Sophia Tolli Australia, and Best Prom Manufacturer in 2018 with Ellie Wilde for Mon Cheri, were highlights for the whole team, who had worked so hard to achieve that enviable status. Another favourite memory for David was when he and Chris won a holiday to Jamaica, through a bridal magazine; and partied the night away with bridal manufacturers, distributors and designers.
A Great Success Story As David Morton passes over the reins of Mon Cheri Bridals to James Waddington of Romantica of Devon, we asked him to recap on the pleasure of the past 25 years, and the growth of Dom Bridals. His daughter, Nicole Swaine, went through the highlights
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n 1996, David saw an advert in a trade magazine for a distributor for Mon Cheri Bridals LLC, and he applied to operate the UK side of the business. Having worked in the industry as a sales agent for many years previously, he already had a wealth of contacts, and relished the challenge of introducing Mon Cheri Bridals to the market here. And that’s when DOM Bridals was born. David and his wife Chris started selling from their converted garage, which they soon outgrew as the orders came in fast. They moved to a converted barn in the next village, but within five years they had to move again to house all the customer orders, and the need for a much larger office and more staff. Steady growth The team, led by David, grew rapidly, while Chris managed the warehouse,
Show time The trade shows are a highlight of each year, with the buzz of the new collections, catwalk shows and meeting your customers, new and old, in a relaxed environment. “Harrogate Bridal Show has always been a muchloved event for us,” David says. More recently, DOM Bridals began staging its own show, inviting their customers from the UK and Europe to a complimentary weekend in Cambridge where the new collections were unveiled on the catwalk, and to eat, drink and enjoy. Without question, the event will be thoroughly missed, as will David himself, one of the bestloved individuals in the business.
The next chapter From the 1 August 2021, Romantica ensuring that everything was sent out of Devon began distributing for MCB on time and in perfect condition. across the UK and Europe, working Success leads to success and with the same sales agents that gave DOM Bridals the opportunity stockists are familiar with, which will and confidence to sell into Europe. help for a smooth transition to this David and Chris also recruited two next chapter for MCB. of their three daughters, Katie and Katie, David and Chris’ eldest Nicole, to start working with them – daughter, will continue working with Katie, initially in sales and then office Mon Cheri Bridals with her husband manager, and Nicole to manage the Rob, who is a sales agent for Martin new Sophia Tolli collection. Thornburg for Mon Cheri, Ellie Wilde In the coming years, Katie and and Colette. Nicole will be taking Nicole both became directors of the some time out before she starts company, taking on a variety of roles looking for the next challenge! and contributing to the growth of the David and Chris will be kept busy business. with their eight grandchildren all under 12, who love nothing more than Winning awards running around their garden learning David comments that it has been an football skills from their grandad, enjoyable, at times demanding, 25 and cooking and gardening with their years in the industry, but certainly with granny. And they’ll be taking time out many more highs than lows. for David to play golf and them both Winning the Best Dress category in to visit their second home in Spain at the Bridal Buyer Awards in 2010 with every opportunity! S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1 ♦ W E D D I N G T R A D E R ♦ 48
