Harbor Bridal Offers Personalized Experience
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Tori Catanese and Leigh Mardovich, co-owners of Harbor Bridal in Cold Spring Harbor, pride themselves on the experience they offer to customers. Long Islander News photos/Janee Law
By Janee Law
jlaw@longislandergroup.com
Tori Catanese and Leigh Mardovich, co-owners of Harbor Bridal in Cold Spring Harbor, pride themselves on the experience they offer to customers.
“Part of why we set up the store the way we did is because we thought about the shopping experience that we would want and both of us hate being pushed.
“We try very hard not to put pressure on people and to be understanding that it’s a big decision for them,” Mardovich, of Huntington, said. “People feel relaxed and comfortable, and because it’s such an intimate experience here a lot of our brides leave feeling like we’re their friends, which is important when you’re going through this process with them.”
She added that since they opened, the business has grown.
“It’s definitely changed just because we’re learning what our bride is. That’s a big part about opening a small business is finding your client,” Mardovich, 30, said. “We started with more designers than what we have now because we’ve honed in on what was doing well for us and what people are looking for. So we know our bride better, after being open for three years.”
The duo opened the 85 Main St. location in Cold Spring Harbor in November 2014.
“A lot of our friends were getting engaged and we just felt like there weren’t many local bridal boutiques,” Mardovich said, adding that they grew up in Lloyd Harbor. “So we always felt that there was a need for a small boutique bridal store that was more local with a personalized experience.”
Mardovich said that year three has been the best for the boutique, adding that more people have become aware of the shop itself. With that, Mardovich added that even though customers shop all year round for bridal dresses, their busiest season is from June to October.
Harbor Bridal often serves the “classic bride,” Mardovich said, adding that they offer a variety of styles from different designers, such as Connecticut-based designer Modern Trousseau. She added that the boutique offers high quality gowns, with all dresses made in America.
The best part of their job is seeing the impact they’ve made on a person’s life, Catanese said.
“We like making people happy,” Catanese, 27, of Huntington, said. “It’s nice to see the brides from when they get engaged to the wedding day and then see their lives continue passed that because we stay in touch.”
In addition to bridal gowns, the boutique also offers bridesmaid dresses and accessories, such as headpieces and veils. Mardovich added that a popular designer for bridesmaids dresses is Joanna August.
Offering 70 bridal gowns in store, the boutique can also bring in more styles from any designer they carry.
What makes Harbor Bridal a successful shop is its personal customer service.
“We only take one appointment at a time so our whole marketing is best on the experience,” Mardovich said. “They feel like they’re the only bride, where they’re not competing with other brides and they’re not comparing themselves. Our goal is to make people feel special when they’re here and I think that’s what gets people to come back to us and recommend us.”
Their goal is to continue to provide the best personalize experience for their customers and continue to grow within the community.
