The Wedding Shoppe Helps Brides Find The One

Celebrating their 25^th anniversary in December of 2024, The Wedding Shoppe in Berkley has served the Metro Detroit community with a stunning array of bridal gowns and accessories since owner Michelle McFarland first opened in 1999.

Originally located in Royal Oak, McFarland decided to open her own bridal boutique after wanting to escape corporate America. “I had a typical corporate job and I knew I wanted to do something that was more creative and gave me more freedom,” she says, noting that at the time it seemed everyone she knew was getting married, too. “I decided to do some research and we opened in December 1999 as a bridal accessories store. We did not sell wedding dresses originally. We sold everything but the dress.”

For the first few years, McFarland says business was great. “Then 9/11 happened and then, you know, the recession started to creep in, and so did Internet selling. And suddenly there were a lot of other options for where to find bridal accessories.” In 2008, McFarland decided to add wedding dresses to bring in additional income, and the results were beyond successful. “Oh my gosh, it exploded from there,” she says. Having outgrown their previous location, in 2017 McFarland decided to move the business to Berkley, purchasing and renovating an 8,000 square-foot building.

Today, the boutique has become known and beloved for the exclusive lines of gowns and accessories McFarland designs for her Wedding Shoppe brides. “We like to be able to provide the styles that brides are looking for and a lot of times that means that we have to bring them in ourselves.” Dealing with long turnaround times and wanting to meet the demands of her brides are among the factors that initially prompted McFarland to offer her own line. “We kind of had to take matters into our own hands for our brides to be able to get those styles that they’re really looking for into the store quickly and at a price that is affordable for most,” McFarland says. In 2024, her gowns and accessories will be offered to bridal stores across the country.

But beyond the beautiful designs she offers, it’s the boutique’s ambiance and staff that have also helped set it apart in the industry — the shop even has a liquor license. “We encourage (the brides) to come in early and enjoy a cocktail or champagne before their appointment. Catch up with their friends. You know, loosen up and start having a little fun. We then escort them to their private bridal suite, so they each have their own private room with their own mirror. They’re not seeing other brides trying on dresses because we really want it to be an intimate experience…We really try to build the whole experience around the bride and what’s going to help her relax and have it be a lifelong memory.” The lobby even has a free coffee and tea bar, and there are snacks available in case anyone gets hungry.

“It’s all about how we make them feel when they come in. It really is. And we’ve done this from the get-go…It’s always about the relationships you’re building with the bride and her people and how she’s feeling while she’s here because my business has really been built on word of mouth. From our brides telling other brides. And we just focus on helping her feel at ease because it can be very nerve wracking for her,” says McFarland, who notes her staff is trained to truly listen to each bride and pick up on body language cues.

“We just want them to forget about everything else and focus on finding the one.”

For more information, visit theweddingshoppe.net