“And suddenly, you know that it is time to start something new and trust the magic of new beginnings.”
Well Meadows friends & family, the time has come for a very bittersweet announcement. I will try to make this as short and sweet as possible so please bear with me!
We have decided, as a family, that we will be closing Meadows Bridal Shop as of November 1, 2023. It has been a very hard decision for us since we have put our blood, sweat, and tears into this business (aka our baby) for almost a decade. We have made special bonds with SO many of our customers and we will be forever grateful for each and every one of you. We’ve been there for all of you throughout one of the most special times in your lives. We’ve heard the good, the bad and the ugly about your wedding planning and we’ve always been a shoulder to lean on, a voice of encouragement and of course an ear to listen.
As the quote says, suddenly you know that it is time to start something new and trust the magic of new beginnings. When I started this business eight years ago, I was a single, 22 year old who had just graduated from Stockton University with her Hospitality Degree. I was also working a full-time job right outside of Hammonton. With the help of my amazing mother and family, we embarked on this journey of helping brides, moms, bridesmaids, etc to find their dream dresses. But it was SO much more than that. We became family with our customers. Our bridal shop was not just some ordinary bridal shop where you come in and buy a gown. We took the time to get to know you and your family throughout the entire process. Brides would always say that we were their “least stressful” part of wedding planning and to me, that spoke volumes and made my heart so happy. Most people think you get into business solely to make money or that you’re a money hungry person but I can assure you, at Meadows, we were a FAMILY and we made you feel like you were a part of it.
I’m now 30 years old, married, and ready to embark on a new chapter. In order for me to do so, I have to give up my first baby to make time and energy for my next baby. During the pandemic, I took a promotion at my full time job which now requires me to make a much longer commute to work. The added stress and time constraint of my new position has made running the shop much harder on not only me, but my mom as well. Life throws you many curveballs and I would like to think I've dodged a lot of them along the way! Unfortunately, the most recent one has really hit me hard and made me take a look inward and realize it’s time for me to put my full energy and focus into starting a family. After over a year of trying and going through infertility the next steps of my journey are going to require a lot more of my time and energy. It has been one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make but I know it will be worth it in the long run. When my time finally comes for a baby, we all know mama Dee will have new babysitting duties and she simply can’t do both as much as she would love to!
So what does this mean for all of you?! We have contacted all our brides and will be making sure that every single customer gets their order before we close in three months! Our “End of an Era” Sale will be starting ASAP and consists of 20% off Bridal Gowns, 30% off Moms and 50% off bridesmaids dresses! I will have all of our available bridal gowns on our Pinterest page so brides can take a look at what we have before making an appointment. We have until October 31, 2023 to get all of our merchandise sold so please spread the word if you know a bride who would love a fantastic deal and the opportunity to work with myself & my mom before we close!!!
Another thing to keep in mind is that we will still be doing Permanent Jewelry! We will be booking pop-ups, festivals, and in-home parties so please let us know if you are interested!
I sit here typing this post reflecting on all the amazing years we’ve spent building this incredible business and I have to remind myself this: we did not fail. Change is normal. Change is hard. But at the end of the day, I know this change will be so worth it. I know I made my grandmother, who the shop is named after, proud.
So on that note, I would like to thank every single customer who has walked through our doors, whether you bought or not, for supporting us through the years. Every single purchase helped keep us going for 8 years even through COVID! I will be forever grateful for the support of everyone who ever referred us to someone, bought something from us, shared our information on social media, etc. It goes such a long way and we’ll never forget that!
It’s been a hell of a ride! We love you all from the bottom of our hearts and are excited for this new chapter!
Love, Toni & Dee
