Dawn Heaney and Flora Petakas Marinelli, former executives at Vera Wang, and Annette Cirillo-Bergen announce the opening of COUTURE BRIDE, the first and only full service luxury bridal salon in the Las Vegas area. The shop, located at 950 S. Durango Drive, will be the exclusive retailer for Vera Wang, Carolina Herrera, Oscar de la Renta, Monique Lhuillier, Elizabeth Fillmore, Ulla Maija and Platinum Collection.

Former colleagues at Vera Wang in New York City, Heaney and Marinelli have spent the past 6 years learning from the best. “Vera taught us how luxury is done,” says Heaney. “Couture Bride will be modern, sophisticated and elegant. Selecting your bridal gown will be a uniquely warm and inviting experience within the especially romantic yet exciting environment we have created.” Annette’s familiarity with the Las Vegas area, as well as her business background, make this partnership the perfect match. We are excited to bring our knowledge of the luxury bridal business to Las Vegas.”

“It is important for our brides to see all their options instead of relying on us to select what we think will be best for them. We want to be able to present all style, fabric and silhouette options for the customer to narrow down,” said Marinelli. The décor of the boutique will compliment the unique topography of the Las Vegas Valley. Fabrics and interior accents will be chosen with respect for the colors of the stone canyons and red rocks of the region. Rich, earthy shades of silk satin organza and silk duchesse satin will be combined in a unique way to exude luxury, warmth and couture. “Every detail of Couture Bride will encompass luxury and chic sophistication.” said Cirillo-Bergen.

The store concept involves plans to carry bridesmaids’dresses and a bridal registry to include tabletop items, stationery and small gifts. “Our hope is to build the registry over time as well as offer gowns for the mother of the bride and guests,” said Marinelli. There are also plans to install a webcam system so mothers of brides who are unable to be with their daughters at their appointments can see the choices they are making via cell phones or computers.

Couture Bride will set a new standard for bridal salons in the Las Vegas area. It will envelop all the excitement, energy and sophistication of the new “Urban Las Vegas”.

About the Owners:


Dawn Heaney Partner and Operator
dawn@couturebridelv.com

Dawn has been working in the bridal industry since she was sixteen years old. She spent seven years at Vera Wang working in both the retail and wholesale bridal divisions. Before relocating to Las Vegas to put all her energies into opening Couture Bride, Dawn launched Oscar de la Renta’s bridal collection that has seen immediate and unparalleled success. Dawn’s experience offers the unique position of understanding all sides of the luxury bridal business. “Vera is the designer that has established the ultimate in luxury standards. Flora, Annette, and I are looking forward to bringing that to our customers. Our brides will experience what true luxury is from the moment they are greeted at Couture Bride and how special and fun the process is for choosing the perfect wedding gown.” Dawn’s passion for bridal and enthusiasm for her new venture made the decision to relocate to Las Vegas easy. She is personally overseeing all details of Couture Bride to ensure that it is the ultimate in luxury bridal destinations.

Flora Petakas Marinelli Partner
flora@couturebridelv.com

Flora spent six years at Vera Wang working for three years with the Maids collection and was then appointed to spearhead the launch of Lavender Label; Vera Wang’s lower priced dress collection that has seen great success in its two years in the marketplace. Before joining Vera Wang, Flora owned her own bridesmaid company called Entourage. Flora was involved in all aspects of the bridesmaids and Lavender Label business learning the processes from the design concept to the delivery to stores. “This is the natural next step for me with the experience I have had throughout my career. I am extremely excited to bring a level of service and expertise to our new brides in Las Vegas. This customer demands only the finest level of service and we have all been trained to provide it.”

Annette Cirillo-Bergen Partner and Operator
annette@couturebridelv.com

Annette has spent the past 5 years living in Las Vegas. Annette was born and raised in New York City. She spent the latter part of her career owning and operating two very diverse retail businesses. Prior to that she had worked for various Italian silk mills, opening and operating New York City showrooms and selling luxury textiles to menswear manufacturers. Her eye for color, texture, and fabrics afford her this opportunity to partner with Flora and Dawn in launching a deliciously new, exciting, and first-of-its kind couture bridal salon in the Summerlin area. Annette resides in Summerlin with her husband and 8 year old son.