Evermore Bridal Boutique’s Petersburg showroom
Evermore Bridal Boutique, owned and operated by sisters Rachel Hersh and Tammy Vreeland in Old Towne Petersburg, has been a family project from the beginning. “I have two daughters, and we would lay in bed when they were little and watch ‘Say Yes to the Dress,’” Vreeland says. When her own daughter got engaged, Vreeland says she “really wanted her to have all the experience, from beginning to end.” Their family found that high-end experience at Kleinfeld Bridal in New York (also the location where “Say Yes to the Dress” is filmed).
In opening Evermore in 2023, Vreeland says she wanted to bring that same feeling of personalized luxury to the Richmond area. “I hope that your wedding dress is in our store, but if it’s not, I want you to leave and still say it was the best experience you had,” she says.
Richmond Bride spoke with Hersh and Vreeland about selecting that perfect gown and the Evermore approach.
Tammy Vreeland and Rachel Hersh of Evermore Bridal Boutique
Richmond Bride: What is the boutique’s atmosphere?
Tammy Vreeland: From the moment that you walk through our doors, we think about everything — we think about color, what you smell, the sound you hear in the background. We try to keep it to a very private and intimate experience where our bride feels comfortable and beautiful and special.
RB: How do you assist clients with selecting their ensembles?
Rachel Hersh: [The stylists] really get to know the bride before she gets there and know what she thinks she likes. Now, a lot of times brides will leave with the dress they didn’t know they were going to love. So, the stylists also ask them to step outside their comfort zone and just try something.
RB: What should brides consider when they’re preparing to purchase?
Vreeland: One: Keep an open mind. Two: Bring in the things you know you like. The third [tip] is price point. We’re very proud that we offer an affordable starting point. You can buy a dress in our store for $500, and you can go up to about $4,000. So, we cater to every budget.
We’re also very, very proud that we are size inclusive. It makes me very sad when brides call me and they’ll say, “Do you have dresses I can actually try on? I’m a size 16.” Of course we do. If you’re a size 30, I have plenty of dresses you can try on. Every woman, in every shape and size, should have that magical moment. We have everything from a size 2 to a 32.
RB: Do you have a recommended local gown alterationist?
Vreeland: Miss Vivian [Peterson of Vivian Couture Bridal] worked in our shop when it first opened, and she has her own shop. Her work is unparalleled. A bride can go to any alterations specialist she’s interested in, but we can give them Miss Vivian’s name and feel confident that they are going to be happy.
RB: Can Evermore outfit the rest of the wedding party?
Vreeland: We keep Evermore completely for the bride, but we have a sister boutique called Glitter and Lace Formals, on Midlothian Turnpike in [Chesterfield County], where we have a full offering of mother-of-the-bride, mother-of-the-groom and bridesmaid [apparel]. You can make an appointment here, and we can outfit the whole team.
Hersh: We partner with Generation Tux, from the owner of Men’s Wearhouse. It’s completely online, which sounds strange, but they have created this perfect algorithm. You answer a few questions, your weight, your waist size, and they send your tuxedo to you two weeks prior to the wedding. And then you have a week after the wedding to return all of the borrowed items.
RB: What’s next for Evermore?
Vreeland: Old Towne Petersburg is important to us. We’re moving from the 100 block of Sycamore Street down into the historic district, which is the 400 block. We’ll open the first week in June [2025] there, and it’s going to be a fairytale look and feel, like Belle’s ballroom in “Beauty and the Beast.”
