Why Greer is an up-and-coming wedding destination

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Greer is not only a destination for wedding planning services and venues, but a few new bridal businesses are also popping up downtown.

A fresh, new bridal boutique quietly opened in downtown Greer on Dec. 15 and is a dream come true for a mother-daughter duo.

Real estate attorney of five years, Kasey Fowler, and her mother Kristy Fowler are co-owners of the newest franchise of Fabulous Frocks, a wedding dress boutique, which has locations in Charlotte; Nashville, Tenn.; Kansas City, Mo.; and Shreveport, La.

Before the Fowlers’ shop at 228 Trade St., next door to The Davenport event venue, Kasey and Kristy Fowler talked for a long time about opening a store together.

Kasey Fowler said she always knew it had to be on Trade Street in downtown Greer, too.

“Downtown Greer was a no-brainer for me,” she said. “I’m from Greer, and I believe in it. It’s almost like a Hallmark movie.”

The timing of opening the shop worked out for both Kasey and Kristy after the first sparks of the conversation started in 2009, when Kasey was about to head off to law school.

And when interest rates started going up at the beginning of 2022, her real estate closings began to slow down and Kasey found she had extra time on her hands.

“We found the perfect location, and this project was kind of the result of that extra time,” Kasey Fowler said. “There are so many wonderful venues in the area, and Greer is the perfect place to get married, especially if you are from this area.”

There are several businesses in the wedding industry in Greer, and it’s been a supportive community, she added.

The Fabulous Frocks Greenville is the first bridal boutique to open in downtown Greer, said Kasey Fowler, and they didn’t have to do much construction to the space. She said the pair had been in contact with the franchise owner all year and officially acquired the space in June.

“It took some time to bring our vision to life,” she added. “Seeing all the details coming together, we painted everything to give the space a fresh look. My mom and I really enjoyed designing the space, especially the showroom with accents of whites, gold, blush.”

Fabulous Frocks sells curated collections of “Ready-to-Wed” and “Made-to-Order” dresses. According to Kasey Fowler, a customer can try on a gown, fall in love with it, and take it home the same day instead of waiting several months. Their first bride was scheduled before Christmas, according to a news release from the Greer Development Corp., and they are taking additional clients by appointment Tuesday through Saturday. They plan for their official grand opening event around Valentine’s Day.

“I couldn’t imagine anything better than to have a business with my daughter doing something we love and spending time together,” said Kristy Fowler.

Her younger daughter, Kasey’s sister, is Miss Greenville County Teen and first runner-up for Miss SC Teen. Abigail Kate Fowler will serve as a model and stylist for the bridal shop.

“Fabulous Frocks is a wonderful addition to the businesses in Greer that offer wedding planning services and venues,” said Mayor Rick Danner. “The city thanks Fabulous Frocks for their commitment to downtown Greer and wishes them much success.”

Deb Mastny, the owner of Olive’s Branch Gallery, a downtown fine interiors/imports store has also started a bridal registry at her store.

She said she started doing so last summer, but starting in January, she is putting a lot more focus on the bridal registry side of business.

“We are in the very beginnings of getting the bridal registry set up online and ready to go,” Mastny said. “This service fits well with what the gallery offers already.”

From imported Italian dishware to custom mirrors and lamps, Mastny is excited to offer this service to brides.

“Part of what I do is personal curating, whether they are looking for a European piece or something else, offering this service is unique and one of my favorite things to do is help people find their dream pieces,” she said.

Mastny has extensive experience in executive revenue and trade management. Her love and passion for auctions, antiques and helping families dispose estates and property go back to her maternal grandparents.

Olive’s Branch Gallery is also one of the only small business wedding registries available in Greer proper, Mastny said.

“I like to offer something unique for a bride that goes beyond places like Target and other big box stores,” she added. “A bride can come in any time and go through their choices that are wonderfully untraditional compared to your typical registry. Getting married is such a special time in a bride’s life, and this is a new path I would very much love to be a part of when it comes to creating the home she dreams of.”

Already a wedding destination, Greer is experiencing growth in the sector, Danner said.

“We started off with some really good venue spaces and a photogenic downtown along with the other support businesses that have grown around that,” he said. “More people are choosing to get married here, particularly downtown, and it’s been organic up to this point. We are making sure Greer is an advertised wedding destination and making the most of it.”