A World of Endless Possibility
With custom gowns, virtual try-ons, and expanded dress options for members of the bridal party, La Belle Mariée Bridal provides a revolutionary shopping experience for brides-to-be.
After two years of watching people struggle with isolation and deferred dreams, Gabrielle Devine has seen a pronounced uptick in the number of people who are ready to celebrate. As the co-owner of La Belle Mariée Bridal in Bucks County, Gabriele is more eager than ever to help couples make their “happily ever after” memorable.
“This is a new environment for our couples,” says Gabrielle, who owns La Belle Mariée Bridal with her mother, Michele. “Every day we see brides who have been putting off their weddings for years because of COVID. Some are getting married in just two months, and some are planning destination weddings. Regardless of the details, everyone wants to go all out because they’ve been waiting for so long to celebrate.”
La Belle Mariée has met the challenge by revolutionizing the modern bridal experience. The Langhorne-based bridal boutique has used social media, digital technology, and other tools to reimagine how clients search for a dress worthy of one of the happiest days of their lives. In addition, La Belle Mariée has introduced a completely customizable line of gowns, as well as a mother-of-the-bride department, to deliver on the desire for what Gabrielle refers to as “endless possibility.”
The Perfect Fit
In 2022, when researching any important purchase, where do people turn for more information? For most, their first instinct is to consult the internet. Brides-to-be in need of the perfect dress are no different.
In 2022, when researching any important purchase, where do people turn for more information? For most, their first instinct is to consult the internet. Brides-to-be in need of the perfect dress are no different.
“Ninety-nine percent of our brides come to us after looking on Pinterest and other social media,” says Gabrielle. “Social media is so influential in what people buy and where they shop, but with the pandemic changing the way we shop in the last two years, it has gone to a new level.”
The team at La Belle Mariée has woven social media into the fabric of its brand. Its Instagram and TikTok accounts feature professional photography, artfully styled vignettes, and fun videos featuring members of the La Belle Mariée team.
“Instead of just posting a picture of a dress, we can show it in a new way that’s much more entertaining and interesting, and it’s a lot of fun,” says Gabrielle. “Our brides get to meet us before they even come in and see a bit of our personalities. We don’t want our brides to feel overwhelmed; we want them to know who they are shopping with.”
The need to put brides-to-be at ease led Gabriele to develop her own web app, Gownzie. She created this unique tool—accessible through Gownzie.com—to allow a client to virtually try on an array of La Belle Mariée’s designer dresses, so the client has a better idea of her preferences before visiting the boutique in person.
“It is not uncommon for a bride to walk into a store with no idea what they are looking for because most people have never worn a dress like this in their life,” Gabrielle explains. “With Gownzie, you can log on, upload a picture of yourself in a neutral form-fitting outfit that shows off your silhouette, and virtually try on the dress so you can see what shapes you like.”
Gownzie includes nearly every aspect of a dress a bride-to-be might want to know about—front and back views, style notes, price, etc. In other words, Gownzie “lets you walk into a store with background information that fits you specifically,” Gabriele adds.
A Custom Experience
La Belle Mariée has strived to further refine the custom bridal experience with Gabrielle Michele, Gabrielle’s own line of bridal gowns. The line features classic, modern dresses that are made to order, thereby ensuring that each bride-to-be loves every aspect of her dress.
La Belle Mariée has strived to further refine the custom bridal experience with Gabrielle Michele, Gabrielle’s own line of bridal gowns. The line features classic, modern dresses that are made to order, thereby ensuring that each bride-to-be loves every aspect of her dress.
“Each dress is fully customizable,” explains Gabrielle. “The sky is absolutely the limit. That includes elements like straps that you can snap on for the ceremony and remove for the reception, or the option to add or remove buttons. So many brides have these little details they love, and this means they don’t have to compromise to get those elements they’ve been envisioning.”
Gabrielle Michele takes its name from La Belle Mariée’s two owners. The line exhibits the same artistry and elegance that has made La Belle Mariée a staple of the community since the boutique opened its doors in 2015.
“I worked with a designer in New York to build and source this line from scratch,” says Gabrielle. “We focused on quality, and there really is limitless potential. You don’t have to travel far from home for your dream dress; we can build it right here together.”
Gabrielle enjoys working with a wide range of brides for weddings of all sizes and styles. Post-pandemic, she has seen a spike in destination weddings as nearby wedding venues contend with extraordinarily high demand.
“There’s also been a huge increase in destination wedding RSVPs,” says Gabrielle. “People are so excited to travel because they haven’t been doing anything for multiple years. In the past, destination weddings might have had a 40 percent RSVP list, and now they’re seeing 80 to 90 percent RSVP list. We’re seeing full-blown events like we haven’t seen before.”
To meet the demand, Gabrielle works with brides-to-be to deliver a boutique experience even when it involves air travel. “We can make recommendations specifically around destination weddings, because you do have to travel with your dress and need it to fit on a plane,” she adds. “Or we can also work with brides to ship a bigger gown if that’s really their dream dress.”
For the upcoming wedding season, La Belle Mariée has also expanded its dress selections for mothers and wedding guests. Clearly, the boutique has gone to great lengths to ensure that every member of the bridal party has a memorable and convenient experience as they prepare to celebrate a truly special event.
“We’re really excited about everything we have created, and we’re also excited to reintroduce other new elements of bridal to our store,” says Gabrielle. “This is our community, so we’re happy to be able to provide more options for the brides in this area and their families.”
La Belle Mariée Bridal
14 Summit Square Shopping Center
Langhorne, PA 19047
(215) 860-6400
labellemarieebridal.com | gownzie.com
14 Summit Square Shopping Center
Langhorne, PA 19047
(215) 860-6400
labellemarieebridal.com | gownzie.com
Photograph by Alison Dunlap
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life magazine, April 2022.
