Today we’d like to introduce you to Annie McGinty.
Hi Annie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Hi! Thank you for sharing my story!!
I launched Ivory & Ash after 10 years of dreaming about starting a traditional bridal boutique (only this is far from your traditional boutique). I’m a momma of three little girls and creating a business where I could balance or I say juggling having a career and having the ability to be home to do all the mom things was very important to me so I created a bridal studio that focuses on accessible luxury, Indie designer-based bridal, and turned it into the first traveling bridal boutique of its kind! I have created in-home styling sessions, in a brides home or ours! I believe every bride deserves to be pampered, so when we come to you, we transform your home into a luxe bridal boutique with full-length mirrors, accessories, bubbles, and bites. If you choose to come to our bridal studio, you are welcomed into our home with the same comfort and one-on-one attention as if we came to you! So making everyone feel comfortable and at ease was my primary focus.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I launched the company in Oct of 2019 so to say that the past 2 1/2 years has been anything but bumpy would be an understatement!!! Obviously, COVID hit a few months after I launched so weddings we halted, and those first-year sales goals were dashed, but it also gave me time to grown and work on the business from the inside out and have come through the rough patches stronger and bigger than expected! The downtime in not having actual appointments helped give time to building a social media presence and developing a strong user-friendly website.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My background in is Interior Designer and Architecture. Architecture and fashion have always inspired each other so my love for both have played into why I started Ivory & Ash after a long career in sales in the architectural world. I love working one-on-one with people and building trusting relationships, so turning my sales background into running my own bridal business felt very natural. I love working with my brides in a private, intimate setting. Helping guide them into finding a their dream wedding dress. Traditionally, the wedding dress shopping experience has been known to be stressful and some brides dread it, I’m here to help make it a fun, relaxing, zero pressure experience! Letting brides talk to me about what they want versus what I think they want is what sets Ivory & Ash apart from other boutiques. Our brides get to curate their own styling session, I’m just there to add in a few other pieces and suggestions just in case they move in another direction!
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
The industry is shifting in front of our eyes, right now! Independent designers are making huge waves in the traditional mass-produced wedding sector. Sustainable fabrics and the way dresses are designed and made is becoming the forefront of conversations. Trends are becoming noticed quicker due to social media so they change quicker, which isn’t a bad thing! Modern, elegant, and more edgy designs, even colors are becoming more mainstream, and we LOVE that! But also, the traditional gowns are still very relevant but we may see them accessorized in more transitional ways. I also see vintage inspo mixed with modern artistic lines of dresses…the sky is the limit in the next few years with what we could see coming!
Pricing:
- Dresses range $2000-$5000
- Ivory Styling Session $75 1 1/2 hrs
- Bespoke Styling Session (we come to you) $300 2 1/2hrs
Contact Info:
- Email: hello@ivoryandash.com
- Website: https://www.ivoryandash.com/
- Instagram: @ivoryandashbridal
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ivoryandashbridal
Image Credits
Tn Photographics
Clare Sloane Swidrak & Co
Kp Photography
