10 Questions with Maria McDevitt of Nicole Bridal + Formal Shoppe

Maria McDevitt

1) Tell us about the history of the store.

Nicole Bridal & Formal Shoppe opened in 1975. Always a boutique salon, Nicole’s has prided itself on catering to brides with a personalized and intimate bridal dress shopping experience. 

Brides continue to return to Nicole Bridal today with daughters, nieces, and granddaughters, fondly remembering their dress shopping journey while a new generation carries on the tradition.

2)When did you join and what was your background before joining Nicole Bridal?

I joined Nicole’s in 2021. I worked with the previous owners on a marketing campaign for a local event planning group and got to know them very well. Impressed with my fashion design background and in-depth knowledge of gown construction, they felt I would be the perfect “new Nicole” as they had been looking to sell the business and retire. 

Prior to Nicole’s, I worked for 8 years for a corporate apparel brand that was the leader in licensed merchandise apparel for collegiate campuses. I worked in the design department as well as merchandising and marketing. I spent years traveling to college campuses to design floor layouts, assortments, as well as create personalized concept shops based on the history of the school. 

While working in my corporate job I always continued to pursue working in the wedding industry. From taking day-of coordinator positions to doing side alteration work, I was always captivated by the world of brides. I studied Fashion Design at Philadelphia University and always knew I wanted to stay in a career that revolved around the craft and beauty of well-constructed gowns.

3) How would you describe the look of the store.

Nicole’s has a quiet luxury feel to the store. Our shop has beautiful natural lighting in the entry way with a grand, golden chandelier and marble table for brides’ guests to sit. All of our bridal suites are private, and the gowns are divided into three rooms based on aesthetic and pricing. 

4) Describe the overall type/concept of the bridal designers you carry?

Nicole Bridal specializes in carrying unique lines for niche aesthetics. All of our designers are exclusive to our region and range in price points from $2,700-$12,000, with our average gown being around $4,000. We specifically carry designers that we know have the gowns made in the highest quality by elite seamstresses and tailors. 

5) Tell us about the Formal & Accessories area. Does it just cater to Weddings?

Nicole’s also has a fabulous formal wear section of gowns that are fully customizable. Prices range from $1500-$3500 for these gowns, and they win our clients over with superior craftsmanship.  

We also carry high-end accessories from designers such as Thomas Knoell and Maria-ElenA headpieces. 

6) Walk us through the experience after the customer makes an appointment.

After our customers make an appointment, we reach out to them to confirm as well as get an idea of what they are looking for. We like to build a relationship with our clients before they even come through our doors. 

Upon arrival, we like to chat more in-depth about the wedding, how their journey has been thus far, and what they expect from their visit. From there we take our brides on a tour of our rooms of gowns and start selecting an assortment to try.

We do not hold our brides to a time limit. Our appointments are personalized and organic, and we let the bride set the pace and tone. While we work to keep them focused, we never rush them out of a dress or an appointment. 

7) Any trends you see selling these days or what are you buying…any new silhouettes or fabric treatments?

We have been selling a ton of ballgowns and more modest silhouettes such as high neck and long sleeves. As for trend: color. Our brides have been bold with colorful gowns and non-traditional details. 

8) What type of weddings are your brides having big, small, types of venues?

Our brides typically have larger weddings with 175-300 guests in well-known Philadelphia venues such as The Crystal Tea Room, Union League, Ballroom at the Ben, and other Cescaphe owned venues. We have also had a fair amount of destination weddings in the last year, specifically in Italy. 

9) Tell us about the boundaries that a Bride should set when shopping for a dress.

It is important to us that a bride is vocal to us about her budget. First and foremost, we want our brides to be comfortable and have an enjoyable experience. We know this can be ruined from the get-go if we start putting a bride in a gown, she may fall in love with, that is thousands of dollars beyond her budget.

10) Share a great experience of a bride finding the right dress at Nicole Bridal+Formal Shoppe.

It is so hard to choose just one experience! I am so blessed to see that moment so often: the moment when a bride looks at herself in the mirror and says, “this is it.” 

We recently had a bride come in whose sister had also been a Nicole Bride. She was so excited to have the same experience she watched her sister have. This bride fell in love with a romantic high-neck, long sleeve lace gown. When she put it on for the first time and saw herself in the mirror she sobbed. She was so overwhelmed with love for that dress, it made everyone around her emotional too. 

Two days later we opened the store for her exclusively on a Monday night (when we are usually closed) so her father could come see the gown with her mother and sister. The experience we were able to give the whole family as well as the bride is what we pride ourselves on, and it makes us feel good too!