Ranburne sits just a few miles from the Georgia line, and Ever After uses that position well. The shop, which brands itself Ever After Prom and Formal, keeps its Alabama store on Main Street in Ranburne and a second store across the state line in Carrollton.
Its own description of the Ranburne shop is short and to the point:
Whether it is senior prom, a high school pageant or homecoming dance, our goal is to help each girl find the perfect dress and help them realize their beauty.
That sentence sets the order of business. Prom comes first, with pageants and homecoming right behind it. The owners describe the store as a mother and daughter team who "have always had a love of prom and formal dresses," and the inventory backs that up.
What hangs on the racks
The shop sorts the floor by event, then by designer. The collections break down like this:
Plus sizes
- La Femme Plus
- Christina Wu Plus
Homecoming
- Aleta
- Sherri Hill
- Jovani, plus its JVN line
- Ava Presley short dresses
Little girls' pageant
- Ashley Lauren Kids
- Ava Presley Little Girls
- Tiffany Princess
According to the shop, its tuxedos cover the latest styles and designers for prom, weddings and more, so the date can be outfitted at the same store.
From Ranburne High to Carroll County, Georgia
Ranburne High School students have the shop in their own town, and Cleburne County High School in Heflin is in the same county. The shop's reach does not stop at the state line, though. With the sister store in Carrollton, families from Bowdon and other Carroll County, Georgia, towns have an easy option on either side of the border. For a small town on the edge of the map, that is a big trade area.
Walk-in shopping suits this part of the state. Families here juggle ball games, church and work, and being able to stop in after school without booking a slot ahead of time takes the pressure off.
Weddings get a nod, but the racks are about prom, pageant and homecoming. For more shops along this side of the state, the east Alabama prom guide lists other options.
A tux for the date and plus sizes for prom in Ranburne
Are tuxedos stocked alongside the gowns in Ranburne?
Yes. The shop carries tuxedos in the latest styles and designers for prom, weddings and more.
Which plus-size lines hang at Ever After?
La Femme Plus and Christina Wu Plus, each its own collection.