Meet Our Team
Doris | Owner
Doris began making and altering wedding gowns for her business, Sew Elegant, LLC over 50 yrs ago! She absolutely loved working with brides, so when an opportunity came to be Stella’s co-owner she jumped at the chance! Doris loves working with customers to help them find a dress they feel beautiful in. With so much experience in the industry, Doris has so many happy memories – but her favorite is being able to see her team excel and helping make sure that everyone who walks through our doors has an unforgettable experience!
Grace
Grace has been a part of Stella’s team for 8 years and is our assistant manager! Whether you’re a bride-to-be or a mother Grace’s goal is always to help you find a dress that reflects your most beautiful and confident self! Her best bit of advice is to not be afraid to ask questions. It’s okay that you don’t know everything – that’s what your Stella’s Stylists are here for!
Karen
Karen loves fashion and her favorite part of working at Stella’s is being part of a small business that cares about our customers! Karen loves helping the entire bridal party – and is our fabulous tux specialist! Karen has been known to cry in the dressing room with her brides when they find the one and loves seeing the joy and relief when the tough decision is made!
Angie
Angie has been part of the Stella’s Team for over 4 years! Angie manages social media for the store but also loves working with brides and helping them feel like the most confident and beautiful version of themselves! Angie loves hyping up her brides during their appointment and loves Stella’s because of their commitment to making every bride feel welcomed!
Kellsye
Kellsye fell in love with bridal when she was in elementary school watching the movie Runaway Bride and has been obsessed ever since! As a former teacher, she loves to educate and support her brides while having fun during the appointment! Kellsye is loving the floral dress trend right now! Her advice for brides is to take in one appointment at a time – don’t overwhelm yourself!
Erin
Erin joined the Stella’s team back in 2016 while she was in highschool! After falling in love with Stella’s friendly atmosphere, she worked her way up to being a bridal stylist! Erin really loves connecting with and getting to know her customers! Erin is in nursing school – and her care and patience really shines through during her appointments! Erin advises brides to have an open mind and trust your stylist during your appointment!
Taylor
Taylor is one of our fabulous evening and Saturday stylists! Taylor grew up watching Say Yes to the Dress and even designs dresses in her free time! Taylor’s personal style is the 3 C’s: Cute, comfortable, and classy! Taylor loves her Stella’s family – and we love her too!
Amanda
Amanda is one of our amazing formalwear stylists on Saturdays! She is currently a student at McDaniel – working towards her major in Math! Amanda is great at working with our brides’ mothers and soon to be mother-in-laws! She truly is a gem!
Alicia
Alicia is fashion-forward and loves helping brides on their hunt for the perfect dress. After spending time in L.A. Alicia is up to date on all the bridal trends and spends her free-time sewing and designing! We are so happy to have her here at Stella’s!
Alterations Department
We have an amazingly talented alterations department on-site here at Stella’s! In order to prioritize our Stella’s Community, we only alter dresses that are purchased at our store. We recommend starting the alterations process 10-12 weeks before your event. Altering your garment will take at least 2 appointments – usually 3-6 weeks apart. Please keep this in mind if you are traveling for alterations! If you purchased with us you are not required to alter your dress here but our team would be more than happy to serve you!
Lizz
Lizz has a degree in fashion design – and we are so lucky to have her on our team! Outside of the bridal world – Lizz loves all things vintage and has quite the amazing shoe collection!
Genna
Genna is currently enrolled in fashion school and dreams of opening her own store one day! Genna loves being a part of the Stella’s team because everyone here truly loves what they do!
Commonly Asked Questions
Do I need an appointment?
Yes! Over the past 60+ years of working with our brides and customers, we know how to give you the best experience possible! By making an appointment, whether you’re shopping for a wedding dress or a formal gown, you are reserving one-on-one time with our trained stylists to help find you the perfect attire for your big day. Shopping for a wedding dress is totally different from walking into a department store, we are a small business that focuses on you! Wedding dress shopping can be an emotional experience that you want to share with your closest friends and family. Your experience can be whatever you want it to be. That’s why we are here to make it the best personalized shopping experience you’ve ever had! There are lots of different appointment options – check them out here: https://loveitatstellas.com/appointment-types/
When should I start shopping?
We recommend that you start shopping for your wedding dress about 1 year out from your wedding. It does take about 6-9 months to receive a wedding dress if you special order it. We work with many different designers all over the world; including gowns from the Netherlands, Spain, India, Taiwan, and Australia. However, many of our designers have US based warehouses and can get us gowns even faster! Some of our designers offer rush orders and we are able to get you your dream dress within 4 months if needed. We are able to get the gown even sooner if our designer has the size and color you need in stock. We also have a selection of Aisle Ready wedding dresses that can be purchased right off the rack! So, no need to worry if you’re on a time crunch. We will find you your dream dress, no matter what!
For our mother’s and formalwear clients – we recommend starting to shop around 8 months out – and making a decision about 5-6 months out to allow plenty of time for the gown to arrive and any alterations you may need. We can also get our formal gowns on a rush, as well!
For Suits and Tuxedoes we recommend picking out your look about 6 months out and having your groomsmen fitted around 3-4 months out from the wedding. This way we can ensure a proper fit.
Are alterations included in the price of the dress?
No – alterations are a seperate fee. Since every dress and every person wearing the dress is unique – there is no way to set a standard fee for alterations and build that in to the dress cost! The cost of alterations is dependent on how much work you need done and the complexity of the dress! However, most bridal and formal dresses will need a hem and adjustments to the straps or shoulders. Our seamtresses will work with you to make your dress fit the absolute best for your wedding day or event! You are not required to get your alterations done here if you purchased here.
Do I need to bring anything with me to my appointment?
We always recommend keeping it simple! It’s best to wear clothes you can easily change in and out of. We also recommend wearing nude seamless undies – as silly as it sounds, please don’t forget to wear underwear! Almost all of the dresses have built-in cups and padding, so wearing a bra during your appointment isn’t necessary – but you can wear shapewear if you choose! Since all of our dresses are samples, they will be long on you so don’t feel like you need to wear heels to your appointment! Don’t forget to bring hair ties or a clip – you’re going to want to see your hair in different styles with different dresses. The last thing we always want you to bring is an open mind! You may have an idea of what you want your wedding dress to look like but you may fall in love with something totally different!
Can I take pictures during my appointment?
Absolutely! This is such a fun experience – please document all of it! It will be helpful and fun to look back at everything you tried on during your appointment! If you don’t say yes during your experience – photos and information of all of your favorite dresses will be sent to your email, so there’s not too much pressure to take photos of everything! We’d love to see any photos of your experience so be sure to share them with us on social media!
What is your cancellation/refund policy?
We require payment in full before your order is placed. All sales are final and no refunds, returns, or exchanges will be accepted or offered – especially once the garment leaves our store. Since dresses are special ordered and reserved just for you, they cannot be canceled. We will make sure your dress is exactly what you wanted before it leaves our doors!
How should I store my dress before my wedding?
There will probably be a period of time between when your dress comes in and when you have alterations done! We will properly hang your dress in a solid white bag for you! We recommend simply hanging it in your closet or laying it down flat underneath a bed for storage – especially if the straps are delicate.
If you don’t have a place to store your dress – we offer secure storage here for $30/month!
Do you offer preservation?
Yes! We work with Wedding Preservation Company to provide cleaning & preservation for your dress after your wedding! Preservation services are $400 – Stella’s Brides have a $25 coupon for preservation for saying YES to the dress! Preservation is also included in our Princess Package.
Meet Our Team
Doris | Owner
Doris began making and altering wedding gowns for her business, Sew Elegant, LLC over 50 yrs ago! She absolutely loved working with brides, so when an opportunity came to be Stella’s co-owner she jumped at the chance! Doris loves working with customers to help them find a dress they feel beautiful in. With so much experience in the industry, Doris has so many happy memories – but her favorite is being able to see her team excel and helping make sure that everyone who walks through our doors has an unforgettable experience!
Grace
Grace has been a part of Stella’s team for 8 years and is our assistant manager! Whether you’re a bride-to-be or a mother Grace’s goal is always to help you find a dress that reflects your most beautiful and confident self! Her best bit of advice is to not be afraid to ask questions. It’s okay that you don’t know everything – that’s what your Stella’s Stylists are here for!
Karen
Karen loves fashion and her favorite part of working at Stella’s is being part of a small business that cares about our customers! Karen loves helping the entire bridal party – and is our fabulous tux specialist! Karen has been known to cry in the dressing room with her brides when they find the one and loves seeing the joy and relief when the tough decision is made!
Angie
Angie started working at Stella’s almost 3 years ago! Angie manages social media for the store but also loves working with brides and helping them feel like the most confident and beautiful version of themselves! Angie loves hyping up her brides during their appointment and loves Stella’s because of their commitment to making every bride feel welcomed!
Kellsye
Kellsye fell in love with bridal when she was in elementary school watching the movie Runaway Bride and has been obsessed ever since! As a former teacher, she loves to educate and support her brides while having fun during the appointment! Kellsye is loving the floral dress trend right now! Her advice for brides is to take in one appointment at a time – don’t overwhelm yourself!
Taylor
Taylor is one of our fabulous evening and Saturday stylists! Taylor grew up watching Say Yes to the Dress and even designs dresses in her free time! Taylor’s personal style is the 3 C’s: Cute, comfortable, and classy! Taylor loves her Stella’s family – and we love her too!
Erin
Erin joined the Stella’s team back in 2016 while she was in highschool! After falling in love with Stella’s friendly atmosphere, she worked her way up to being a bridal stylist! Erin really loves connecting with and getting to know her customers! Erin is in nursing school – and her care and patience really shines through during her appointments! Erin advises brides to have an open mind and trust your stylist during your appointment!
Amanda
Amanda is one of our amazing formalwear stylists on Saturdays! She is currently a student at McDaniel – working towards her major in Math! Amanda is great at working with our brides’ mothers and soon to be mother-in-laws! She truly is a gem!
Alicia
Alicia is fashion-forward and loves helping brides on their hunt for the perfect dress. After spending time in L.A. Alicia is up to date on all the bridal trends and spends her free-time sewing and designing! We are so happy to have her here at Stella’s!
Alterations Department
We have an amazingly talented alterations department on-site here at Stella’s! In order to prioritize our Stella’s Community, we only alter dresses that are purchased at our store. We recommend starting the alterations process 10-12 weeks before your event. Altering your garment will take at least 2 appointments – usually 3-6 weeks apart. Please keep this in mind if you are traveling for alterations! If you purchased with us you are not required to alter your dress here but our team would be more than happy to serve you!
Liz
Liz has a degree in fashion design – and we are so lucky to have her on our team! Outside of the bridal world – Liz loves all things vintage and has quite the amazing shoe collection!
Genna
Genna is currently enrolled in fashion school and dreams of opening her own store one day! Genna loves being a part of the Stella’s team because everyone here truly loves what they do!
Commonly Asked Questions
Do I need an appointment?
Yes! Over the past 60+ years of working with our brides and customers, we know how to give you the best experience possible! By making an appointment, whether you’re shopping for a wedding dress or a formal gown, you are reserving one-on-one time with our trained stylists to help find you the perfect attire for your big day. Shopping for a wedding dress is totally different from walking into a department store, we are a small business that focuses on you! Wedding dress shopping can be an emotional experience that you want to share with your closest friends and family. Your experience can be whatever you want it to be. That’s why we are here to make it the best personalized shopping experience you’ve ever had! There are lots of different appointment options – check them out here: https://loveitatstellas.com/appointment-types/
When should I start shopping?
We recommend that you start shopping for your wedding dress about 1 year out from your wedding. It does take about 6-9 months to receive a wedding dress if you special order it. We work with many different designers all over the world; including gowns from the Netherlands, Spain, India, Taiwan, and Australia. However, many of our designers have US based warehouses and can get us gowns even faster! Some of our designers offer rush orders and we are able to get you your dream dress within 4 months if needed. We are able to get the gown even sooner if our designer has the size and color you need in stock. We also have a selection of Aisle Ready wedding dresses that can be purchased right off the rack! So, no need to worry if you’re on a time crunch. We will find you your dream dress, no matter what!
For our mother’s and formalwear clients – we recommend starting to shop around 8 months out – and making a decision about 5-6 months out to allow plenty of time for the gown to arrive and any alterations you may need. We can also get our formal gowns on a rush, as well!
For Suits and Tuxedoes we recommend picking out your look about 6 months out and having your groomsmen fitted around 3-4 months out from the wedding. This way we can ensure a proper fit.
Are alterations included in the price of the dress?
No – alterations are a seperate fee. Since every dress and every person wearing the dress is unique – there is no way to set a standard fee for alterations and build that in to the dress cost! The cost of alterations is dependent on how much work you need done and the complexity of the dress! However, most bridal and formal dresses will need a hem and adjustments to the straps or shoulders. Our seamtresses will work with you to make your dress fit the absolute best for your wedding day or event! You are not required to get your alterations done here if you purchased here.
Do I need to bring anything with me to my appointment?
We always recommend keeping it simple! It’s best to wear clothes you can easily change in and out of. We also recommend wearing nude seamless undies – as silly as it sounds, please don’t forget to wear underwear! Almost all of the dresses have built-in cups and padding, so wearing a bra during your appointment isn’t necessary – but you can wear shapewear if you choose! Since all of our dresses are samples, they will be long on you so don’t feel like you need to wear heels to your appointment! Don’t forget to bring hair ties or a clip – you’re going to want to see your hair in different styles with different dresses. The last thing we always want you to bring is an open mind! You may have an idea of what you want your wedding dress to look like but you may fall in love with something totally different!
Can I take pictures during my appointment?
Absolutely! This is such a fun experience – please document all of it! It will be helpful and fun to look back at everything you tried on during your appointment! If you don’t say yes during your experience – photos and information of all of your favorite dresses will be sent to your email, so there’s not too much pressure to take photos of everything! We’d love to see any photos of your experience so be sure to share them with us on social media!
What is your cancellation/refund policy?
We require payment in full before your order is placed. All sales are final and no refunds, returns, or exchanges will be accepted or offered – especially once the garment leaves our store. Since dresses are special ordered and reserved just for you, they cannot be canceled. We will make sure your dress is exactly what you wanted before it leaves our doors!
How should I store my dress before my wedding?
There will probably be a period of time between when your dress comes in and when you have alterations done! We will properly hang your dress in a solid white bag for you! We recommend simply hanging it in your closet or laying it down flat underneath a bed for storage – especially if the straps are delicate.
If you don’t have a place to store your dress – we offer secure storage here for $30/month!
Do you offer preservation?
Yes! We work with Wedding Preservation Company to provide cleaning & preservation for your dress after your wedding! Preservation services are $400 – Stella’s Brides have a $25 coupon for preservation for saying YES to the dress! Preservation is also included in our Princess Package.