Meet the Team at J. Major's Bridal Boutique | Why We Love This Work
This is Part 7 of Rooted Here, our series on the real history behind J. Major's. So far we have covered the building, the business itself, the designers, how we helped Charlotte's bridal industry grow up, our custom design work, and what to expect when you visit. At the end of Part 4, we promised to introduce you to the people doing this work today. This is that post.
We asked everyone on our team two questions: what brought you to bridal, and what keeps you here? The backgrounds are wonderfully different. The answers kept circling the same moment, the one when a bride sees something in the mirror and knows.
A quick note on how to read what follows. Each section is my own view of a teammate, shaped by the one-on-one conversations I have had with each of them. I have paraphrased what they shared and added my own perspective, so the words are mine and the heart of each story belongs to them.
Kelcie, who traded the classroom for the fitting room
Kelcie has been with J. Major's for two years. Before that she was a teacher, and she had never worked in bridal at all.
She tells us the two jobs feel alike. In a classroom, the best moment comes when a child finally understands something and you can watch it click. In our fitting room, the best moment comes when a bride puts on a dress and knows it is hers. Kelcie describes that light in a bride's eyes as a special feeling she cannot get enough of, and it is the same happy moment she loved chasing with kids. It is what she lives for.
Angelina, who fell in love with the experience as a bride
Angelina is one year into her time at J. Major's, after a year at another bridal shop. Her path started on the other side of the appointment. When she went shopping for her own dress, she enjoyed the experience so much that she decided she wanted to be the person who creates it for other brides. Very few people can say one appointment changed their career, and she can.
Her wish for every bride is simple. She would love for you to arrive knowing your style. She means the whole picture: your personality, what you wear day to day, and what you reach for on special occasions. When a bride's style and her wedding dress match, Angelina calls it the best feeling there is, because her family and friends will see it right away and cherish it.
Georgia, who loves a vision no one has seen before
Georgia has been with us for eight months. She came to us from a fine jewelry store, another corner of retail where people shop for something meant to be treasured.
What lights her up is supporting brides from every walk of life, and especially non-traditional brides. Their visions are unique and sit well outside traditional norms, and she loves styling them. That passion comes from her own style, which also lives outside traditional views, so she meets these brides with real enthusiasm and a lot of understanding.
Anna, our deep listener
Anna joined us six months ago, after her time as a student. She describes herself as a deep listener, and it shows in how she works. When a bride shares her life, her family, and what the day means to her, that listening sparks the curiosity that guides Anna toward the right dress for the occasion.
She always aims to match a bride's style, and her hope is that the very first dress she pulls is the one the bride says yes to. Behind the scenes, she keeps her knowledge sharp. New gowns arrive every week, so she keeps updating her mental picture of our racks, including new inventory and the price points that come with it.
Madison, designing the dream
That is me. I have ten years of bridal experience in total, including my time as a bridal stylist in New Orleans, and I have been at J. Major's for two years.
What I love most is designing custom gowns for our brides. It scratches my creative itch, and it lets me help fulfill what every little girl once pictured about her wedding day. I get to do that every single day, and I still cannot quite believe it. If you want the full story of how that work happens, I shared it in Part 5.
Ravi, from tech to wedding photos
Ravi has also been here for two years. He came from the world of tech and, like Kelcie, had never worked in bridal before. Much of his work happens behind the scenes, in operations and with our vendors.
The moment he loves most arrives in his inbox. Brides send us their wedding pictures, and he gets to see how happy they look. In those photos, he realizes he was a small part of that day, and that his contributions helped make it happen, even at a small scale. He tells us it gives him chills every single time.
Different roads, one moment
Between us, we have come from a classroom, a jewelry store, the tech world, another bridal shop, a New Orleans bridal floor, and a student's life. We all landed in the same place, and we all love the same thing: the instant a bride feels like herself in her dress.
If you would like to meet us, book an appointment. We will call you ahead of time to get to know you, and we cannot wait to hear what you are picturing.
In Part 8, we will close this series with some big news and a look at how we give back to Charlotte, the city we call home.
Madison
