Meet & Greet: Brittan, owner of Boston

After hearing of a franchise opportunity with Bella Bridesmaid years ago, Brittan McCarthy couldn’t wait to open the doors to her own storefront. On December 23rd of 2009 her wishes came true, as she celebrated the grand opening of Bella Bridesmaid Boston! Since then Brittan has kept busy with her Boston brides and even helped her best friend find the perfect dresses for her upcoming wedding. We finally got to chat with Brit and ask her a little more about her history before owning Bella, and how life has been since owning her own boutique…

BB: What did you do before owning Bella?

B: From 2003-2007, I owned a small business, “A Kid’s Kab”, that transported small children to and from daycares and preschools in the inner city of Boston. I then went and worked at an ad agency working with biotech and life science companies on their global branding. I thought I was heading to business school to grow further in this industry, but then caught wind of Bella Bridesmaid and was hooked!

Brit at Bridal Market 2011 with fellow store owners
and designer Jessica Brown of Ivy & Aster

BB: Why did you want to become part of the Bella franchise?

B: I have a good friend from college, Erin, who now owns the Chicago and Milwaukee franchises with her mother Kathleen. She had mentioned Bella Bridesmaid when I ended my time with “A Kid’s Kab.” But at that point I was ready try the corporate world and I didn’t think twice about Bella. Flash forward 2 years… I wanted to see if there was a Bella Bridesmaid in Boston that had a certain dress for my friend Kelly’s wedding. I saw on their website the franchise location was for sale and for some amazing reason, I sent an inquiry requesting more information. The rest is history!


BB: What is the most memorable moment so far in your boutique?

B: I have a many memorable moments so it’s hard for me to pinpoint one that tops them all. But, if I have to choose, I’ll never forget one of my first sales. I had just opened and I had someone call last minute on a Friday, I was totally booked for that Saturday. I offered her a quick, 30-minute opening after a fitting appointment, which usually is my lunchtime. She was the sweetest, kindest bride and had a fabulous vision. She came back later at the end of the day and ordered 8 dresses! Of course I was ecstatic about the sale, but more importantly learned that you never know what to expect. I haven’t taken a lunch break on a Saturday since!

LulaKate Zoe

BB: What are your favorite bridesmaid dresses that are hanging in your personal closet?

B: Where do I begin? I love my LulaKate Zoe and Bridget dresses. I currently am counting the days for my new Ivy & Aster Phoenix in stripes and Songbird in Chartreuse to arrive - I already have shoes picked out to wear with these the second they get here! 57 Grand Riverside and Carmine, Swoon Bali, Twobirds with the Rosettes, Joanna August Dara, and Carol-Hannah Pinckney all sit in my closet too. I just got engaged and cannot wait to wear the LulaKate and Ivy & Aster little white dresses!








BB: Tell us about a favorite recent bride that has an interesting story.

B: My best friend, Shannon, is getting married in April 2012. She got engaged last December and came to visit in February. She had already found a wedding dress, so the plan was to just to look at bridesmaid dresses. She ended up seeing a LulaKate bridal gown that I had borrowed for the week and wanted to try it on. This dress is so different than the gown she initially found, but she wanted to try it on. She came out of the dressing room with the most amazing smile on her face and looked at me and said this is my dress! Shannon lives in Atlanta and I’m here in Boston, so we decided to meet in the “middle” (any excuse for a trip to Charleston) at LulaKate, so she could try the dress on one more time. She is now wearing her LulaKate gown, with some fabulous LulaKate sashes, and her bridesmaids will be wearing Thread when she gets married this April in Cleveland!

Lauren Bush, Image by Norman Jean Roy
via Fashionologie

BB: What is your fave celebrity wedding dress?

B: I love Lauren Bush’s wedding dress that was designed by Ralph Lauren. I adore the vintage style of the dress with the sleeves and neck, but  also that it has a modern flare with the slim bodice and open back… stunning!

BB: What are a few of your most versatile styles at the moment?

B: Zoe from LulaKate! It is such an adorable dress that can so easily be re-worn after the wedding day. You can wear it with a cardigan, belt and tights in the fall and winter…or my favorite, is wearing it in the summer with ballet flats or sandals. We just got a new sample in Grass Shantung, I may need to add this to my closet!

Nina Forbes Shoes in Gold

BB: What is the best wedding trend you've seen recently?

B: I’m so glad shoes are back to being an important part of the bridal party’s whole look and style! It just takes one awkward pair of shoes on one bridesmaid to distract from the fabulous dresses and the bride! Nina Shoes offer so many great styles and colors for the bridal party. Everyone can pick their style for their comfort, but have a cohesive look! Our brides have been loving the canary, fuchsia, steel, and gold colors on the Evelixa, Forbes, and Culver shoes.
 
                                                                             Thanks Brit!