Twice a year bridal shop owners get the opportunity to go to market to pick new dresses for their store. It’s fun, for sure, but you also need to be strategic. When I first started going to market, I would get a general idea of what I “needed”, but it was easy to get pulled by the latest styles and new designers to overbuy.

When I first opened my store, I only had 50 dresses, if even that. I wanted to fill up my closets as quickly as I could so brides had the best selection to choose from. It didn’t take more than a few seasons to see I had way more than I needed and had to keep having sales for the ones I was done with.

My team at the store and I would always have meetings before market on what we needed that was missing and what were the top selling styles, price point, size and color per designer. We would note which dresses were “cooling off” and kept an eye on what was up and coming.

If a new designer was emerging and the price point was right, I would make an appointment to meet with them either in Chicago or before, knowing territory coverage is important. You have to be fast because once territory is locked in, you can be an exclusive carrier.

So now that I had my arsenal of information, I was ready to shop! In the first couple years of owning the store, I would bring one other employee with me, which was whoever was there the longest. Over time I would bring the whole team because I wanted them to be an active part of the decision making since they were the ones in the appointments with brides.

With being so close to Milwaukee, it was a quick trip either by car or train to Chicago. I didn’t mind driving there, but there was one winter market I was driving through a blizzard and that was brutal. Imagine finding parking in this city near the Merchandise Mart, trying to dress all cute, lugging along your nice heels and boots and winter coat…

That all aside, bridal market is a great experience. All the vendors there have booths that was brightly lit with numerous mannequins, friendly faces to come look at their latest line and live models showcasing styles. I loved being able to see sales reps in person, talking to other store owner friends from across the country and getting excited for what the trends will be six months from now. What you see on the red carpet at award shows or from a royal wedding will easily pop up six months to a year later in bridal designs. When the Beauty and the Beast remake came out, it wasn’t long after everyone wanted ballgowns again.

On a conservative season, I’d spend maybe $10,000 or so between dresses, accessories and/or picking up a new line to test at the store. I will note dresses I feel will be the top sellers and which ones will be good for advertising or driving in traffic because it’s unique or different.

Each dress has a value and to keep your store up and running, you need to calculate how many times you need to “turn” a dress to make a profit. Some dresses may sell once, some easily 20 times! The important part is to keep shopping smarter each season to bring the best styles to brides. You are not shopping for yourself, you are shopping for THEM! I always kept that in mind.

After my team and I literally shopped till we dropped, it was time to find a good place to eat at. Most of the time it would be mexican food because we were your typical taco loving girls. We would talk about everything we saw from the day, our favorite dresses and predicted what our upcoming season would be like. I loved this time with my team because it brought us all together and sparked a new wave of motivation.

I certainly miss those days, my favorite sales reps and designers (Craig, Elaine and Ben!) and being surrounded in a world of creativity and fashion that’s such a special time for a bride. I had that opportunity to bring such amazing dresses to brides that’ll define who they are and their style for a day that starts a whole new chapter in their lives. It feels like such a small part, but when you see that reaction or moment of “this is it” with each bride, you take away that feeling with you each time.