Old Traditions, Big Business: Ruby Bridal, in New Milford

NEW MILFORD, CT — When Allison Eng, owner/operator of Ruby Bridal Boutique in New Milford, graduated from Pace University's Lubin School of Business with a degree in small business management, she only knew she wanted to be her own boss. It was when she reached that certain age that she figured out exactly in what kind of business she would be that boss.

"I'm going to be 33," she explained. “So I'm Prime Marriage Age. My friends are either married now or getting married and so I was going around with a lot of people to different bridal salons in the area and I really loved the idea of it."

Eng, who grew up in New Milford, felt she could run what must be one of civilization’s oldest enterprises in a fashion that was "a little more updated, a little more modern," and Ruby Bridal Boutique was the result. The wedding gown salon thrived for two years off of Route 67, but Eng says she jumped at the chance to move everything downtown when presented with the opportunity. She reopened at 50 Bank Street on March 2 – just in time to prepare for the 2019 wedding season.

Downtown is better for solo walk-in traffic, of course, but the serious players make an appointment, and usually bring a fair-sized posse.

"(The bride’s) pretty much always bringing either her closest female family members, her mom, grandmother, or her sisters," Eng said. "A lot of the times they will bring their fiancee's mother as well, which I think is a really nice bonding experience. The maid of honor is also possible, and one or two bridesmaids. We can accommodate six, and I'd say they generally bring four or five with them."

The brides-to-be next answer a questionnaire, providing the brass tacks of marriage ceremony whens, wheres and how much’s, as well as their aspirational vision for the ceremony. For many women, that’s a film they’ve been spooling and unspooling in their minds since their first Barbie, but Eng makes them keep it pithy.

"We just ask them to sum up their wedding vibe in two or three words so we can get an idea of what they're looking for, and what kind of style they are," Eng said. "I'm always observing them, observing what they're wearing right that second, what kind of jewelry they're wearing, because it really helps me to get to know their personal style."

Armed with that hard data and her own intuition and insights, Eng will then pick out 10 to 15 dresses she thinks will please her potential new client. It's likely the proto-bride will only get to try on about 10 or 11 of them in the 90 minutes of time allotted for appointments.

But isn’t that a lot of time to spend on a customer who Eng says is 80 percent unlikely to make a decision, favorable or otherwise, in her first visit to the shop?

Not when it’s a big ticket item like a wedding dress, and not when everything has to be Just. Perfect.

"Is this too much lace or not enough lace? Do you like this style lace? Because there's a million different kinds of lace... How do you feel about this fit? How do you feel about the straps? Do you even want straps? Is this beading too much or not enough?" Eng laughed.

She doesn’t let them get away easily, of course. Eng follows up with an email that breaks down all the details from the visit: dresses tried on, customizations offered, color options available, and prices. She wants her clients to be able to focus on the "feeling of the dress, and not so much the logistics of it."

Requests for those options and customizations will soon be at a minimum, according to Eng’s read on the current wedding fashion fads. She credits Meghan Markle’s “simple and chic” choice of bridal gowns for influencing the present trend towards stripped-down wedding wear.

"The minimalist bride is definitely going to be popular this summer, and probably more so next year," she predicted.

Ruby Bridal doesn’t design the gowns, but represents an elite coterie of international and American designers who do. They include Sophia Tolli, Lillian West, Martin Thornburg, and Olia Zavozina, among others. "We find them their brides," Eng explained.

That’s all normal for a bridal salon. What’s unusual, is that Eng will often create the accessories for the gowns she sells, herself.

"My mother is a sewer, and I have been sewing since I was very, very young," Eng said. "I have always loved creating things. I took jewelry classes when I was in high school, and it turned out to be pretty natural for me. So now I can make custom veils for brides who want something to match their dress. I’ve taken old lace from the veils of brides’ mothers or grandmothers, and repurposed it, made new veils out of it. It’s a really neat thing for them."

And yes, veils are still big, for everyone, even if you think they won't be for you.

"I get brides coming in thinking that they want something trendy or fashion-forward and it turns out... they don't," Eng said. "They want something timeless and elegant, and so I don't think they realize how traditional they are."

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Make no mistake: in the bridal biz, traditional is good, and that makes Connecticut a great place to be in that business, according to Eng.

"People are still having that big party, which is really nice. They still want to celebrate in front of all of their friends and family, which I think is so sweet. They so want to declare their love in front of everybody they know, so yeah, weddings around here are still and always will be a big deal. Definitely.

"We are a traditional state, New England is a traditional place and I'm fine with that. I like that. I like having wholesome values," she said.

Ruby Bridal Boutique is located at 50 Bank Street in New Milford.