Shop Spotlight: Joan's Bridal Couture

A sneak peek at Joan Madison's collection for the upcoming Fashion Week Columbus

Columbus Bride recently had the chance to chat with Joan Madison, owner of Joan's Bridal Couture. The shop has been a bridal and prom fixture in Reynoldsburg for nearly a decade, and showcases both designer and custom-made wedding gowns.

Madison, who has been designing for 25 years, creates handcrafted dresses in three to six months. "I have a consultation with the bride and she gives me her thoughts on what she's looking for," says Madison of the design process. "Then we'll do a fitting in muslin and go from there. I don't cut anything in fabric until it's signed off by the bride. You can have anything you want, like the top of one dress and the bottom of another. I help them get the dress of their dreams. It's great for the brides who don't know exactly what they want." Custom gowns begin at $2,500.

If you visit Joan's Bridal Couture, you'll notice two storefronts: One is the bridal boutique; the other houses special occasion dresses, bridesmaid dresses, prom dresses, mother of the bride dresses and tuxedos. Along with seven or eight lines of bridesmaid dresses, Joan's carries designer wedding gowns from Allure, Jasmine and Symphony. "It's fun to see that the whole spectrum of bridal isn't just ivory and white anymore," says Madison of current bridal trends. "There are a lot of champagne and blush gowns."

Also in Madison's repertoire? Designing pieces for Fashion Week Columbus. Her work has been featured in both the Finale Runway Show as well as the Bridal Show. "With Fashion Week Columbus, I get to show my creativity," she says.

For more information and for a sampling of the shop's offerings, visit JoansBridalCouture.com.

-Heather Weekley, @heather_weekley

One of Madison's custom gowns

Madison's vision board