Credit: Whitney Wasson Photography
Francesca Ripple didn’t set out to own a bridal salon.
Rather, her path – which includes everything from a modeling career, to management, to owning a window treatment business – has always been defined by gut feelings and chance encounters. Somewhere along the way, without a formal business plan or lifelong dream of entrepreneurship, she became a bridal store owner.
Looking back now, after more than two decades in the industry, Francesca doesn’t describe her award-winning Lutherville, Md., boutique as a business she built. She describes it as a path she followed – one instinct, one opportunity, one adventure at a time.
“I know people go into business because they want to make money and have success, but I’ve done it because I was intended to do it from the beginning and all the steps I experienced along the way were to prepare me for it,” she says. “When I realized that, I was able to settle in and focus on creating this vision of a beautiful, exquisite, curated boutique where women could go, be dressed and feel special like the olden days and love every minute of it.”
Reinvention is the Strategy
Francesca grew up in a household of seamstresses, including her mom and aunts, and learned how to make her own clothes at a young age. Not only did she enjoy sewing but it served a practical purpose: At 5’10”, she had trouble finding outfits that were long enough and sewing allowed her to make prom dresses and pants any length.
At 18, Francesca started modeling and worked for, among other clients, the bridal salons in Maryland.
One day, while modeling in a bridal fashion show, she heard the store owner needed to hire a manager. So, at 21, she started working for this salon while continuing to model, learning as much as she could about retail including window displays, merchandising, sales, directing fashion shows and, ultimately, managing the store. This went on for about 10 years, during which time she also started a window treatment business.
Then, in 2000, she learned the store owner wanted to sell. Initially, Francesca, now retired from modeling, said no because she was focused on her family, including husband Richard and three children. But the owner requested she come in and examine everything in depth, which she did.
“And then it just seemed to make sense,” she says. “It was an opportunity for me to own my own business and make it my own. And I didn’t want it to be really anything like hers. She was a very good businesswoman but she wasn’t selling the price point I wanted to sell and I felt like I could do things differently.”
After purchasing the salon, Francesca opted to stay in the same location – a 3,500-square-foot store in Baltimore County – but immediately began changing designers, price point and target consumer. Previously, the store had served a lower-end, more DIY bride and carried a variety of niches, including bridal, bridesmaids, prom, tuxedos and mothers.
But, through networking with wedding planners, Francesca was meeting brides with larger budgets who wanted to be styled in upscale gowns. So, little by little, she got rid of the old stock and upgraded designers to be more in alignment with what they were looking for. The boutique also shifted to high-end prom dresses.
Francesca made a concentrated effort to put her store in places it would be noticed, doing fashion shows in trendy, upscale locations. With clientele continuing to expand, she realized they couldn’t do it all so, starting in 2013, dropped tuxedos, bridesmaids and prom and focused strictly on bridal and mothers.
Although the mothers niche started out small, it quickly became clear there was a part of town they needed to expand to, based on the zip codes of where their mothers and brides were coming from.
“We literally just knew that we had to move,” she says.
Around this time, Francesca was directing a fashion show at the Four Seasons. She mentioned to one of the directors she wanted to open up her own socials store for mothers. The next morning, she got a phone call from the owner of Green Spring Station, a popular historic shopping center in town, saying he had a place available. She saw it the next day and immediately said yes.
“That’s how things kind of happen to me, just being somewhere, having a conversation and there it is,” she says. “And you know that it’s all happening because it’s meant to; you’re just manifesting those experiences and desires.”
The Atelier, at 1,040 square feet and a price range of $2K-$8k, opened in 2014. While mothers make up the majority of its clientele, having a dedicated socials store provides the opportunity to sell dresses to anyone shopping for a social occasion, including welcome parties, rehearsal dinners, brunch, wedding guests, bar/bat mitzvah and galas.
A year later, bridal moved into Green Spring Station as well, just four doors away. That salon is 1,200 square feet, plus another 500 square feet on the third floor for alterations, and carries gowns ranging from $3k-$15k.
“Moving locations and creating two salons out of one was absolutely the biggest change I’ve ever made in my business,” Francesca says. “It’s helped because it provides a larger client base, number one, and that’s more interesting. Number two, there’s periods where the Atelier is gangbusters and then it switches and bridal is gangbusters. It helps even out your cash flow.”
Curated, Not Crowded
Walk into Francesca’s Bridal and you’ll notice immediately it’s very curated.
“We don’t have one designer that looks like the next,” Francesca says. “Every designer is specific, each has a space and you can very clearly identify that; it’s not at all confusing when people walk in.”
As well, there is an intense focus on styling both brides and moms.
“I consider it different than sales,” Francesca says. “We want them to buy a dress but we don’t approach it that way. We ask about their vision for their day, then after we’ve looked at them – and we know their figure, we know our stock - we meet that vision.”
Francesca’s seamstress background is helpful here, as she and her staff are very knowledgeable about what they are and aren’t capable of doing with a dress. And they’re very clear about it.
“That’s actually how we sell a dress too,” she says. “We put a tremendous amount of thought into what we can do regarding custom changes, what the company might be able to do before we get a dress.”
Alterations are done in-house, overlooked by Francesca or her daughter to make sure the bride and seamstress understand each other.
“There’s usually a language barrier there and, if the seamstress isn’t a good communicator and the bride doesn’t understand what she’s saying, a tremendous amount of mistakes can be made,” she says. “So, we make sure that doesn’t happen and everybody understands how this dress is going to turn out.”
Beyond that, they get to know brides via an initial call or online interview prior to their appointment and warmly welcome guests to the shop. Appointments are paid ($50, credited toward gown purchase) and they only accept 2-3 guests per bride (“It’s usually a disaster if we do it differently,” Francesca says). VIP appointments cost $150 where the bride is offered champagne and a longer appointment time with nobody else in the store.
To provide an elevated level of service, it’s essential to hire the right staff. First and foremost, Francesca looks for a salesperson. “If you can’t sell you don’t stay,” she says.
Beyond that, stylists must love being with people, know how to interact and focus on having a great time. They continually reach out even after the bride’s wedding is over, maybe on an anniversary or because they noticed something on Instagram that person is celebrating.
“Our consultants all go beyond that and I think that’s also what brings us new brides,” she says.
When these elements are in place, training comes naturally.
“If you have a salesperson who’s eager, interested and learning the stock it’s simple,” she says. “We’re all motivated, we’re all women and we’re happy to do what we’re doing.”
As for marketing, Francesca credits her location “because our center is very busy and we’re showcased well” as well as Instagram (“brides like pretty pictures and they love to be entertained.”) A dedicated staffer handles the store’s social media, while an SEO agent does its Google ads and website.
“It’s helped us tremendously,” she says. “We’ve learned a lot from them, we get more appointments, and what he puts out shows our authenticity. If I were starting a boutique today, I’d invest more in an SEO management company because that’s what their job is and they know what they’re doing.”
However, none of these marketing techniques hold a candle to her number one:
“Pleasing the clients we have,” Francesca says matter-of-factly. “All of our clients are very happy and that’s the best right there because the majority of our business is word of mouth.”
A Family Business
Francesca’s is truly a family business, with Francesca as owner and operator and two of her daughters directing each store.
Originally, after graduating college, they were only going to work in the business until they got a “real” job. Nonetheless, Francesca made sure they learned every aspect of running the store: how to work with the seamstresses, how to style, how to choose inventory, how to use the POS system.
“In doing so they then decided where they wanted to put their talents but they could run the salons because they had experience in all pieces of the pie,” she says.
Today, Victoria Hetzel runs Atelier while older sister Kara Moro runs Bridal (a third daughter worked in the salon for a while before deciding to go into printing).
Francesca’s husband of 45 years, Richard, whom she met while out with friends, works for Sarno and Son, handling tuxedos and suits. While his job does not directly relate to her boutique, their relationship has absolutely benefited it.
“It’s really and truly been a wonderful marriage because we’re a team,” she says. “We knew in the beginning we were not changing who we were, ever. I was supporting him for who he was to become in his life, and he was supporting me for what I was to become in my life. And that’s exactly the way it’s been – no matter what happens we support each other.”
Additionally, four grandchildren, ranging from one year old to freshman in high school, add much joy.
“I literally love life,” she says. “Spending time with my grandchildren is extremely important for them and me.”
As for the business, Francesca splits her time, working three days a week. Thursday, at one store, Friday the other and Saturday going back and forth depending on needs.
And while she used to be on the floor more actually helping brides, her role has evolved with time. She’s still there, suggesting dresses and talking to every bride and her mom or guests.
“And I think it’s extremely important, first of all to show myself,” she says. “Second, for me to know: what is she looking for? Do we have it? Where did she see it? I gain a lot of information by doing that.”
Ultimately, while Francesca’s is a family business, they take it seriously – and personally.
“Business and personal are never separate, and we’re OK with that,” Francesca laughs. “When everybody has their day off a week, we try not to bother each other and we’re pretty successful. But all the other days are mish-moshed together. A business is a very big part of your life and should be treated more as an extension of it and not a separate entity.”
More Than a Business
It’s tempting to call Francesca’s story a business success, but that would miss the point entirely. From the beginning, this was never a straight line or calculated climb. It was a series of moments – unexpected turns, instinctive yeses, doors that appeared only after she was already in motion.
Because what she built isn’t just a salon. It’s a life shaped the same way she’s always moved through the world: forward, curious, unafraid to pivot and trusting that each chapter, whether a high or valley, was part of something larger still unfolding.
As Francesca moves forward into the future, this same sense of adventure will continue to guide her path. She plans to invest in lines that add more in terms of flexibility and customization, as well as potentially start a YouTube channel.
She does not, however, plan to expand.
“I really don’t think more is better,” she says. “It’s very important for us to keep our businesses luxury. We’re not a salon for everybody and we know that. The people who come to us understand they’re getting exquisite work and care. I just don’t think I could do that on another scale.”
That perspective shapes everything that comes next. Not expansion for the sake of growth, but evolution with intention. Not chasing more, but refining what already exists – making it more personal, more flexible, more her.
Over 25 years, Francesca has seen the highs and the valleys. She’s felt the uncertainty that comes when there isn’t a clear answer, and the reassurance that comes from realizing you’re not the only one navigating it. And through it all, one truth has remained constant: the path keeps unfolding - as long as you’re willing to keep going and let it grow with you.
That’s the mindset she embraces: Stay open, stay engaged. Don’t cling to what was working yesterday if it no longer fits today. Talk to people. Seek out mentors. Change when you need to – completely, if necessary. Because change isn’t disruption. It’s momentum.
For Francesca, it all comes back to one simple idea:
“I love learning, I love changing, I love reinventing – and I love doing it with other women,” she says. “It gives me purpose. And if you stay open, excited and keep moving with it, things always work out.” She followed this path – and it became her life.
