On November 15th, Her Big Day held a model casting call at La Belle Elaine's Bridal Boutique located in the Eastlake neighborhood of Seattle. Thanks to the owners of the boutique, along with our Sales and Marketing Director, Kayla Reynolds, we had an incredible night of auditioning against a backdrop of lovely lace, sequin and tulle wedding gowns!
Recently, Kayla sat down with manager Stacey Gimmestad to bring you a fun, getting to know you post about the boutique and the owners behind it!
Kayla Reynolds: How did La Belle Elaine's get started?
Stacey Gimmestad: The owners originally took over Elaine’s of Edmonds in the early 90s, which was started by Elaine in 1979. After a few years of success, we opened a second boutique in Kirkland known as La Belle Mariee. The two stores were then merged to create a larger boutique in downtown Seattle in 2004. And now, we are in a more intimate setting in Eastlake.
KR: You recently moved to the Eastlake neighborhood, how it that going?
SG: We love our new Eastlake location; the lighting is beautiful. It creates an incredible experience for each bride. And the brides love our runway! Our new location allows us to cater to brides in the Seattle area.
KR: Our models loved the runway during the casting call as well! And of course, they were all mesmerized by the gorgeous collection of gowns carried in the boutique. Who are some of the designers carried in the boutique?
SG: A few of the designers in our collection include: Kenneth Winston, Allure, WTOO, Eddy K, Rosa Clara and Nicole Spose.
KR: Who selects the gowns and/or designers to become a part of the boutique's selection and what inspires that process?
SG: The owners as well as the manager of 13 years, myself, do all the buying. Their selections are inspired by what they see on the red carpet during award season. They also try to keep up and pay attention to what’s new and fresh in bridal every season.
KR: What's your biggest seller?
SG: The great thing with having such a unique variety of gowns is that every bride's choice is different. Which means the popularity of dresses are always changing. We have noticed that no matter what is trending, a simple, elegant gown is always a timeless wedding look.
KR: Bridal accessories such as belts, headpieces and earrings are also available in the boutique. Is it true that some of these pieces are custom made and exclusive to La Belle Elaine's boutique? Tell us more about that:
SG: Sally Crew lives here locally in Seattle and exclusively makes everything you see in the store and will customize any jewelry a bride desires. Her experience of jewelry ranges from working on necklaces, headbands, bracelets, earrings, head pieces, garters, etc. It's easy to call and schedule an appointment with her to help you create the accessory look for your big day!
KR: Where do you see La Belle Elaine's in the next 5 years?
SG: What we feel our customers enjoy about La Belle Elaine's is that we focus on one-on-one personal service. In the following years we don't plan to expand locations or grow in size. We love our space on Eastlake and want to stay here. Our brides love it and we plan to continue that satisfaction of our store and service by staying intimate and always working toward helping the bride.
KR: What would you say to the bride-to-be who is interested in coming in to check out your collections?
SG: It's best for a bride to set up an appointment with us because it ensures that they get all the time and attention they need. The appointment reserves a dressing room and a bridal consultant to assist a bride through the process. Bridal consultants will then be able to answer any question a bride has along with giving them their undivided attention.
KR: Yes, give La Belle Elaine's a call at (206) 432-9383 for an appointment! Also, to take a peek at what's offered in the boutique, visit us on the Website or say hello on Facebook or Instagram.
Happy Dress Shopping, Bellas! xo
