Good Bye Arlene's Bridal Salon

 Nearly 30 years ago (whew...that's a long time) I got married.  Since it's been three decades, my memories of certain aspects of the wedding and the build up to it are a bit fuzzy.  I vaguely remember going to one of those bridal events/shows where you could find just about everything you might need to make YOUR day everything you wanted it to be.  I'm pretty sure that I went with my maid of honor (who I have sadly lost touch with...that doesn't speak well of me, I'm sure.)  But there is one thing that does stand out in my mind; finding my dress.

Now my wedding was going to be relatively small.  I had a maid of honor, but no other bridesmaids.  My husband had a best man, but no groomsmen.  My (late) brother and a good friend of my husband (who hit on my maid of honor which may be one of the reasons we lost touch), served as ushers.  The wedding was not held at a church (although it was officiated by my pastor and my unofficial "aunt" who was two days away from being ordained).  It was held outside on a deck (which was covered).  The sun (when it finally came out; it had rained on and off all day long), was going down over Barnegat Bay as we said our vows and guests looked on from folding chairs.  So while this wedding wasn't cheap (what wedding is) by any means, it was not overly formal.  But we did have class. (My mother wouldn't have had it any other way.)

My mother was pretty much in charge of everything.  (Hey, she and my father were paying for it.)  She picked the flowers.  She arranged for the food.  And, of course, she helped me pick out my wedding dress.

I can't recall if we went any place other than Arlene's Bridal Salon.  There weren't that many bridal places around at the time.   I don't know how my mother knew about it.  (Google was not an option back then; could she have checked the yellow pages?  IYKYK.)  But one afternoon we drove down Bloomfield Avenue and parked in front of Arlene's Bridal Salon.  (The other side of the store front was Starlight Tuxedos...there were no tuxedos at my wedding.)  We fed the meter and went in.

I'm pretty sure I tried on some dresses.  I'm also pretty sure that nothing really spoke to me.  I wanted something not over the top.  I was getting married at the outside at the shore; I didn't want to need a long train or anything elaborate.  We were there long enough for my mother to have to go back out to the car to feed the meter.  And while she was doing so she came upon a rack of dresses that were on sale.

On that rack she found a dress that was my size.  A dress that she told me she liked, but she didn't know if I would.  I tried it on.  I liked it.  I liked it a lot.  And I was ready to buy.

Caveat:  the sale rack was cash only.  So my mother and I scrounged through our purses and somehow managed to come up with the cash we needed.  The cost?  It was $100.  

It needed no alterations.  It needed no veil.  (I wore a bow in my hair that was made by a friend of my mothers and I wish I still had it.)  I already had shoes that would go perfectly with it.  (I'd worn them several times before, but on the day of my wedding they KILLED my feet and after the ceremony I took them off and never put them on again.)  It was exactly what I wanted and needed.

After our wedding, that dress hung in a closet at the house at the shore.  It somehow managed to survive Superstorm Sandy.  After that it came back with me and hangs in the basement.  (Yeah, I know not the best of places, but...)

When I take the bus to Newark for work, I pass by Arlene's Bridal Salon.  I don't usually notice it.  So I was surprised when going by this week, that it was closed.  (As was Starlight Tuxedos.)  Arlene has retired.  The shop windows are (pretty much) bare.  Although I was only there once (and why would I have to go back?), I'm sad to see it shuttered.

I wish Arlene the best.  She and her shop were a blessing to me (and I'm sure to plenty others.)  This bride of three decades ago says thank you.

With my kid brother on the big day