A former owner of a bridal shop in western Newfoundland recently made a once-in-a-lifetime trip to one of the world’s most famous boutiques to pay tribute to his business partner, his mother.
Former co-owner of Mavis Fashions and Bridalwear, Sandie Batt co-founded the business with her mother, Mary Mavis, who was a master tailor and owned a draping business.
The duo had a lot of fun watching the TLC reality show as they helped the bride find the perfect look for her special day. say yes to a dresspresenting the work of Kleinfeld Bridal in New York City.
“Let’s just say it’s every little girl’s Cinderella story,” Batt told CBC News this week. It’s a bridal store.”
Butt said she and her mother often use the dresses displayed in the showcase. say yes to a dress As an inspiration for your own boutique.
“Whether it’s your personal life or your business life, you always tend to look up to something,” Batt said. It’s the epitome of interpersonal relationships,” she said.
“They were great at all of that, so of course it was where the two of us decided to go. We had to go there and we had to go together.”
Unfortunately, that dream never came true. Mavis died in the summer of 2010. After she was ill and hospitalized, three months before her death, she asked her daughter to keep her two very important promises.
The first was for Bat to take the kids to Disney World and take pictures by Cinderella’s castle on Mavis’ birthday. The second was to travel to Kleinfeld Bridal, knowing that her mother was with her in spirit.
For more than a decade, Bat didn’t feel like traveling. But this year that changed.
“There was something that just felt right. It felt like that time,” she said.
Batt sent Kleinfeld Bridal an email detailing her story, which was forwarded to the company’s guest services department. She received a general email in her reply, and she said the public is welcome to come to the store and take pictures.
That’s enough, Bat thought.
“I would still be there for us,” she said, holding a necklace with a picture of her and Mavis.
A few days after receiving the email, Bat received a phone call from a store rep, which shocked Bat. The rep explained that guest services had passed her story on to the owner, who was thinking about bigger things.
They invited Batt and her husband to spend the afternoon with them for an all-access tour of the business in the remodeling department, from storefront to backstage. Kleinfeld Bridal suggested a tour on August 17, a particularly important date for Batt.
“My own and my mother’s birthdays were big,” Batt said. “We celebrated each other’s birthdays in a big way. [that] My mother was a big influence on this. They actually chose my birthday. “
When the day came, Batt wore a locket with a picture of his mother on it.
“As soon as I walked in, it was breathtaking,” Batt said. “I’ve seen it on TV, but for me it was more than just a TV show. Strangely enough, from the moment I stepped in there, I felt at home, like I was with my friends. Strange as it may seem, I felt like I could be there and work forever.
“I’m an emotional person, especially when it comes to my mother. Tears were everywhere.”
Listen | A Stephenville woman talks about her once-in-a-lifetime trip to a world-famous bridal boutique
overworked12:30Kleinfeld’s visit
A woman who owned a fashion and bridal wear shop in Corner Brook with her mother made her dream come true with a special visit to Kleinfeld Bridal in New York City. (Anthony Germaine and Sandy Butt)
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