The year is 2010. Kerrie Hileman, a newly engaged accountant, has found herself frustrated with the wedding gown offerings in her hometown of Jacksonville, Florida. Lack of privacy and no personal touches made wedding dress shopping feel more like a chore than the special experience she hoped for. And in that moment, an idea was born. After pushing numbers around a spreadsheet paired with the dissatisfied feeling of her current career, Kerrie decided to start her own bridal boutique.

 

Several months later, The White Magnolia opened its doors for the first time in Jacksonville. Within a few years, the store experienced tremendous growth and opened its second Florida location in Tampa. During a girls’ getaway in 2014, Kerrie met fellow accountant Mallory Thorburn through mutual friends. After detailing her disappointing experiences shopping for a wedding dress, the two decided to join forces. Mallory and Kerrie became official co-owners of the business and, in the same year, opened The White Magnolia in Atlanta. 

 

With Mallory by her side and a third store in the fold, Kerrie felt ready to grow The White Magnolia even more – confident she had the formula, tools and experience to branch out into additional markets. The Greenville, South Carolina, store opened in 2016, followed by Palm Beach and Savannah in 2019. Though each store has a similar overall feel, they are not simply duplicates of each other. Mallory oversees each store’s design and overall aesthetic, aiming to make each store unique to its market. The Atlanta store, for example, sits in a cozy 1930s cottage home, while The White Magnolia Palm Beach embraces an industrial vibe with sixteen-foot ceilings and exposed wooden rafters. Inventory is similar between stores, but not identical, as Kerrie and Mallory adjust gowns and designers based on exclusivity and market research. In October 2021, the seventh White Magnolia boutique opened in Nashville. 

Located in historic downtown, The White Magnolia is one of Franklin’s newest neighbors. A cozy cottage feel with bright, open windows invites you to experience a warm and sentimental moment with loved ones. The sophisticated yet relaxed atmosphere allows brides to feel at home in a private suite, just for them. A unique element to each store, including Nashville, is the ninety-minute bridal appointment – a personal one-on-one shopping experience with a dedicated bridal stylist. The light and airy gown room is where all bridal dreams come true, housing top designer names like Made With Love, Martina Liana, Kelly Faetanini, Zavana Bridal, Mikaella, Paloma Blanca, Watters and so many more. In January, Kerrie and Mallory launched The First Look Collection, an exclusive line of wedding gowns only available at White Magnolia boutiques. When a bride chooses The White Magnolia, they can not only expect a curated gown collection of unique silhouettes and styles, but an experience not found anywhere else. 

 

To schedule your appointment, visit whitemagnoliabridal.com/nashville. To see offerings and find inspiration, visit their Instagram and TikTok, @whitemagnoliabridal.