Over 35 years ago, Margene Hansen was asked to sew drapes to be used as the backdrop for a wedding. Soon after, consistent inquiries helped to develop a wedding rental business in her home, which her business quickly outgrew.
In 1980, Margene’s Bridal and Decorating was established on 1st Street in Idaho Falls. Today, Margene’s Bridal, run by Margene’s daughter, Joni Oakey, is located both in Idaho Falls and Boise and offers brides-to-be exclusive dress options that Oakey herself helped to design.
Oakey, who works as a designer with the Mia Solano Group and Luv Bridal of Australia, said she loves working with the different laces and tools that are used to make the dresses, but that isn’t the best part of her job.
“The most fun part of our job is [when] you can tell the girl feels amazing from the inside out,” Oakey said. “It’s not us pushing the dress on her or forcing her to like something, saying you need to wear this dress because it looks great on you; she decides herself.”
Associates at Margene’s Bridal are not required to push any dresses on girls like some larger department stores might do.
“We’re more than happy to let you fall in love with whatever you want to fall in love with,” Oakey said. “We have bridal stylists who actually listen to the girls... Our job is to give you options; the bride’s job is to feel it and when she does, it’s a win-win situation.”
Oakey said she warns girls to come in with a realistic budget in mind and not to try on outside of that budget so they do not fall in love with a dress they cannot afford.
“Wedding dresses are around a thousand dollars,” she said. “We do have beautiful dresses under that, but they aren’t the same thing – it’s just like a car. You don’t get the same bells and whistles on a Kia that you do on a BMW or Mercedes. We all have to realize that; that’s how it is in life.”
With that in mind, she encourages brides-to-be to remember that this is their history dress for a day that will be unlike any other in their lifetime.
“You want to be true to yourself, but you also don’t want to be the same old thing,” Oakey said. “You want to wow people.”
Oakey said Margene’s Bridal’s goal is to find the right dress for each girl.
“My most favorite dress is the last bride who was in here when she lit up, when she had tears, when her mom got that look on her face like, ‘I know this is my daughter’s dress,’” she said.