We’re so happy to be sharing our first ever Vendor Spotlight feature: Tucson’s own J Bridal Boutique! Owned by twin sisters Emily Ornelas and Katie Sparks, the idea for J Bridal Boutique was born on a shopping trip for Emily’s own wedding gown and came to life through hard work and a willingness to learn, as well as a lot of courage and imagination. Emily and Katie did not have any previous wedding industry knowledge or experience, but both had many years of customer service and retail experience. They learned everything as they went along and they continue to learn, grown, and evolve every day.
Emily and Katie named their boutique to honor the memory of their beloved best friend, Genna, who had been been there for that first special shopping trip and whose life had tragically and unexpectedly ended; she will forever be part of the dream they brought to fruition. We interviewed Emily and Katie to find out a little more about one of Tucson’s premier bridal salons and about the two of them as well.
What do you love most about owning a bridal boutique?
There are so many things we love about our job, but the most satisfying part of our job is building a woman’s confidence. There is no greater joy in our career than seeing our brides FEEL beautiful. Every woman deserves to feel beautiful and getting to help brides feel that in a wedding dress is so rewarding!
How would you describe your shop’s style?
Our boutique and wedding gowns tend to be more on the classic, romantic side, and very girly and feminine! Our goal was to make our boutique aesthetic timeless and like a women’s dream closet.
Tell us about something that makes your job extra fun?
We enjoy when our brides incorporate a family heirloom into their bridal look. We have been able to help a bride find a gown that complements a 100 year-old lace veil, as well as having a piece of mom’s/grandma’s wedding gown incorporated into another bride’s wedding dress or veil. It is so special to hear about the meanings behind these special treasures.
What is the most unique, interesting, or special experience you’ve had in the boutique?
We received a call from a nurse that used to work with Katie at TMC (she was a tech for TMC children’s ER unit). She was in search of a wedding dress for her aunt whose health was declining quickly and wanted to know if we had and recommendations for her to find an inexpensive dress for a small wedding that would be in just a couple days. They were calling us from Dress Barn and she said it did not feel right having her aunt purchase a simple flower sundress to get married to the love of her life. They wanted this to be a monumental and exciting, last memory for her. Her aunt was extremely sick from the chemo and was having a hard time working up the energy to try dresses on. We immediately told her we would love the opportunity to help and to not even worry about the cost because at the end of the day, being able to provide this amazing memory for her was all the payment we needed.
Her family called us shortly after her wedding to let us know she had passed just a few weeks after. They wanted to thank us for everything because they said seeing her try on the dress she selected was the first time they had seen her smile in a long time and she felt so beautiful on her wedding day. Helping her feel like a beautiful woman on her wedding day, was one of the greatest gifts we have ever gotten to feel.
What is your dream holiday or adventure?
We LOVE to travel! Experiencing new food, traditions, and culture is hands-down our favorite thing.
What’s something you never leave home without?
Our kids!
Tell us something about you that might surprise your clients if they knew?
Many of our clients think we are joking when we tell them we are twin sisters. We don’t look that much alike, so they usually laugh and we have to reiterate that we are serious.
What is a TV show or movie that you could watch on repeat forever?
We have different opinions on this! Emily is definitely a reality show fan, so anything Housewives, Bachelor, Bravo shows, the list goes on and on. Katie LOVES crime shows, like CSI!
J Bridal Boutique is located at 2840 East Skyline Drive, Suite 150 in Tucson. J Bridal is Arizona’s Premiere Bridal Boutique for the feminine and fashionable bride. They offer brides a unique one-on-one experience with a professional stylist to assist with finding their perfect wedding day look.