A garter, of all things, pushed Carla Shutak into opening a business.

Three years ago, the Lawrence resident was planning her wedding and was intent on shopping locally.

Instead, the only locally purchased item that was a part of her wedding day was a garter. Shutak went to stores in Topeka and Kansas City to meet the rest of her needs.

“It just produced a lot of stress that I didn’t need,” Shutak said. “It’s just crazy. In a town this size, people shouldn’t have to drive to Topeka or Kansas City.”

Shutak and her business partner, Courtney Lynch, on May 1 opened Pure Elegance, a full-service bridal store at 1405 Mass.

“Our basic idea for the store was to help make a wedding as easy as possible,” Shutak said. “Most people have never been through one of these before, and then when they start planning, they just get overwhelmed.”

The store hopes to find its niche by becoming a one-stop shop for both brides and grooms. The store has a selection of about 70 wedding dresses and about 70 tuxedos. It also sells formal dresses, shoes, invitations, flower girl baskets, ringbearer pillows, guest books, and, yes, garters.

The store offers a consulting service that will negotiate contracts with florists, photographers, reception halls and caterers. The store also offers a complete planning service where staff members are involved during the entire process and attend the wedding to make sure the event goes as planned.

“We’ll help people get dressed, sew on tuxedo buttons, make sure people are at the right place at the right time,” Shutak said. “We basically act like a producer of a movie or a contractor of a house. We make sure everything runs smoothly.”

Pure Elegance Inc., a new bridal store at 1405 Mass., sells everything from dresses and tuxedos to shoes and invitations. From left are Courtney Lynch, and Carla Shutak, co-owners of the shop.

The pair, both Lawrence residents, started the store after working together at a tuxedo rental store in the Kansas City area. They said Lawrence was a great location for a bridal store because the average age here was about 25.

Lynch said Kansas University formals and high school proms should boost sales of the store’s nonbridal formal wear.

“We really think there are a lot of people in town who need us,” Lynch said.

The bridal business has been a tough one in Lawrence though. Randall’s Formal Wear, 815 Mass., is still in the tuxedo business, but assistant manager Jamie Fisher said the store no longer carried bridal gowns or formal wear for women.

Nancy Amison owns Making It Fit, a shop at 15th Street and Kasold Drive, that specializes in tailoring, altering and pressing women’s formal wear. When she opened the shop about three years ago, she thought about opening a full bridal store but decided against it.

She said the proximity to Kansas City and Topeka, and the growing popularity of buying dresses online, were some of the deciding factors.

“Young ladies are much gutsier these days,” Amison said. “They don’t mind buying it online. It’s a tough business anymore.”

Pure Elegance, which is located in the former home of the Phil Zone, has four employees in addition to its owners. The store’s hours are noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.

Prices range from $250 to $3,700 for wedding dresses and $95 for tuxedo rental. The fee for the consulting service varies depending on the size of the event.