about tesori
Tesori Bridal opened its doors in 2010 as a woman owned and operated business, founded by Erin Bridges & Lindsey McGaugh. What started as an upscale women’s clothing boutique evolved over the course of three years, transitioning into formal wear and special event dresses which eventually led to its best iteration–bridal.
Erin saw a need for a boutique bridal salon in Northwest Arkansas and by 2015, Tesori transitioned to become one of the region's most well-known bridal gown destinations. At Tesori Bridal, we believe that every woman deserves to feel treasured in preparation for her special day.
What truly sets Tesori Bridal apart is our exceptional staff. Over the years, we have had the pleasure of hiring talented, genuine, and knowledgeable women who form a tight-knit family within our smaller staff. When you walk through our doors, you'll be greeted by a team that believes in celebrating your love story in a way that honors you.
As you enter Tesori Bridal, take a moment to breathe. Trust that you are in the right place. Our staff are professional dreammakers, ready to immerse themselves in your vision and help bring it to life. We invite you to come with an open mind, allowing us to show you the dream version of yourself for your wedding day.
Our carefully handpicked collections cater to every bride and her unique vision. Whether you're looking for a traditional gown or something more contemporary, we are here to assist you in curating your one of a kind look. We pay attention to every detail, ensuring that you feel confident and excited about your special day.
Let’s celebrate your love story!
stacey and carly
MEET THE OWNERS
From strangers, to coworkers, to best friends and now also business partners, magic happens when these two put their heads together.
In 2018, both Carly and Stacey joined Tesori’s staff as part time bridal consultants. They quickly realized how well they worked in tandem with each other, and could nearly always pick up right where the other left off, without anything said! They both adored working with brides, and absorbed as much information about our designers and dresses as they could, eager to always learn and know more to better serve each bride who walked through Tesori’s door.
As time went on, Carly got married (actually at Tesori’s Founder, Erin’s, house due to COVID) and moved to Chicago with her husband, Mason, where she started working in bridal wholesale in 2020, while Stacey excelled as Tesori’s Store Manager. Stacey later joined Carly in bridal wholesale in 2022, where they once again got to work together and strengthen their friendship, working partnership, designer relationships, and bridal skillsets.
With both of them now having backgrounds in operations, logistics, sales, and management in bridal retail and wholesale - it was truly a full circle, dream opportunity to be able to become Tesori’s Co-Owners in 2024.
Stacey lives in Fayetteville full time with Lee and their pup, Murphy. They are season ticket holders in the Fall and are always ready to Call Those Hogs! (Even when the Razorbacks aren’t having the best season…) and is often cheering them on at many other UofA sport games. Stacey strikes the perfect balance of creative, yet organized. She is driven, has a “get stuff done” kind of attitude, and will always show up and be there when you need her - no questions asked. She is the queen of spreadsheets, notebooks, and having whatever you need written down and saved somewhere!
Carly splits her time between Chicago and Fayetteville with Mason. She calls this split of time the best of both worlds - getting the walkable city life in Chicago part time, yet also the close knit, sweet community driven and homey feel from Fayetteville on the other days. Carly loves to read (often fantasy, romance…. or both!) and enjoys plane hopping between her two cities and experiencing other places. Though she has a fiery spirit, she takes its intensity and expels it through compassion, kindness, and integrity for her craft, brides, and loved ones. With her open-mindedness and love for efficiency, you can be rest assured she will conquer anything that is thrown her way swiftly with grace and passion.
Most likely to: be spotted together, when not at Tesori, either at Onyx or Theo’s Happy Hour
MEET the TEAM
Ashton
STORE MANAGER
Store Manager. Bridal Consultant. Photographer Liaison. Florist. Bride Advocate. Creative Director. Unofficial Barbecue food critic, Professional Bow tie-er… what are we missing?
A central Missouri Native, Ashton moved to Northwest Arkansas in 2021, wanting a change of scenery after graduating from Missouri State University in the middle of the pandemic. With a new Bachelor’s Degree in Interior Design, Ashton put her creativity and business mindedness together and created Ash Floral Co. She loves celebrating every kind of love story, and having her floral business really fostered her passion for design, well executed plans and working with a client to achieve something beautiful.
In November of 2021, Ashton came to Tesori to drop off Ash Floral Co. business cards and left as a Bridal Consultant. She set off a creative wildfire in Tesori and the store’s relationship with local vendors has grown considerably since her arrival. Having worked in every aspect of the hospitality industry since she was 15, Ashton has some gifts that can only come from experience. No one can understand a mood board, tell you what you need to hear, fix a problem with some super glue and bobby pins or whip up an Excel spreadsheet like Ashton can. In August 2022, she transitioned into the role of Store Manager, which she stepped into gracefully. Ashton is the ringleader of our organized chaos and she brings out the best in each of us!
We are proud to say that Ashton is actually a #tesoriwifey herself! She went to Dallas, Texas with Jack (her ridiculously tall and buff fiance) in November for a weekend getaway and came home with THE ring! She finally “said yes to the dress” in February of this year, and we are all on the edge of our seats to show y’all the gown reveal in April 2024. When Ashton isn’t snuggling with Abe, their golden retriever (the goodest boy), or going on a foodie adventure with her fiance, Ashton loves to travel. She juggles so many different roles at Tesori, but as long as you get her a largeicedblondiehalfsweet from 7 brew when her eyes get a little crazy, she is truly our best asset. We don’t know what we would do without her passion for the store and for her brides.
Most likely to: tell a bride that her opinion is the only one that matters and she can be as picky as she wants because it’s her day! (oops!)
Abby
Say hello to our Bridal Consultant, Abby! The youngest on our team, Abby started part-time at Tesori while completing her senior year of high school at Shiloh Christian School. Abby joined her future sister-in-law during her bridal appointment and the rest is history! She is a full time student at the University of Arkansas studying Apparel Merchandising and Product Development and is a proud member of the Pi Beta Phi Sorority. In her free time, Abby plays pickle ball with her friends and reads at local coffee shops.
Born and raised in Fayetteville, Abby brings so much of her love of NWA into our workplace, her perspective is so youthful, trendy, and fun (and occasionally gluten free 😉). Her easy going personality and patience with our crazy Saturday’s makes her perfect for her job. Abby always steps in to fill in the cracks and ensures that every bride is treated to the full Tesori experience from the moment they walk in the door ‘til the champagne toast. Hopefully we get to keep her forever!
Most likely to: wear something Blair Waldorf approved
LEAD BRIDAL STYLIST
Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, Reagan currently calls Fayetteville home as she is a student at the University of Arkansas. Initially on the path to a business degree, she soon discovered her true passion for blending business and fashion. She is now studying Apparel Merchandising and Product Development as her love for the industry runs deep. Reagan is also a spirited member of the Kappa Delta sorority!
When she’s not at Tesori, you can find her hiking with friends or cuddling up with her adorable dog, Bailey. Reagan is a total romantic and has a special love for weddings—there’s nothing quite like the magical moment when a bride says “yes” to her perfect dress! She adores reading, cooking, and Italian mob movies, and each season, she eagerly curates her Pinterest boards to predict the newest fashion trends. With her flair for fashion and an eye for detail, Reagan is excited to bring her creativity and enthusiasm to the Tesori team!
Most likely to: have her own handwritten Tesori handbook
BRIDAL STYLIST
Reagan
erin bridges
MEET OUR FOUNDER
Born and raised in northwest Arkansas, Erin deeply deserves her role as a pillar in this community. She is a proud alumni of The University of Arkansas, where she cheered for the 1994 National Championship basketball team as a member of the Razorback pom squad. After earning a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, Erin jumped headfirst into the retail world at age 19.
Erin's love for all things makeup and skincare led her to Estee Lauder during her college years, where she honed her skills, discovered her business acumen and obtained her estheticians license. In 2000, Erin, alongside her sister Linden, took this passion and opened her first business - Glo Limited. Glo was a pioneering high-end makeup and skincare boutique in an era without Sephora.
After Glo became established and successful, Erin decided to sell the business and embrace her role as a full-time mom to her amazing kids, Elissa and Evan. In 2010, after a few years of hiatus from the work world, Erin and Lindsey came together and created Tesori, although neither of them knew quite what all Tesori would mean to so many women in NWA.
The magic Erin has instilled in Tesori will be cherished for many years to come.