About Arabella Bridal

Welcome to  Arabella Bridal. I would like to present my vision of a beautiful boutique filled with unique clothing and accessories – treasures to be discovered by customers that can’t be found anywhere else. My store offers pre-loved wedding gowns, bridesmaids’ dresses, mothers dresses, jewelry and accessories. I specialize in vintage items and I offer consignment services for those who are looking to sell their gently used formalwear but don’t know how or where to sell it! 

Not only do we have hundreds of formal gowns in all styles, colors, and sizes, but I also have a large collection of fun everyday dresses, suits, and cocktail/party dresses. My inventory is quite different than what you might find in typical bridal shops, but that’s part of the plan. I wanted to do something different and bring a little of my personality to the Twin Cities Wedding scene. I have focused on providing a relaxing shopping experience where customers can have fun exploring in a no-pressure sales environment. Appointments are required and I usually have only one party in the store at a time. During your appointment, the store is entirely yours and I can attend to your needs and answer any questions in a private space.

The other facet of my bridal shop is sustainability. The fashion industry accounts for 10% of our global carbon footprint. Much of this can simply be attributed to the rise of “fast fashion” which is continuously churning out new lines of clothing and discarding/discontinuing past designs. The bridal industry is very much the same and most bridal shops are required to purchase a certain number of new gowns with every new season. This means there are many gowns out there that can no longer be special ordered and end up ultimately being discarded. That is where Arabella Bridal comes in! My inventory is a mixture of new manufacturer discontinued designs, store sample gowns that cannot be re-ordered, and pre-loved consignment gowns that might have a little wear but are otherwise beautiful and ready to wear again. These items have been worn for only a few hours and then shoved in the back of a closet for years. It makes so much sense that it can be re-sold to another bride and given a 2nd lease on life.

That is sustainability and recycling at its core. I think it’s an amazing opportunity for us as consumers to learn that beautiful things aren’t always brand new and there are so many options available to those willing to look for those hidden treasures. At Arabella Bridal, I have done my best to bring them into one place so you don’t have to search quite so hard. It is a curated collection that is hand-selected for its elegance, uniqueness, and beautiful designs.

 I have always wanted to be an entrepreneur and business owner. Some of my earliest memories are of selling lemonade and popcorn in front of my house or making jewelry to sell to my friends at school. I love the whole creative process of finding or making a product and designing an exciting marketing plan. After so much effort, there is this amazing feeling of elation and pride when you finally make a sale! Looking back on my life, I realize that the path to business ownership has been laid out – though I didn’t know it.

My high school interest in graphic and web design means that I can create my own marketing and web design. My varied work experiences in corporate retail stores have given me an understanding of customer service and ethical salesmanship. Finally, my recent role in office management provided an in-depth understanding of accounting and small business practices, I feel that the summation of my life experiences has been preparing me to become a business owner. It’s an amazing feeling of belonging, like I’ve finally arrived!

The other aspect of my business and something that has been a big part of my life is sustainability and repurposing. I have long been a proponent of re-use and up-cycling. Growing up, my mother was always shopping at thrift stores (she still goes nearly every day!) so I spent a good part of my childhood poking around thrift stores and garage sales looking for hidden gems. I loved the idea that an item can be used and loved by many people over the years, as though it too has a life span that encompasses different owners and experiences. Now that I’m grown up, I can see the beauty in this but also the common sense.

Thrift stores and up-cycling have become almost trendy now, which is great, but at its core, it’s an understanding that we have a responsibility to find a way to use these items instead of discarding them only to purchase something else that’s nearly identical just because it’s new.

 My cheerleaders and teammates undoubtedly would be my family. My daughter, Arabella, is 8 years old and has been ecstatic about the store and wants to learn how to do everything. I named the store after her because she is my inspiration. She is this beautiful little soul who loves art and dancing and has always wanted to wear pretty dresses even when she was young. She makes this process even more fun with her enthusiasm and participation.

My husband, Justin, has been more helpful and supportive than I can describe in a few short sentences. He believed in me before I even believed in myself! His love, positive energy, and confidence in my vision have grounded me and kept me pushing towards my daily goals. His interest in a bridal business that he, understandably, knows nothing about has been the most wonderful blessing and I simply can’t thank him enough for everything he has done and everything I know he will do in the future.

As a family, we’ve sourced new products, designed the business structure, and created a beautiful storefront. They are in the shop with me as much as possible so we can be together between appointments. It has truly been a family effort and I hope we will continue to thrive together in this new business venture.