The soft, flowing material of hundreds of wedding dresses line the walls of
Hyde Park Bridal. Light pink furniture and mirrored tables add a distinctly feminine touch to the brightly lit boutique.
Amanda Topits, 26, opened Hyde Park Bridal on Sept. 8, and has since outfitted about 500 brides in the dresses of their dreams. Topits says she has always had a passion for fashion and knew she wanted to work in the bridal industry. She graduated from UC’s
DAAP program in June with a major in fashion design, and has worked for
Glamour and
Elle magazines and bridal boutiques in California and Cincinnati.
Topits' bridal shop is the only bridal boutique to ever open in Hyde Park. “I knew as soon as I decided to open a bridal boutique that it would be in Hyde Park,” she says. “It’s the perfect place to be, and I wanted to be somewhere different than all other stores.”
Topits and her staff aim to offer brides the best possible experience while helping her find her dream dress. During a bride’s appointment, the entire shop is reserved for the bride and her guests. There’s a personalized parking spot for the bride, and champagne and cupcakes are on hand during the appointment.
“Boutiques can offer a better experience not only for the bride, but for the guests that she brings with her,” Topits says. “A boutique atmosphere gives you a sense of relief knowing that you and your gown are going to be taken great care of from the beginning to the end of the process.”
Hyde Park Bridal carries designers that are exclusive to Cincinnati and the Midwest, including
Alvina Valenta,
Badgley Mischka,
Blue Willow by Anne Barge,
Hayley Paige,
Jim Hjelm Blush,
Justina McCaffrey,
Lillen Collection,
Somsi Couture,
Tara Keely by Lazaro and
Winnie Couture Blush. The boutique also sells bridesmaid dresses and bridal accessories to complete brides’ fairytale visions.
By Caitlin Koenig
Follow Caitlin on Twitter
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