James Anna Bridal Designs by Melinda Alderman was founded as James Anna Atelier in 2018. Originally bringing in various custom clothing jobs, in January 2025, Melinda decided to draw upon her 20 years of experience in custom bridal work and formal alterations to focus solely on bridal clients. After four years of working for a national bridal chain, she grew frustrated by the cattle call of retail bridal alterations and is bringing back a more curated and personal touch to the bridal experience – whether the bride has her dress already and just needs a hem, or she wants a fully-custom gown.
With deep Florida roots and a love for vintage bridal (Melinda wore my grandmother’s gown for her own wedding!), Melinda started James Anna Bridal Designs with the mission to sustainably create custom bridal attire for Tampa Bay brides. All sizes, all orientations, and all styles are celebrated in her bespoke designs and inclusive brand.
A Florida native, originally from the alligator infested swampland of Micanopy, Florida, Melinda had an interest in clothing from a very early age and began learning how to sew at the age of five. After many years of torturing her sister with straight pins and wildly stylish outfits made from fabric scraps out of her mother’s quilting basket, Melinda decided to pursue fashion as a career and studied costume design at the University of South Florida. Since then, she has been designing, building and altering wedding gowns and formalwear, and has managed the alterations departments at three locations for a major bridal chain. After nine years in Nashville, Melinda is excited to be back in her home state serving the Tampa Bay area.
To learn more about James Anna Bridal Designs, visit: www.jamesannaonline.com and on Instagram and Facebook at @jamesannabridaldesigns.
