Over the years, staff at The Ring has had the pleasure to work with and review the fabulous family-owned Exeter gown shop, Bridal Elegance. From the beginning, it was the buzz surrounding the Bridal Elegance name and reputation that caught our attention – and had us breaking our cardinal rule of only reviewing companies who were two years or older. So in 2004 (and every year since!) we find ourselves returning to visit Wilma, Tara and their team to find out what’s new in gowns, what it is that makes their gown shop so different from others, and why brides don't just like them, they become lifelong fans. Here’s what you need to know…
Personally speaking...
Wilma started out as a florist in Exeter, helping many brides with their floral and decorating needs. "Coming from a large family, I've had the opportunity to assist many nieces with their wedding planning, including planning the special gown. I then realized that there were some areas that demanded more attention than others," Wilma told us. So on August 15, 2003, Wilma's dream became reality and Bridal Elegance was officially opened. The reason... to provide brides with an honest, more comfortable and more personable way to shop for their bridal gown, with fond memories that will last a lifetime. Now, years later, they’ve turned a once century home into an elegant, thriving bridal gown shop that draws brides from all across Southwestern Ontario.
On a daily basis, Bridal Elegance operates with the philosophy that someone has already fallen in love with you the way you already are and that there's no need to make you over, only to just choose the right styles to complement your best features. "We don't want to turn you into someone you’re not..." says Tara, "We just want to help you look and feel great as you actually are." The Staff at Bridal Elegance work with each bride, bridal party and Mother of the Bride as honestly as they can to make sure that everyone is completely thrilled with their overall look before leaving the shop.
Setting the stage for style and comfort
Bridal Elegance can be found on Main Street just south of downtown in Exeter in an elegant, old century home. When you enter the front door, you truly feel that you are walking into someone’s home. Considering that Wilma, Tara and their team practically live in the shop, this shouldn’t be all that surprising. From the elegantly attired mannequins gracing the staircase, to the spacious dressing and fitting area (an entire bedroom, all to your own!), to the tastefully decorated sitting area, the home of Bridal Elegance is welcoming and comfortable.
For the women of the wedding
Wilma and Tara say their staff is well trained and experienced in helping “the women of the wedding.” They take great pride in their work and their abilities to find the perfect gown for each woman who walks through their doors. The entire Bridal Elegance staff is well practiced at listening for likes, dislikes and style of their clients. This is how they manage to pull the perfect gowns and make recommendations that not only suit their clients’ style, but their body shape as well. , and as a result, being able to find the gowns they’re looking for – not to mention coming up with recommendations they feel will enhance their clients’ figures.
The process of helping Brides try on and model dream gowns until they find the one that takes everyone’s breath away, that is what keeps Wilma, Tara, Susan and Cheryl coming into work each morning. “We all enjoy being a part of that special moment, the moment when she realizes that she has found her dress, THE dress.”
Another well of inspiration for Wilma and Tara is bridal fashion. Every season brings new, unique and gorgeous designs to be carried at Bridal Elegance. “As difficult as it is to choose which ones we’ll be carrying, it’s amazing to see what our designers have come up with…” From fabric and style to accessories, there’s always a multitude of items to get excited about displaying for their brides.
Brides who love Bridal Elegance
Bridal Elegance is a small, hometown, family-run gown shop who’s staff lives and breathes weddings. Their small size and friendly, honest service surely ranks high amongst the reasons why brides love this shop.
To make sure that clientele doesn’t have to shop around, Bridal Elegance also carries everything they feel a bride could ever want or need. “It’s a one stop shop,” they explain. And that includes alterations – a service that can sometimes be difficult to find at other gown shops. “Many brides find us by word of mouth,” Wilma told The Ring. “They say they were told there is no other place to go.”
Loni Leslie was one of those brides as she planned for her October 2010 wedding. “I had heard such great reviews from friends and coworkers,” she remembers. “The Bridal Elegance service was unlike any other bridal store I had visited.” Loni liked that Bridal Elegance also has a diverse collection of dresses. She purchased her own gown, veil, headpiece and clutch at the shop, along with all of her bridesmaids dresses. “They all loved their dress.”
Bridal Elegance has brides come all the way from Toronto, Sarnia and Owen Sound, just to name a few. “With Gowns ranging from the intimate garden theme to the all-out princess style ball gown… Whatever the style, whatever the idea, we love the challenge.” In the end, the part the counts most is probably that Wilma and Tara’s goal is the same as their brides’. “We just want to see each and every bride happy. We want them to love their gown no matter what the price or the style.”
In store: Gowns, veils, shoes & Spanx
Bridal Elegance is a full service bridal salon designed for every woman involved in the wedding. They sell bridal gowns, bridesmaids dresses, and Mother of the Bride and Groom gowns.
The shop carries a wide variety of well-known designer labels including a selection of gowns by Maggie Sottero Bridal, Sottero & Midgley, Sophia Tolli, Jasmine, Elegance, Jai, Alfred Sung, Ella Rose and Private Label, "Since no single gown shop can carry every dress in every line, we select the best by each designer," says Tara.
And since a bride is not completely dressed until she has her veil and jewellery on, they also have an excellent selection of each.
Their accessories range from tiara and veils to hair accessories that incorporate feathers and flowers. "We offer a variety of different veil lengths and styles to complement a wide range of headpieces. We have something for almost every bride. If she doesn’t see what she wants in the store, we can have a veil and headpiece custom made to suit her taste." Their jewellery case glitters with an eye-popping selection of sparkles and pearls. They also carry shoes, purses and undergarments such as SPANX.
The philosophy is that if it’s related to bridal fashion, “we do it ALL!” says Wilma and Tara.
The ultimate shopping experience
Though the store is open Tuesday to Friday from 10 am to 5 pm and Saturdays from 9 am to 4 pm, they will book after-hours appointments for private shopping sessions. In fact, they recommend them. Wilma and her staff welcome the bride and her group of two to three friends or family into the shop for that first consultation. They say any more than that can make choosing a gown next to impossible.
Upon arrival, you’re given a walk-through of the shop and an explanation of everything they can do to help you choose your wedding day look. “At that point, we would ask if they have an idea of what they want already.” Some brides bring in photos of gowns that have caught their eye. That said, Wilma and Tara say it’s fascinating to watch the evolution of choosing a gown. “Brides, don’t be surprised if you fall in love with something completely different from your original idea! That just means you’re a 100% normal bride!”
Once a number of gowns have been selected to try on, your group is escorted to the sitting room while you are helped into each style of gown you’ve chosen. Any gowns that don’t make the cut are removed right away to eliminate any confusion later. The ones you love are moved onto the next step – showing them off for your family and friends. "The most precious moment is when a bride walks out in her dream dress and you can just see it in her eyes. Then her mom and bridesmaids see her and everyone just knows that this is it. That’s when we bring out the box of Kleenex! We will then finish it off with the veil, headpiece, shoes and jewellery. The bride will try on everything all together to get the full picture."
Now that the bride has selected her dream dress, it’s time to order it. Wilma prefers to have dresses ordered nine to twelve months in advance of the wedding date. They can get dresses in less time, but for peace of mind, you're better off ordering ahead of time. Dresses can be purchased 'off the rack' as well.
Getting what you want
Wilma tells us that she has never met a 'bride-zilla'. "No bride could be too picky. It's her special day. Why shouldn’t she get what she wants?" Gowns at Bridal Elegance average around $600 to $1700 plus alterations, though prices can range from under that average to above it. Wilma says she has shopped around, comparing prices so that she could offer her brides the lowest prices around. But as we all know, shopping isn't just about the price. It's about service. And when it comes to service, Wilma, Tara, Susan, Cheryl and their seamstress are in a class by themselves.
"Small town friendly service is hard to find in the big city," Meggin told us. Denise Tunks also agrees; "I don't think you could find the small intimate feeling of Bridal Elegance anywhere else. You could tell that it was a family run business and that they truly cared about their customers... Tara and Wilma were very helpful. They both knew me by name and remembered all of my likes and dislikes. They made all of the accommodations I needed and helped me create my 'perfect' dress."
A few of The Ring's favourite things...
• A portion of every gown sale at Bridal Elegance goes to breast cancer research, a yearly donation that Bridal Elegance is proud to make. “We feel it is important to give back what we have so graciously been provided with.”
• They’re small enough that you can always expect personal, honest service that you’d have a hard time finding in the big city.
• Gowns with an asymmetrical cut are hot this year, accented with embellishments such as feathers or ruffles.
• Gown designers are now offering more customization options than every before. “Brides love having the option to turn a strapless gown with no beading into an all new gown,” says Wilma and Tara. Whether it’s adding a strap of lace, a sash, or a belt, brides have more control over their gown design than ever before. “There are no rules, no limits to what some designers will do to make their style unique for that one-of-a-kind bride.”
• Hot bridesmaid colours are Teal, Italian Plum, Electric Blue and Barcelona Red
• It's all about the skirts on Bridal Gowns - skirts with ruffles, gathers, layers, and embellishments.
• For bridesmaids, the newest trend is Patterns...from polka dots – to – flowers!
Details, details, details
• Whenever possible, you should order your dress 9 to 12 months in advance to ensure everything will arrive and be ready on time. Bridal Elegance recommends trying to choose your gown 12 months ahead, if at all possible.
• A minimum deposit of 65% is required upon ordering with the balance due prior to alterations being done.
• Regular business hours are Tuesday to Friday, 10 am to 5 pm, Saturdays, 9 am to 4 pm.
• While appointments aren't required, they are recommended, with the motto: "because you deserve the attention."
• Alterations are done in-house at an additional cost
In other words...
"Dear Wilma & Tara, Thank you so much for finding me the perfect wedding dress and beautifully outfitting my bridesmaids as well. I loved my dress and appreciate everything you did to get it to me and altering it to fit perfectly. The girls looked beautiful and received so many compliments on their dresses. I appreciate your patience and keeping us all organized through the process. Your expertise and professionalism made the dress experience very positive. I will definitely recommend you to anyone looking for a dress. Many thanks." - Caitlin
"Dear Wilma, Tara and staff, It is over... and it was WONDERFUL! You work so hard to make the weddings that you are involved in so perfect... Thanks so much for everything you did and always having a smile on your face when we walked in the door. From the first week after my engagement to the day of my wedding - you made everything easier and much more memorable. Thanks so much." - Genny Shaw (formerly Brown)
