Introducing Ella by Essense of Australia!

While we're no longer carrying Impression, Davinci, Kitty Chen, and Moonlight, we've expanded deeper into some of our best-selling lines, so we've picked up both Ella by Essense of Australia and Sottero & Midgely by Maggie Sottero.  Ella's gowns are absolutely stunning- while affordable in price (ranging from $1000-$1400), they boast beautiful fabrics and exquisite design.  From their website:

Ella features affordable individuality for today’s unique bride. 

An enchanting collection accompanied with dramatic beading, lovely laces and beautiful fabrics, the Ella bride will walk down the aisle in elegance. With innovative designs catered for the destination bride in soft organzas, chiffons and charmeuses to the fairy tale princess wanting gorgeous satins and taffetas, the Ella collection will meet your design needs.

The designers at Ella are dedicated to producing the finest designs at a competitive price with careful attention to amazing quality, fit and finish.

Ella was gracious enough to send us some photos of their best selling styles to get your thoughts churning for what's to come from their 2012 collection.  While we won't have any of these gowns in stock, we've purchased from their Spring 2012 collection and are planning an Ella and Essense of Australia combined trunk show the weekend of January 13-15, 2012.  Here's just a taste!

Can't wait to show you all the 2012 images that will be on their way!  Don't forget to mark your calendars for that trunk show January 13-15.  We'll see you then!

Kelly Archibald & Jeff Dudley's Elegantly Rustic Pungo Wedding

Kelly first came to Maya Couture in January in search of her perfect wedding gown.  She narrowed it down to the beautiful Casablanca gown that she wore down the aisle and ended up finding the perfect bridesmaids dresses as well.  Her bridesmaids wore long, eggplant chiffon Jim Hjelm dresses.  In lieu of tuxedos, her groom opted for our midnight blue suit with eggplant ties from Jim's Formal Wear, ordered right through our store.

From Kelly:

When I first got engaged, I was so excited about shopping for a wedding dress.  When I started going into shops, I realized that many of them were madhouses that were run by snotty consultants.  I began to get overwhelmed.  I decided to check out a little shop I had heard of called “Maya Couture.”  When I walked in, I was immediately relieved to see real people working behind the counters who were helpful and knowledgeable.  I fell in love with my dress consultant, Misty.  She immediately made me feel comfortable and really listened to me when I explained what I was looking for.  I could tell she was very good at her job, because she began picking out gorgeous dresses for me to try on.  She chose a few dresses that I would not have given a second glance, and they ended up looking amazing when I tried them on.  Misty had a great eye for detail and her taste was impeccable.  She was very compassionate to the friends and family I brought with me.  Everyone loved her and the store.  My mom, my bridesmaids, and I called Misty numerous times, always frantic about something.  She would offer suggestions and give great advice every time we called.  She is so dedicated that she took off work on my wedding day to help me get dressed and to arrange my veil.  I feel like I have gained a new friend in her.  It is obvious that everyone at Maya loves what they do.  The excitement in the store is contagious.  I recommend this store for your wedding dress experience not only for the amazing dresses, but also for your own peace of mind.

Kelly's vision was always a rustic one, particularly with her venue being the farm in Pungo that had been in her now husband's family for generations.  Working with Palette of Petals in Virginia Beach for the nitty gritty details of her wedding, she was able to bring elegance to her rustic reception.  Below, see photos from Leigh Skaggs Photography of the gorgeous details and the great ensemble that she and her bridal party wore.  If you'd like to see more of her photos, go to Leigh's blog at http://www.leighskaggsphotography.net/.

Oh, and their dog made an appearance, too!