Review is written by Staff @ The Ring and is based on • Interviews with this vendor • Interviews with past brides
With over ten years of experience in the wedding industry, first as a photographer, then a recent bride, and now the Owner of her shoe and accessories store, Simona Gagliostro of Urban Bride, seems to know what local brides are looking for and what they expect in service when they go out looking for it. Urban Bride is conveniently located in downtown Galt (Cambridge) and is your one-stop shop for your bridal shoes (including custom design/colour shoes), accessories, custom flower girl dresses and more. You get the vast selection of shopping online with the comfort of dealing with a friendly and professional person face to face. Setting this shop apart from larger gown franchises, Urban Bride supports local designers by carrying their lines in her busy shop and using local talent (as well as imported, exclusive, and one-of-a-kind designers) to customize items for her brides – whether it’s adding bows and feathers to accessories or creating unique shoe clips.
The Ring met with Simona at her cool, cozy storefront and found that she had a ton of great samples for brides to browse through. And what we couldn’t find in stock, there was a catalogue we could order from or a fun way to customize what was on the shelf. Combining her love of fashion and photography, Simona offers items to cover many brides' wedding needs in one destination, from classic to trendy – whatever an urban bride needs. And that's why we knew that Urban Bride was destined to be famous among local brides looking for just that - and we were right. Let us tell you more…
Personally speaking…
For the past 10+ years, Simona has been polishing and perfecting her knowledge of and skills in the wedding industry. Photography was always a natural part of Simona's life, which she creatively put to work with her company, Contrast Photography, through which she has been a part of countless weddings.
Then, in September 2009, Simona was a part of her own wedding when she married Roberto Gagliostro. As a recent bride, Simona says she "knows what local brides are looking for and what they expect for service."
While planning her own wedding and working with brides for the past decade, Simona has found that there were a couple of common complaints, "they couldn’t find everything they were looking for in one location and they had to rely on internet shopping for a lot of things," she told The Ring. So, Simona decided to offer a solution.
And that's how Urban Bride came to be in November of 2009 when the store officially opened in Downtown Galt (Cambridge) – a cozy and modern shop with an old fashioned feel and modern décor.
As a lover of fashion and wedding photography, Simona says that opening up Urban Bride was a great opportunity to combine the two. We happen to think that Simona’s eye for great photography and style serve her well at this new venture, not to mention her experience in the industry, professional attitude, and friendly and outgoing demeanor.
Service with a smile & plenty of selection
On top of its convenient location, Urban Bride is also a handy one-stop shop for many wedding needs. But it's not just the great selection that has brides recommending Urban Bride; it's the personal service that comes along with it that makes the shopping experience worthwhile. And we're not the only ones who think so. August 2011 bride, Jennifer Penney, says that if you're looking for the perfect shoe or just an added touch you can't find anywhere else, that Urban Bride is the place to go. She told The Ring, "After looking for months for an appropriate silver shoe that was comfortable and supportive of my tiny feet, I heard about Urban Bride and was so happy I went there! Simona helped me find the right shoe and ordered it in specifically for me, which meant so much! So accommodating!"
Shopping in person at Urban Bride not only allows you to see and try out the products you're interested in before you buy them, but it also allows you to deal face to face with an expert.
Part of this personal service is Simona's effort to make sure that every bride gets what she deserves, which is why, if she doesn’t have what you're looking for in stock at the store, then you can check out her catalogues and order from there. Or, Simona will do the research for you to help you find exactly what you're looking for. Jennifer remembers that when they found the perfect products for her wedding, Simona's smile was as big as hers.
Along the same lines, Mara (a California resident who was planning an September 2011 Ontario wedding at the time), appreciated Simona's attention and willingness to make her far-away planning as easy as possible. When Mara finally got to visit the shop in person, she remembers, "I really loved how modest, friendly and helpful Simona was... She really made me feel good! She stayed late for me to help me to make my choices, she communicated through e-mails a lot, and she was very happy to do anything possible to help me out."
Though, we would be surprised if Urban Bride didn't have what you were looking for. What Sylvia liked most about Urban Bride was the different options she had to choose from. "I could select from shoes, veils, flower girl dresses, and more," she told The Ring. "I would have to say that Urban Bride has amazing selections and I found everything to be modern and decent, just exactly what I was looking for."
Alicia Thijssen knew exactly whats wanted and had gone to various shoe stores all over the region, without any luck, before she came upon Urban Bride. "I knew I wanted a dark red show to fit with my colour scheme. I was also looking for a heel that was peep toe or similar and no more than 4 inches high. Due to the shape of my foot, I had an issue with completely slipping out of the shoes I tried on, regardless of the size. I told Simona about the problem I was having and she took her time and pointed out a variety of shoes that fit the style I was looking for. She worked with me until I found a pair I loved, fit perfectly and matched up the colour to my swatch..." Alicia was so happy with her experience at Urban Bride that she also went back to purchase a headband, flipflops and purse for her July 2011 wedding!
The thing that Bianca liked best about Urban Bride was that you are able to order anything and Simona can get it for you. "There's no need to search around going from store to store. She has a book of all the things she carries and you just choose from there… Saves a lot of time," she says.
In her efforts to leave her customers happy, Simona says she also tries to stay on top of the trends so she's always got the latest styles and products in store. In her experience, Simona has found that more brides are opting for colourful accessories instead of just the traditional white. That's why she plays around with textures and colours to help you create the look and style that will best suit you. Bianca described Urban Bride's style as "very modern and up to date," which was just perfect for her.
What's in store…
Coined as a contemporary bridal accessory store, Urban Bride offers a wide range of products at affordable prices, which vary depending on the product. But, to give you an idea, the average bride spends between $75 and $350 at Urban Bride.
Naming the entire, ever changing inventory would just waste valuable shopping time, so you should really just stop by Urban Bride to see for yourself. Alicia loved both the selection and the style of items she found at Urban Bride. She explained, "I think the name of the store says it all. Urban Bride's style is modern, classy and fun. While the store does carry 'traditional' items, I think the store caters to the bride who is looking for something fun and unique."
But, to give you an idea of some of the stuff Simona's got in store, here's a small list of a few of The Ring's favourite things:
• over 100 styles of bridal and bridal party shoes by Benjamin Walk and Dyeables, Allure Bridal Footwear, Coloriffics and the newest Nina Shoes - Bridal Collection from New York (for $ 75 to $ 200) with over 120 colour choices to dye them and also custom created colors. She also recently added Benjamin Adams and Pink by Paradox London to the list- two incredible designers that brides are thrilled about.
• hair jewellery, fascinators and feathers, bird cage veils , designed by Blair Nadeau Millinery from Toronto (for $35 to $150)
• custom designed veils, headpieces and bird cage veils that are custom made to match your gown for a fraction of the price, all locally made (in the Tri-cities and Toronto area, for $50 to $155)
• Couture style items made by local designers including Elegance by Del and Nancy Yule among the list of local finds at Urban Bride. Simona loves finding local artists who create some of the most stunning and unique wedding day pieces.
• Bridal and Evening clutches (for $40 to $75)
• Custom flower girl dresses in medieval, vintage and traditional styles (for $85 to $150)
• Garters by Mary Green or custom design (for $12 to $60)
For us, the absolute best part was the huge selection of different styles of modern shoes, including ones that can be dyed, which Simona says she can take care of for you, too. From glass sandals to sparkling silver shoes for both brides and her maids, Urban Bride would definitely be any shoe-shop-aholic's dream. The fancy flip flops are the best and are ideal for any bride whether she's getting married on a beach or just needs a comfy pair of shoes to dance the night away in.
Brides from Mississauga to London come to Urban Bride for their shoes as Simona told us she sells designer shoes that sell in Toronto for $300 - $ 350 (like Liz Rene Couture, Johnathan Kayne , Allure Bridals) sell for $200-250 at Urban Bride. Weekly orders are placed as Simona only carries samples in stock. "You should have your order within three weeks, at the latest, but sometimes as soon as two days," she adds. The colour manufacter's even work with gown designers to match the shoe colours to your gown - like Alfred Angelo, Bill Levkoff and Maggie Sottero. Or, you can give them a swatch of the dress and Simona will send it to them for an exact colour match.
Whatever it is you're looking for, we wouldn't be surprised if you found it, and the service you deserve, at Urban Bride – and brides agree. "I would highly recommend Urban Bride to any couple as it was a great choice for me," says Sylvia. "I would spread the word to any one I know who is getting married."
For Simona, it's all about carefully choosing the most beautiful options and accessories for the store that are both unique and affordable. Mara highly recommends Simona (and her store, of course) to any other couple getting married. "Much more personable than any other bridal salons, a great selections when it comes to shoes and hair accessories or any custom work." Urban Bride is a unique store that was much needed in this area.
New at Urban Bride
Simona is proud to introduce for 2013 Paradox London's Bridal Shoes - Benjamin Adams & PINK Collection. Today Paradox London is recognized as the market leader in the UK for bridal footwear. Their Collection of Benjamin Adams and Pink shoes combines the elegance to match every bride’s dream and it’s available to order at Urban Bride.
Urban Bride recently welcomed the work of UK designer, Wendy MacPherson, to the shop. Simona says that she's exclusive to Urban Bride and offers four main design styles (three peep –toe heels and one sandal) as well as many additional styles to choose from. The shoes are gorgeous and come in a variety of heel heights as well. From vintage to traditional and contemporary, the line is a new favourite at Urban Bride.
Customizing is key
Brides come to Urban Bride partly because they can choose from one of thousands of dyeable shoes, and partly because that's not the only thing you can customize here. Simona says that at Urban Bride, you can customize just about any fashion accessory. Shoes, flower girl dresses, veils, headpieces, fascinators (add feathers, flowers, crystals, pearls and more), and even jewellery. She is the only one in this area who carries Blair Nadeau Millinery’s beautiful feathers and fascinators.
Even the wedding favours in stock can be either engraved or personalized in some way.
The idea behind the products and custom options that Urban Bride offers, is Simona's dedication to her work. She is full of creative ideas and advice for all your wedding dilemmas, making everything more personalized and unique . In her opinion it's all about the brides, so with every new designer shoe line or accessories line she selects, she does so with one thing in mind: how can I do more for brides than they could expect anywhere else? And that's something that turns her brides into lifetime clients, long after the wedding day has come and gone.
Details, details, details
• Stop by Urban Bride in Downtown Galt (Cambridge) any time before your wedding during their store hours.
• Prices vary depending on what you buy, but the average bride spends between $75 and $350.
• Tip for your timeline: Plan ahead! Since the current trend for customized shoes is so popular (you can customize with colour, flowers, feathers and sparkle!), keep in mind that it generally takes two to three weeks for your shoes to come in. Even if you decide to buy off the rack, Simona will usually order your shoes in your size (don't expect to walk out of the store with them). Simona keeps her stock fresh and up to date by limiting the number of pairs in store.
With over ten years of experience in the wedding industry, first as a photographer, then a recent bride, and now the Owner of her shoe and accessories store, Simona Gagliostro of Urban Bride, seems to know what local brides are looking for and what they expect in service when they go out looking for it. Urban Bride is conveniently located in downtown Galt (Cambridge) and is your one-stop shop for your bridal shoes (including custom design/colour shoes), accessories, custom flower girl dresses and more. You get the vast selection of shopping online with the comfort of dealing with a friendly and professional person face to face. Setting this shop apart from larger gown franchises, Urban Bride supports local designers by carrying their lines in her busy shop and using local talent (as well as imported, exclusive, and one-of-a-kind designers) to customize items for her brides – whether it’s adding bows and feathers to accessories or creating unique shoe clips.
The Ring met with Simona at her cool, cozy storefront and found that she had a ton of great samples for brides to browse through. And what we couldn’t find in stock, there was a catalogue we could order from or a fun way to customize what was on the shelf. Combining her love of fashion and photography, Simona offers items to cover many brides' wedding needs in one destination, from classic to trendy – whatever an urban bride needs. And that's why we knew that Urban Bride was destined to be famous among local brides looking for just that - and we were right. Let us tell you more…
Personally speaking…
For the past 10+ years, Simona has been polishing and perfecting her knowledge of and skills in the wedding industry. Photography was always a natural part of Simona's life, which she creatively put to work with her company, Contrast Photography, through which she has been a part of countless weddings.
Then, in September 2009, Simona was a part of her own wedding when she married Roberto Gagliostro. As a recent bride, Simona says she "knows what local brides are looking for and what they expect for service."
While planning her own wedding and working with brides for the past decade, Simona has found that there were a couple of common complaints, "they couldn’t find everything they were looking for in one location and they had to rely on internet shopping for a lot of things," she told The Ring. So, Simona decided to offer a solution.
And that's how Urban Bride came to be in November of 2009 when the store officially opened in Downtown Galt (Cambridge) – a cozy and modern shop with an old fashioned feel and modern décor.
As a lover of fashion and wedding photography, Simona says that opening up Urban Bride was a great opportunity to combine the two. We happen to think that Simona’s eye for great photography and style serve her well at this new venture, not to mention her experience in the industry, professional attitude, and friendly and outgoing demeanor.
Service with a smile & plenty of selection
On top of its convenient location, Urban Bride is also a handy one-stop shop for many wedding needs. But it's not just the great selection that has brides recommending Urban Bride; it's the personal service that comes along with it that makes the shopping experience worthwhile. And we're not the only ones who think so. August 2011 bride, Jennifer Penney, says that if you're looking for the perfect shoe or just an added touch you can't find anywhere else, that Urban Bride is the place to go. She told The Ring, "After looking for months for an appropriate silver shoe that was comfortable and supportive of my tiny feet, I heard about Urban Bride and was so happy I went there! Simona helped me find the right shoe and ordered it in specifically for me, which meant so much! So accommodating!"
Shopping in person at Urban Bride not only allows you to see and try out the products you're interested in before you buy them, but it also allows you to deal face to face with an expert.
Part of this personal service is Simona's effort to make sure that every bride gets what she deserves, which is why, if she doesn’t have what you're looking for in stock at the store, then you can check out her catalogues and order from there. Or, Simona will do the research for you to help you find exactly what you're looking for. Jennifer remembers that when they found the perfect products for her wedding, Simona's smile was as big as hers.
Along the same lines, Mara (a California resident who was planning an September 2011 Ontario wedding at the time), appreciated Simona's attention and willingness to make her far-away planning as easy as possible. When Mara finally got to visit the shop in person, she remembers, "I really loved how modest, friendly and helpful Simona was... She really made me feel good! She stayed late for me to help me to make my choices, she communicated through e-mails a lot, and she was very happy to do anything possible to help me out."
Though, we would be surprised if Urban Bride didn't have what you were looking for. What Sylvia liked most about Urban Bride was the different options she had to choose from. "I could select from shoes, veils, flower girl dresses, and more," she told The Ring. "I would have to say that Urban Bride has amazing selections and I found everything to be modern and decent, just exactly what I was looking for."
Alicia Thijssen knew exactly whats wanted and had gone to various shoe stores all over the region, without any luck, before she came upon Urban Bride. "I knew I wanted a dark red show to fit with my colour scheme. I was also looking for a heel that was peep toe or similar and no more than 4 inches high. Due to the shape of my foot, I had an issue with completely slipping out of the shoes I tried on, regardless of the size. I told Simona about the problem I was having and she took her time and pointed out a variety of shoes that fit the style I was looking for. She worked with me until I found a pair I loved, fit perfectly and matched up the colour to my swatch..." Alicia was so happy with her experience at Urban Bride that she also went back to purchase a headband, flipflops and purse for her July 2011 wedding!
The thing that Bianca liked best about Urban Bride was that you are able to order anything and Simona can get it for you. "There's no need to search around going from store to store. She has a book of all the things she carries and you just choose from there… Saves a lot of time," she says.
In her efforts to leave her customers happy, Simona says she also tries to stay on top of the trends so she's always got the latest styles and products in store. In her experience, Simona has found that more brides are opting for colourful accessories instead of just the traditional white. That's why she plays around with textures and colours to help you create the look and style that will best suit you. Bianca described Urban Bride's style as "very modern and up to date," which was just perfect for her.
What's in store…
Coined as a contemporary bridal accessory store, Urban Bride offers a wide range of products at affordable prices, which vary depending on the product. But, to give you an idea, the average bride spends between $75 and $350 at Urban Bride.
Naming the entire, ever changing inventory would just waste valuable shopping time, so you should really just stop by Urban Bride to see for yourself. Alicia loved both the selection and the style of items she found at Urban Bride. She explained, "I think the name of the store says it all. Urban Bride's style is modern, classy and fun. While the store does carry 'traditional' items, I think the store caters to the bride who is looking for something fun and unique."
But, to give you an idea of some of the stuff Simona's got in store, here's a small list of a few of The Ring's favourite things:
• over 100 styles of bridal and bridal party shoes by Benjamin Walk and Dyeables, Allure Bridal Footwear, Coloriffics and the newest Nina Shoes - Bridal Collection from New York (for $ 75 to $ 200) with over 120 colour choices to dye them and also custom created colors. She also recently added Benjamin Adams and Pink by Paradox London to the list- two incredible designers that brides are thrilled about.
• hair jewellery, fascinators and feathers, bird cage veils , designed by Blair Nadeau Millinery from Toronto (for $35 to $150)
• custom designed veils, headpieces and bird cage veils that are custom made to match your gown for a fraction of the price, all locally made (in the Tri-cities and Toronto area, for $50 to $155)
• Couture style items made by local designers including Elegance by Del and Nancy Yule among the list of local finds at Urban Bride. Simona loves finding local artists who create some of the most stunning and unique wedding day pieces.
• Bridal and Evening clutches (for $40 to $75)
• Custom flower girl dresses in medieval, vintage and traditional styles (for $85 to $150)
• Garters by Mary Green or custom design (for $12 to $60)
For us, the absolute best part was the huge selection of different styles of modern shoes, including ones that can be dyed, which Simona says she can take care of for you, too. From glass sandals to sparkling silver shoes for both brides and her maids, Urban Bride would definitely be any shoe-shop-aholic's dream. The fancy flip flops are the best and are ideal for any bride whether she's getting married on a beach or just needs a comfy pair of shoes to dance the night away in.
Brides from Mississauga to London come to Urban Bride for their shoes as Simona told us she sells designer shoes that sell in Toronto for $300 - $ 350 (like Liz Rene Couture, Johnathan Kayne , Allure Bridals) sell for $200-250 at Urban Bride. Weekly orders are placed as Simona only carries samples in stock. "You should have your order within three weeks, at the latest, but sometimes as soon as two days," she adds. The colour manufacter's even work with gown designers to match the shoe colours to your gown - like Alfred Angelo, Bill Levkoff and Maggie Sottero. Or, you can give them a swatch of the dress and Simona will send it to them for an exact colour match.
Whatever it is you're looking for, we wouldn't be surprised if you found it, and the service you deserve, at Urban Bride – and brides agree. "I would highly recommend Urban Bride to any couple as it was a great choice for me," says Sylvia. "I would spread the word to any one I know who is getting married."
For Simona, it's all about carefully choosing the most beautiful options and accessories for the store that are both unique and affordable. Mara highly recommends Simona (and her store, of course) to any other couple getting married. "Much more personable than any other bridal salons, a great selections when it comes to shoes and hair accessories or any custom work." Urban Bride is a unique store that was much needed in this area.
New at Urban Bride
Simona is proud to introduce for 2013 Paradox London's Bridal Shoes - Benjamin Adams & PINK Collection. Today Paradox London is recognized as the market leader in the UK for bridal footwear. Their Collection of Benjamin Adams and Pink shoes combines the elegance to match every bride’s dream and it’s available to order at Urban Bride.
Urban Bride recently welcomed the work of UK designer, Wendy MacPherson, to the shop. Simona says that she's exclusive to Urban Bride and offers four main design styles (three peep –toe heels and one sandal) as well as many additional styles to choose from. The shoes are gorgeous and come in a variety of heel heights as well. From vintage to traditional and contemporary, the line is a new favourite at Urban Bride.
Customizing is key
Brides come to Urban Bride partly because they can choose from one of thousands of dyeable shoes, and partly because that's not the only thing you can customize here. Simona says that at Urban Bride, you can customize just about any fashion accessory. Shoes, flower girl dresses, veils, headpieces, fascinators (add feathers, flowers, crystals, pearls and more), and even jewellery. She is the only one in this area who carries Blair Nadeau Millinery’s beautiful feathers and fascinators.
Even the wedding favours in stock can be either engraved or personalized in some way.
The idea behind the products and custom options that Urban Bride offers, is Simona's dedication to her work. She is full of creative ideas and advice for all your wedding dilemmas, making everything more personalized and unique . In her opinion it's all about the brides, so with every new designer shoe line or accessories line she selects, she does so with one thing in mind: how can I do more for brides than they could expect anywhere else? And that's something that turns her brides into lifetime clients, long after the wedding day has come and gone.
Details, details, details
• Stop by Urban Bride in Downtown Galt (Cambridge) any time before your wedding during their store hours.
• Prices vary depending on what you buy, but the average bride spends between $75 and $350.
• Tip for your timeline: Plan ahead! Since the current trend for customized shoes is so popular (you can customize with colour, flowers, feathers and sparkle!), keep in mind that it generally takes two to three weeks for your shoes to come in. Even if you decide to buy off the rack, Simona will usually order your shoes in your size (don't expect to walk out of the store with them). Simona keeps her stock fresh and up to date by limiting the number of pairs in store.
