Today we’d like to introduce you to Noelle Parent.
Hi Noelle, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I actually started my wedding industry journey in the kitchen! Fresh out of high school, I became a pastry chef, and from there I’ve worn just about every wedding hat. Venue Coordinator, Food & Beverage Director, Wedding Planner, bridal stylist and now a bridal shop owner!
In 2018, I was planning weddings with The Hive Wedding Collective and helping brides find their gowns at Urban Set Bride. That’s when I discovered the need for a sample and consignment bridal shop in central Virginia! The only one in the area had closed, and there wasn’t another within two hours. So in 2020… we opened Blue Sage Bridal!
We are truly a family owned and operated business. My husband, Ken, is our Operations Manager, and my oldest daughter, Alex, is one of our stylists. My Mom, Hobby, helps out with some seamstress work as well. Our two little boys, Hank and Leo, are still too young to work in the shop… but give them a few years and I’m sure we will find a place for them.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Well we opened in January of 2020, so we definitely had a very challenging start to the business. Thankfully, we had a great couple of months before we had to close due to Covid. When you first open a business, you aren’t expecting to make a lot of money right away so we were somewhat prepared for that, but it was definitely a big set-back. We re-opened the shop in June 2020 with strict guidelines. It was typically just the bride/client in the store and they were only allowed to have one guest with them. That was really difficult for our clients. People wanted to bring their friends and family shopping with them, but we really had to consider the safety of our staff as well as our clients.
There have certainly been other challenges along the way. Growing has been a challenge that we continue to face. We started in an 800 square foot space and we are currently in about 7000 square feet. Growing that much has meant more staff, more structure, more capital, more of everything! Learning how to manage all of that has definitely been a challenge, and I’ve relied heavily on my family, friends and mentors to get me through.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Blue Sage Bridal ?
At Blue Sage, we do much more than sell dresses. We really try our best to create a unique and customized experience where every client feels supported and confident. Our Core Values are very important to us and we have a strong focus on Inclusivity, Community and Sustainability. We welcome every love story and proudly accommodate all sizes, identities, and styles with a selection of vintage, consignment and custom order bridal options. Our consignment program is helpful for clients with shorter timelines, and allows us to offer gowns starting at $800. We also host larger sales 3-4 times each year with gowns starting at just $99!
We are really proud of our Community outreach as well. We donate a portion of every dress sold to a local charity. When a client finds their dress with us, they get to choose one of three charities for their donation to go to. It’s probably my favorite part of our process, and a part of the business that I hope to continue growing and developing.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Hire people who excel where you are weak. That has been the most important less that I have learned. I have more of a creative brain than an analytical brain so financials and spreadsheets are not one of my strengths. I definitely waited too long to start working with the right accountant and when I finally did, it made all the difference in the world. This lesson also became vital when hiring a store manager. I needed someone who would treat my team with the same care that I would, but I also needed them to be someone who had more of a logistical brain than I do. I was extremely lucky that I had the right person as part of our part time team and I managed to steal her from her full time job!
This thought process applies to our other employees as well. With each of our team members, we try to match people’s strengths to the roles that they take on in the store. I find that people enjoy their work and perform better when they are working on things that they are passionate about.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bluesagebridal.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluesagebridalrva/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bluesagebridalrva/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@bluesagebridalrva
