The team behind Ellynne Bridal has been helping connect brides with their wedding dresses since its opening in 2004. Aimed at helping brides all throughout the midwest find wedding dresses perfectly suited for their unique visions, this qualified group of bridal consultants is ready to help you throughout the entire process. We spoke with Jaimee Anderson, the Operations Manager of Ellynne Bridal, for some more information on what to expect when shopping for the dress of your dreams.
When should a bride start shopping for her dress?
We recommend brides order their gown at least 9-12 months before their wedding day. The designers we carry don’t start making a bride’s gown until after their order has been placed. Plus, brides will need time for those final alterations to get the perfect fit. It is never too early to say yes to the dress as wedding gowns can take 6-9 months to arrive in our store.
What designers do you stock?
Ellynne Bridal carries a beautiful variety of bridal designers, such as, Essense of Australia, Stella York, All Who Wander, Abella, Disney Fairytale Weddings and Sottero & Midgley. We are the only store in the Lincoln/Omaha area to exclusively carry Martina Liana, a high end fashion line that allows us to offer gowns that are completely customizable to our brides dream wedding look. Ellynne Bridal’s collection is complete with bridesmaids dresses, mother’s dresses and a variety of accessories outfits the entire wedding party from head to toe.
What is your general price range?
Our gowns range from $1,100 to $5,200 with a wide selection or designers and styles in every price range. This does not include the cost of alterations which are an additional cost to be expected on every gown purchase.
What is your size range?
Ellynne Bridal is known for inclusive sizing, with our sample gowns in the store ranging in size from a size 08 to a size 30 and our designers offering gowns to be ordered from a size 02 to a size 34.
Who should a bride bring with her to the appointment?
We recommend that our brides bring a close friend or family member who will really give an honest option that is valued by our bride. Someone that the bride wants to be included in this incredibly important decision. We recommend that our brides limit their number of guests to about 4-6 of their valued decision makers to allow for a relaxed experience. Too many guests can lead to an overload of opinions, causing brides to feel overwhelmed and burnt out after their appointment. We ask that our brides do not bring babies, children or anyone under the age of twelve as this can take the focus off the bride and her experience. This ensures the best Ellynne Bridal experience for all brides and guests. If you would like to include a larger bride tribe during your appointment, we recommend booking an upgraded private experience or princess appointment.
What does a typical bridal consultation look like?
At Ellynne Bridal we don’t think there is such a thing as a “typical” bridal appointment. Every appointment is just as unique as the bride coming in. Some of our brides know exactly what they want right from the start, other brides need much more time and style exposure to choose their perfect gown, then, of course we have our brides looking to perfectly customize their wedding gown. We strive to create a unique experience for each bride that walks in our door.
Are there particular surprises brides are discovering that are new to this unusual time?
Brides now, more than ever are thinking outside of the box with their creativity, sticking true to their individual style and wedding vision. Brides are feeling confident in what they want and don’t want while allowing our expert consultants to make suggestions and guide them toward their dream wedding gown. This unusual time has shown us how incredibly resilient our brides are and how amazing their wedding vision is. We are honored to share in a part of their special day.
How is your store different from other bridal salons?
Our founder, Lynne Rustad, went above and beyond to cultivate the Ellynne Experience and that means really getting to know our brides, their family and their wedding party. Not only does our store provide an up-scale, elegant aesthetic that you can’t find anywhere else in Nebraska, but our consultants truly spend time getting to know our brides’ style and wedding vision. Lynne dreamed of creating the best bridal store, with the best experience for her brides—not just in Nebraska but of anywhere in the Midwest. When she created the motto, “Where you’re always treated like a princess,” that is exactly the experience Ellynne Bridal is crafted to create still seventeen years later.
Do you sell sample styles off the rack?
At Ellynne Bridal, we always keep a selection of gowns to sell off of the rack to our brides with a short timeline, however with the incredible designers that we carry we have the option to look into gowns that can quickly ship to get our brides a brand new, never worn gown. We pride ourselves on being able to find a way to get every bride who walks through our door a gown that is perfect for her.
Do you offer alterations?
We do not offer in-house alterations, but we can offer recommendations to point you toward a seamstress that can help you achieve the look of your dreams.
Can you tell brides about your upgraded appointments?
Ellynne Bridal offers two different appointment upgrades – a private experience and a princess appointment. A private experience or princess appointment is a great option for brides that want a more intimate, personal Ellynne Bridal experience. These appointments are exclusive, private and after hours, allowing for the most individualized time with your bridal consultant. Bring your bride tribe and celebrate saying, “YES!” while you indulge in lite bites, drinks, and fun memories with your favorite people.
Tell us about the Magic Mirror?
Ellynne Bridal's Magic Mirror is an interactive and immersive technology experience that lets users envision how they'll look walking down the aisle on their big day. The Magic Mirror has been quoted by Ellynne Brides as not only 'cool,' but putting the shopping experience 'over the edge,' and being 'like nothing they've ever seen.' At first glance, the Magic Mirror appears to be a standard mirror—that is, until it turns interactive at the click of a button by one of our expert consultants. When torn between two favorite styles, the Magic Mirror showcases the bride in side-by-side comparisons from multiple angles. Plus, Ellynne brides have also taken a liking to the Magic Mirror's ability to text or email photos directly from the mirror's software that can be shared with family and friends who are not local to the area.
Anything big coming up in the future for Ellynne Bridal?
Yes! Ellynne Bridal is excited to announce our upcoming expansion for 2022. We want to make the Ellynne Experience even bigger, better and more grand; this build out will feature the largest, luxury bridal suites in Nebraska, so Ellynne Brides will truly have a one of a kind experience. With this expansion, future Ellynne Brides can expect to enjoy a larger, elevated space to accommodate families and large groups during one of the most special days in their lives. Not only will our new space feature 2 large, exclusive viewing areas, but our store will now boast two Magic Mirrors to assist our brides in finding the dress of their dreams! This expansion will make Ellynne Bridal the largest couture bridal shop in Nebraska, with an experience to match. We are encouraging our brides to book their appointments for January 2022 early to secure a spot as we will be celebrating our grand re-opening every day of the month! It will be a celebration you won’t want to miss!
