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'A surreal surprise': Sask. bridal shop featured in British Vogue Magazine

It started as a simple email that Morgan Mayer wasn't sure was real. British Vogue Magazine had reached out and wanted to feature Mayer's shop, Sweet Pea & Noelle Bridal Boutique in their magazine.

"It was a little surreal," Mayer told CBC's Saskatchewan Weekend. "It's honestly one of those things that you never expect. It was such a surreal surprise."

The June 2019 edition of British Vogue is out now, with the Regina shop included in its "what's new and cool in bridal" section.

Sweet Pea & Noelle Bridal Boutique/Instagram
Sweet Pea & Noelle Bridal Boutique/Instagram

Mayer didn't always know she wanted to have a bridal shop. The idea started while on a backpacking trip to Bali.

"While I was there, I loved seeing how local everything was. I liked seeing the appreciation of the artisans that were there and just how important it was to the economy," she said. "That really kind of struck a chord."

Mayer came back to Canada with an idea, and one year and nine months later Sweet Pea & Noelle Bridal Boutique opened its doors. The shop's been open since 2015.

"It's been so wonderful and the community has been so great," she said. "It was definitely the right path."

Sweet Pea & Noelle Bridal Boutique/Instagram
Sweet Pea & Noelle Bridal Boutique/Instagram

What makes their shop stand out is that they carry exclusively 100 per cent Canadian-made gowns, Mayer said. The business is completely female-run, co-owned by Mayer and her sister Brittany Holowaty.

"[Holowaty] is really the only person I trust to do things the way I think they should be done," she said. "She was my number one support from the get-go."

Mayer also had support from her parents and partner while starting, but it was a difficult road.

"It was a lot of research, it was a lot of time," she said. "Just everything fell into place the way it needed to, when it needed to. I was really lucky there weren't too many holes to jump through or fires to put out."

Another aspect Mayer likes to highlight is the eco-friendliness of the business. The Canadian designers will cut patterns specifically to reduce waste and any left over fabric is donated for pillow stuffing or other uses.

Sweet Pea & Noelle Bridal Boutique/Instagram
Sweet Pea & Noelle Bridal Boutique/Instagram

In the June edition of British Vogue, Sweet Pea & Noelle is featured alongside designers, locations, hair stylists and makeup artists. It also happens to have Madonna on the cover, which filled Mayer with pride.

"[It] was just the cherry on top to the most amazing opportunity," Mayer said. "I found it so empowering, to be able to share that with Madonna."

Sweet Pea & Noelle Bridal Boutique/Instagram
Sweet Pea & Noelle Bridal Boutique/Instagram

Friends overseas are buying editions and shipping them over, she said. She said she wants to have one in her home and an original in the store.

In the future, Mayer said she hopes to expand the business to include specific stores for bridesmaids and mothers of the bride.

"I'm very much a sky's the limit person," she said.

"Having my sister along this incredible journey with me is so special."