A few months back I stumbled upon a fabulous wedding gown in Wedding Gowns Magazine. It was form fitting, draped with amazing lace and super romantic — my kinda gown! I went to the designers website and was then introduced to the incredibly talented Heidi Elnora Standridge, a true Southern lady with a rich, gorgeous style and a load of talent. She is based out of her home state of Alabama in Birmingham, creating amazing couture gowns for brides all over the country. I didn’t know it at the time, but she was on a little show called Project Runway (season two), which must have provided her with a ton of opportunities. She took those opportunities and really followed her dream, which leads us to where we are today! Not only are her gowns amazing, but her story is too, which really inspires me as a young female entrepreneur.

I had to find out where a bride in Connecticut could try on a heidi elnora dress, so I decided to email the designer. Much to my delight she and I struck up a great conversation and I invited her to do a Q&A session for the Connecticut Wedding Blog. She also just recently launched a beautiful new website which features her new 2009 line. It is simply amazing and I have a few highlights after the Q&A. If I hadn’t already fallen in love with my own gown, I would have easily flown down to her studio to meet with her about one of these. They are exquisite. I feel like a Connecticut boutique simply must carry her gowns! In addition to the new website, she is also opening a new bridal gallery in Atlanta, scheduled to debut in the Spring of 2009.

As a fashion designer, what led you to designing bridal gowns?
Love.

Prior to Project Runway, I designed children’s clothing for Carter’s in Atlanta. As I was driving back to Carter’s one afternoon, I was struck by a drunk driver. My mom, a nurse, came to my rescue and brought me home to Alabama to take care of me. While I was recovering, I met a young man. Eight months later, I put in my 2 weeks’ notice and moved back to Alabama. This is where heidi elnora was conceived. I wanted to be a bride. I wanted to design something a client would never forget– something that would be cherished, something that could be passed down from generation to generation, something that would always be special. What is more special than a wedding gown?

Where do you draw inspiration for your designs?
Inspiration comes from everything and anything. My family and friends inspire me. Noticeably each dress has a first and middle name. Each dress is named after a special woman in my life. When designing, I will take certain aspects from my inspiration’s life, her story, and use that to create her gown.

What is the process of creating a heidi elnora gown, whether couture or a ready-made design?
The couture process starts with an initial consultation. At the consultation, I ask the bride questions about her wedding, about how she has always envisioned herself, and about her overall theme or feel. From there I begin sketching. I usually sketch out the final gown at the first consultation. After the initial sketch, we take detailed measurements. The detailed measurements are used to create her custom patterns. The custom patterns are then used to create a muslin gown. The muslin gown is used for the basic dress fitting and then the final dress fitting follows.

A ready-made design can be bought off the rack. We will make small changes to the design by request. A ready-made gown can be ordered over the phone and does not require an initial consultation; yet consultations are encouraged to ensure the perfect dress for the bride.

How would you classify the style of a heidi elnora gown and what adjectives would you use to describe them?
The adjective would be timeless. I would classify the style of the gowns as “timeless gowns with classic lines and fine attention to detail.”

Besides the gown, what do you feel is the second most important “piece” to a bride’s look?
The second most important piece to a bride’s look would be a tie between her veil/headpiece and her flowers. They both are needed to finish the look. They are just as important as shoes and handbags are to the perfect little black dress.

What piece of advice do you give to a bride on shopping for her wedding gown?
Take your time and don’t settle. This is the most important gown you will ever wear. It should be PERFECT. It should be everything you imagined it to be and more.

What do you think is one of the biggest mistakes brides make when shopping or choosing a gown?
The biggest mistake a bride can make is choosing “the look” over “the fit.” A model in a magazine is going to look amazing in the ad. That is why the model was chosen. Sometimes brides think they will look the same. Not all styles are good for all brides. The bride should find a gown that flatters her body type and then create the look from there by adding lace or other details that reflect the initial look.

How can Connecticut and New England brides purchase a heidi elnora gown?
Brides from all over the country fly to Alabama to have a custom gown created exclusively for them.

Brides can also visit our site www.heidielnora.com to view the collection. If there is a gown that they are interested in, we can work with a local bridal salon to have the gown shipped to the salon for the bride to try on.

When a bride leaves after her emotional final fitting, taking your creation with her, it must be an incredible feeling knowing that you are such an intimate element in her wedding day. What is that like for you?
It’s AMAZING. By the time the dress is finished, the bride and I have become friends. I usually end up attending the wedding and crying with the Mom. It’s truly a proud moment for all of us.

heidi elnora Spring 2009

Are they not amazing? I am in love with every square inch of each of them. I love all the detailing and the ultra feminine, vintage feeling that they exude. Be sure to visit Heidi’s fabulous new website! She has also started a journal which I will be an avid reader of indefinitely. A thousand thank yous to Heidi for being so generous with her time to answer our questions. We are so inspired by her story!