For Amanda Alger, opening her own bridal salon in West Reading feels like coming full circle. Growing up as the daughter of two prominent professionals in the bridal industry (her parents owned Bridal Gardens in Reading, a successful bridal salon that thrived in the early 80s and 90s), she knew from a young age that she wanted to help brides feel beautiful on their special day.
In addition to spending most of her childhood in her parents’ bridal shop, Alger has worked for over seven years in the bridal industry herself, repping for designer Paloma Blanca.
When asked why she decided to open her own bridal salon, Ms. Alger replied that she was ready “to take the plunge into retail”.
“I’m a firm believer that when you look good you feel good–and when you feel good, you look good,” Alger shared. “When you look back on your wedding day, pictures are all that you can take with you–and you [the bride] and your dress are in every single one. I want to help women find their dream dress, and feel the best that they can on their wedding day.”
Unlike the experience that a bride could expect at a larger chain store–an experience that often feels somewhat cold and impersonal–Dressed in Love will provide brides with a small, carefully curated selection from some of the best wedding designers in the industry.
The salon has been designed to house two bridal suites so that two appointments can be booked at the same time, yet maintain privacy for each bride and bridal party attending their fittings.
In addition to sample gowns for brides to try on, Dressed in Love has partnered with local artisan Sorrelli Jewelry to offer two exclusive lines of bridal jewelry, and each bride who has her “yes to the dress” moment at the store will receive a bag full of items from preferred vendors (all local small businesses).
When asked what will set Dressed in Love apart from other bridal salons, Alger shared, “I want to create a really fun, laid-back experience for brides. I want to create a personal experience–something to make my brides feel good about themselves.”
Dressed in Love is located at 639 Penn Avenue in West Reading. A ribbon cutting ceremony is planned for Saturday, August 22, 2020 from 4-6pm.
