It's all about lace!

Wow, has anyone else notice how lace has exploded in the bridal world recently?  We love it!  We first saw lace emerge onto the bridal scene in wedding gowns themselves, but now we are finding lace in bridesmaids and even mothers' gowns!

Today we are showing you some of our favorite lace wedding gowns, bridesmaid gowns, and mothers gowns found at J&B!  Let us know what you think!

Lace Wedding Gowns
Nothing compares to the timeless, romantic feel that comes with a lace wedding gown.  It can work great for a vintage wedding, an outdoor wedding, or even a formal, evening wedding.  Lace is also generally lightweight, so it tends to be very comfortable to wear.  It also never seems to go out of style!  Check out these favorites...

We are in LOVE with this new Maggie Sottero gown!  Gorgeous cap sleeves, keyhole back, and beautiful fit and flare silhouette

This amazing Mori Lee gown has a flattering fit and flare shape with removable belt 

The neckline says it all on this dress!  This Mori Lee lace gown combines sexy with classic

This lace a-line is perfect for a more traditional look, but with a touch of modern lace

Straps and a v-neck create a stunning look on this Mori Lee gown! 

This beautiful Maggie Sottero gown has a keyhole back, is extremely lightweight, and is available in white, ivory, or ivory over light gold for an even richer look

Lace Bridesmaid Gowns
Who wouldn't want to wear a cute little lace dress as a bridesmaid?  Especially in black, it could be worn over and over again!  We love these...

Mori Lee lace v-neck, available in black, white, and ivory

Flirty, high neck lace Mori Lee gown, available in black, white, and ivory

This fun little lace gown can double as either a bridesmaid gown or an informal wedding gown

Elegant pencil skirt on a short lace gown

This elegant Jordan bridesmaid gown is available in a huge selection of colors, and also can be ordered floor length, knee length, or short

Lace Mothers Gowns

Mothers gowns are so classy with a touch of lace!  Take a look at these beautiful styles....

Gorgeous chiffon mothers gown with lace sleeves by Caterina, available floor length or tea length.  The perfect gown for a touch of lace for the mother of the bride.

3/4 lace sleeve gown with chiffon skirt 

Young, modern lace dress for the mother of the bride by Jade, available in a large selection of colors

The J&B Team...Meet Jim and Barb!

There is so much history behind J&B Bridals, and how it grew from a tiny, 2 person shop to the bridal industry leader that it is today.  The J&B story all began in 1978 with Jim and Barb Resh.  Growing up in Hagerstown, MD, Jim and Barb were married in 1976, then relocated to Chambersburg, PA in 1978 to begin their own business.  Jim and Barb began J&B Fashions in April of 1978 as a women's ready to wear shop, offering everything from Zena jeans and Bobbie Brooks clothing, to swimwear!  They developed a deep love for their customers, and enjoyed their ongoing relationships with those customers as they came back often to shop.  Many local ladies will tell stories about running down J&B once a week on their lunch breaks to go shopping!  At the time, Jim and Barb worked closely with a buying office in NYC, and from the advice of Ida Anselmo (their mentor from the buying office), they began to expand their business to include bridal.  As the business evolved, it became half ready-to-wear/half bridal, and then eventually moved its way into entirely bridal.

Jim and Barb happily reunited in 2009 with Ida Anselmo, their mentor from the Carl Day buying office

Two things that stand out about Jim and Barb is both their genuine love of people, and also their obvious passion for the bridal business.  Many past and present "J&B brides" say that one thing they love about J&B is that Jim and Barb are always present and easily accessible.  When you meet them, it is clear that they have poured their life and soul into the business, and they are passionate and excited about it!  Another thing that people notice right away is that Jim and Barb always go the "extra mile" to make their customers happy.   They have been known to do things such as travel an hour away to a wedding just to deliver a groomsman's pocket square that was left at the store.  There is nothing they won't do for one of their customers in need! 

Jim and Barb are also outstanding leaders, treating their team members with extreme generosity and fairness.  They truly consider each member of the team a "family member".  Jim and Barb have truly built a "family" business in every sense of the term.  They were thrilled to be joined in the business by their oldest daughter, Jackie, in 2000 and then by their youngest daughter, Jami in 2007.  Although they have seen the good and the bad that comes with owning a business, they have persevered through it all and truly love what they do.  At the end of the day, Jim and Barb are extremely humbled and grateful, and they thank God every day for the opportunity to be the owners of such a wonderful business.  Jim and Barb's love for God, love for people, and love for the bridal industry has propelled their business for the past 35 years.  Jim is often quoted as saying "If you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life!"

When Jim and Barb are not at J&B, some of their favorite activities include: reading, traveling (especially to warm, tropical climates!), spending time with their 2 daughters, sons-in-law, and 2 granddaughters.  Jim and Barb are very family oriented and love nothing more than relaxing with their family.

Jim and Barb, thank you for all that you do!  Your team loves you!  :)

Jim and Barb with designer Madeline Gardner

Jim and Barb vacationing in Florida a few years ago with their daughters, sons-in-law, and granddaughters

J&B Bridal Show 2013!

This Sunday, January 6th, we will be hosting one of our favorite events of the entire year!  The J&B Bridal Show!  This year will be just as exciting as ever, and if you are a bride-to-be, this is an event you definitely do not want to miss!

We are honored to once again welcome Madeline Gardner, designer of Mori Lee wedding gowns, to the show.  She will be bringing her models straight from New York City to showcase her gowns during the runway show.  It is always so fun to see these gorgeous gowns on display in a live, professional show!  Madeline has been designing gowns for over 17 years for Mori Lee and has won countless awards for her beautiful designs and incredible fit.

JIm and Barb Resh (L) with Madeline Gardner (R) during the J&B  Bridal Show 2012

One of Madeline's gorgeous gowns on display at last year's show

There will also be over 30 professional, wedding-related vendors at the show to help you with every area of your wedding!  Vendors such as caterers, jewelers, florists, DJ's, reception sites, photographers, and more will be ready to talk to you and help you with all of the important details in your wedding planning process!  (See www.jbbridalshow.com for a complete listing of vendors who will be at the show).  

As if that is not exciting enough, one lucky bride will win $1,000 CASH!  There will also be a FREE Mori Lee wedding gown giveaway, compliments of Madeline Gardner!  Many of the vendors will also be giving away great door prizes at the show.  There will be plenty of chances to win something for your wedding!

Staci (Grabill) Hullinger, last year's winner of the FREE Mori Lee wedding gown!

Doors open at 12:00 noon this Sunday, January 6th.  The runway show will begin at 2:00 and door prizes will be drawn after the show.  Tickets are $5 and are available at J&B Bridals during regular business hours. Tickets may be purchased over the phone by calling 1-800-301-1935.  We look forward to seeing you Sunday at the area's most exciting bridal show!

The J&B Team...Meet Colette!

We are so grateful to have Colette Barnett, our very own "visual merchandiser", at J&B!  One of Colette's main responsibilities is designing and creating the window displays at J&B.  Her creativity provides for some very beautiful and unique creations to be displayed in our windows along Main Street.  She also serves as our interior decorator, and has played a major role in renovations and decorations at J&B, including the construction of a courtyard behind our store that was just completed this month.

Colette has owned "Colette Barnett Studios" since 2000.  She serves clients in the building and design market (both residential and commercial), and also works as a fine art painter, muralist, and stencil designer.  On top of that, she consults, designs, and coordinates weddings and events.

Colette says, "working at J&B offers me the chance to rub shoulders with great people who have great instincts and knowledge of the fashion trends/industry.  Working in visual merchandising is an interesting change of pace to the norm of the interior design field.  Of course my biggest challenge is finding display designs that compliment the incredible sophistication of the gowns offered at J&B - not an easy task!"

In her spare time, Colette enjoys spending time with her husband and her two children.  She also is an active member of the choir and children's ministry at Maranatha Brethren Church.  She is an avid gardener - loving both the design and the dirty work (which she considers therapy)!  All it takes is one glance at Colette's gorgeous Civil War Era house and it is obvious that she loves renovating her house, building tree houses, swings, flower boxes, and caring for her farm animals.

We are so thankful to have Colette and her creative talents with us at J&B!

Colette and her daughter working together on window displays at J&B

Preparing holiday windows

The courtyard project behind J&B 

The J&B Team...Meet the Seamstresses!



L to R: Brenda, Diane, and Connie

J&B is one of the only bridal stores in the area to offer on-site alterations, and we absolutely love our seamstresses!  When you purchase your bridal, bridesmaid, or prom gown, it's so important to make sure that it is altered by a professional only.  We are so thankful for our three seamstresses who work tirelessly day in and day out making gowns fit perfectly!  These ladies together have over 100 years of experience in alterations!

Our seamstresses love working brides, bridal parties, and prom girls just as much as our consultants do.  They love meeting brides, hearing their stories, and watching their faces light up when they finally get to see the finished product on them!
Brenda has been with J&B for over 10 years, and you can be sure that when she meets with her brides and prom girls there will be laughing involved!  Brenda has such a great time with her customers, and they will tell you that they really appreciate Brenda's attentiveness.  She treats each of her brides as if they are a member of her own family.  When she is not at J&B she loves spending time with her 4 grown kids and her grandkids.

Diane has been with J&B for nearly 20 years! Her expertise is fantastic. Her brides love the fact that she is a perfectionist when it comes to alterations. Diane takes her work very seriously, and is determined to please her brides. She always has a positive outlook, no matter what obstacles she may be facing. When she is not at J&B, you can often find her spending time with her grandson...they just adore each other! :)


Connie has been with J&B for nearly 15 years!  She cares about every single detail involved in altering a bride's wedding gown, and she has been known to pull an all-nighter more than once just to make a gown perfect!  In fact, she is so dedicated that she has also worked on gowns while on vacation.  She adds such a special touch to her brides' alterations.  For Connie, it is about more than altering a bridal gown.  It is about helping a bride with the most important dress she will ever wear in her life!  When she is not at J&B, she loves enjoying nature, bird-watching, and spending time with her husband and family.

We are very thankful for each of these special ladies, and we appreciate their hours and hours of hard work.

 

The J&B Team...Meet Mary Jane!

Mary Jane is a dear member of the J&B Team!  She has been with J&B for over 10 years, however, she has been in the bridal industry for over 30 years!  Mary Jane began her career in her twenties, when she began working at a bridal shop and loved it.  From there, she built a career revolving around both the bridal industry and the dry cleaning business.  She is truly a wealth of information when it comes to anything bridal!

We are so fortunate to have Mary Jane as our "backroom receiver".  She is responsible for taking care of all incoming stock and special orders that come into J&B on a daily basis, which is quite a responsibility!  She begins her day with stacks and stacks of boxes that need opened and processed.  As new gowns and accessories arrive daily, she processes them as either new stock or special orders, and notifies customers when their items are in.  With her careful attention to detail and thorough nature, Mary Jane is wonderful at her job!  It is not uncommon to also find her working on the sales floor whenever extra help is needed!  In fact, she was a huge help during our Mothers Extravaganza earlier this month!  Working with mothers of the bride and groom are her specialty when working on the sales floor!

Everyone on the J&B team just loves Mary Jane!  Her sweet and thoughtful nature makes everyone want to be around her!  Her true care and concern for others is very evident within just a few moments of speaking with her.  Mary Jane says that her favorite thing about being a part of the J&B Team is that the girls that she works with keep her young!  :)  She says that she also enjoys being a part of a team that truly cares about their customers. 

One piece of advice that Mary Jane would give to brides when they are planning their wedding is, "Enjoy the journey, keep calm, and allow yourself enough time."

When she is not at J&B, you can find Mary Jane spending time with her husband.  She also loves reading, quilting, rug hooking, and spending time with her friends.

We love having Mary Jane on the J&B Team!

The J&B Team...Meet Carolyn!

Carolyn is another one of our team members who you may never see, but she is vitally important to the J&B Team. You will most often find her upstairs in the office, taking care of many of the little details that matter so much at J&B! Carolyn's official title is "Office Manager", which includes a wide variety of activities.  She takes care of the ordering of gowns, tracking orders, and many of the accounting-type activities that need taken care of on a daily basis.  And, on our very busy days at J&B we are grateful to Carolyn for helping out with answering the phone or even altering tuxedo pants or jackets!

Carolyn has been at J&B since April of 2000.  After 12 years she has learned a lot about the bridal industry and the ins and outs of the day-to-day office activities that need to be done.  She says that she loves being a part of the J&B Family, and her favorite thing about being at J&B is that every day is something different! Carolyn has such a sweet and kind spirit, and she truly has a way of making people smile!

Carolyn sees many brides come in and out of J&B, and one piece of advice that she would give to them is this..."After you're married, work just as hard to keep your spouse as you did getting your spouse."

Carolyn has a husband, 2 children, and 6 grandchildren whom she loves dearly!  When Carolyn is not at J&B, she enjoys spending time with all of them.  She loves gardening, quilting, and knitting, and also loves entertaining friends.

We are so thankful to have Carolyn as part of the J&B Family!

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