Find Your Gown. Perfect Your Fit. Love Your Look.

Custom bridal gowns, ready-made off-the-rack options, and expert alterations — all tailored just for you.

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The McEllis Bridal Experience

McEllis Brides Design Studio is a full-service, luxury bridal studio offering a personalized, one-on-one experience for every bride. From custom wedding gowns designed from sketch to completion, to curated ready-to-wear collections, we provide options for every stage of your journey. Our expert bridal alterations are available for gowns purchased anywhere, ensuring a flawless fit with thoughtful, high-level craftsmanship. We also offer tuxedo rentals and custom menswear for weddings and special occasions, along with a curated selection of bridal accessories to complete your look.

Through private fittings and elevated appointments, brides can enjoy an intimate “say yes” experience in a beautifully designed space — with options to enhance your visit with sparkling beverages and light bites. At McEllis Brides, you’ll find the experience of a traditional bridal boutique without the pressure — just a refined, welcoming environment where your vision is brought to life with care, intention, and expertise.

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Our Signature Services

  • Ready-to-Wear Bridal Gowns

    Our off-the-rack try-on experience is designed for brides who want something beautiful, without the wait. Step into a private, one-on-one appointment where you’ll explore our curated collection of ready-made gowns — each selected for quality, fit, and style. With gowns ranging from $1,200 to $5,000, this collection offers a more accessible way to experience luxury bridal.

  • Custom Wedding Gowns

    With a custom-designed bridal gown, every detail—from luxurious fabrics to intricate beading—is chosen to reflect your personal style and vision. You’ll experience a one-on-one design journey where your ideas are brought to life, ensuring your gown fits beautifully and highlights your unique shape. Whether you’re local to Hampton Roads or traveling from out of state, your personalized gown experience is designed to make you feel confident, radiant, and perfectly dressed for your big day.

  • Alterations

    Your wedding dress should feel as beautiful as it looks. With expert bridal gown alterations tailored to your body, every seam, hem, and adjustment is made to help your gown fit comfortably and highlight your shape. We proudly serve brides across Hampton Roads, and we warmly welcome out-of-state brides who travel to us for the perfect, personalized fit.

  • Heirloom Redesigns

    Your family’s cherished gown can take on new life while keeping its story alive. With heirloom gown redesigns, you can upcycle and repurpose fabrics from an older dress into a stunning, modern creation made just for you. This sustainable and savvy approach allows you to honor your past while creating a gown that fits your style, shape, and vision perfectly.

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Black silhouette of a woman holding a paintbrush and a measuring tape, with the words 'Design Studio' below in elegant font.

Reviews

  • " As a military bride planning a wedding in another state, I was pretty stressed. Planning a wedding in another states does not give you the control to know how most things are going to turn out until the day of. However, something I could have control over was how my dress looked on me. Not being from the area, I took a risk on Michelle at McEllis Brides. I noticed she had good reviews and was reasonably priced. I also loved that she did more than just alterations, but took the time to plan out timelines and even offered customizations. I am beyond glad I took that risk because the day of, I never felt more beautiful. Michelle was patient with me and took the time to ensure I had everything I needed. She recommended the veil I wore and took the time to video tape how to bustle my dress so my mother and I could refer back to it the day of. She was very upfront with time it would take to complete and costs. It fit me perfectly and she even kept my dress and steamed it up until the day I left. I highly recommend McEllis brides to all brides."

    —Christina White

  • "Michelle is literally a girl's girl!! I had the wonderful opportunity to get service from McEllis Brides, and went with the dress alteration package. I bought my dress from David's Bridal and requested a bow to be added on the back with the extra fabric from alterations (I included a couple pictures with the bow, it's so cute!). Michelle went out of her way to purchase more fabric to get the look I desired for the bow. She even steamed my veil when I came to pick up the dress. I will definitely return to Michelle when I am in need of a formal fitting. The service is luxury, exceeds expectations, and most of all, so comfortable!"

    -Kianna Van Horn

  • "I bought my dream dress but wanted lace sleeves. She was able to custom make sleeves with pieces of lace we picked out together and my dress couldn’t have been any more perfect!! McEllis Brides is the ONLY alterations place you should go to, especially for weddings! The amount of care, dedication and attention to every detail was amazing! Not only is she talented, but just how excited she gets FOR you makes it even more special! Don’t miss out on this amazing gem of a lady!!"

    —Brittany Ryan

Effortless elegance, custom-crafted. At McEllis Brides, we create heirloom-worthy gowns that honor your shape, your story, and your moment—with unmatched detail and timeless sophistication.

Effortless elegance, custom-crafted. At McEllis Brides, we create heirloom-worthy gowns that honor your shape, your story, and your moment—with unmatched detail and timeless sophistication.

Michelle is a gift from God. She is an expert and knows exactly what she’s doing. She made my wedding day spectacular, my dress was perfect because of her!

Michelle is a gift from God. She is an expert and knows exactly what she’s doing. She made my wedding day spectacular, my dress was perfect because of her!

'Oh my, where do I begin! McEllis Brides is the BEST!!! Michelle is very kind. She was also very helpful, very professional, and very flexible. I think I changed my mind a million times about different styles of dresses, and she was right by my side

'Oh my, where do I begin! McEllis Brides is the BEST!!! Michelle is very kind. She was also very helpful, very professional, and very flexible. I think I changed my mind a million times about different styles of dresses, and she was right by my side helping my vision to come alive. When I first seen my dress in person I wanted to break down and cry! I was beyond happy! It was exactly what I had envisioned. If you're looking for a custom wedding gown, please visit McEllis Brides. You will NOT be disappointed! Thank you so much Michelle!!!'

She was timely, professional and listened to exactly what I wanted. I have been recommending her to every bride I know!

She was timely, professional and listened to exactly what I wanted. I have been recommending her to every bride I know!

Michelle is a diamond in the rough! My dress straps were way too tight but Michelle fixed them up nice and did a great hem job as well. The best part of the alterations was getting to talk to Michelle! She was the sweetest and treated me like she kne

Michelle is a diamond in the rough! My dress straps were way too tight but Michelle fixed them up nice and did a great hem job as well. The best part of the alterations was getting to talk to Michelle! She was the sweetest and treated me like she knew me my whole life. Would recommend her to everyone!

'I had such an amazing experience with McEllis Brides! Michelle is such an amazing person to partner with and she will make sure that your dream wedding dress comes to life! I will miss her, but she help me have a wedding gown that I will love foreve

'I had such an amazing experience with McEllis Brides! Michelle is such an amazing person to partner with and she will make sure that your dream wedding dress comes to life! I will miss her, but she help me have a wedding gown that I will love forever! Thank you McEllis Brides, YOU'RE THE BEST!'

'This place is amazing. They were able to take my dress design from just a simple drawing to a full on wedding dress. It's hard these days to find people that can make a dress from scratch, but they are the real deal. I can't recommend them enough, e

'This place is amazing. They were able to take my dress design from just a simple drawing to a full on wedding dress. It's hard these days to find people that can make a dress from scratch, but they are the real deal. I can't recommend them enough, especially if you want a gown or dress with some originality!'

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Every stitch tells your story—and we’re honored to be part of it. At McEllis Brides, we blend artistry, craftsmanship, and care to create gowns that celebrate your shape, your love, and your legacy. Let’s design something unforgettable—book your private consultation today.

Let’s design something unforgettable!