In the 1930s, Madie Ella Leonard opened a fine dress store in an Alabama town. Convinced that mixing the fashions of the Big Apple with service drenched in Southern charm would create a shop people would have to revisit, Madie purchased her first lines of inventory. Though many told her Alabama couldn’t handle couture, Madie went on to operate one of the most influential dress shops in the South. With the same love of couture and desire to bring something new to the Alabama bridal market, Madie’s nieces, along with their mom, opened White Dresses. White Dresses blends couture bridal gowns with service dunked in Southern charm to create a bridal shopping experience unlike any other.
GO: How long have you been in business?
WD: We opened our quaint little bridal boutique at the end of January 2013. However, we started planning our shop far earlier! We modeled the boutique after our Great Great Aunt’s couture clothing shop and are so excited to carry on a similar family business.
GO: What designers do you carry?
WD: White Dresses offers a host of fabulous designers that are exclusive to our bridal salon in the Southeast, including Marchesa, Rosa Clará, Sareh Nouri, Jesús Peiró, Anna Maier ~ Ulla-Maija, Stephanie Allin, Palazzo, and Hayley Paige.
GO: Do you offer alterations?
WD: White Dresses does not offer in-house alterations. However, we do suggest an alterations specialist for brides who purchase and will facilitate the first fitting with the alterations specialist at our shop.
GO: Do you sell accessories/veils/shoes?
WD: We do sell accessories and veils!
White Dresses offers a host of designers for veils, including Toni Federici, Nilah & Company, Marisol Aparicio, and Enchanted Atelier. We also offer many different accessories, including belts, headpieces and jewelry from wonderful designers across the United States, including a.b. Ellie, Elisabeth Newton, and Elizabeth Bower.
GO: Do you have options for mothers/bridesmaids/children?
WD: White Dresses is the proud Alabama home of Dolly Pearl, which can translate well to a mothers dress or a bridesmaid dress! While we have many of the samples in store in a variation of ivory or blush, Dolly Pearl offers many great colors and we can order any dress in any color!
GO: Do you have a Trunk Show Schedule?
WD: Yes! We keep our website updated with upcoming trunk shows under the Events page!
GO: What is your salon’s mission?
WD: White Dresses is focused on more than helping a bride find a gorgeous white dress, our goal is to provide a bride an experience that is unparalleled by any bridal boutique. From the moment a bride walks into our store, we make sure she is comfortable and we learn more about her than just her name and wedding date. Our brides are special and we want to make sure they feel that way!
GO: What unique services do you offer brides? What makes your salon stand apart from others?
WD: Our salon offers a Pure White Appointment and a Dressing Service. The experience at our salon makes it different than any other bridal boutique!
GO: In your own words, describe the bridal salon experience that brides will receive when visiting your salon.
WD: White Dresses modeled its business plan after our Great Great Aunt’s couture clothing store and one thing Aunt Madie always preached was making sure you were more than just a salesperson showing off amazing clothing! When a bride comes to our store, they are greeted outside with a personalized sign congratulating them on their appointment. Our consultants know the bride’s name before they ever walk in! We sit down and learn about them by diving into their wedding. We want to be more than someone who helps them slip on a dress, we want to be their friend and confidant. We get to know the bride, their family, and build a true relationship. When a bride selects her dress, her experience doesn’t end there – we continue the relationship by keeping in touch with the bride and sending them a special treat on their big day!
GO: What are your hours?
WD: White Dresses is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., but we are all about service so we will come in as early or late as needed for our brides (whether it is on an off day or not)!
GO: Anything special you want your readers to know?
WD: White Dresses isn’t your everyday bridal boutique – the owners were raised on this stuff! We grew up having Aunt Madie teach us about laces on her front porch in the Southern summer heat! Aunt Madie’s lessons were deeper than fabric lessons, though. She taught us about knowing your clients, being truly open with others, and not being afraid to give – because the rewards you reap from giving are far greater than any gown sales could be. Learning these lessons when we were young makes us far better at our job now.
White Dresses Boutique
500 Providence Main Street
Huntsville, AL 35806
T: 256.270.8895
whitedressesboutique.com
GO: How long have you been in business?
