Honey Pot Bridal & Tux Creates Dream Weddings One Detail At A Time

The is a wedding wonderland. White wedding gowns of all sizes and styles flow from the front of the cozy shop to the back wall. Colorful, formal dresses hug the walls.

Inside this boutique brides can find any accessory they need for their big day. Everything from veils and jewelry to a parade of shoe choices like glitzy sandals, dye-able pumps and glittered heels. For ceremonies and receptions, unique memory gifts line a tabletop.

It's a bride's paradise. A place where beauty lies in the details: tall urns of beautiful flowers pop by the front door and a Queen Anne couch sits center stage to curtain-lined dressing rooms.

Owner Sherry Noon opened the boutique after being disappointed in her wedding planner 15 years ago. She was appalled at the lack of care.

“It was awful. They were rude. They charged me $20 for a [dress] bag that was cheap plastic. I thought it was terrible. We shouldn’t be treated like this,” Noon said. 

Those small things can make or break your overall wedding experience,  Noon said. She's dedicated herself to providing brides with the attentiveness and one-stop-shopping she didn't get. 

One afternoon, Noon was catering to young brides in two separate dress fittings and an older bride-to-be looking for a wedding planner.

In front of the sitting area, Madeline Parhalo posed in her sleeveless gown, as her mother Becky watched the fitting. They had spent countless hours searching for a wedding dress before finding the perfect one at Honey Pot. 

“She’s very picky. It had to be the perfect dress. We went to eight or 10 shops,” Becky Parhalo said.

Their shopping experience was less than ideal. One dress shop allowed them to look at only two dresses at a time. In another, the pair couldn’t move from their designated area. In some shops, they couldn’t look through any of the dresses.

“They’d tell me they knew the perfect dress for me and they’d bring them out,” Madeline Parhalo said. 

After their unsuccessful search, Becky Parhalo remembered they had purchased Madeline’s prom dress several years ago at Noon's boutique on Walsingham Road. She looked for the new location on East Bay Drive.

“They are so nice here. Sherry is helpful. And her [Madeline’s] dress is actually less expensive than the other dresses we saw,” Becky Parhalo said.

Madeline Parhalo was happy to be able to look through all the gowns.

“I got to pick them out. Sherry was helpful but not overbearing," said the cheerful bride-to-be. 

Noon suggested Madeline Parhalo try a trendy veil, called the bubble veil. Its rounded tulle is folded, so it stands away from the face and the back of the dress.

“It’s beautiful. You can wear your hair up or down and it’ll look good. It doesn’t lay on your dress. I love that,” Noon said.

Undecided, Madeline Parhalo mentioned she might wear her sister’s bridal veil. Noon quickly approved. A family connection would make it memorable.

Angel Dial, a new customer, talked to Noon about her September wedding which would be a commitment ceremony.

Noon started a round of questions. Indoor or outdoor wedding? How many guests? Has she thought of a gift for the groom?

Dial and her partner are both seniors with health problems. They want an outdoor reception with all the seniors at their independent living facility.

Noon presented the Love Box, an anniversary gift that includes two wine glasses, an empty well for a wine bottle and two pieces of blank stationery.

“You write a love letter to the other person. He’ll write one and you’ll write one. Then tuck them [the envelopes] in the pocket. You can decide to open it on whatever anniversary you want,” Noon said.

Dial loved it. It's the perfect gift for the couple who celebrated monthly anniversaries with handwritten cards. Dial asked if Noon could help with the other details for their big day.

"We do everything, decorating to whatever you need. I'm not real expensive. My husband, David, is a reverend and can marry you, if you need someone. He’ll meet with you, and your vows will be special to you. We’ll meet too and I’ll get you everything you need at a discount,” Noon said.

Last year, Noon completed training to become a wedding event planner. It's a natural extension to the bridal boutique.

It’s also her way to ensure the personal touches and details that create a memorable day are done right.

“We tell the men to order two handkerchiefs. On their wedding day, the bride may be crying or maybe she’ll be hot. ... You don’t want to see your bride wiping at her face, messing up her makeup. You can pat her face with your hanky. It’s romantic, and something people don’t think about,” Noon said. 

“I make sure to put that extra hanky right in their pocket [of their tuxedo] pants, so they can find it,” Noon added.

As Noon recalled the brides and grooms she's helped throughout the years, she began to cry.

“I love everything about weddings. I love what I do,” Noon said.