which dress you’ve picked ahead of your bridal appointments. The dress Zoe had chosen had the style code ‘STE11’. “I purchased my wedding dress in September 2018, at which point I’d been with my now-hubby, Steve, for 11 years. “I didn’t come across the style code of my dress until months after I’d actually bought it. “I couldn’t believe it.  If that isn’t meant to be, I don’t know what is.” We loved reading Zoe’s story and couldn’t believe the twist at the end! If you have your own special story to share with us, please get in touch – we love to hear our brides’ love stories and see pictures from your big day. Just drop us a message on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @EliteBridalUK – we can’t wait to hear from you!

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Bohemian princess

September 21, 2020

Harriet thought she knew exactly what she was looking for when she walked into Elite Bridal…  It wasn’t long before she changed her mind! Harriet had known for years that she’d be heading to Elite Bridal for her wedding dress, and she had a clear picture in mind of what dress she’d be looking for when she did. “Before going for my first appointment, I thought I knew what dress I wanted – cap sleeves and quite boho-looking,” says Harriet.  “How wrong I was…” The very first dress Harriet tried on was nothing like what she’d pictured.  It had full-length lace sleeves and a dramatic princess skirt, and couldn’t be described as bohemian.  But Harriet says, “It was so beautiful!” She tried on more dresses, but Harriet found she was constantly comparing them to the first.  It was nothing like what she’d originally asked for, but Harriet’s bridal advisors could tell she was smitten. “They insisted I put it back on,” said Harriet, “and I fell more and more in love with it.” But even though Harriet knew she’d found her dress, there were a few things she wanted ‘tweaking’. “I really wanted a champagne or blush finish to the tulle,” said Harriet, who’d spent months dreaming of the rustic, bohemian look. “I also wanted buttons all the way up the back, and the underskirts taking out so it wasn’t quite as poofy.” The Elite Bridal team assured Harriet all the changes she was looking for were more than possible – and she could in fact make her princess gown meet with a more light and bohemian vibe. “The team worked so, so hard to achieve this for me,” Harriet remembers.  “They made my childhood dream dress a reality!” Harriet felt like a princess right the way through her fittings.  “There wasn’t anything they couldn’t do for me,” she says.  “They even added extra bits of lace to my dress at the last minute. “They really made sure I was as comfortable as I could possibly be for my big day.” The big day came, and – to match her dress – it was everything Harriet had dreamed of. “Our wedding day was incredible,” she remembers. Harriet even had a member of the Elite Bridal team to help her get ready on the morning.  “Holly-Ann from Elite Bridal helped my mum dress me in the morning.  I don’t know what I would have done without her there to fan my train, sort my bustle out, and pass me the beautiful glitter strap Elite Bridal had made so I could lift my dress up with ease.” Harriet had found the dress of her dreams, then married the man of her dreams to match. “It was so emotional but so amazing,” she says.  “And the weather was perfect, so we danced the night away.” Harriet’s experience with Elite Bridal is a huge part of not just her wedding planning memories but also her memories of the big day. “Elite Bridal have an absolutely amazing team,” she says.  “Thank you for the job you do day in and day out, and for making so many brides’ dreams come true.” Our advice to Elite Brides is to arrive with an open mind – and never be afraid to try on a style you’re unsure of!  It might just be the one… If you’d like to take advantage of our personal dressing service to make sure your gown sits perfectly on the day, just drop us a message on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter @EliteBridalUK – or ask your bridal advisor for details. Last but not least, a picture of one of Harriet’s special guests!

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A last-minute gown fit for Vegas

September 21, 2020

When Amy started planning her crazy Vegas wedding, she wasn’t going to shop for a traditional wedding dress… “We’d said we were going to Vegas from the moment we got engaged,” says Amy, “and I’m not a dress kind of person.  I said I’d get a casual, white beach-style dress…  Obviously my mum didn’t agree!” Amy’s mum was persuasive enough that Amy booked a few appointments with bridal stores to see whether anything caught her eye. Elite Bridal was the second boutique she visited, and she’d already not had the best experience. “But when I came to Elite Bridal,” Amy remembers, “the bridal advisor listened to exactly what I was looking for and immediately came up with several that fitted the bill. “I even found one I thought I really liked, so I came back a second time to try it on with my mum.  I did like it.  But I didn’t love it.” In the last minutes of her appointment, Amy’s bridal advisor suggested she try on one more gown. “That was definitely the one!” Amy beams. “I’d always said that, if I went for a proper dress, it would need to be something quite simple – but most importantly light and without a train, as it would be over 40 degrees in Vegas!” Amy’s pick met her checklist perfectly, and also made her feel amazing. It was now just three weeks before her Vegas wedding, so the race was on to perform Amy’s alterations and make sure the dress fit her perfectly. When Amy went for her final fitting and the dress wasn’t quite perfect, she worried it was too last-minute to fix. “I went for my final fitting, and the length was a bit shorter because it had needed to be brought in at the shoulders,” Amy remembers, “but the lovely seamstress suggested adding a lace trim – and that was done within just a few days too!” With Amy’s dress now perfect, she was ready to fly to fly off on her American extravaganza. She and her husband-to-be Nigel weren’t just planning to hit the chapel in Las Vegas – they were planning a grand American roadtrip! The Elite Bridal team packed Amy’s dress, underwear, bag and shoes for her, to make sure her wedding outfit arrived at Las Vegas in pristine condition. “All I had to do was hang it up when we got to the hotel,” she says. Though Amy’s Vegas wedding was small, with just her parents making the trip, she and her partner made sure none of their family and friends missed out – by livestreaming the whole occasion, including the ceremony performed by Elvis Presley! “My husband had originally said no to booking Elvis,” Amy admitted, “but when we were finalising the details I just couldn’t resist… “In the livestream, all you can see is my grinning from ear to ear and laughing all the way through – mostly down to Elvis! “It honestly went better than I could have imagined!” After their Vegas wedding, Amy and her now-husband travelled on through Death Valley into California, through San Francisco and down the coast to Los Angeles. Their new marriage even survived the awkward moment where Nigel lost his brand new wedding ring in Death Valley, and fate – and a kind stranger – posted it back to him! “The weekend after we got home, it was time to do it all again with our family and friends,” says Amy. She and her husband celebrated with a blessing and (much larger) party in Brighouse.  This time both wedding rings stayed put! We loved Amy’s incredible and unique wedding story and couldn’t wait to share it. Whatever your wedding story is, we’d love to hear it too!  Drop us a message through Facebook, Instagram or Twitter @EliteBridalUK. And remember, if you haven’t found your gown yet, Elite Bridal can help no matter how much of a rush you’re in!  Click here to book your appointment today.

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A bride with big ideas

September 21, 2020

Real bride Loz had some big ideas for her wedding… and a ‘proper’ bridal gown wasn’t one of them. When Loz’s now-husband Ash asked her to marry him on a beach in Ibiza, she was overjoyed – but she didn’t stop to smell the sea breeze before diving straight into wedding planning! “My fiancé wanted a small gathering,” Loz says.  “By the day after his proposal, I was already pricing up 60-piece steel bands and had a guestlist of 200.” And Loz found plenty of other outlets for her bridal creativity – as she planned to have her own wedding dress made out of two low-priced dresses she’d found online. “I originally wanted a plain dress, something boho-chic,” she explains.  “I actually ordered two dresses from an online store, with the idea that they’d be made into one. “But when they arrived and I tried them on, I just thought, ‘What even is this awful, cheap dress?’  I was underwhelmed, and – against everything I thought I wanted – went in search of a proper wedding dress.” When Loz arrived at Elite Bridal, she was planning to have a quick look around – and definitely wasn’t going to try anything on. “Thirty minutes later, I was swishing around the changing room in a big white dress!” Loz’s first experience at Elite Bridal totally changed her mind about bridal gowns – as well as the whole style of her day. Over the next eight months, Loz visited about 20 bridal shops.  But in the end, she found herself back at Elite Bridal. “The bridal advisor really seemed to understand what look I was trying to achieve,” Loz remembers.  “She asked me to stay open-minded, and I did.” In contrast to her original boho daydream, Loz tried on a fitted fishtail gown in delicate lace.  She then added some draping body jewellery over her shoulders to give it a truly unique and fashion-forward twist. “I loved it,” says Loz.  “I couldn’t stop smiling.” For Loz, this was the bridal moment she’d never really expected to have. “I absolutely know how cliché it sounds, but I just knew as soon as I tried it on that this was my dress. “All of a sudden, all of my body insecurities disappeared.  I had a dress which made me feel totally amazing.” Loz did end up compromising on the steel band and 200 guests – with 150 guests and a local DJ.  But she never felt she compromised on her bridal gown! All the details came together, with a traditional but fun church ceremony, and the reception in a marquee on the grounds of an upscale local pub.  “St. Quentin Arms in Harpham is well known for its food, and the owners know how to throw a good party!” says Loz. “Everyone loved my dress.  I had so compliments, and had quite a few messages from brides about how I’d paired it with body jewellery.  I think the finishing touches were what made the look for me.” Loz was grateful to the Elite Bridal team for opening her up to new ideas, whilst giving her the space to be creative with her gown and create a look that really suited her personality. “I was quite anxious about walking into a proper bridal boutique, thinking I would be swarmed and pressured to try on dresses I didn’t like.  I had totally the opposite experience, and I literally can’t thank you enough. “I have two daughters, so hopefully one day I’ll be back to buy another!” Make sure you chat to our bridal advisors about the overall look you’re going for in your wedding, and don’t forget to check out our range of bridal accessories. And, above all, we always recommend you keep an open mind!

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