The end of a bridal era

It's the last day of business at Suky, the Delaware Valley's premiere bridal boutique, and owner Mary Helen Ranieri is still the consummate image-maker.

She doesn't want the store to be photographed without the vast selection of strapless, snow-white confections - now all removed by an auctioneer. Can't she be shot in front of a few dresses? How about outside?

"I don't want it to seem maudlin," Ranieri said. "I mean, I don't want people to see an empty store."

But it is what it is: the end of a bridal era.

After 33 years in business, Suky - the namesake of the feisty original owner, Suky Rosan - permanently shut its doors yesterday. The store, Ranieri said, was a victim of a faltering economy and a new generation of brides who buy their Vera Wangs, Badgley Mischkas, and Reem Acras online.

And, at least in the Philadelphia area, it was those lines - with price tags ranging from $2,000 to $25,000 - that were sold exclusively at Suky.

"They had the most amazing selection of dresses," said Beka Rendell, a wedding planner, who purchased her strapless, tulle Monique Lhuillier gown from Suky last year for her wedding to Gov. Rendell's son, Jesse.

"I had a great experience there. It's really sad that she is closing."

But Suky is really a microcosm of what's happening to the bridal industry - once a cash cow for vendors from cake bakers to dressmakers.

Wedding experts report that brides are sticking closer to their budgets, and to keep costs down, are searching harder for affordable dream gowns. That means they may be trying on gowns at stores like Suky to get an idea of how the dress looks and fits, but they are purchasing the frocks from online sites such as eBay and www.preownedweddingdresses.com.

As a result, bridal salons are hurting. Last year, Saks Fifth Avenue closed its salon.

"With anywhere between 2.2 [million] and 2.4 million weddings a year, people are still getting married," said Diane Forden, editor-in-chief of New York City-based Bridal Guide magazine. "But people are definitely looking for ways to cut back - cut down on guest lists, cut down on number of courses, the size of the wedding cake. And they aren't buying expensive dresses."

On the flip side, stores that sell less-expensive bridal gowns are doing well. Nicole Miller - where wedding dresses range from $500 to $1,200 - has had a spike in sales, said Mary K. Dougherty, who owns the two Nicole Miller stores in the area. And David's Bridal is seeing an uptick in its business, as it attracts customers whose budgets aren't as high as they once were.

"With the economy being the way it is, people have shifted their spending, and we are starting to attract a customer we weren't getting before," said Dan Rentillo, vice president of design at David's Bridal in New York.

Shortly after Ranieri bought Suky in 2005, her monthly sales ranged from $200,000 to $300,000. Eventually, the recession hit. So, in November, to cut costs, she moved from her Ardmore location to the smaller 3,000-square-foot space on Lancaster Avenue (the original home of Suky). She slashed her staff from 20 to five and drastically reduced inventory.

Then, not only did she have a lackluster bridal season, but the gala season didn't go well, either. Instead of buying new dresses for the Academy Ball or Lemon Ball, women were shopping their closets. Ranieri said she tried everything to avoid closing Suky, but by April, sales had slumped to $50,000 a month.

Like many luxury purveyors, Ranieri suffered as her wealthy customers decided that spending oodles of money was just not in fashion anymore.

So, Ranieri decided to close the store, but she kept her decision quiet, mulling it over until May. Then she laid off her five-person staff. Earlier this week, she called the remaining 10 of her brides, because she wanted to tell them she was closing before word got out. "I didn't want all of these brides to freak out," Ranieri said.

She barely hung up the phone before the news broke.

On Thursday morning, the "Sale" sign blew outside the Bryn Mawr boutique's display window. A mannequin wore the last Monique Lhuillier. Three bridal magazines sat on a wooden table with the remains of an artificial plant. An auctioneer packed the last 20 bridal gowns and 40 evening gowns to sell - online.

Ranieri will retain ownership of the Suky name, so it is possible she will open another store in the future. She does know that today's market isn't right for a name that's always meant "expensive." And the customers who do want luxury can't be counted on to keep the doors open, the lights on, and the racks full - at least for now.

"I'm sad," Ranieri said. "I tried everything I could to make the store work. I put everything I had in it. We just couldn't do it anymore. We couldn't compete."