The shop doesn’t sprawl with racks of dresses stretching in all directions. Instead, it’s cozy — a one-aisle boutique  lined with dozens of gowns, a full-length mirror, a pair of chic chairs where the mother of the bride can sit to watch and dab her eyes.

Bridal Ltd. has moved locations since I was a bride searching for my own gown — but Bridal Ltd. is where I found my dream dress. And Dawn Reardon, who owns and runs the shop, helped me find that dress, four years ago. These days, she’s helping brides from all of Central and North Florida find just the right gown from the Essense of Australia, Stella York, and absolutely swoon-worthy Martina Liana lines, as well as the Sorella Vita bridesmaid collection. A couple weeks ago I popped down for a visit, and to ask Dawn what advice she shares with brides who are just starting on their gown hunt.

“Have a little bit of an open mind,” she said as she sat, surrounded by taffeta and tulle and organza and satin. “That’s the best piece of advice I have.”What she meant by that is simple: A lot of brides start searching for a wedding gown with a preconceived notion of what their gown should be — but that preconceived notion isn’t always the best fit for the bride’s body type. Personally, I went into dress hunting determined that I wouldn’t have a strapless gown. Everyone was wearing them. I wanted something with a neckline that wasn’t as common. But then . . . keeping an open mind . . . I let Dawn select several gowns for me to try on, and most of them were strapless. And I fell head-over-heels for one of them.

“Ask the salesperson to pick a few gowns, because it’s like going to the doctor — you tell them the symptoms, then they diagnose you. I can look at a bride and see her body type and know immediately what type of gown is going to look best on her,” Dawn explained.

That, she said, is true of most bridal boutique owners who love their job and have worked hard to learn the industry.Dawn also suggested that, while following trends is fun, it’s smart to make sure your gown will also stand the test of time — and not overwhelm you.

“I know it’s the one day you can pull out all the bells and whistles, but keep in mind, when you’ve overdone it, people see all the pieces. They don’t see you. You don’t want to look like a different person — you want to look like the best version of yourself.”

(That vision is completely in line with the gown Dawn helped Danyelle into for her wedding last month. . . .)There was one other piece of advice Dawn offered that was very near and dear to my heart: “Don’t be afraid to buy a sample,” she said. Samples are the gowns the bridal boutiques order to show prospective brides. While dozens of brides might try on a sample gown, Dawn assured me that any bridal boutique owner who values her clients and her job will take excellent care of her sample gowns — because she’s paying for them up front herself. What that means for brides who buy sample gowns, though, is a lower price for a quality dress.

“I feel like sometimes [brides] feel like they can’t afford a couture design,” she told me. But with a sample sale, “You can wear a couture design for $899.”

While Dawn is happy to see brides find dresses they love at any price point — and Bridal Ltd. currently carries gowns that range from roughly $1,200-$3,000 new, with sample gowns at a discount — she hasn’t built her business around her gowns’ prices. She’s built her business around the quality of the gowns she sells, and around the service and experience — and friendship — she can offer her brides.

“Getting to know my brides is so important to me,” she explained. Because that helps her help brides hone in on the gowns that will make them truly feel like the brides they’ve always wanted to be. And because she loves it when a bride becomes a new friend.A few wedding gown hunting tips from Dawn:

• It’s all about fit — well-made gowns, after alterations, will fit brides beautifully.
• When you’re going gown shopping, make an appointment — many bridal boutiques, like Bridal Ltd., are by appointment only.
• Find a good seamstress — ask your bridal boutique for their recommendation.
• Remember that “classic” will never go out of style.

If you’re looking for someone to help you find the perfect gown, give Dawn a call to schedule an appointment — 386-256-4921.

Thank you, Dawn, for sharing your wisdom — and thank you again for helping me find the perfect dress four years ago!

~ Laura