Published: May 14, 2007 09:51 am      

Q&A: Bridal shop sees boom at springtime

Springtime sees all kinds of formal events, from weddings to proms to sweet 16 parties.

With dresses, accessories and tuxedoes for every occasion, Mary Lee Marino, owner of Mary Lee’s Bridal, said her store has everything that ladies (and gentlemen) need to look their best.

QUESTION: Is spring your busiest season?

ANSWER: Everything hits at the same time leading up to the summer. The hottest four days to get engaged are Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s and Valentine’s Day. After the first of the year, everything kicks in and it’s wild until mid-July.

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Q: What do you sell other than dresses?

A: Here you can get everything in one stop. We sell everything, alter everything and steam everything. We have dresses, tuxedos, shoes, veils, tiaras. We have a photographer and a florist that we can send people to. We can even go so far as to provide the person to perform the ceremony. By the time we’re done, your married.

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Q: How do the younger ladies typically shop for their prom dresses?

A: They usually shop in three phases: With their girlfriends, by themselves and with their parents. By the time the parents get involved, they typically have the dress picked out and might have already put some money down on it.

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Q: How do you select your dresses?

A: We’re different from the mall because we only order one of every dress so no girl goes to the prom and sees someone there with the same dress. We try to carry unique lines not carried by other shops in town.

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Q: With only one of every dress, how do you choose the size for each?

A: I look at the style and say, “What size will this look best on?” I can make the dress bigger or smaller, whatever we need to do. I carry dresses from size 0 to size 30 so that every girl can find a dress. Some shops only carry up to a size 12, so a poor girl over a 12 is out of luck to find a classy, in style, hot prom dress.

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Q: What kind of dresses do you sell a lot of?

A: Everything from a little sleek dress to a big ball gown. I also have some conservative gowns, too. If someone’s religion requires that they be covered up, we facilitate that also. I try to consider everyone’s religious needs for weddings and proms, and not every young lady is confident or comfortable exposing the whole world.

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Q: Do you get a lot of last minute orders?

A: I get a lot in at the last minute, although I wish they would shop early. But sometimes it’s not a definite couple situation and the girl doesn’t get asked until the last minute. Alterations could take a day or they could take three weeks, so the more time the merrier. Sometimes I don’t get a lot of time though, so I’ll be here really late like tonight.

Contact reporter Daniel Pyeat 693-1000, ext. 158.