What a Dress

Encore Bridal, if you don't already know, is an amazing gem of a resource. It's a "new and nearly new" couture bridal shop on the web, in the mail, and by appointment in So. Cal. The owner, Julie Jones, searches high and low to find the most amazing, perfectly preserved, and spectacular gowns for her brides to buy at a significant discount. Whether a dress was ordered and never picked up or worn, part of a designer's overstock, a store's sample sale, or just a great find worn only once, she's got the goods. Love that Vera Wang from five years ago and can't find it? Maybe she can...she's a bit of a gown fairy, finding the impossible gets, all at insane prices. Which brings us to this dress...or should we say the dress(click to enlarge)A custom-made Elie Saab (yes, he personally created this piece.) It is a sheath silhouette with a mermaid skirt, low neckline, approximately 2" straps that criss-cross in the back, sweep train, and a ruffle accent at the hemline. It has a silk nude lining and tulle overlay that is heavily beaded with real Austrian crystals, seed pearls, and sequins. The Suha gown is unique and luxurious--truly the hottest of haute couture.

The original price of this NEVER WORN brand new dress was $29,000!!!! Yes girls, that's more than the average total American wedding budget. Encore Bridal has it for a mear $16,000 (a $13k discount on a brand new dress - nothing wrong with it - really!)

Think it's too good to be true?? Encore has a total guarantee, 100% returnable if you receive the dress and it isn't to your liking. But to be honest, her dresses are in better shape than the average shop, she even asks gals to wash their hands before touching.