Today we’d like to introduce you to Bryn Garza.
Hi Bryn, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Brick + Mortar was sort of like a fever dream for a long time! Being born and raised in Aggieland and coming from two entrepreneurial parents, I always knew that one day I wanted a business of my own in this sweet town. Through many years in women’s retail, studying events/tourism at Texas A&M University – I knew that there had to be a way to make it all come together. Post-grad (and while in school), I came to make some amazing friends in the bridal industry, and I knew that it was a market I wanted to be a part of and cater to. We have such amazing event vendors in this area, and it seems like people were still leaving the area to say “YES” to their dream dress. I knew if we had even just one more option for bridal/formal wear, it would be more appealing to keep those purchases here in our community. We love being so close to the Houston area where we can really bring a small-town feel with the same high-end experience! Brick + Mortar Bridal strives to serve AnyBody and from all surrounding areas!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
WOO. I wouldn’t say smooth by any means. We actually were in Chicago for bridal market (St. Patrick’s 2020) when the world “shut down.” I had our commercial lease in my email that I planned to Docusign on the plane when the Wi-Fi didn’t work. I have to believe it was all in God’s timing. Had I signed that lease and gone to market, I would be in a hole of debt and misfortune that I don’t know anyone could make their way out of. Luckily* everything shut down just in time for me to not invest in 100s of gowns that would hang untouched through Covid, and I didn’t execute a lease on a space I wouldn’t have even been able to visit. Unfortunately, someone came in during that time and bought the building we always wanted, but that led us to what is now our gorgeous “home”! All of the dips in the first two years have been so minor compared to the amazing highs we’ve had with our brides.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
At Brick + Mortar Bridal Boutique, we specialize in finding your dream dress with a premiere experience. I am so proud of the way that we have made this a reality. We hear and see a lot of things – on both sides of the curtain. The best feeling is hearing a bride say, ” I was so nervous, and y’all have made me so comfortable,” or “I never thought I would feel so gorgeous” and so on and so forth. I always tell my employees selling a dress is just the cherry on top. Yes, it keeps the lights on, pays their bills, and feels realllllyyy good to sell a gown… but that’s such a small part of it. If we can make the bride feel beautiful in her skin, comfortable, and truly excited to wear this gown on her big day, only then is our job done. We have countless reviews that start with “while I didn’t find my dress here” and go on to say how it was hands down the best experience they had – that’s the goal! Saying yes to your dress is about so much more than finding something to wear. We pride ourselves on that.
What’s next?
Funny timing… The next move for us is actually currently underway. Coming July 2023, we are opening a sample suite, “Veiled” by B+M. When I opened B+M was important to me to give brides on a budget the same experience as a bride with no spending limit. I think that weddings are about so much more than the price tag on things and didn’t want brides to miss out on this experience because of time or money restraints. We have found that to best serve these brides, it should be made easier with a separate location. We never want someone to fall in love with a gown they either can’t afford or won’t arrive in time. Veiled will take care of this as brides will be able to take their dress home the same day and get the same high-quality designers at a discounted price. With David’s Bridal going under, I don’t want brides thinking they have to turn to online or skip on the boutique experience because there isn’t a big box discount store anymore.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.brickandmortarbridal.com
- Instagram: @brickandmortarbridal
- Facebook: @brickandmortarbridal
Image Credits
@haydenjordanphoto
@katelynelainecreative
@davisandgreyfarms
@mkphototx
