Main Content

heidi elnora

April 23, 2013

Bridal Fashion Week 2013: Here We Go!

One of our favorite weeks of the year is here! Bridal Fashion Week kicked off in New York City and we’re like kids in a candy store, so excited about all the newest gowns from our favorite designers. During this week, we attend runway shows and meet with designers to pick the wedding dresses we’ll carry in the Wedding Suite for the next season.

While we could talk for days about all the details, we also know a picture is worth a thousand words—so follow our fashion week journey through the photos below (with more to come this week!). You can also follow the action on Twitter @NordstromWed where our bridal director, Andrea Wasserman, is live tweeting throughout each day!

Mt. Rainier greets us along the way to the airport in Seattle.

At the hotel, laying out the week’s shoes. The flats will come in handy!

Central Park view from our hotel. We could get used to this!

First meeting with the lovely Kelly Faetanini, with a gorgeous lace back dress.

Next to the runway at Vera Wang. Seeing lots of black and white!

Buyer Sharon examines the Vera Wang gowns up close.

At Nicole Miller, checking out a favorite gown, now in lace!

Sharon and Lisa looking through options. Decisions, decisions!

Andrea and designer Heidi Elnora ending the night at dinner–in matching jean jackets.

Check back this week for more coverage of Bridal Fashion Week including our favorite new trends!

0 COMMENTS

Click For More: , , , , , , ,

January 17, 2013

Stylist Picks: Most Wanted Wedding Dress


Audrey Moon, one of the Wedding Stylists at our suite in Lone Tree, Colorado, shares her favorite wedding dress du jour and tips on how to style it with a sweet and feminine touch.

Hi! I’m Audrey from your Nordstrom Park Meadows store. One of my favorite wedding dresses right now is the “Erin Cooper” gown by designer Heidi Elnora. It showcases the feminine figure at its best! I love the beaded bodice, the phenomenal bow and the low back that lets you be flirty yet sexy.

Pictured: Heidi Elnora Wedding Gown

Shoes | Headband | Necklace | Bracelet

The Erin Cooper is a stunning gown, but it will still allow you to fully accessorize. Soft, romantic bridal jewelry like Majorica Pearl Necklaces and Majorica Baroque Pearl Bracelets are the perfect complement. Instead of a veil, I’d recommend our new Crystal Branches Headband from Halo & Co. to complement the natural details found in the bodice of the dress. To finish the look, I’d put you in the natural colored ‘Cissy’ sandals by Badgley Mischka–those chiffon rosettes are so sweet and whimsical.

The Erin Cooper encompasses what it means to be a truly feminine and beautiful bride. For all you newly engaged ladies: congratulations…let’s find you a gown! Book a complimentary appointment online, or come see me at Nordstrom Park Meadows, and we will put together YOUR dream look!

0 COMMENTS

Click For More: , , , ,

December 12, 2012

12 to 2013: Day 2, Heidi Elnora Wedding Gowns

Project Runway alum Heidi Elnora dazzled us for spring 2013 with her illusion necklines, fine keyholes and strands of lace that brides can only dream of donning on the big day! With our ’12 Days of Gowns’ feature in full swing, Heidi comes in at number two: her gowns, carried in selected Wedding Suites, are absolutely exquisite, and certainly garner two thumbs up for her quality craftsmanship and detail.

Heidi Elnora is based in Birmingham, Alabama, and her Southern sensibility adds to the charm of her creations.

L to R: ‘Lace Keyhole’ and ‘Rubie Joe’

‘Mary Margaret’

Browse all the current bridal collections we have in The Wedding Suite, and check back here for more glorious gowns!

0 COMMENTS

Click For More: , ,

November 8, 2012

Heidi Elnora’s Favorite Wedding Dress & Styling Tips

Hi, everyone! It’s Molly, your Nordstrom Weddings Site Merchandiser here. I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know one of our wedding designers, Heidi Elnora, since we launched her brand seven months ago. Let me just tell you that she is a fantastic human being and a brilliant designer. She has enough energy to fill the Superdome, the ability to make you smile so big your cheeks hurt and is one of the best huggers I’ve met!

I recently asked Heidi if she could name a favorite wedding dress from her collections. She told me, “The Coco Marie is one of my all-time favorite gowns.” I couldn’t agree more. The Coco Marie is a dream dress. It’s beautiful all on its own but can be complemented with many different pieces and styles. Here’s what else she had to say about the dress and how to style it.

“The Coco Marie was named after one of my first brides, Nicole Marie Richter. Her husband is a DJ and a very dear friend of mine, DJ Coco–therefore, the Coco Marie. This gown is simple yet has a perfect fit, which is the key to a great wedding dress. It can be worn with the Katie Grace cover-up, the lace bodice, by itself or with a great sash.

“The best thing about the Katie Grace cover-up is that it is reversible. You can wear it with buttons in the front, giving you a very traditional look and a low V-shaped back, or you can reverse it so that the V gives you a cap-sleeve feel and a see-through lace back. This option looks great with full covered buttons down the length of your Coco Marie. By adding a ruched waistband, you complete the look while cinching in your waist at the same time. What girl doesn’t love a tiny waist!

“Another great option for the Coco Marie is our lace bodice. This bodice is used as an overlay on the Coco Marie and finishes at the natural waist. The Coco Marie is one great gown that is as versatile as my brides!”

Want to try the Coco Marie or any other dresses in our Heidi Elnora lookbook for yourself? Head to one of our Wedding Suites where a Wedding Stylist can help find the perfect way to customize this gown just for you! –Molly

1 COMMENT

Click For More: , , ,

October 16, 2012

Real Wedding: JoAnna and Aaron

JoAnna recounts her vintage-inspired wedding and everything that helped make it special.

The Scene
:
Fall 2012: Four Mounds Inn, Dubuque, IA
I wanted our wedding outside, close to water, and to have a vintage feel. I wanted old objects and memories to be carried throughout and for it all to feel comfortable for guests. The theme was “Vintage Romance,” purely based on my taste and my love for my fiancé.

I wanted the venue to feel private and secluded, so we chose Four Mounds Inn, which sits atop a bluff overlooking the Mississippi in our hometown of Dubuque, IA. It’s an old estate built in the early 1900s with many charming vintage features and a large grass lawn in between the two mansions–perfect for a tent! It’s very wooded, and I knew my vision would be perfect there. It was relaxed, private and easy.

My Wedding Stylist:
Amie Kesler at Nordstrom Michigan Ave., Chicago.

I bought my dress from the Wedding Suite at Nordstrom, and I am so happy I did. Not only do I love my dress, I loved my experience. I never once worried about quality or service; I was well taken care of. My stylist was amazing throughout everything, and we’ve even developed a relationship. I’ll be sending her my photos from the wedding with a thank-you for being so amazing and making me feel so special.

I sent Amie a few ideas of what I like and a link to my Pinterest account; we talked about everything before we even met to try on dresses. When I got there, she had everything pulled for me, and her choices were dead-on. Thank you, Nordstrom—and thank you, Amie!

My Dress:
The dress was called ‘Coco Marie’ made by Heidi Elnora, with a Katie Grace lace vest on top. I also wore a Caroline DeVillo cathedral veil and champagne sash. Luckily, the lace from Caroline was the exact same that Heidi used, so it went together perfectly. I wore Judith Jack earrings and satin wedges from BP. shoes. I wouldn’t have changed a thing!

I loved that I had options within the same dress and with the vest, which had buttons going down the front to give it a very classic, traditional look. I could also turn the vest around for a deep-V in the front, which had a very “me” look, and then taking it off gave me the option to cool down and dance!

Our Special Moments:
Two old doors to the entrance of our tent provided a special touch. They were the doors to the home where my mother grew up, and everyone was amazed to hear about them.

We danced all night long and got surprised with fireworks. I also surprised Aaron with a song by The Cure sung by my sister with music played by his nephew and his girlfriend. We did everything ourselves, so it was a complete and true reflection of the two of us—from each song selection for our playlist, right down to the labels for desserts.

No stress that day, just anxiousness and happiness…everyone was glowing, and the event was dubbed Love Fest 2012.

It was the most magical day we’ve ever experienced, and we will cherish it forever.

Photography © 2012 Eric Yerke.

Did you find something for a wedding at Nordstrom? We love a good wedding story! E-mail Nordstrom Wedding Stories for details about getting your wedding featured on our blog. And for more inspiration, make a complimentary appointment with a Wedding Stylist or browse our Wedding Suite.

6 COMMENTS

Click For More: , ,

October 4, 2012

Guest Blogger: Heidi Elnora, Her Wedding & More

We first mentioned our love of designer Heidi Elnora back in March when we announced the arrival of her bridal collection at the Wedding Suite. We still adore the carefree, romantic spirit of her dresses—not to mention that signature Southern sparkle.

Here’s something more to love: Heidi will be guest blogging, writing a series of posts for the Wedding Suite Blog on everything from her incredible wedding (and her many dresses) to her daily life as a designer and at home.

Check back soon for her first post, and in the meantime, here’s a glimpse at her gorgeous Alabama wedding. Lavish!

1 COMMENT

Click For More: , , ,

September 21, 2012

Real Wedding: Tiffany in Heidi Elnora

Tiffany from Homewood, Alabama shares her experience wearing one of our favorite styles by Heidi Elnora—a Ruthy Gail gown, customized with a lace overlay.


Photo by Blue Bend Photography

After being chosen to model for Heidi Elnora at last year’s Birmingham Fashion Week finale, I fell in love with her fabulous dresses, the spirit of her designs and the friend that she became to me. So naturally, when I began planning my Spring wedding to the man of my dreams at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, I could think of no other designer to wear for the most special day of my life.

The experience was beyond anything I could have ever imagined. Heidi and her team took the time to get to know me personally by understanding who I am as a bride and the essence of what I wanted my wedding to convey. I described my ideal wedding as an intimate affair that would capture our fairytale love story, one that would withstand the test of time–classic with southern elegance, romance, charm and a bit of edge. The wedding dress we chose was all of those things and then some. It was ME. I knew the moment I tried it on that it was THE ONE. My husband-to-be would love it and so would my dad.


Photo by Blue Bend Photography

On our wedding day, all of my dreams came true. It was the perfect day–beautiful weather, romantic location–and we were surrounded by our loving families. I wore the perfect dress and married the perfect man for me who is truly the love of my life. Our wedding was absolutely magical.
I have so many people to thank for that wonderful day, but to Heidi Elnora and team, I will be forever grateful, because after finding the man of your dreams, every girl deserves to find the dress of her dreams.
xoxo, Tiffany

See all our Heidi Elnora gowns (including the pictured original of Tiffany’s dress), and make one of them your own by customizing it with personalized detailing (a bride’s dream!) in one of our Wedding Suites.

And if Nordstrom helped with your wedding, e-mail us for a chance to be featured on our blog. We’d love to hear from you!

1 COMMENT

Click For More: , , ,

March 15, 2012

Coming Soon: heidi elnora Wedding Gowns

We’re so excited to announce the upcoming addition of a little southern sparkle to select Nordstrom Wedding Suites across the country—heidi elnora bridal gowns, arriving March 26. The sweet and charming Alabama native spent a few minutes chatting with us, sharing everything from her tips for finding THE dress to her advice for planning the perfect day.

Tell us about the woman you design for.
A heidi elnora bride is a romantic at heart. She loves clean lines and attention to detail. She isn’t afraid to step out of the box while maintaining a classic and timeless day.

Why did you go into the wedding industry?
That’s a long story. Just know that it has to do with falling in LOVE!

What is your design philosophy and what sets your gowns apart?
My design philosophy is “simple sophistication with a touch of whimsical flair that creates a vintage vibe”—that’s a whole lot of something, but it pretty much says it all.

A heidi elnora gown is different because it isn’t screaming, “I’m a bride.” Yet, you feel and look like one.

What is the biggest trend you’re seeing right now for weddings?
Trends come and go, but currently a big trend for bridal is simple dresses with some type of WOW—for instance a peplum, capelet or neck/sleeve adornment.

What are your tips for finding the perfect dress?
After working with hundreds of brides, I would suggest you get on Pinterest and start tagging things you like. This will help you to see what you are leaning toward. This is also an easy way to share your ideas with your friends and family. I love my Pinterest page. I often use it for inspiration for the upcoming collection.

You recently visited our San Francisco Wedding Suite. What did you think?
Brides in California are so lucky to have such talented and knowledgeable stylists at their Wedding Suite. These ladies really take their time to learn about their bride. It reminds me of being back in Alabama; it’s just comfortable.

What advice would you offer to our Nordstrom brides?
For all of the brides planning your big day, I would advise you to do your research and not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Remember that too many opinions can make you crazy, so only bring one or two super-supportive and positive people. It will make the experience that much more enjoyable.

Find heidi elnora wedding gowns at select Nordstrom Wedding Suites.* Visit our Wedding Suite online for more gowns, inspiration and information about creating your perfect wedding.

*Available at Brea Mall, California; Garden State Plaza, New Jersey; Houston Galleria, Texas; Michigan Avenue, Illinois; NorthPark Center, Texas; San Francisco Centre, California.

3 COMMENTS

Click For More: , , , , , , , , , ,

HOME