“Since I was a little girl I wanted to get married, be a mom, and own a business. There was also the odd dream of becoming Miss World but that’s beside the point, today I get to be all the things I have always wanted to be.”
Karlien Jonker, owner of Bridal Emporium – an exclusive bridal boutique in the heart of the Free State, says that she arrived in the City of Roses having followed the love of my life. She has been married for the last decade and they have two beautiful children.
“In no particular order, being a kick-ass mom, avoiding premature wrinkles and creating a bridal studio where our client’s expectations are consistently exceeded… These are the things that motivate and inspire everything I do at home and behind the scenes.”
She says her wedding was a whirlwind romance, they met through a mutual friend in July of 2012 and tied the knot in an intimate ceremony on the beach in Mauritius in December of that same year. “I think everything was exactly as it was supposed to be at that moment. If I had to change something I would have loved a South-African photographer, we have some of the best in the world but all things considered, it was perfect.”
She goes on to explain that they say you cry when you move to Bloemfontein, and you cry when you leave. “This could not have been truer for me. When I first moved here I cried almost every day for a year but now I can’t imagine living anywhere else. Bloemfontein is the perfect big city with small-town values, incredible schools, incredible people, and we even have a Starbucks!”
“I would like to say the stars aligned and the industry chose me, but it took a few years of working in corporate, a relocation, and some introspection.” She worked as a bridal consultant initially, but then she attended her first bridal show in Amsterdam and her passion for bridal gowns and ‘stroopwafels’ just took off. It was like fuel to my flame and I have never looked back.”
Karlien says that Bridal has been her baby for the last 8 years. “We specialise in bringing the best the international bridal industry has to offer to our bride’s doorstep. There is something incredible about having a bride walk in, opening her eyes to silhouettes and styles she never thought she could wear, to play a part in building that confidence, it’s beautiful and inspiring.”
On the question of what inspires her: “At the risk of sounding extremely cheesy, life. Life is worth celebrating. The good and the bad. The failures and the success stories. Realising it is not a given, it is not guarantee so I try celebrate every new arrival in store, every school pick up, every dinner at home, every morning coffee with my husband, every moment of growth with my team, absolutely everything is worth celebrating. Even your daily steps.”
She also has to attend international bridal shows in the fashion capitals of the world a few times a year. “It is tough, but someone has to do it,” she jokes.
Karlien says she chooses a new wedding dress every week with all the new arrivals in store; “It’s completely normal to do an annual vowel renewal right?” But what is important to remember is that you need to LOVE your wedding dress.
“You need to be completely in love with it because no one else is going to wear it. You have to completely own that moment, it’s all you.”
In 2023, at Bridal Emporium, they look forward to their new collections which are in the pipeline, and bringing the runway to the everyday bride-to-be. “Our most extensive and exclusive Ukranian collection has just arrived in store and with Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week hot on its heels in April, we cannot wait to reveal our newest additions in the studio.”
Text: SAZLY MOSES Photographer: GYPSEENIA LION
