It's cold outside now, but spring and summer weddings loom

Welcome to Wildwood Bridal — a Valdese bridal shop located on Main Street that is centered on empowering brides from the moment they walk through the doors to when they say the big “Yes! to the Dress!”

Newlyweds Kelsey and Jeremy Bowles are the new owners of the building that once was home to “The Formal Showcase,” a decades-old business owned and managed by the legendary Sylvia Knox. 

There are still wedding gowns from the Showcase, but the Bowles have worked hard to create a modern bridal shop stocked with a wide selection of new dress lines from Alyce Bridal, Justin Alexander, Morilee, Blush, Johnathan Kayne, and other trendy designers.

The shop also carries a wide selection of prom dresses. 

The two are also proud owners of a rustic wedding venue, The Barn at Wildwood Acres, located in Connelly Springs. 

Surrounded by walls of mirrors and racks of dresses, Kelsey sat down on the viewing couch to explore her journey of going from a bride herself to helping other brides find the perfect dress. 

A new path

Kelsey has not always been in the wedding industry — she started in healthcare. It was not until the couple was house-hunting that they started their new line of work together. 

In 2020, the couple was on the lookout for their home together when they found a property that caught their eye. After going through the photos, Kelsey saw that the property came with an older restaurant building. The property was transformed into the wedding venue it is today. 

“Within a couple of months, it was ours,” said Kelsey. “That’s where the wedding venue, the love for weddings, and the love for love in general had started.”

Fast forward to the beginning of 2023. The newly engaged couple were driving down Main Street in Valdese when Kelsey noticed that The Formal Showcase was for sale. Although they were house-hunting, the Showcase sparked a developing idea in the Bowles. 

“We were like, ‘What if we just bought this bridal shop? Since it goes hand in hand with the venue?’ I didn’t know if it was ‘wedding bliss’ because I was planning my own wedding or if it was real,” said Kelsey. “I actually shadowed Sylvia for three or four months. It didn’t take me that long to realize that’s what I wanted to do.” 

Seeing how passionate her mentor was in the bridal industry grew more enthusiasm in Kelsey herself. It was the same passion that moved her to leave her healthcare career and start something new with The Wildwood Bridal. 

The Wildwood experience 

Customers can walk in and shop around, but Kelsey encourages people to make an appointment so they can get all the attention they deserve. These appointments, free of charge, guarantee secured time with one of the staff. 

The bride and her party can sit by the front of the shop with the big viewing mirrors or they can go into the private rooms if the bride wants a more private setting. 

The appointment blocks tend to last an hour and a half to two hours. Starting with measurements, Kelsey will see what size the prospective bride needs, with ranges from a double zero to a size 30. 

Customers are then put in a selection of sample dresses to see what they are looking for, whether that be long trains, sleeves, necklines, fitting, and other styling inquiries. There is no limit to how many dresses you may try on. 

“We love the brides that are kind of open-minded and they really don’t know what they want yet,” said Kelsey. “If you’re not sure what you want, that’s what the appointment is for, right? So you can try different things and figure out where you can land.”

The staff will set aside three or four of the customer’s top picks to try on back-to-back after the fittings. Before the “little peanut crowd” and the viewing mirrors, the bride is accessorized in either a veil, tiara, belt, or headband. 

If the bride says the magical “Yes!”’ she can get her photo taken in front of the greenery photo wall. 

One of the great things about the lines the shop works with is that modifications are at no extra cost and modified dresses are returned to the bride within two months.

“If you need a shorter dress in general because you are short like me, you can get a shorter dress or a longer dress, either way,” Kelsey said. 

More than a job

Kelsey doesn’t see the shop as a job but as a blessing to work with brides during one of the biggest times of their lives. 

Since her wedding in December 2023, she can remember being a bride and what that precious moment meant to her. 

“Seeing people get so excited and light up and cry, then their families cry,” said Kelsey. “It’s really beautiful. Just to be a part of it, I’m very thankful to be able to be a part of someone’s joyous moment.”  

If you want to look around the shop or make an appointment, you can visit them at 224 Main St. E. in Valdese. You can call them at 828-219-2150 or email them at info@wildwoodbridal.com. 

Saydie Bean is a general assignment reporter for The Paper. She may be reached at 828-445-8595 or via email at saydie@thepaper.media.