Damn you Florida! Why do you get "everything" cool first?
Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 5:18 am
Dena Kirkland made an appointment at Solutions Bridal Designer House before her fiance, Justin, had even popped the question.
With or without the ring, the 21-year-old Titusville bride-to-be knew she wanted to be among the first to see the new line of Walt Disney Co. wedding gowns, which made their national retail debut Friday at the Winter Park bridal boutique.
"It's so new. That's one of the draws," Kirkland said as she tried on a strapless number inspired by Disney's Sleeping Beauty. "No one else has it."
The dresses are on display at Solutions Bridal through Sunday, as the first part of a national tour of the princess-inspired gowns.
The store on West Fairbanks Avenue was selected to be the first U.S. location where brides can try on and purchase their fairy-tale gown. A retail scout gave the shop's energetic staff and modern look a thumbs up.
"We just thought it was a very beautiful location," said Paulette Cleghorn, sales and marketing director for Kirstie Kelly Inc. for Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings Collection, the company that designed the dresses. "We wanted to be sure that any company representing the Disney brand represents it well."
After Sunday, the 34-gown collection moves to Cleveland. But this weekend, brides from as far away as Seattle are flying to Central Florida to snap up the wedding dresses. The first two appointments Friday resulted in sales.
Lindsey Timberman started -- and ended -- her wedding-dress search Friday. The Delaware woman was in town to plan her November 2008 wedding at Walt Disney World.
"I just always thought as a little girl, that's where I wanted to get married," said the 28-year-old Timberman, who purchased a gold dress inspired by Belle from Disney's Beauty and the Beast. "It's kind of like the whole fairy-tale princess, happily-ever-after thing."
The dresses are inspired by Disney princesses, such as Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Ariel, Snow White, Belle and Jasmine, though the influences are subtle.
"Instead of taking a replica of her [the princess's] costume, it was really about making sure that princesses are represented by mood and that those moods and those personalities are personalities that women can identify with today," designer Kirstie Kelly said by phone Friday from Los Angeles.
"When you take a look at the gowns, you'll find that there's nothing "costumey" about them whatsoever."
The reaction of customers this weekend will determine which gowns shoppers will see on the racks at Solutions Bridal Designer House in the months ahead. The store, which will be the exclusive Orlando-area vendor for the Disney collection, will order the most popular dresses and keep those on display, owner Newell Fox said.
So far, the Winter Park bridal shop is the only Florida location, though talks are under way to offer the Disney line at stores in Miami, Palm Beach and Tampa.
Kavitha Tipirneni walked into the Winter Park store Friday just looking for a bridal gown. The New Jersey resident, who is visiting her brother and sister-in-law in Orlando, didn't know about the Disney collection's appearance until she saw the gowns on the rack. The 25-year-old Disney fan fell for one that she hopes to wear when she walks down the aisle.
"It's the closest thing I'll ever become to Princess Jasmine, that's for sure," Tipirneni said.
With or without the ring, the 21-year-old Titusville bride-to-be knew she wanted to be among the first to see the new line of Walt Disney Co. wedding gowns, which made their national retail debut Friday at the Winter Park bridal boutique.
"It's so new. That's one of the draws," Kirkland said as she tried on a strapless number inspired by Disney's Sleeping Beauty. "No one else has it."
The dresses are on display at Solutions Bridal through Sunday, as the first part of a national tour of the princess-inspired gowns.
The store on West Fairbanks Avenue was selected to be the first U.S. location where brides can try on and purchase their fairy-tale gown. A retail scout gave the shop's energetic staff and modern look a thumbs up.
"We just thought it was a very beautiful location," said Paulette Cleghorn, sales and marketing director for Kirstie Kelly Inc. for Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings Collection, the company that designed the dresses. "We wanted to be sure that any company representing the Disney brand represents it well."
After Sunday, the 34-gown collection moves to Cleveland. But this weekend, brides from as far away as Seattle are flying to Central Florida to snap up the wedding dresses. The first two appointments Friday resulted in sales.
Lindsey Timberman started -- and ended -- her wedding-dress search Friday. The Delaware woman was in town to plan her November 2008 wedding at Walt Disney World.
"I just always thought as a little girl, that's where I wanted to get married," said the 28-year-old Timberman, who purchased a gold dress inspired by Belle from Disney's Beauty and the Beast. "It's kind of like the whole fairy-tale princess, happily-ever-after thing."
The dresses are inspired by Disney princesses, such as Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Ariel, Snow White, Belle and Jasmine, though the influences are subtle.
"Instead of taking a replica of her [the princess's] costume, it was really about making sure that princesses are represented by mood and that those moods and those personalities are personalities that women can identify with today," designer Kirstie Kelly said by phone Friday from Los Angeles.
"When you take a look at the gowns, you'll find that there's nothing "costumey" about them whatsoever."
The reaction of customers this weekend will determine which gowns shoppers will see on the racks at Solutions Bridal Designer House in the months ahead. The store, which will be the exclusive Orlando-area vendor for the Disney collection, will order the most popular dresses and keep those on display, owner Newell Fox said.
So far, the Winter Park bridal shop is the only Florida location, though talks are under way to offer the Disney line at stores in Miami, Palm Beach and Tampa.
Kavitha Tipirneni walked into the Winter Park store Friday just looking for a bridal gown. The New Jersey resident, who is visiting her brother and sister-in-law in Orlando, didn't know about the Disney collection's appearance until she saw the gowns on the rack. The 25-year-old Disney fan fell for one that she hopes to wear when she walks down the aisle.
"It's the closest thing I'll ever become to Princess Jasmine, that's for sure," Tipirneni said.
