A few months back, GOOD Morning Wilton introduced a new business feature, showcasing the Wilton people behind local businesses. Let them know you’ve read about them on GMW!
Wilton is home to not only one, but two bridal gown gurus. Both Ashley Krauss, who owns A Little Something White in Darien, and Alison Luciano, who owns The Plumed Serpent Bridal in Westport, call Wilton home. They each run incredibly successful businesses and help brides create their perfect wedding days. Both women have received accolades and media recognition for their hard work, including Best of the Gold Coast awards and more.
We asked the two to answer our Business Q&A, to find out what’s behind their successes with the dresses.
Ashley Krauss, A Little Something White
How long have you had your business?
A Little Something White will celebrate our four-year anniversary in September!
How did you get into this field?
After several exhilarating and successful years of owning this business, I honestly feel I was born to work in bridal fashion! However, my path to owning this business was anything but traditional. Prior to A Little Something White, I spent eight years working for a top-tier investment bank and left that world soon after the birth of my first son.
For as long as I could remember, I had a feeling that I wanted to own my own business in the bridal world, with bridal fashion being my ultimate goal. After my first child, I decided I wanted to do something I felt passionate about, and decided after much soul searching that it was the perfect time to launch this business. I spent a year researching the market and writing my business plan, and not long after that opened A Little Something White. Since the day we opened, I have never looked back.
What do you love most about your job?
I love the joy that comes from relationships we build with our brides and their moms, friends, and sisters. From the look of pure happiness on a bride’s face when she finds her gown, to the time we spend with our brides during the alterations process, to the day she picks up her gown to take it to her wedding, our brides become family. We get to know each of our brides inside and out and I love the feeling that comes along with those types of authentic connections. It’s always bittersweet when I give a bride her final hug when she takes her gown for her wedding day. We also love getting to know our brides’ moms, mother-in-laws, bridesmaids, flower girls, grandmas, you name it. When you work with a bride, you are rarely working with just the bride.
The financial geek in me is also passionate about the “behind the scenes” aspects of running the business. From my time in the financial world, I love to analyze numbers and scenarios, and being the sole owner of a successful, growing business is a great way to feed that love.
What sets your business apart from any other?
Without hesitation, what sets us apart from other businesses in our field is a superior customer experience. In the bridal world, the “experience” for a bride is almost one year long, as it spans the time she first sets foot in our door or visits our website until the day she picks her gown up for her wedding day (and sometimes even longer than that, when she brings friends and family back to the boutique). We certainly pride ourselves on an amazing selection of bridal gowns, unique events such as trunk shows and special shopping nights that are fun and exciting to attend, and a perfectionist mentality when it comes to our customers’ orders. However, our true mark of distinction is that every interaction with A Little Something White is filled with kindness, professionalism, positivity, and celebration. In order to work at A Little Something White, being enthusiastic and genuine has to be part of your natural attitude and personality. Our outstanding team and their devotion to extraordinary customer service and care has been the biggest reason for our success so far and is reflected in the reviews our brides write.
What would people be surprised to learn about you and your business?
Most people are surprised when they hear we have only been in business for four years. The flow of the boutique and the confidence and expertise of our savvy team make A Little Something White feel as though it has been around for much longer.
As for me personally, people are always surprised to hear that I have two active boys under the age of 6 and a four-year old business! While the prospect of launching a business as intense as this one in the midst of having children might seem totally overwhelming to some people, I believe my love of the business is actually what provides me with my sanity in the midst of the craziness of raising two little kids.
What was the most memorable work experience you’ve had?
There are so many memorable experiences when working with a bride for her wedding—almost too many to count. That’s one of the things I love most about this business. We are in the business of helping a woman create memories and feel like her most-beautiful self. There is no highlight reel for me, as all the brides are amazing and special.
Yet the process of actually starting this business—taking the leap from a very successful career in finance—was exhilarating and risky. Watching the business thrive over the last few years has given me such validation that I made the right decision.
Any funny anecdotes/recollections/story from your work here?
A Little Something White is more focused on the bridal experience than a cast of characters, like you might see on a reality show about bridal dresses. It’s really a fairly smooth, sweet experience to work with our brides, without a lot of drama or comedy. We have a highly curated dress collection and put a lot of thought into what styles and designers we carry, which also means we have a certain price range. So perhaps those factors remove some potential dramatic moments, as well.
What do you love about doing business?
There is so much to love about owning a bridal salon! Working with brides and their families is the most rewarding part of the business, as we are working with a young woman during the most exciting and memorable time in her life. I also love the hard work that comes with running a business. I am consistently challenged as a business owner as every day presents a new situation to manage, and that is personally fulfilling for me. I also love the message that (I hope) I am sending to my boys. I like that they see me working hard in a career that I’m passionate about but not obsessed with. I am very present in their day-to-day lives. I can’t say that I perfectly balance it all day-in and day-out, but I do hope they see me as a role model as they grow up.
What do you hope to teach/give your customers?
I hope to give my customers the tools they need to be the very best version of themselves on their wedding day. When choosing between two gowns, I always recommend that a bride focus on the gown that is most reflective of her personality and instills the most confidence in her. A bridal gown is the most self-expressive garment a woman will ever wear and I strongly believe that when the bride finds the right bridal gown, it is the one that allows everyone to notice her first and the gown second.
What kind of awards/accolades/brags would you like to share?
We are so humbled by all of the awards and accolades A Little Something White has received. Every single award we have received is the result of our brides taking the time to comment on their experience. Just last week we found out that we were named one of the top 50 bridal salons in the nation by BRIDES magazine and one of only a few stores to have been given this honor for two consecutive years. Additionally, we are proud to have received the “Best of the Gold Coast” honor by Moffly Media for four years straight. We have also been the lucky recipient of several honors specific to the wedding world. We have been named one of the “Best Bridal Salons” in Connecticut by The Knot for four years, putting us in an exclusive group of stores inducted into The Knot “Hall of Fame.” Finally, for the last three years we have received Wedding Wire’s “Couple’s Choice Award” for Connecticut bridal salons, which recognizes the best wedding vendors in the state. We are so pleased that we’ve made our brides so happy and so grateful that our brides have taken time out of their busy schedules to tell the world about their experience.
How can people contact you?
To reach me personally, you can email me or call the store at 203.309.5110. Email here to make an appointment or for general store information. I adore meeting people in person and showing them the store. If any GMW readers out there would like to know more about us, please stop by, introduce yourself, and let me give you a tour! We are located at 1292 Boston Post Rd. in Darien, right near Whole Foods, and I know that is a place that many Wiltonites frequent.
You have a sample sale coming up…can you give me details? Anything else upcoming to promote?
We are thrilled to participate in the first ever National Bridal Sale Day, which the industry is hoping becomes an annual tradition each July. This one-day blowout sample sale is taking place nationally on Saturday, July 16. Because we’re totally smitten with the idea of giving our brides their dream dress at a price they’ll love, we are kicking off our sample sale on July 16 and running it through July 30. In celebration of this national event, any bride who purchases a sale gown on July 16 will be given $125 off gown cleaning, which is a service most brides purchasing a sale gown will want to take advantage of prior to their wedding. For more information on the details of this sale, visit our blog here.
We also have an exciting three months of trunk shows coming up this fall. A trunk show is an opportunity to see a designer’s full collection of new bridal gowns before the gowns arrive in store. We also offer our brides 10-percent off their gown purchase during a designer’s trunk show. We are still working on finalizing the dates for some of these shows and the details will be posted on our website in the coming weeks.
What Wilton business do you like and would recommend to GMW readers?
There are too many amazing businesses in Wilton to choose just one. Signature Style is my go-to store for gifts for friends and family and for the occasional treat for myself. I love Ann and Mary and the people who work at the store and consider shopping there one of my guilty pleasures. I adore The Painted Cookie and don’t know what I would do without Susan’s delectable cookies for my kids’ birthday parties and for school events. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Ellen Essman, CPA. Not only is she an amazing accountant, but she has been one of my biggest cheerleaders since I first approached her with my business idea five years ago. Additionally, I credit Loryn Galardi of Comprehensive Nutrition for helping me to get my body healthier (I highly recommend her 28-day detox) and Alison Jacobson for keeping me mentally healthy and for helping me with the growth of my business. My newest favorite is Tusk & Cup. I start to get withdrawal symptoms if I’m not able to stop by for my Café Au Lait each day! I would emphatically recommend all of these businesses to GMW readers, but I know for a fact that all of these people are already well-loved by the Wilton community, and rightfully so.
Alison Luciano, The Plumed Serpent Bridal
How long have you had your business?
The Plumed Serpent has been in Westport since 1970 and I have owned it for 16 years.
How did you get into this field?
After I graduated from college I was working in New York City on 7th Avenue for designers like Ralph Lauren and Nicole Miller. I was on the wholesale end of the industry, working with the shops and the buyers. I saw what they were doing and really wanted to be more a part of the “personal” end of the industry, working directly with clients rather than the buyers. Making that personal connection is always something I have enjoyed.
What do you love most about your job?
That moment when you put a bride in THE dress. You can feel it immediately. You get goose bumps and even after 16 years I still get teary eyed when a bride finds the perfect gown. I love that I have a hand in making brides feel so special.
What sets your business apart from any other?
We are of the mindset that we are not just selling a gown, we are selling an experience. Regardless of the type of bride that walks through the door, be it a bride who has been dreaming about her wedding since she was five or is approaching wedding gown shopping with dread, it is our part to make the experience personal and special for every single client.
Also, an important component to The Plumed Serpent’s philosophy is to give back to the community. After Hurricane Sandy a portion of sales were donated to Sandy Relief Organizations. During April, Autism Awareness Month, a portion of proceeds is donated to Autism Speaks, and in October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we also donate a portion of sales to the Susan G. Koman Foundation.
We have also supported the Family & Children’s Agency and this year will be one of the corporate sponsors of the annual Pink Aid luncheon helping women survive breast cancer treatment with support and dignity.
What would people be surprised to learn about you and your business?
The Plumed Serpent originally started out importing antique Mexican furniture. Through the years it evolved to carrying Mexican cotton dresses to formal wear and then bridal. I actually purchased my prom dress from The Plumed Serpent when I was in high school!
What was the most memorable work experience you’ve had?
The most memorable moment I have ever had was when I received a late night text message from my friend and wedding planner extraordinaire Ashley Douglass of Ashley Douglass Events. Within the text message was a video from that night’s wedding of two of my clients. One of the brides was the college roommate of Justin Timberlake’s wife Jessica Biel. They were both in attendance and he performed a few songs for the lucky brides!
Any funny anecdotes/recollections/story from your work here?
We have been lucky enough to have worked with some celebrity clients through the years and that is always a thrill—especially when you know things that the paparazzi are looking for. We recently were doing the bridal party and mother of the groom attire for a very famous actress and we knew when the wedding was—but we obviously couldn’t disclose any information. So when you read speculation online as to when the wedding was predicted to be happening—we actually knew the truth!
What do you love about doing business?
I love the fact that even years after a bride has gotten married, they will come up to me in restaurants, shopping or even school and they remember me. You notice someone doing a double take and then you see a big smile as they approach you and tell you that they purchased their wedding gown from you 5-, 10- or even 15 years ago. I love that I am Facebook friends with so many of my clients that I see them, through their pictures, get married and start families. It’s a honor to be able to be a part of their lives after they have moved on from wedding gown shopping. The relationships that develop are very special and mean a tremendous amount to me.
What do you hope to teach/give your customers?
I hope that after the wedding, my clients can look back on their experience at my salon and it brings a smile to their face. Weddings are stressful to plan and it is not just about that one day. So much of it is about their experiences leading up to their big day. I want to be able to provide moments that they can treasure and look back fondly on.
What kind of awards/accolades/brags would you like to share?
- We won Moffly Media’s Best of the Gold Coast award this year for Best Bridal Gowns
- “Best of Weddings” by The Knot as one of their highest rated vendors
- BRIDES Magazine has voted us one of the 50 Best Bridal Salons in the US
- Being named to Connecticut Magazine’s annual “40 Under 40” list of inspirational people
- 5-Star rated on Wedding Wire
How can people contact you?
Through our website. To reach the shop to schedule an appointment, call us at 203.226.9868 or reach out by email. Of course, feel free to stop by the shop anytime. We’re located at 295 Post Rd. East in Westport.
You have a sample sale coming up…can you give me details? Anything else upcoming to promote?
The sample sale is going to be amazing! We are participating in the Inaugural National Bridal Sample Sale on July 16. But we are actually starting the sample sale a few days early on July 13. We have so many new gowns coming in from our fantastic designers that we have to sell some of our older samples. This is a opportune time to get a great deal on your wedding gown. For example, we have an $8,600 Monique Lhuillier wedding gown on sale for $2,500. Some of the samples are even as low as $500!
What Wilton business do you like and would recommend to GMW readers?
I love flowers from Truffles & James, letterpress invitations from Saltbox Press, bridesmaids and shower gifts from Signature Style and Tim LaBant Catering/Schoolhouse at Cannondale for all your food needs!