Our story

Hi we are the Harding family (Nadine, Sean, Reid and Ella), the owners of The Ivory Suite.  

For myself (Nadine) I have always been an entrepreneur at heart.   From a very young age, it was always my summer vacation goal to earn enough money to purchase my full wardrobe for the upcoming school year.  You  can see where this story is going: entrepreneur at heart + love of fashion.  I have always dreamed of owning my own clothing store, I used to sketch clothing that I would want to sell.   My entrepreneurial resume as a kid consisted of lemonade stands, picking and selling blueberries and partridge berries, collecting used items from family and friends for yard/garage sales……and making boxes at the local fishplant.  

Of course, as many I finished high school, went to university and college and headed out into the corporate world.  This never really felt right to me….

Fast forward to when I met my now husband, and I went wedding dress shopping.  Well I completely, whole hearted fell in love with everything bridal.  I loved the gowns, I loved the idea of the perfect little boutique and the atmosphere to match and felt that the St. John’s area was really missing that full bridal experience.  This created the spark……

I went to my then fiance and said “I want to open a bridal boutique”, I talked to him about my ideas and he was like ok sure.   Days/ weeks went by and I nonchalantly  researched and researched and worked on my business plan, submitted it to the bank and secured the funding for what you know today as The Ivory Suite.

I will never forget the look on his face when I told him  the bank loved my business plan, and we are approved for the funding!  Thank goodness he  agreed to go along with my crazy idea…… Thank goodness my husband is also very handy and was able to make my boutique vision a reality.  From the dressing rooms, front displays, crown moulding to the installation of our staff kitchenette…..it was all constructed/installed by him. 

Fast forward to today, after eight years of working my corporate job, growing our family to four, growing our boutique and building our Ivory Suite fam,  I am finally able to say my goals and dreams have become reality.   I am now a full time entrepreneur, with a successful business that I am “oh so” proud of.  Through all of this the Ivory Suite mission has  always stayed the same:  to become the top bridal boutique in Newfoundland,  known for creating a full bridal experience consisting of personalised service,  private relaxed shopping atmosphere,  and an exceptional collection of hand chosen bridal gowns.

Meet Our Staff

Courtney

Oh hey there, it’s Courtney!! I started at The Ivory Suite 7.5 years ago and that’s when my love for all things bridal began! I adore being surrounded by stunning gowns but my favourite thing is the relationships I build with our brides and their crew.  I love being the brides cheerleader and I’ll be the first one to tell you when your waist looks snatched or that booty is looking GOOD!  You’ll usually catch me at the boutique on Wednesday nights and Saturdays as I work full time as a HR Associate for a non-profit organization!  In my down time I love to go out to eat with my husband, shop or cuddle up on the couch with my dog Clementine and binge watch Netflix!

Lesley

As a seasoned bridal consultant with more than 20 years of dedication to making brides FEEL beautiful and LOOK beautiful, I am committed to helping you select the perfect dress for your special day! Your dress is more than apparel. It will become the centrepiece that will determine all wedding related decisions to follow. It will shape YOUR vision of YOUR wedding day, and nothing fulfills me more than being apart of such an important life celebration! When I am not at the boutique, you can find me drinking coffee with my daughter, as she talks about University, at a hockey arena cheering on my son alongside the man I said “YES” to 20+ years ago, or lacing up my own skates to enjoy a game with my teammates. Otherwise, from Monday to Friday you can experience The Ivory Suite with me. I would love to have your journey begin with us!

Ally

Hey!!!!! My Name is Ally, I joined the ivory suite family 3.5 years ago and that’s when I fell in love with everything bridal! It’s amazing to be surrounded by the most gorgeous gowns, but what I love the most is providing the best experience possible for the brides and their guests. There’s nothing better than helping a bride feel beautiful and confident in their perfect dress!
You’ll usually catch me at the boutique on the weekends as I work full time as a receptionist at an animal hospital.
Im so excited to meet all the beautiful brides this year!!

meet our stylists in person!

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT NOW