Beautiful Bride:

Looking Exquisite, Classy and Modest

Modest Gowns Can Still Be A Choice

Stacy Leavitt

17 years ago our family (all 6 of our children and mom and dad) started a

decorating business for special occasions.  Our kids helped with decorating as this family business grew.  It evolved into also renting wedding gowns, accessories, and tuxedos. 

Modest wedding gowns became very hard to find from any bridal companies.  Very few companies had one dress that was temple ready.

We had three daughters who would one day go to a prom and get married.  As parents we all want our daughters to look beautiful (and modest) on these special occasions.   When it came time for our girls to have these gowns we never found one dress that was modest.  For each one we had to remake it to fit modesty and temple standards.

As time went on, our kids began growing up and leaving home.  We sold the wedding decoration part of the business and focused on the modest dresses.

I was searching for an LDS designer when I found the Eternity line that was just beginning with their own modest gowns.  They had a store in Provo called Walker's Emporium.  A designer made modest dresses for their stores.  In time the Provo owner found those dresses expensive, so they started making their own. (I still get dresses from them and other LDS designers). 

A unique thing about our store is that we carry the best of five lines of modest dresses.  Stores in Utah generally don’t carry all five designers.  We have two Canadian designers who are creating couture gowns.  (They have expensive designer look and make such as silk).  We now have found some exclusive lines of modest gowns and are trying to get the word out that the selection is great and that you don't have to make a trip to Utah to get a modest temple ready gown.

We had built a bridal shop onto our home, and soon the business was growing, and needed a new location. 

By this time (2002) people from all over Alberta (and other parts of Canada) were coming to our home / shop in Cardston.  We chose to set up our new retail store in Calgary.  Calgary provided a more central location for the province (and the country).

My husband is a vice-principal in Cardston, and we love where we live.

We run the business long distance.  We have been blessed with wonderful

staff, who are trustworthy.  Because of the distance, there are challenges, but, we feel that it is worth it because we know this is where the business is supposed to be. 

 

Beautiful Bride’s inventory consists of 2/3 traditional wedding dresses and 1/3 are the modesty collection.  (We couldn't open the store with just modest dresses because that wouldn’t be enough to pay the bills.)

 

Generally modest dresses cost more. Why?  They have a shoulder and a sleeve so the extra material costs money.  Traditional wedding dresses are mass market produced.  Modest dresses are not made in the quantity that traditional dresses are – so the cost is a bit more.

It has been a great experience people when girls come into the store to buy a traditional dress and in the end choose to buy a modest dress.  (Most people who want a traditional dress buy that style).  However, at least now there is a choice.

Prom Dresses Can Also Be Modest and Stylish!!!!

We need to get the word out about the following prom shows.  As this is

the only time they will be offered (for the 2007 2008 school year)

We bring in many lines of modest prom gowns and do an open house for 2

weeks.  (The shop in Calgary is not big enough to carry grad dresses all year long)

This year the Prom Gown Open House will be:

Cardston Nov 6---10th

(At Leavitt Home 1176- 9 Avenue West Cardston 403 653-4213 Stacy)

Calgary   Nov  13th---17th (Beautiful Brides, 6700 Macleod Drive Trail, 403 663 2173) 

Checkout our website at:

www.beautifulbride.ca

We will have many prizes that there will be draws for.  We have found in the past that the girls have had a great time at this.