It was Courtney Ballard's third visit to Champagne and Lace Bridal in Collinsville, but that didn't mean she was any more decisive about what dress would make the cut for O'Fallon Township High School's prom. The entrance to the 15-year-old's dressing room was nearly blocked by a sea of tulle, satin and silk.
Champagne and Lace Bridal opened last month, and as the name suggests sells more than prom dresses. The shop is headed by 30-year veteran tailor Debbie Payne, whose husband owns Willard's Tailor Shop and Formal Wear in Fairview Heights. Brides, teens and prom queens caught on to Payne's eye for style, causing her to outgrow the Fairview Heights store and go out on her own in Collinsville. With her, she's brought the likes of bridal designers Casablanca, Alfred Angelo and the coveted designs of teen formal wear aficionado Sherri Hill — whose dresses have brought in customers from Chicago.
Last Saturday, the shop was quiet due to weather, but Payne said it's normally bustling with blushing brides-to-be and their entourage of moms and friends.
"Your friends are going to be brutally honest with you. I've seen some really great experiences," recounted Payne, admitting she's seen some horrific ones as well.
As for Ballard, her team of consultants included her mother, Michelle Ballard, and her boyfriend, Jacob Jarvis, a junior at OTHS. Seated in a hot pink velour chair, Jacob said there's worse ways he could spend a Saturday afternoon than watching his girlfriend try on dresses, even if his bored demeanor suggested otherwise.
"I've done this before," he said. "She asks me which ones I like. So far, the silver one is the best."
A shout from Courtney's dressing room indicated she needed some help installing herself in a complicated lace-up dress. Minutes later, she came out in a neon pink gown, with a full skirt and embellished bodice.
"I don't like it," blurted out her boyfriend. "The diamonds look like pieces of pizza," he said of the triangle shaped crystals adorning the top of the dress.
That didn't stop Ballard from making a few twirls in front of a floor-length mirror in the middle of the store before retreating to the fitting room for another dress.
"Do you need help getting out of that one?" inquired her mother, following her into the room. A shop consultant scurried to the racks to find another dress suiting Courtney's style, Payne rushed to the accessories display to find matching jewelry. That pattern continued for several dresses.
Payne said she's seen girls try on dozens of dresses before finding the right one.
"When she finds the perfect dress, they all cry," said Payne. "You want to cry with them. You know it when they put the dress on — they just shine."
Which is exactly what Courtney did when she emerged from the fitting room in her boyfriend's pick, a floor-length sheath dress covered in silver sequins.
Glittering from head to toe, Courtney beamed as she inspected herself in the mirror, spinning to get the effect the dress' tail would have on the dance floor. As she pranced back to change into another, she said aloud, "This is the dress."
Contact reporter Sarah Baraba at 618-344-0264, ext. 133
