7 minute read
PRO SPOTLIGHT
Shelley Mueller Alyssa Pung
BECKER'S BRIDAL
There can be a lot of pressure put on finding the right wedding dress for your big day. Between picking somewhere that you will feel comfortable and making sure they have an extensive enough inventory to allow you to try on all the different styled dresses you want to, it can be difficult to know where to go even if you have a good idea of what you want your wedding dress to look like.
Having served their community since the 1930s, Becker’s Bridal is more of a family member or friend than just a bridal shop. They have an extensive inventory despite being located in the small town of Fowler, Michigan. Their team of skilled bridal dress experts knows how to make you feel welcomed and loved during your fitting and strives to get you the best possible dress for your wedding day! We were able to speak with owners Shelley Mueller and Alyssa Pung about Becker's Bridal's unique salon and dress finding experience. Read on to hear more from Alyssa herself!
WD: Can you tell us about the history of Becker’s Bridal? How have you grown over the years? AP: "Our legacy is a great point of pride for us. As we understand, we are America’s oldest bridal salon and have been owned by the same family for five generations. At the turn of the century, we were a popular general store, and in 1934 a local woman approached my great grandmother to bring back a wedding dress for her from a buying trip. So, we joke that at that time you could come in for a barrel of pickles and a wedding dress! In the ‘70s, my grandparents expanded our old bank building into an official bridal salon and changed the name to Becker’s Bridal. Since then, we have experienced countless renovations and in 2012, New York Times bestselling author, Jeffrey Zaslow, wrote the book, The Magic Room: A Story About the Love We Wish For Our Daughters based on our store, our history and our brides. Since then, we have had two more expansions, a secondary outlet location in the Frandor Shopping Center in Lansing, Michigan and the addition of The Phoenix at Becker’s Bridal, the first ever bridal and celebratory lounge, located in store above the existing salon."
WD:
every day? What inspires you about your business? What keeps you motivated
"We serve over 3,000 brides a year. It’s incredible to me that we get to be even a small part of that many people’s special life memory. It also means no two days are the same. We get to hear about so many different love stories, and seeing new designs constantly is also a bonus!" What sets your bridal salons apart from the others? "Most stores average inventory selections of several hundred gowns in certain size ranges. Here at Becker’s Bridal, we carry several thousand dresses in store in sizes 2-32 and typically don’t duplicate styles meaning you will see more here with us than if you stopped at say, ten different stores. We also are central to all of Michigan, but in a town of about 1,100 people, so we can offer exceptional selection, while welcoming you to our tight-knit family tradition. Becker’s Bridal has become a household name and a destination for brides not only all over the state but from across the country and even the world. The energy here is so special we have even hosted three proposals! And, of course, there aren’t many bridal stores where you can celebrate saying 'yes' in an entirely dedicated enchanted forest with champagne, charcuterie and lunch!" What is the wedding dress shopping experience like for your clients? "Our goal for a bride’s appointment is to find the dress of her dreams but also have fun doing it. We attempt to pair our brides with stylists of a similar vibe and from there the two work together to create the dream. We have an open inventory, so not only is the stylist pulling based on her knowledge and experience, but we also let the bride look through our racks and pull gowns that speak to her. From there, it is 90 minutes of the stylist dressing, listening and feeling inspired. Once the bride starts getting in her feels, we also have our famous Magic Room and another gorgeous 360 degree waterfall viewing room where most brides are overcome with actually envisioning themselves on their wedding day. To celebrate, we have fun gifts like T-shirts or other promotional giveaways after saying 'yes' and, of course, to complete the experience, a visit to The Phoenix, where we gesture signature drinks like The Magic Mule and Merry Me Margarita."
AP:
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WD: What do you love most about the wedding industry? AP: "There is no other industry like this one. One where most people come in the happiest they have ever been, and they are about to explore the most beautiful type of merchandise to find the most important garment of their lives. Our industry operates on emotion and survives on love."
What’s the most common questions you get from brides? What are your answers to them? "Honestly, our most frequent questions are not super exciting because they are mostly logistical. Things like, 'what are your price points?' and 'what are lead times?' My answer is here at our Flagship store, we start at about $1000, with the average gown sold between $1200-$2000 and our outlet starts at about $699. For lead times, it is best to choose a gown about 12-16 months in advance. This allows about a 7-10 month production schedule and around 3-5 months for alterations. Of course, both locations can accommodate immediate wear by selling a dress right out of our collection the same day! Other common questions relate to dress styles, trends and how they’ve changed or maintained the same over the years."
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WD: What are the best tips you have for brides who are dress shopping? Any other words of wisdom to share? AP: "My best words of wisdom are simple (but sometimes the most difficult for the bride to channel) and that is to trust your instincts. So many brides get caught up in the pressure of pleasing a vision, ideal, family member or friends. At the end of the day, a bride is only happy when she listens to her gut on what makes her happiest to wear. It’s ok if it is your first store, it is ok if it isn’t your mother’s favorite and it is ok if it isn’t what you pictured yourself in! It will make the process so much more enjoyable and the memories of your wedding so much happier if you choose the dress that speaks to you when all the other noise is removed!"
WD: How do you calm the nerves of anxious customers? What do you do to make them feel comfortable? AP: "We really aim to treat them like our friends and family. We get lots of brides nervous for various reasons and can be easily overwhelmed when walking into such a large store with so many dresses. But we assure them we can guide them and once they get started, it’s not so scary. And that’s true. Once you get going and put on a few dresses that give them confidence, it becomes fun. The best approach for anxiety is to be gentle, calm and laid back. We also strongly recommend a weekday appointment, for a more intimate experience and weekends in bridal are usually always a packed house."
WD: Take a moment to brag about something you’re proud of. AP: "I have grown up in this business. I played here as a child and they put me on the payroll when I was 15! Not only do I hold the experience of 20 years in bridal, I also carry with me the inherited wisdom and knowledge of my grandmother and great-grandmother while still learning from and with my mother every day. Ten years ago, my husband became a part of the legacy and while working with the closest people in your life can have its challenges on top of an already demanding field, I am proud to say we use our combined talents, with the help of our staff, to thrive greater each year."
WD: What are your future goals for your business? How do you see it growing in the future? AP: "Long term: to be here for another 90 years!"
