The red rose wasn’t in the cards for Chase McNary who competed on The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise. However, his longing for love was fulfilled after meeting the Valley’s Ellie White. In July, the couple wed in Dillon, Colorado.
“Loveland Pass is where he first said, ‘I love you;’ it’s also where he proposed. We couldn’t think of a better place to marry than those very mountains,” said the newly Mrs. Ellie McNary.
We caught up with Ellie on her love story, wedding, and booming hat biz.
What made you fall in love with Chase?
Chase is my rock, my home, and my best friend. Because of him, I found the courage to pursue my dreams. We both love the outdoors, daring activities we call “Chellie Adventures,” and 5am gym sessions.
What made your wedding unique?
We are not stiff people and wanted our wedding to reflect our non-traditional style.
We got married at 11,500 ft elevation and my brother walked me down the aisle. Chase had a “Best Woman,” and I had a “Man of Honor.” Our first dance was to Jason Aldean's “You make it Easy.”
Describe your bride style.
My dress was by Galia Lahav. Julia Ward, owner of Muse Extension Lounge Phoenix, took the lead on my locks and I can’t rave enough about her utter hair talent. She is the Valley’s best for natural looking extensions!
Since retiring from reality TV, Chase is now a Managing Partner at KJ1, spearheading large scale projects. As for you... you’re crushing it as a hat designer! Tell us about Mill & Habs.
Mill & Habs is my designer hat brand. We curate high-end 100% American handmade hats by our in-house Milliner.
Our process is special because we get raw felts, dye them, hand block them to size, hand-shape them, sew in headbands, fire distress them, hand sand them... and then on the backend, we design them. We are known for our custom-made department where we build and design hats specifically for each client after a one-on-one consultation.
How did you start your company?
It started out of our home's carport. I never intended on launching a big business; I simply loved the art of millinery and building things with my hands. However, people were literally wanting to buy hats off my head and Chase finally convinced me to build the brand.
Within a year, I outgrew my home studio, opened my Scottsdale showroom, and am now considering expanding! Life clicks into place when you find your purpose and do what you love.
What went into designing your wedding hat?
I chose my timeless Signature High Side shape on the crown. I took a scrap of hand stitched floral from my wedding dress and implemented it on the side of the hat and laser engraved “11,500” into the felt representing where we got married along with, “I did, I do & I will.”
What makes Mill & Habs hats unique?
Mill & Habs is not a “hat bar;” we build our hats versus buy them pre-made. Each hat is crafted with the highest-grade materials spanning the felt selection to the gold and sterling silver pendants. Often requested styles include green-dyed felts, monocratic designs, and flat brimmed fedoras.
Does Chase sport Mill & Habs?
Yes! You can also catch him sporting our MH trucker hats. millandhabs.com
BONUS READ! Snag Ellie’s luscious locks...
We got the scoop on Ellie’s hair from Julia Ward, owner of Muse Extension Lounge. Julia, an extensions guru, offers elite clientele an A-list experience in her Arcadia salon. Over hosted lunch and bubbly, Julia and her team work their NBR magic- natural beaded rows extensions- a process commonly used among celebs.
NBR extensions are applied utilizing the original and refined beaded row and isla®️hand-tied hair. Strategically placed beads create minimal points of contact and perfectly distribute the weight of the extensions to protect your natural hair.
This method achieves maximum results with minimal damage. Unlike other extension methods, NBR is safe for an active lifestyle- you can swim and exercise worry free. With NBR, style as you wish and wear a ponytail while maintaining invisible extensions!
Not only does Muse custom color your hair, but they also customize every weft of extensions used for your blend. Plus, they offer multiple hair textures ensuring a perfect match for your natural hair.
Immensely experienced, Julia specializes in extension based blonde, natural, lived in, and sun-kissed looks. She is known for her flawless beach waves and seamless blends. museextensionlounge.com
"Chase is my rock, my home, and my best friend."
"Each hat is hand-built with the highest-grade materials."