For nearly 60 years, Vera's House of Bridals has been helping brides find their dream gowns with a shopping experience that is truly second to none! Their third-generation family-owned bridal shop provides a small-town feel with a big city selection offering over 800 bridal gowns in-store from sizes 2-32 along with dresses for bridesmaids, mothers, and flower girls!
Enjoy the comfort of a private bridal suite and a personal stylist expert to help guide you on your journey to find the perfect gown! From the moment you walk through the doors of their 12,000 square foot Victorian Mansion, you will feel the intentional and exceptional experience Vera's House of Bridals has to offer. Learn more about today's Vendor in the Spotlight below!
TELL US ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS MISSION + WHAT YOU OFFER: We are a third-generation family-owned bridal salon that has been helping brides since 1964! We have over 800 gorgeous bridal gowns in-store and dresses for the rest of the bridal party, too (mothers, flower girls, bridesmaids, and even prom/formal gowns)! Being one of the most established stores in the area, we understand the importance of being size, style, and budget inclusive at Vera's. We offer gowns in sizes 2-32, so brides can feel confident that they will be able to shop dresses that will fit well, too!
Our store is even set in a beautiful Victorian mansion, so it's no surprise that countless brides over the years have told us that shopping with us is a dreamy experience, just like "Say Yes to the Dress" on TV! We offer one of the largest selections of gowns in the midwest and make shopping for your dress fun, easy, and stress-free!
DESCRIBE YOUR IDEAL CLIENT: Our business caters to nearly every type of bride! We have gowns for the bride wanting a more casual gown for a beach wedding, hundreds of dresses to show the bride looking for an opulent gown fit for royalty, and even an excellent selection for the bride who wants to wear black down the aisle! Whatever your style, size, or price point, we are here to help make dream dresses a reality, so we think any and every bride is our "ideal bride!"
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START YOUR BUSINESS, AND DO YOU HAVE A STORY FROM WHEN YOU WERE FIRST STARTING OUT? Vera (our founder, who is celebrating her 92nd birthday this month!), and her husband James, started Vera's House of Bridals way back in 1964. A seamstress and wedding photographer duo, Vera and James, saw a need in Wisconsin for fashion-forward and accessible wedding gowns, so they decided to open their own store in a small farmhouse south of Janesville to help brides!
Vera balanced her time between helping brides select their gowns, fitting and sewing the dresses, and raising the couple's seven children! With business flourishing, Vera designed and built our current location in Madison just a few years later, a 12,000 square foot Victorian mansion on the west side of Madison. Over the years, Vera's daughter, Renee, took on the role of our Corporate Manager, and today both of Renee's children, Johnathan and Jennifer, have joined their grandmother as the third generation of the family at Vera's House of Bridals.
WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH COUPLES CURRENTLY PLANNING THEIR WEDDING? The best advice we have is to start early (if you can), especially when it comes to your dress! We recommend ordering your gown at least 9-12 months before your big day as gowns can take up to 6 months to arrive, and you want to give yourself 2-3 months for alterations too. That said, don't worry if you have a shorter timeline! We have brides all the time that fall in love with and take home their same dress the same day, so you don't necessarily need to order. We are happy to work with you to find the perfect dress, whether you have two years or two months before you tie the knot!
ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE? Being one of the most established bridal businesses in the Midwest, it's no surprise that most of our customers come to us because they know someone who was Vera's bride or who shopped with us and had an amazing time. Providing brides with a fun, easy, and most importantly, memorable experience has always been our top priority.
We have a tradition at Vera's where we take a bride's picture on our grand staircase when she finds her dress, and nothing makes us happier than when a past customer comes back with a new bride-to-be and still has her picture that we took of her in her gown years later! We are a grandmother/mother/daughter team, and so many of our brides have mothers, aunts, and grandmothers who were also Vera's brides! Having generational customers is so special to us.
To learn more about Vera's House of Bridals or contact them, visit their Vendor Profile!
