Not only are her gowns amazingly feminine and beautiful, they are also unbelieveaby eco-friendly.  I really admire Elizabeth’s commitment to creating sustainable bridal gowns and was beyond thrilled when she listed some of her gowns on PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com.

She even took a moment to share some of her thoughts on wedding gowns and design with us…

 What type of bride wears an Elizabeth St. John wedding dress?  Confident, feminine and a little bit flirty.  Brides that are looking for a dress that’s classically elegant that serves as a canvas for them to build their unique style around rather than overwhelm them with “too much.”  Many of our brides are able to personalize our dresses with their own unique touches – sashes, accessories, jewelry or simply keep the clean silhouettes intact.

What are the signatures of your Bridal Collection?  
Pretty, feminine, and elegant designs often with playful twists on classic silhouettes.  We focus on creating beautiful dresses and hope to dispel the notion that 
eco-friendly fashion can’t be beautiful!

L to R: Talia, Cadil, Calixto

Do you think there is a “THE ONE” wedding dress for every bride?  Yes!  I feel that dress shopping can be a daunting experience to many brides- after a while, all dresses start to look the same.  Despite that, something magical happens when they find THE dress, and they know instantly.   When I was deciding on my own dress, I was lucky enough to have been able to try on so many styles – and after weeks and weeks of indecision, trying on dress after dress, it took me less than a minute to decide when I found my dress…. it was magical..

Please tell us more about the eco-friendliness of your wedding dresses.  Many people are surprised to know that our entire collection is eco-friendly.  This makes me happy – as I hope to create beautiful gowns first, and then go about making them in ways that are less harmful to the planet.  Like the true Parisian Couture houses, all of our gowns are cut by hand specifically for each bride and we use hand finishing techniques to ensure  that it’s not only a beautifully designed dress but that it is also beautifully constructed.   We do not overproduce on assembly lines so we dramatically reduce waste and energy consumption.  Our dresses are all made in the US – locally in the Washington, DC area.  We carefully select our fabrics to be sustainable -  natural silk, cotton, and linens – and use PET satin linings, made from 100% recycled plastic bottles on our gowns.  We also offer cruelty free alternatives in fabric selections for our vegan brides that prefer alternatives to natural silk.   We pay all our employees fair living wages and only buy from suppliers that do the same.  We recycle, reuse and refashion everything possible both in our production and in our offices and finally, we run our entire production & offices on 100% wind power so we are completely carbon neutral.  We’re the only bridal manufacturer that has such a small carbon footprint.

L to R: Josephine, Tahiti, Jayne



What is your favorite thing about designing wedding dresses?  I love the idea of being able to play a small part making one of the most important days of someone’s life just a little bit more beautiful.  I love the thought of having my brides’ children or grandchildren look back at their mothers or grandmothers bridal portraits and know that I had a tiny hand in making those beautiful memories….

Take a peek at all of the Elizabeth St. John wedding dresses listed here. And sign up for a New Dress Alert if you’d like to be notified when additional ones are listed!

Shani + Gary | September 17, 2011 | Old Westbury, New York

The ceremony

The ceremony was held at the de Seversky Mansion in Old Westbury, on the picturesque blue stone patio overlooking the great north lawn and du Pont Lake. The de Seversky Mansion is a “diamond in the rough” – the exquisite venue is unfamiliar to many and is the best kept secret as the estate is inconspicuously nestled on the campus of New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) on Long Island’s Gold Coast.  My husband is an NYIT graduate and was never even aware of the mansion – that’s how tucked away it is!

The reception

We had a European style wedding as my guests were able to explore the mansion as the evening progressed. The ceremony on the “Patio”  illustrated the mansion’s beautifully manicured landscape which was great for pictures. Cocktail hour took place in the “Library” and the “Terrace Room.” Each room displayed characteristics of refined elegance and an inviting ambiance to our guests. Dinner was held in “The Garden Room” and the “Dining Room” each room displaying a unique dining experience to our guest. Dancing, the cake cutting ceremony and the throwing of the bouquet took place in the grandiose “Ballroom” with views of the east lawn.

How Shani found her dream wedding gown

I knew exactly what I was looking for in the search for my dream wedding dress. Hence, it was quite challenging locating a bridal salon that carried gowns that matched my vision.  I went to many New York City couture bridal salons. Bridal Reflections on Fifth Avenue was the only salon that carried the designer that I was hopelessly searching for without knowing so… and so I was introduced to designer Ines Di Santo.  Ines Di Santo and I collaboratively created my gown based on my vision and design. We used the corset bodice of an original gown of the designer but made significant changes to the pattern with respect to design. Additionally, the skirt of the dress was completely re-designed to silk satin organza ruffles with feathers and strategically placed hand sewn Swarovski crystals. In the end, Ines Di Santo delivered my dream dress as it mirrors my personal style and exudes vintage glamour.

How Shani felt in her wedding dress

My wedding dress made me feel absolutely dazzling, ultra feminine and charmingly alluring.

Why Shani decided to sell her wedding dress

I heavily debated about selling my gown as it holds much sentimental value to me due to it being my wedding dress and my creative design. However, I would love to share my dress with another woman who appreciates the masterful construction of haute couture and is looking for that avant-garde gown for their special day.

Shani’s wedding dress: Ines Di Santo

Photography: Duet Wedding Photography

Hayley + Greg | September 10, 2011 | Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church + La Jolla Country Club, La Jolla, California

The Ceremony
Mary Star of the Sea is a beautiful, historic catholic chapel in downtown La Jolla.  The interior of the church is absolutely gorgeous and quaint at the same time.  I’ve wanted to get married there every since I was a little girl.  It also fit perfectly with the Spanish Vintage theme for our wedding.

The Reception
The La Jolla Country Club is located on a hill, with breathtaking views of the ocean.  We used two of the rooms, which allowed us to separate the “lounge” area from the dining area.  In line with our Spanish Vintage theme, we flooded the place with candles, chunky wood accents, ivory lace, golds, vintage table pieces, crosses, tile pieces, greenery, succulents, ivory flowers, and copper Milagros as napkin treatments to name a few.  

Hayley’s Dress Search
I knew I wanted the Monique Lhuillier Scarlet dress before I even met my husband.  While living in San Francisco, I saw it in the front window of a bridal boutique.  It’s exactly what I had always envisioned as my wedding dress.  Once I was engaged, I called around and found it at M Bride in La Jolla.  I didn’t try or look at any other dresses….it was a perfect fit.

How Hayley Felt in Her Wedding Dress
Sophisticated, Sexy, Classic

Why Hayley Decided to Sell Her Wedding Dress
I decided to sell my wedding dress because I feel that letting another bride wear and enjoy it is much more productive than sticking it in a closet for years to come.

Hayley’s Dress | Monique Lhuillier Scarlet
Photography | Joielala Photographie
Wedding Planner | Canvas and Canopy Events by Cortnie

Tiffany + Robert | September 3, 2011 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The ceremony

We were married at the Basillica of St. Josaphat. The ceremony was the most important part of the wedding for us.  It was so important that I had decided to convert to be Catholic.  It was always a dream of mine to get married in a beautiful church and be a part of a religion that made me feel closer to God and my husband. We also includeded our family in the ceremony by having them walk at the beginning of the ceremony.  The colors that we choose for the bridesmaid dresses were Ice Blue and Cotton Candy Pink.  The girls then went to a local fabric store and sewed on rhinestone trim.  They were one of a kind.  The flower girls wore pink sparkle dresses.

The reception

Our reception site was at the famous Milwaukee Art Museum. We wanted to do things a little differently, so we did not have a traditional cocktail hour.  When our guests arrived they were escorted to the place card table to find their seats and then told drinks were available at the bar.  Once they got their drinks they were seated with their own personal plate of  hors d’oevres. We had a good family friend sing Frank Sinatra songs during our cocktails and dinner.  She has the voice of an angle.  By doing this it gave us a chance to get our first dance in before dinner, and something for our guests to watch while enjoying hor doevres. For our décor we wanted a modern, but classic and timeless look.  Our flower centerpieces were all white with an ivory rhinestone base, our linens were white with ivory design and crystals.  We had silver rhinestone crystal charger plates and even a rhinestone buckle on our napkins. Our cake was very modern with sparkle trim.  

We had Sweet Table that we wanted to be our centerpiece of the room.  The decor that you see on the Sweet Table was something Rob and I put together over a two-year period.  It all started with one cupcake stand, and it just grew from there.  The Sweet Table ended up being a 38 foot long table, all of which we had to fill with sweets.  The sweets ended up also being our guests’ gifts.  At the end of the night we set out pretty take home boxes for guests to take home whatever they wanted. The whole evening was a dream come true…our guests were even commenting “This is a true fairly tale wedding.”

How Tiffany found her dream wedding dress

I had my eye on a certain dress from the moment I was engaged.  This dress was only available at Kleinfeld as it was a Pnina Tornai.  I love New York, so I had no problem traveling to try on my dream dress.  Once I arrived at Kleinfeld I had to try THE dress on first. Once I had it on I felt stunning, amazing, and like a real bride.  This dress was totally me, with a few alterations.   I had wanted my dress to be unique something that would make jaws drop.  So Pnina and I had altered the dress a little to make it a one of a kind.  I did end up trying on other dresses,  I always knew which dress was mine!

Since we were having a traditional Catholic ceremony I wanted a little jacket made of the same lace to match the lace on the bodice of the dress.  I was not sure how it would look especially since the dress was already very dramatic with the rhinestones and ruffles.   Once I put on the little jacket I cried.  I, at that point realized that was my best idea yet.

Why  Tiffany decided to sell her wedding dress

At first I didn’t want to sell the dress.  This dress is one of a kind.  Then I thought about my own experience wanting to find a beautiful one of a kind dress on PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com.  So I decided to sell the dress in hopes that I would help another Bride with a similar vision find a good deal on such an amazing dress.  I love this dress.  I hope this dress finds a good home and puts smiles on another bride’s face on her special day. 

Tiffany’s dress: Pnina Tornai

Photography: OutVision Wedding Photography

We can’t wait to call the lucky bride who wins and tell her she can choose her wedding gown from thousands of designer gowns.  Imagine wearing a Vera Wang, Monique Lhuillier, Reem Acra, or another of the over 300 designers available on our site.

If you won our Giveaway, which dress would you choose?

St. Pucchi Z220, Amsale Coco, Kenneth Pool Phoebe

Amsale A458, Priscilla of Boston Morgan, Monique Lhuillier Snow White

If you’re shopping for a gorgeous designer wedding dress, now’s your chance to buy one, at an even better price.  For the next 15 days, PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com Recognized Seller Your Dream Dress is having a spotlight sale on these gorgeous gowns.

Monique Lhuillier Collette, Elizabeth Fillmore Deneuve, Anne Barge Devereaux

Anne Barge Gibson, Ines Di Santo Havana, Badgley Mischka Mimi

Romona Keveza RK287, Monique Lhuillier Hyacinth, Reem Acra Narcissus

Reem Acra Snowdrop, Vera Wang Devon, Ines Di Santo Flora

Angel Sanchez N8000, Christos Poeme, Angel Sanchez N8007

Now through February 10th, if you purchase any of the above gowns, Your Dream Dress will extend an additional 15% discount on the listed price.  Talk about savings too good to pass up!

Sandra + Rodrigo | June 25, 2011 | Hollywood, California

The ceremony 

The ceremony was located at the Holy Martyrs Armenian Apostolic Church. It was a very traditional elegant ceremony. The church walkway was covered with my favorite flowers!

The reception

We chose The Taglyan Cultural Complex to host our wedding because to us, it represents a timeless elegance that we associate with weddings. When you first enter the ballroom, it just feels like a place where weddings should take place. The picturesque landscape, the elaborate ballroom, the magnificent glass ceiling all helped to convey a certain ambiance for the guests to enjoy. 

For us personally, the most enchanting part of our wedding was the flowers and the décor. The theme was a Vintage Floral Fantasy! Everything from the wedding dress, bridesmaids’ dresses, invitations, place cards, cake, dance floor, centerpieces reflected the floral dream that was the focal point of our wedding. I chose lavenders, petal pink and ivory because I thought the colors were romantic yet traditional. The flowers were vignettes going all the way down with an extensive amount of candlelight, high and low centerpieces and refluxed rose heads. The room looked like a romantic garden!

How she found her dream wedding dress

From the moment I got engaged I knew what kind of wedding dress style I wanted. Elegant, strapless, and BIG ball gown! Although I tried other styles, I knew I wouldn’t feel like a true bride if I wasn’t in my own version of a princess gown. Although I wanted a traditional look I felt like the Sunday Rose dress still had a modern edge to the traditional wedding gown. It also fit with my floral fantasy wedding theme. Till this day people still ask about my wedding gown and tell me how unforgettable it was!

How Sandra felt in her wedding dress

Glamorous, Princessy (is that even a word?), Elegant

Why Sandra decided to sell her wedding dress

I decided to sell my wedding dress because I wanted other girls to have the same experience I had, but for a fraction of what I paid. Right now my wedding dress is in its preservation box in top condition waiting for that special bride to enjoy her special moment!

Sandra’s wedding dress: Monique Lhuillier, 32278335

Photography: Couture Foto

Hannah + Griffin | September 10, 2011 | Portsmouth, New Hampshire

The Ceremony
Portsmouth is so special to us because it was the first place we lived together as a couple.  The town has so much to offer and we knew it would be the perfect place to celebrate our wedding.  We chose South Church for the ceremony.  Built in 1636, it was Portsmouth first chapel.  The interior of the church was already so beautiful that we decided to keep our decorations minimal.  We chose a variety of simple green and purple floral arrangements, complimented by white bows, to decorate the pews, altars and doors.  It took our breath away when we saw the final results on our wedding day.

Reception Description
The classic New England hotel – Wentworth by the Sea, was exactly what we were looking for in a venue.  It was a place that our guests could relax and have fun, and still be treated to a little pampering.  We focused most of our attention on the food and drink, and let the stunning hotel take center stage.  Our guests enjoyed cocktail hour on the waterfront porch, before being escorted into the Grand Ballroom for the main event.  Tables were adorned with small tea lights and centerpieces featuring green flowers and topiary balls.  We enjoyed a delicious dinner and finished it off with our signature coconut cupcakes.  The DJ kicked up the music and we danced the night away.  It was the perfect end to a perfect day.

Hannah’s Dress Search
I had a pretty good idea of what I was looking for in a dress.  Instead of looking at EVERYTHING, I concentrated on styles that would complement my figure – mainly sheath silhouettes.  It was love at first sight when I came across the Amy Kuschel “Lauryn” gown online.  I tracked it down at a local bridal boutique and the rest is history!

How Hannah Felt In Her Dress
Feminine, Unique, and Beautiful

Why Hannah Decided to Sell Her Wedding Dress
After going back and forth about what to do with my dress, I decided that selling it made more sense than letting it sit in storage for the rest of my life.  I want someone to enjoy it as much as I did on my wedding day!

Hannah’s Dress | Amy Kuschel Lauryn
Photography | Susan Mullen Photography

Leah + Gene  | July 16, 2011 | Pasadena, California

The wedding

Our ceremony and reception were held at the Pasadena Museum of California Art. Our ceremony and reception decor was green & white, clean and simple, elegant, modern.

How Leah found her dream dress

I started my dress search as soon as I got engaged by looking through bridal magazines. From the magazines, I noticed I leaned towards A-line silhouettes. When I finally tried on dresses, I was open to all silhouettes but ended up with an A-line just like I had envisioned. I visited two bridal shops before finally purchasing my dress at Kleinfeld Bridal Salon.  Here is my advice to brides: be open minded because in the end, the dress chooses you. The dress I ended up with I did not like at all on the hanger. On the other hand, the dress that I loved on the hanger looked terrible on me.

The way Leah felt in her wedding dress

Beautiful, radiant, and whimsical. I felt like I was floating in my dress!

Why she decided to sell her wedding dress

My husband and I are moving to a new house and we are trying to de-clutter. Though I really love my dress, I’d rather have someone else make good use of it instead of collecting dust in the garage. Though it was sad for me to list the dress for sale, I’ll always have my pictures to reminisce.

Leah’s wedding dress: Lazaro, LZ 3962

Photography: Steven Lam Photography

In this economy, every bride is looking for ways to trim her wedding budget.  And to help, we’ve created a list some of our favorite ways to cut your wedding costs.  And we don’t mean by having your wedding on a Tuesday in February.  But rather smart simple ways…that your guests won’t even notice!

Ceremony

1)  Use flowers in key areas only (like the altar or place where you will say your vows). This is where all of your guests eyes will be, and where the majority of your photographs will be taken. Make this area a pretty focal point, and skip the blooms elsewhere.

2)  Have your florist create hand-tied bouquets for you and your bridesmaids. They are less expensive than wired ones (because they take less time to create) and are every bit as pretty.

3)  Use your wedding party flowers again at your reception.  Bouquets look gorgeous surrounding your cake and they can make amazing centerpieces at your head table.

Photo Chia and Hon Photography

Food and Beverage Costs

4)  Butler passed hor d’oeuvres can actually be less expensive than buffet style (because guests tend to eat less of them). Ask your caterer about your options.

5)  Create a signature drink (made with non-premium alcohol) to save on bar costs.  Give the drink a personalized name to make it fun and all about the two of you.

Photo: Jonathan Burton Photography

6) Reduce your cocktail hour by 15-20 minutes.  None of your guests will notice. And your bar bill will be less.

Flowers/ Centerpieces/ Tables

7)  Use fewer, larger tables to reduce the number of centerpieces and linen rentals required. Create tables of 10 or 12 instead of 8. (Be sure to use larger tables that guests aren’t crowded).

8)  Make/rent table runners instead of fancy tablecloths – they are just as impactful and less expensive than full linens.

9)   Instead of printing individual menus, create one large menu and place it by your entrance or escort cards.

10)  Give your florist a long list of flowers you love and those you don’t. Then give him/her flexibility to use the most cost effective/ seasonal flowers from your list. Flexibility equal savings.

11)  Consider less expensive flowers like carnations, baby’s breath or gladiolas.  These blooms tend to be 1/3 the cost of roses and look very dramatic and impactful when used in large monochromatic arrangements.

Photo: Cornerstone Events

12)  Buy your own vases from places like Pier1 or Ikea.  They can be less expensive than what your florist carries. (And you’ll be able to give the centerpieces away at the end of evening if you’d like).

13)  Go for simpler arrangements vs elaborate ones.  Less timing consuming for your florist = less cost.

14)  Ask your florist for ideas about including non-floral items that add impact while lowering cost. A vase filled with lemons or limes can be quite striking.

Cake

15)  Save by using a faux cake.  They are absolutely beautiful and your guests won’t notice the difference (you can still cut it).

Cake Photos by Luisa Galuppo

16)  Or order only enough cake for 75% of your guests (more guests than you think actually don’t eat the cake).

17)  Another option is to have a smaller cake (tall but smaller cakes have great impact) and then a second “kitchen cake” which is cut and served to your guests (who will never notice).

18)  Skip the cake altogether and serve your favorite dessert!

Attire

19)  Of course, we have to mention the savings associated with a preowned wedding dress!  Whether you buy a preowned dress or sell your new gown after your wedding, you can save (or recoup) a significant portion of the retail price. That’s hundreds or potentially even thousands of dollars that can be used on other wedding costs (or towards upgrading your honeymoon)!

20) Don’t buy “wedding shoes.”  Instead, buy a fabulous pair of colored shoes that will add a fun punch of color to your day…and that you can wear again and again.

Do you have a favorite way to save on wedding costs?  Share you savvy below!

Source: Wedding costs data via The Wedding Report.