(Sample) Dress pics...

[ellewoods]

So I ordered my dress last week, and the sales lady took some pictures of me in the sample after I ordered it. I absolutely love it, it''s 100% me, and I can''t wait to wear it. I apologize for the terrible quality of these pictures, I had a junky disposable camera with me, but I think you can get the idea of what it looks like.

The sample was several sizes too big for me, but I think they did a good job pinning it to look more how it will when its made in my size.

I don''t know what type/length of veil I am going to wear, I just had this one on to see how any veil looked with the dress. Now for the hard part -- looking for shoes!

 

[ellewoods]

Another view.

 

[kcoursolle]

Beautiful gown, very sophisticated. The trumpet style gown highlights your lovely shape. Gorgeous!! Can't wait to see the final pics after alterations.

 

[MelissaSue]

WHAT A GORGEOUS DRESS!!!! YOU LOOK SPECTACULAR IN IT!! Who makes it?!

 

[qtiekiki]

Wow you have a model body. The dress is GORGEOUS!

 

[LizzieC]

Looks gorgeous elle! I love everything about it... that''s one of the prettiest wedding dresses I''ve ever seen! And you look great in it!

 

[onedrop]

I love that dress, especially on you! One really must have the right body type to pull off the mermaid style dress and you have done it!

ETA: I think one of those really long viels that flows out behind you would be perfect since there is a very short train on your dress. Just a thought!

 

[anchor31]

Congrats on finding the dress! You look amazing in it!

 

[RoseAngel04]

I'm lovin' the mermaid style on you! Congrats.

 

[robbie3982]

It looks awesome on you!

 

[labbielove]

oh it''s gorgeous!!

i love the mermaid style, unfortunately it didn''t love me back as much!!

you look great in it, and it''s great that you feel it''s 100% you- that''s key to feeling glam and comfortable all at the same time

congrats

 

[basil]

It looks great on you!

 

[gingerBcookie]

va va voom lady! looks fab on ya!

 

[Kaleigh]

Congrats on finding THE dress. It looks stunning on you!!!

 

[FacetFire]

Love it! I want a mermaid style gown too, but I''m still looking. May I ask who makes this one?

 

[ellewoods]

Thank you everyone, for all of your nice comments! I do absolutely love my dress, even more than 100% -- probably a billon %!

When I started shopping, I had no idea what I wanted. I just knew I didn''t want strapless top (I look better in other style tops)and I didn''t want a big ballgown skirt. I had something elegant in mind, but also a bit stylish and modern too. I was amazed when I found this dress among all the more traditional gowns -- I actually feel like it was made especially for me!

I absolutely love the mermaid style dresses, but going into dress shopping, I thought there was no way I could wear them because I am, well, vertically challenged (short). It just didn''t seem like my legs were long enough for the mermaid style. So was extremely excited when I found my dress and it fit right (and will fit even better once its made for me and then altered).

Its hard to describe, but I tried on many dresses, and some were really fun to wear and really pretty on. But the others I liked felt like I was a girl in a very pretty wedding dress, and mine felt like Elle in Elle''s fabulous wedding dress.

And for the details...the designer is Alvina Valenta. It''s new from her fall line. I can''t remember all the details, but I believe the main material is duchess satin, with a organza ruching on the waist, and lace top. I''ll be getting mine in a white color, and the sample was a champagne/beige color.

Onedrop -- thank you so much for your thoughts on the veil. I wasn''t sure if i wanted to wear a veil, and then I should i wanted to wear one a little past my shoulders -- but I tried one that length on with the dress and it didn''t look quite right. I tried a fingertip length one on and that seemed to be the right length -- but I haven''t decided yet (plus there''s organza vs. tule, accent edging or no accent edging to consider too).

 

[ellewoods]

Another view.

By the way, the bottom of the dress has lace peeking out of the satin skirt. The lace matches the lace on the halter top of the dress. It looks kind of funny because it was covered in plastic at the store to protect the lace. But you get the idea.

 

[qtiekiki]

As far as the veil, I think you should either do cathedral or bird cage. I know those are two extremes but those are the only ones that I can picture with the dress without disrupting the line of the dress.

 

[ellewoods]

Qtiekiki --

Thanks for the advice. How long is a cathedral veil? One of my bridesmaids liked the fingertip length because it ends right about where the dress starts to flare at the bottom, so it goes with the line of the dress. But then again -- I am a novice at veils and it might have been a different length than fingertip.

 

[firebirdgold]

VaVaVoom!!

 

[qtiekiki]

Cathedral is the really long one - usually 108" (9 ft) long.

Here's some real brides wearing cathedral veil:

 

[qtiekiki]

Here's our own MelissaSue with her lovely cathedral veil; it's gorgeous.

And also me in a pearl edge cathedral veil.

P.S. I might also be biased since I worn a cathedral veil, but I think the long sheer veil will let the details of your dress shown through and give you a long train for your waltz length dress.

 

[MelissaSue]

hey look.. its meeee.. I looved my long veil.. even when it got sticks stuck in it during photos.. lol..

Here is the model pic of your dress. I wanted to post it because i could not see the pretty lace on the top of your dress until you said it was there..

And the close up detail

 

[appletini]

Elle,

I love that gown!!! My best friend tried it on a few months when I went dress shopping with her and I fell in love with it, too bad I was already married otherwise I would have chosen that one. I can''t wait to see the wedding pics of you in it!

 

[nytemist]

Wow- that dress is amazing on you! I''d love to have your shape.

I tried on a mermaid style, but I have too much ''junk in the trunk''.

 

[ellaila]

How gorgeous, elle!! If it looks this good on you when it''s too big and pinned, it''s going to be simply perfection on you when it''s your size -- you better warn your hubby so he doesn''t pass out when he sees you!! "Honey, just to let you know, I''m going to be looking DAMN good in my dress!!"

Congrats on finding the one

 

[ellewoods]

Aw, thanks you guys!

I''m so glad you guys like it. The sales lady did a great job pinning it for the pictures (even for the back pictures, she stopped to pin it in the front so it would look right in the back). When I found it I fell in love with it completely, and I even didn''t want to try it on right away because I knew I liked it and I was scared it wouldn''t look good on me, or I''d be too short, etc.

I know its not the traditional ball gown dress, and I''m sure many brides wouldn''t choose it because of the modern touches, but for me, its just perfect. My future sister-in-law even said, "I know this sounds weird, but the dress really goes with your ring." And I think it does too!

Funny thing is, it was at the first store I went to, and I picked it out when I was going around the store with a couple of my bridesmaids picking out dresses to try on. I hadn''t tried anything on yet, but I saw this one hanging off to the side and just loved the silhouette (it was a new style so it wasn''t even in the right section yet). And just then, my future mother-in-law asked me about if I had set a budget, what was I expecting to spend, etc. And I saw this dress, loved the look, and then looked at the price tag -- ouch! (She saw it too).

But when I tried it on, nothing else compared. And it was less expensive than most Vera Wang and Monique Lhuillier and Reem Acra dresses.

MelissaSue -- thank you for posting the model pics! I have seen them but didn''t know how to get the images off of the runway video on her website. I actually took some pictures in the bridal salon in the same pose as the model -- they had a antique bench that looks exactly like the ad. They''ll be great for the scrap book later.

Ellalia -- I have already gotten so excited about the dress to my fiance. He doesn''t want to know what it looks like or anything about it until I walk down the isle, but I was so excited I kept telling him I loved it and I wish I could wear it more than once.

I am absolutely terrible at keeping secrets, and I always end up telling my fiance what his birthday/christmas/etc. gifts are in advance because I can''t keep quiet. But this time I can control myself because its such a fun surprise at the end!

 

[ellewoods]

Qtiekiki --

Thank you for the cathedral veil pictures, they''re gorgeous! Especially yours and Melissa Sue''s. I absolutely love the pearl edging on your veil!

Can I ask everyone out there who has purchased a veil -- did you purchase it at the same store you purchased your wedding dress? If not, was it hard to match up your dress to the veil, if you didn''t have your dress with you when choosing a veil?

Also, has anyone had an organza veil? I was shown the tulle veil type and also a organza one. I like the see-through tulle look better, but the organza was nice because it matched the waist part of my dress where there is organza detail.

Lastly, what should I expect to pay for a veil? The fingertip length veils I was looking at at the bridal store were $200-$300 or so. I''m sure they''re good quality, but it just seems like a ton of money to spend on an accessory. But then again, a woman I work with spent $800 on hers!

She said it was by the same designer as her wedding dress though, and designed to go specifically with her dress style.

Is it worth it to shop around for veils, buy one at an online store or on eBay, to save some money on the veil? Or is it just easier (and perhaps safer in terms of matching) to buy it at the same store as your dress?

 

[appletini]

elle,

I bought my veil on ebay for 20 bucks...i think the ebay store was veils by lana or something like that. They do have a guide and the colors correspond with manufactures color for the dress. I think a chapel or cathedral would be great with you gown.

 

[MelissaSue]

I bought my veil at the same store I bought my dress at.. It was one of those things, where I kept trying on different veils and I didn''t like any of them..and then I came to mine.. and it was *perfect*!! So I ended up buying it. I spent entirely too much on it though..($300 which is almost half of what my dress cost!) It was a crazy bride moment. But you can find very cheap veils on ebay..