Central Ohio Wedding News & Events

Big changes are coming to Gilded Social, and they translate to big savings for savvy shoppers. The boutique opened Downtown on Gay Street in 2018 with gowns for bridesmaids, mothers of the bride and other special occasion shoppers, and began selling wedding gowns at a second location in Granville early last year. Now, owner Tanya Hartman is shifting to focus exclusively on wedding gowns and “little white dresses” perfect for showers, bachelorettes, rehearsal dinners and elopements.

“The business has changed. I have been real upfront about how quickly our numbers took a tumble in March/April of 2020, and we have never recovered,” Hartman says, adding that business has been down 50 to 65 percent for her in the last two and a half years. “With how well the bridal shop is doing, and I was able to purchase that building [in Granville], it feels like a little bit of a fresh start after such turmoil here [Downtown].” That’s not to say the decision was easy for Hartman, however. “I probably have held on about a year too long, just because I love bridesmaids. I have always loved this,” she says. “I would never have bought this shop if I didn’t.”

The change leaves Hartman with hundreds of sample gowns, which she is selling both off-the-rack and, for bridesmaids, in curated packages. The latter includes 10 carefully selected gowns in a range of sizes for $450. Substitutions are not available, but Hartman is confident about the value she’s offering. “If four of your bridesmaids like four out of those 10 dresses, that’s a steal,” she says. “Or if you have seven bridesmaids and you make it work, it’s even better [of a deal].” Customers can create their own packs of 10 dresses or request custom curation by emailing hello@shopgildedsocial.com. Off-the-rack flower girl dresses are also available.

The original storefront at 65 E. Gay St., second floor, will be open through December. Shopping is appointment-only on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays; sample sale walk-ins are welcome from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursdays. Gilded Social Bridal, at 127 E. Elm St. in Granville, will continue to offer by-appointment shopping, plus services including alterations, steaming, garment care packages, wedding day styling, gown cleaning and preservation, and more.

Worthington Jewelers is also hosting some strong sales, albeit without the change in focus. The shop’s 22nd Anniversary Sale wraps up today, with up to 50 percent off estate, fashion and silver jewelry. Can’t make it today? The family-owned jeweler’s Fall Bridal Sale is coming up. From Oct. 1 through 29, all bridal jewelry will be buy one, get one 50 percent off. It's the perfect time to shop for wedding-day jewelry and wedding bands. (Note that loose diamonds and select estate jewelry are not included in the sale.) And weekends in October will include trunk shows from various designers; follow Worthington Jewelers for details.

The Mohicans Treehouse Resort and Wedding Venue, 23164 Vess Road in Glenmont, is reviving its autumn Bridal Show, which went on hiatus during the pandemic. The free event will take place Oct. 2 from noon to 4 p.m. and will include tours of the indoor/outdoor wedding venue, select treehouses and one of the property’s cabins. Information packets, local vendors and venue staff will all be on hand. Registration is required at the link above. Note that guests traveling from Loudonville will have to navigate a road closure; detour directions are available here.

And speaking of venues, join us on Facebook tomorrow afternoon for a Live broadcast at the Golf Club of Dublin, 5805 Eiterman Road. We’ll take viewers on a tour of this venue, one of our trusted advertising partners. Watch for the broadcast to start around 4 p.m.

Editor's note: Our Live broadcast met with some technical difficulties; instead, check out our video tour post on Facebook and Instagram.