Bridal Expo Time!

It's that time of year again - time for the Central PA Bridal Expo, and we are thrilled to be one of the sponsors of the show again this year!  It is being held Sunday, January 29th  from 12-4 at Celebration Hall.  We are so excited to showcase some of our Brand New Bridal Gowns, Mothers gowns and Bridesmaids dresses! This Expo is full of amazing vendors with great ideas for your upcoming wedding. To get more details on the show, a list of the vendors that will be there, and to pre-register, check out this site -

http://bridalexpocentralpa.com/

Aside from the opportunity to meet & talk with the wedding professionals that will be at the show, there will also be some awesome prizes to win! We are giving away a Bridal Gown of your Dreams to one lucky Bride to Be, and Magnum Broadcasting, our fantastic Radio Sponsor, will be giving away a trip for 2 to Las Vegas...plus many more great prizes at the show.

If you are planning a wedding, you need to attend this show!  We can't wait to see everyone there!

It's our Anniversary!!

Some days I feel like we just opened yesterday...but  this Friday we will celebrate our 6 year anniversary! It has been quite a journey filled with so many amazing people and memories, that I can hardly wait to see what the next 6 years will bring. When Jess & I decided to get in to this business, we talked alot about "our brides" and what type of experience we wanted to give them. We hadn't met any of them yet, but somehow we knew that this would be about so much more then "selling" a bride her wedding gown.What we didn't know was that we would not only meet beautiful brides with inspiring stories, but that we would make lasting friendships that go way beyond the walls of this shop! We could not have gotten this far without the support of our customers, and for that we are very Thankful!
I could not finish this entry with out including an huge Thank you to our family & friends, and we can't forget all of the girls that work here with us every day! (Lexi, Diane, Sharon & Cathy - We love and adore you all!)  The support and help from all of you has meant more to us then you can imagine! 
Some pictures from over the years....

Jess with Brandi, once a Bride to be....now a recruit for painting the shop! (also, a true friend who attended a New Kids on the Block concert with me when my husband was in Iraq! - That's love!)

Sarah & I at a Bridal Expo in 2009. She came in to the shop on a sales call, and somehow ended up as "our bride" and now our unofficial spokeswoman! (I think you are about 1 dress away from your pizza party!)

Jess & Lexi working hard at a Bridal Show! 

Our daughters - Attending weddings at an early age....

With our Favorite Neighbors...Michael & Dan. (Daniel Vaughn Designs)

Bridal Expo(2009) with Christine, Sarah & Lauren!

Girls - What would we do without all of you?!?

Designer Spotlight - Jasmine Bridal!

As the New Year starts to roll, the new Bridal gowns for 2012 are coming in, and we could not be more excited! We are going to showcase some of the amazing new designs by Jasmine Bridal.

This first gown is a sweet ballgown style with a gorgeous crystal belt at the waist. It is a soft Tulle fabric with a chapel train. Very soft and romantic!

This gown is more is made of organza and the tiers are very flattering! I personally love the bling at the waist, it definitely draws the eye in to the small of your waist.

This dress is made with Luminous Taffeta, making it very lightweight and a great option for summer weddings.

Another gorgeous dress in Taffeta. It is a fitted silhouette with a super fun skirt. 

 

 

 Jasmine Bridal has been making Brides beautiful since 1985. They are an outstanding company to work with, they are willing & able to make many custom changes to their gowns. Make an appointment today to stop in and check out more of their stunning dresses in person!

Happy New Year

As we look back at 2011, we’re reminded of how lucky we are at Simply Elegant Gowns! The year has been amazing, full of beautiful brides and wonderful memories…and we couldn’t have done it without our brides. Having the pleasure of being part of your weddings, is truly a gift, and we want to say Thank You.

 This picture is one of my favorites....This photo was taken only moments before Kim's walk down the aisle, and Jess & I were there to make sure everything went off without a hitch! Working with Kim was an incredible experience. She & her groom have an amazing love story, and every time she was in the store, it reminded us how much we love our Brides and love being part of their weddings. For Jess & I, this business has always been about so much more then selling a wedding dress to a bride....it has always been about creating an experience and building a relationship with our brides. 

Again, a big Thank You to all of our customers over the years...your love stories inspire us and your weddings amaze us! Happy New Year!!!

With Love,

Kristen & Jessica

TOYS FOR TOTS

The Toys for Tots campaign has started!  Again this year, we will be collecting new, unwrapped toys at our store.
 Each year the local campaign ensures that over 3,000 Centre County children can enjoy the holiday spirit. Beyond donating a toy, there are other ways to help, by cash donations or helping out with the wrapping and sorting of the gifts.It is important to note that the Centre County Toys for Tots works hand in hand with the seven Centre County Food Banks. The Centre County Office of Adult Services along with the Toys for Tots program requests your donations of food or gift cards to the food banks during the upcoming Holiday Season.  For more information on the Nittany Leathernecks Detachment and their commitment to this cause, you can check out this link.
http://marines.centreconnect.org/comm_t4t.php#info

On a more personal note, I want to share that Jess & I hold this campaign especially close to our hearts. Our Great Grandfather, Don Watson, was a proud Marine and a member of the Nittany Leathernecks. For as far back as I can remember, he was always telling me stories about what it meant being a Marine. Back then, I saw him as a tough man that worked hard, a man that gave me rides on his tractor and talked about the days when he walked to school....I didn't appreciate the lessons he was teaching me then. I now understand that  his commitment to his country and community was a part of him.  He truly enjoyed his time spent with the Nittany Leathernecks,  and we are very grateful to them for the service they provide to our country and community. 

Bridal Market

Jess & I just got back from Bridal Market in NYC and I am anxious to write this blog entry and share some of the highlights of the things we did & saw. When we go to market, it is a very exciting time for us. We sit down with our designers and choose the dresses that we will be bringing back for the store. There is no exact science for this process. We spend alot of time researching Bridal Trends, as well as looking at what lines are most flattering to the body. Typically we listen to what our brides are asking for and combine that with the current bridal trends as well as the advice of our designers. Then we pick out the best of the best and bring it home!
 This year we started at the Pier. Below are a couple of pictures from inside. 

Our first stop was with Allure Bridals. As always, we were thrilled with the new styles for the season. Allure does such a great job of using silhouettes that really work with the body. We found a great mix of  modern Ball gowns, as well as some stunning fit & flare styles. The attention to detail really sets Allure apart from other designers, they use such lush fabrics and their beading/crystal work is truly unmatched!  Here are a few previews of dresses that will be arriving.

I also LOVED this with a swarovski beaded belt!

The mix of lace with the satin belt....LOVE it!

We saw this one & KNEW it was coming back with us!

This is a slip dress style, and honestly to see it on a person, it is so glamorous!

The beading on this gown is amazing!

 We also went to the Intercontinental Hotel, where more designers were showcasing their gowns. When we arrived at the hotel, we saw some of the staff from Kleinfelds (Say yes to the dress!) They were just finishing up their shopping, when we arrived.  Here are some pictures from  the Hotel.

While we were there, we spent most of our time focused on Jade by Jasmine, and finding the best mothers dresses to bring home! We have such a soft spot for mothers, we love to take the extra time to really find the best designs we can. Here is a small sample of the dresses that will be arriving.

We will actually have this dress in the long version - it is very stunning!

The Cape is very sophisticated, and gives just enough coverage.

Jacki-O - Classic! This was an easy pick!

A great tea-length dress with coverage. 

We have so many new dresses & accessories coming this season...we will keep you posted as they arrive!

Shoes!

Oh My~ When the topic of shoes came up for the blog, I knew it would be easy to write. Those who know me, know that I loooove shoes! Here is some input on selecting your shoes, along with some pictures of some shoes we have here in the store.
 It's your wedding day, I know that you want to feel gorgeous all over, which means  some of you gravitate to those amazing 4" heels that make you feel awesome....for about 5 seconds. Standing still. Yes, I know some of you ladies can run marathons in your monster heels, but what about the rest of us? Do we have to sacrifice style for comfort? Thankfully, I say no. Here are a few suggestions while  shopping for your wedding shoes.

First, find a heel height that you can realistically stand, walk and dance in for most of the night. Many brides have come in and said they will wear the 3" heel for their ceremony, then switch in to the flat for the reception. That seems logical however your gown is hemmed to go with the taller heel, so when you switch in to the flat, you now have a hem that is laying on the floor, and can be a nuisance. While you are dancing and enjoying your reception, you don't want to worry about stepping on or tripping over your hem line. So I suggest you pick a middle ground height that you can manage for most of the night. Usually a 2" or 2 1/2" heel will do the trick. (some of my favorites are shown below!)

So, if you are a girl like me, and you simply must wear a tall shoe, go for a platform style shoe. A platform shoe has thicker soles sitting under the front part of the foot, which definitely adds to the comfort and support for your feet. Also a wedge style shoe can be great, especially outdoors.

 It also wise to buy your shoes early, so that you can wear them around before the wedding. Break them in - get them nice and comfy for the big day - your feet will thank you!