Brides seek elegance and economy

By Louise Rachlis
When Semiha Cantas of Ilkiz Boutique first brought white and off-white evening gowns to Ottawa, she wasn't thinking about wedding dresses at all. "But after displaying a few in my window", says the Byward Market store owner, "it just started to happen. Customer demand kept increasing and word got out. In fact on several occasions, clients have even been referred to Ilkiz from traditional wedding gown boutiques."

Ilkiz is Ottawa's only boutique specializing in women's high fashion imported directly from Turkey. "Ilkiz leverages my family's business in Istanbul, Turkey, where I personally select the new collection three times a year," she says. "Today's women appear to be shifting emphasis and interest towards cost-consciousness and long-term value in the gown they select to wear at the special day," says Ms. Cantas. "While there will always be a market for the traditional gown, more and more women are turning to alternatives."

She says she has learned from her customers that "They wish to look as best they can, while being cost conscious; savings on the gown can be used for that extra upgrade on the their honeymoon; they wish to use their gown after wedding, and storing traditional gowns in the closet is a waste."

And yet, she says, "white and off-white evening gowns with long trains and top-to-bottom hand-crafted beads make them feel and look like an elegant bride." She has found a lot of interest in evening gowns priced from $399 to $700, "instead of the traditional $2,000 plus."

Attractive alternate: Evening gowns can go beautifully down the aisle and can be used happily ever after.