52 | VIPDestinMagazine.com
photos provided by
Simply Elegant
|
story by
Liesel Schmidt
veryone knows that, when it
comes to the big day, it’s all about
the dress. And whether you’ve
been dreaming of swathing yourself in satin
or loving the idea of lace, Simply Elegant
Bridal has the perfect dress to make you say,
“I do.” Offering a dazzling array of bridal
wear, formal wear, and accessories to clients
for over thirty years, owners Bob and Deborah
West have created one of the Emerald Coast’s
premier bridal boutiques; and they go beyond
expectation to bring you wedded bliss.
“Really, one of the things that’s led to our
continued success is the fact we’re working
in an industry that fl ourishes in LOVE—the
love of the customer, the love of fashion, and
the love and satisfaction of knowing that each
bride will be in the gown of her dreams when
she comes to us,” says Bob, who boasts his
own success in love and marriage, having
thirty-six years and counting as Deborah’s
partner in life as well as in business.
With names like Allure Bridals, Mori Lee
Bridals, Casablanca, Maggie Sottero, and
Stella York in their collections, the Wests and
their team of bridal consultants at Simply
Elegant have taken the vow to wow
and guide every bride in fi nding
the perfect match. “Today’s
brides are extremely
fashion conscious and
spend countless hours
researching the latest
designs before they try
on a single wedding
gown, so we meet the
challenge presented to
us in staying on-trend
by going directly to the
sources,” Bob explains.
“Deborah attends the
national bridal markets
in New York, Chicago,
Dallas, and Atlanta to view
and select the designs that we
display and stock in the boutique; and
we make our selections based on the
current fashion trends as well as on
the average budgeting trends of our
brides.”
Budgets aside, it’s the look—
and that feeling, the indescribable
sense of knowing that this
dress—above every other dress
out there—is The One that makes
the fi nal decision for a bride, and
that’s exactly the feeling that the
team at Simply Elegant helps their
brides fi nd. Not that it’s always
simple, which is why Bob and
Deborah recommend allowing ample
time for gown selection as well as any
alterations and special orders that need
to be made. “We generally advise brides
to schedule their bridal appointment with
a Bridal Stylist weeks ahead of time—really,
a year before the wedding is ideal, though
not always possible—to view and select their
perfect gown,” Deborah says. “Three out of
four brides actually have to special order their
gown for the correct size and color, and it often
takes the designers on average four to six
months to make.”
Naturally, classic styles will
always be classics, but current
trends are bringing in more
brides seeking out some
unexpected designs in
champagne strapless lace.
“We’re also seeing a great
many brides moving
more in the direction of
simplicity in design—but
elegance is still a must!”
Deborah contends.
With so much success
at their Fort Walton Beach
location over the past three
decades, the company was able
to celebrate the opening of a sister
in Love
E
XX Destin Style.indd 1
12/27/18 6:35 PM