Nicole and Ashley are a sister combo who have created an amazing local bridal shop for brides who want a no-fuss, relaxed bridal experience.
1)What is your business name & how did you come up with it?
Nicole: Our business is Delica Bridal. This is a question that we often get asked. I wish we had a cool story, but it’s actually quite random. Have you ever seen the “Delica” Mitsubishi vans? Well that’s what we’re named after- a van.
Ashley: When I was driving one day, I saw the Delica Mitsubishi van. I thought that “Delica” was quite catchy and unique. Now we always see a Delica Mitsubishi van driving around the store. Nicole always jokes that we need to get a Delica Mitsubishi van and glam it out as a company vehicle.
2) What year did you start your business?
Nicole: We opened Delica Bridal in May 2011: 8 years ago, which is crazy to think about. Time has flown by. It was a very exciting time!
3) What was your dream job growing up?
Nicole: I always wanted to pursue a career in fashion, but I don’t think I had a specific dream job in mind.
Ashley: To be honest, I didn’t have a dream job. When I was growing up, my parents instilled in us the importance of post secondary education. I chose a school based on a basketball scholarship and ended up falling in love with business. When I look back, it was the best decision.
4) What lead you to your job today / what is your “why”?
Ashley: We always had a love for fashion and found bridal was a bit more stable industry that had the fashion aspect. It is an amazing experience to be a part of a brides wedding day. To be there when they find their dress is as much as special to us, as it is to the bride. We truly feel a part of their day.
Nicole: I get so much joy when I see other people happy and confident in themselves. Part of our job is to help women feel like their most beautiful self, and I love helping women feel that way.
5) What characteristic(s) do you think set you apart from other people in your industry?
Ashley: At Delica Bridal, we strive to differentiate our boutique by offering bridal gowns that are exclusive to our shop. Our collection of dresses are anything but ordinary. Every gown in our shop is meticulously hand selected to bring our brides the most exclusive, one of a kind dresses. When selecting designers to carry, we look for gowns that are of utmost quality and design. Sometimes you can have a beautiful looking gown, but the quality is missing. We want to make sure that every dress in our shop meets both of those standards. Our strong sense of customer service, also sets us apart. We understand how special shopping for a wedding dress is & we want every bride that walks into our shop to feel pampered. To add to the experience, when our brides find their dress, we end the appointment with a champagne toast to celebrate!
6) How do you define success?
Nicole: To me, success is ultimate happiness; maximizing you own potential and having a positive impact on other people. It means waking up in the morning excited to go to work. It means living life with no regrets & having a positive outlook on your creations and accomplishments.
7) Who inspires you most?
Nicole & Ashley: Our parents. They love each other so much & are just such kind, giving people. Our dad is also a business owner and he is the hardest working man we know. He has instilled in us what it takes to run a successful business and that family always comes first.
8) What advice would you give yourself when you were first starting out?
Nicole: Don’t sweat the small stuff. I would take everything so personally (the people pleaser in me: both a blessing & a curse!). Eventually with time, I realized that everything does have a way of working itself out & I have learned not to be so hard on myself.
Ashley: Take some time to understand the complexities involved in international business, instead of trying to learn as you go. There are a lot of different factors to consider behind the scenes, such as currency conversion, international shipping costs and timelines, etc.
9) What is your favourite motivational quote?
Nicole: “You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take.”
-Wayne Gretzky
Ashley: “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.”
Not so much a motivational quote, but a good reminder to live in the present and truly experience what you have in front of you.
Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a GIFT so it is called the PRESENT.
10) How do you attain a work / life balance?
Nicole: I think over the years, we have been able to achieve a really good work/life balance. It helps that there are two of us and we have a wicked team of girls that we trust. We value work/life balance & we think it is important to have a life outside of work. Although it is hard to completely remove yourself from work and “unplug” when you get home, it is all about achieving a balance and making a conscious effort to do so!
11) Where do you see your business in 5 years?
Ashley: To continue our reputation as a top bridal store in the Edmonton market. We are always evolving & looking to introduce Edmonton to fresh new designers.
12) What are 3 super random facts about you?
Nicole:
- I can rap “Hate it or love it” (The Game & 50 cent) from beginning to end. Not sure if this is something I should brag about or be embarrassed about.
- I had a mild obsession with Winnie the Pooh growing up. He’s still my favourite Disney character!
- My sisters lied to me when I was younger and told me Mariah Carey was our step-sister & I believed them!
Ashley:
- I love BBQ hot dogs! I would eat them everyday if I could!
- I had my first job at a clothing store called Mariposa the day that I turned 16. I stayed there for almost 2 years and organized a very low budget fashion show. Key work “low budget”
- I am obsessed with NBA talk radio. I listen to it whenever I am in my car & listen to re-runs all the time!
For more information, visit the Delica Bridal Website or follow along on their Instagram & Facebook pages.
