Bridals by Lori

Get to know lori

Cherished Childhood Dream:

Lori grew up amidst clouds of white tulle and taffeta at her Aunt June’s successful bridal business in Birmingham, Alabama. From a young age, Lori knew that she was destined for a career in the bridal industry, and spent years studying her Aunt’s techniques while honing her skills working at bridal shops in the South. Watching brides tear up when they see themselves dressed in the perfect gown gave Lori a rush that she yearned to experience on a daily basis. With the emotional and financial support of her parents, who admired and encouraged her entrepreneurial spirit and determined work ethic, Lori graduated with a degree in business and fashion merchandising from South Carolina’s Columbia College and set out to accomplish her dream.

Building the Business:

Located in Atlanta’s upscale and growing Sandy Springs neighborhood, Bridals by Lori opened in December 1980 with four modest dressing rooms, an inventory of twenty-five bridal gowns, one defective mannequin, and Lori’s supportive mom Jean as the only (unpaid) employee. Lori diligently got to work, changing the mannequin multiple times a day to showcase her beautiful inventory and entice customers, and by the second week she had made her first sale. Motivated by that sale, Lori quickly became an expert at processing transactions and balancing budgets, and began increasing her inventory while perfecting that once in a lifetime bridal gown shopping experience.

A Wedding Empire:

When Lori got the call from TLC to add Bridals by Lori to their booming Say Yes to the Dress franchise, the store was already a success. Today, Bridals by Lori is a burgeoning wedding empire. Housed in a three-story, 25,000 square foot building, the salon carries an inventory of over a thousand gowns and has dressed more than 450,000 brides. Throughout the years, Lori has cultivated personal relationships with some of the world’s leading couturiers, choosing to showcase their designer gowns in individual alcove boutiques throughout the store. One of the first full-service destination salons of its kind, Bridals by Lori not only carries gowns for brides of all ages, sizes, and tastes, but also offers shoes, veils, jewelry, accessories, bridesmaids’ dresses, and tuxedos.

 

Say Yes to the Dress:

The show launched Bridals by Lori into the global spotlight, with co-stars Lori and Monte offering up witty repartee amidst champagne flutes and beaded trains to millions of viewers. But when the filming stops, Lori is still the same sassy bridal expert and entrepreneur, sharing her influence and fashion acumen with customers on a daily basis as she continues expanding her business. Within the salon, Lori always advocates for her brides while keeping all the foxes out of the henhouse and all members of the wedding party in check.

And when her bride tears up over that perfect gown, Lori still gets that same rush of pleasure that she experienced with her first sale nearly forty years ago.

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