43
Owner's poodle inspires name for Poland wedding, event shop
Photo
Linda Fowler of Poland shows off merchandise in her newly opened South Main Street wedding-planning business, Black Dog: Wedding and Special Event Design. The shop is designed to help brides bring to life the vision they have of their big day.
Photo
This wedding cake greets customers as they enter Black Dog: Wedding and Special Event Design in Poland.
Owner’s poodle inspires name for Poland wedding, event shop
POLAND
It started with A doodle. Linda Fowler was brainstorming when she absentmindedly sketched her miniature black poodle, Gucci, wearing a top hat.
Inspiration struck, and her new business finally had a name, Black Dog: Wedding and Special Event Design.
Fowler has operated her interior decorating studio, Behind Closed Doors, in Poland for more than 20 years.She recently opened her wedding enterprise.
While focusing on Behind Closed Doors, Fowler would decorate two or three weddings annually but couldn’t take on more as she and her husband, Tom Fowler, raised their children, Jade and Ross.
“It’s a lot of weekends, and it takes months to building a vision for a wedding,” Linda said.
Jade, now 24, is Linda’s partner in Black Dog, on South Main Street.
Linda said she starts consultations by asking brides, who usually take the lead in wedding planning, about their style, bridal gown, family, traditions and religion.
“Everyone has traditions, but I see a difference here [in the Valley]. Family is so important,” she said.
Sometimes a bride already has a picture in her mind, Linda said, but often the most difficult point is getting her to divulge a budget.
“With a limited budget, you have to get clever. I need to come up with something that will fit the budget, but still look rich. I don’t want to short sell my name,” Linda said.
In the spirit of today’s royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton, Linda is offering a bridal shower giveaway. Contestants should email Linda at blackdogdesign@att.net and explain why they or someone they know should win a bridal shower, including details such as a head count and shower location.
The prize for the winning entry is the whole package: tablecloths, centerpieces and anything visual, Linda said.
The Mahoning Valley is home to many weddings each year as brides and grooms travel to their childhood homes and churches, said Lori Dubasik, owner of Evaline’s Bridal in Warren and member of the Mahoning Valley Wedding Network.
Dubasik said more and more wedding vendors have to have to be able to give referrals and offer planning advice.
“I think people are looking for that day-of planner. ...People are still wanting that expertise advice,” she said.
The Mahoning Valley Wedding Network is a group of 30 wedding vendors, including planners such as Pat Butto & The Party People, that cover all aspects of weddings.
“More and more brides are like, ‘I have my ring. Now what? Where do I start planning?’ They’ve never done this before, and they want to do it right,” Dubasik said.
Linda said she looks forward to helping brides find the right design for their special day.
“Everybody likes a wedding. It’s a happy occasion. A lot of work, exhausting work, goes into it, but it’s fun,” she said.