Today we’d like to introduce you to Shayna Pondozzi.
Hi Shayna, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I began working in bridal over 10 years ago when I was 19. It was something that I fell into + I started as a stylist. The bridal industry truly saved me. It gave me purpose and it made me feel like I was a part of something important. I have been plus size my entire life, so when I discovered that a curvy bridal boutiques was opening in Jacksonville, FL I knew it was something that I wanted to be a part of.
Curve Bridal Collection is the outcome of Love, A Bridal Boutique and One Bridal. Their owners, Melissa Monneypenny (Love) and Danielle Currie (One), along with the Director of Stores, Laney Maddox, came together in 2021 to give mid and plus-size brides a one-of-a-kind experience. Our owners firmly believe that there should be no limits to finding your dream dress and saw an opportunity to make that happen. And such was born an exclusive bridal boutique, Curve Bridal Collection, which caters specifically to curvy brides. Instead of carrying just a few gowns in curvy sizes like most bridal boutiques, their vision was to have an entire boutique catered exclusively to the curvy bride. Not only will you find 200+ sample gowns in bridal sizes 18-38 to try on during your appointment, but you’ll also feel comfortable, beautiful, and celebrated.
I joined the team in 2022 and became the Store Manager in 2023. To say that this journey has been anything less than a dream come true would be a lie. I am so blessed to be able to work under such strong, passionate women. Their love for all things bridal and the time and care they take to make sure that every bride that walks through the threshold of their stores has the most amazing experience is remarkable.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Curve Bridal Collection was created during a time when there was little to no representation for the curvy woman; however, we understood far too well that attempting to carry every style gown in every size range was difficult. We simply couldn’t agree with curvy brides constantly being limited and felt that there should be an option in every single style available to try on. As the only exclusively curvy bridal boutique in Florida, we were doing something different, but we felt that it was needed.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Curve Bridal Collection?
Curve Bridal Collection is the only mid/plus-size exclusive boutique in Florida. We carry bridal gowns in bridal sizes 18-38 and offer a one-on-one luxury wedding dress shopping experience for all our brides. We carry over 200+ gowns that have been carefully selected by our owners to ensure that our brides are shopping the best quality, structure, and style. Our owners and expert stylists have a combined 30+ years of experience and are passionate and dedicated to making sure that every bride has the experience they’ve always dreamed of, without the worry or fear that their size might limit them, because we believe that it shouldn’t.
The Curve Bridal experience is different because it gives our bride the opportunity to try on whatever they would like. We have over 200 gowns in every style imaginable and you are able to put it on your body and see what it would look like on your wedding day and feel confident ordering it. This is what makes Curve different. Because it completely alleviates that anxiety that you won’t walk away feeling beautiful and confident. Or that you couldn’t fit into anything.
How do you think about happiness?
I have had the honor of meeting the most remarkable women on my journey with Curve. Lawyers, teachers, artists, mothers, entrepreneurs, the list is endless. All strong, powerful, successful, and intelligent women. These women have given me the most incredible gift and taught me that being beautiful isn’t based on a beauty standard. It’s being surrounded by your family and friends that see you and know you for your true self. And for the few short hours that I am helping these women find the most perfect dress for the most perfect day, I watch them discover that they aren’t limited by their size, and most importantly, I see them realize that they have found their person that loves them unconditionally. And hopefully, even just for a moment, they get a chance to see for themselves just how beautiful their partner thinks they are. This is what makes me happy. And it’s why I love what I do.
Pricing:
- $1,500 -$6,000
Contact Info:
- Website: https://curvebridalcollection.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/curvebridalcollection
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/curvebridalcollection
- Other: https://tiktok.com/curvebridalcollection
