Wedding Vendor Spotlight: Leora Bridal- A Unique Silo Store!
Wedding Dress Shopping and Interior Design
Bridal gown shopping is one of the most exciting parts of the wedding planning process! If you’ve never been bridal gown shopping before, it may be overwhelming to think about how to prepare. Our first vendor spotlight feature, the Leora Bridal store located in Prince George County Virginia will knock your socks off and is a must-visit.
One of the first things that jumped out at us about Leora Bridal, is that the store itself is set up in a silo! Yes, a silo! A silo is most commonly known as a storage structure for bulk materials. Often seen on farms, and used in agriculture to store a variety of items such as grain, coal, woodchips, food product,s and sawdust. This unique silo stores special-order bridal gowns, off-the-rack bridal gowns, and tuxedos for rent or purchase. Leora Bridal offers a unique experience as one of the only silo event spaces/boutiques in Virginia.
This one-of-a-kind bridal and menswear boutique is owned by Kylie and Jonny Hester. It is on the property of an established, reputable wedding venue called The Barns of Kanak, which is currently owned by Kylie’s parents.
The boutique is known for the personal and unique experience that couples receive when working with the Leora Bridal team. Leora Bridal strives to make bridal consultations exciting for the bride and her closest friends and family, including complimentary drinks to celebrate and a personalized welcome sign on the door of their private fitting room.
We wanted to dive in and ask Kylie questions to further help readers understand what an amazing experience awaits at the store.
Kylie, what is one of your most favorite things about Leora Bridal?
My favorite thing about Leora is the people who I get to interact with. Our clients are the
best – we strive to make Leora a comfortable space for them and we love to hear all
about their wedding prep and how we can help them throughout the process. As a small
business, our clients’ support means the world to us. Additionally, our staff is amazing. I
feel so lucky to work alongside such kind, intelligent people who always lift me up and
encourage me in everything I do. It’s a rarity that I feel very grateful for.
What happens during an appointment at Leora?
When coming in for a bridal consultation, we start by introducing ourselves and learning
a bit more about the bride and offering complimentary champagne or sparkling cider. We
then direct her to take a look at all of our gowns and let us know which ones she wants
to try on. The bride will then start trying on dresses with the help of her consultant! The
next steps are showing her friends and family that she brought with her, discussing likes
and dislikes, and then saying “YES” to her dream dress! From there, we take her
measurements, discuss the timeline and other details before saying “see ya later” and
ordering her gown.
Tip 1 from Kylie:
When shopping for your wedding gown, have your Pinterest board ready, but come in
with an open mind. You never know what a dress will look like on your body until you see
it on your body – and it never hurts to try! Remember, most brides have not worn a dress
like a wedding gown before, and a dress shape will look a lot different on you than it
does on Pinterest. Oftentimes, brides come in with one idea in mind and leave with a
totally different gown!
Tip 2 from Kylie:
When heading to your bridal appointment, bring people who will support you, not direct
you. This is YOUR dress and no one else’s. You should bring people who will lift you up
and offer their opinions as you want them, not the other way around. You have the final
say!
Groom Tip from Kylie!
Have an idea of what your color scheme is going to look like. Having these colors in
mind will help you find the perfect suit, tie, vest, and pocket square combination! Feel
free to bring in a photo or a small piece of fabric to show your consultants – we’re there
to lead you in the right direction!
Hours? Is it easy to make an appointment?
- As of now, our hours are Wednesday-Friday 12-7 and Saturday 9-3. Making an
appointment is super easy. All you have to do is visit our website, click the
“appointments” tab, select the type of appointment you are looking for, and then
schedule a time that works for you!
Other services Leora bridal provides are pretty darn cool:
- Gown steaming
- Gown preservation
- Accessory consultations (veils, jewelry, etc.)
- After hours tuxedo returns
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