Lisa Filter
Hometown: O'Hara
Business: This Magic Moment Bridal Studio
Leisure time: Driving dek hockey and basketball carpools
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Updated 12 hours ago
In late winter, bridal shows pop up like crocuses and brides start to worry about turning into “bridezillas.”
“Those shows have ruined the business,” Lisa Filter of O'Hara says with a distinctive laugh.
She wants weddings — and planning them — to be fun, not something that makes your stomach sick or eyes pop out. That's why she and her partner, Mashel Rathmell, opened This Magic Moment Bridal Salon in Hampton. It's more than a business. It's a small oasis for brides-to-be.
Filter's advice: “Don't be nervous about the bridal experience. Relax. Make good memories.”
Filter and Rathmell make moments to remember at their high-end boutique. They have more than 300 dresses, discounted 20 to 80 percent, ready for the bride-to-be to take home. All are fashioned with high-quality details such as Swarovski crystal, draping satin, and intricate lace, stitched carefully to last a 12 hour day — until the last dance.
“A bridal gown is the most exquisite garment you'll ever wear. Express yourself. Let it come out,” Filter says.
Even if the bride is a blue-jean fashionista, buying “the” dress to be the center of attention should be a fun experience, she adds.
The 15,000-square-foot shop is spun sugar with pink walls, complimentary chocolate, leather sofas and white wine. The bride and her guests take over the store. The owners listen carefully to the bride's thoughts and wishes, then the entourage is let loose into the racks to search the designer confections.
There are 72 different whites used to make bridal dresses, but champagne-blush is the most popular.
In the end, the bride is set on a pedestal and finds her match. The crowning touch is a veil and the beaming bride is caught in the moment with a picture.
“I love to see them pick [a dress]. It is playing dress up. They have to feel beautiful. It's all about the experience,” Filter said.
For Filter, opening her own business has been an exhilarating experience, too. At first she was doing “pop-up” sales — driving a truck and pulling a monster trailer packed with designer dresses. She traveled the tri-state area and set up tents. When the engine blew up, she switched gears and started designing her fantasy store for brides.
Located at the old Route 8 Plaza near the end of Harts Run Road in Hampton, it is only 15 minutes from her Driftwood Drive home.
A 1987 Fox Chapel Area alumnae, Filter graduated from Ohio State University and earned her MBA at the University of Pittsburgh. She tapped into her business and graphic design degree at the start-up of This Magic Moment, saving money by designing the store's graphics. She uses technology for inventory and bookwork. However, she credits Rathmell for cultivating creativity.
Their next step is to expand. Since the salon concentrates on one customer at a time, they are booked up with appointments for three months out. While expansion is the goal, Filter expects any new employee to buy into the highest level of customer care, which the partners promise.
While the business is all about girl time, Filter's life is centered on her boys — Jack, 11, and Ethan, 10. They are busy with sports and school, and mom is busy with family care. She follows her advice here, too, and enjoys the experience.
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