What may have started as a little girl’s dream has blossomed into something much more as the three-generation team behind Cotton and Sage has taken their talents to the east side of F Street in Oakdale and launched the newly opened KC Bridal Co.

Located at 1220 East F, the team of Kaylee Cogburn, Ashley Harris and Lucy Lloyd have embarked upon a business which initially had a five-year plan of bringing to fruition.

A self-proclaimed wedding enthusiast, Cogburn, the youngest of the trio and the “KC” of KC Bridal Co., shared the conversation and plan first was sparked int the fall of 2022 when her mother Ashley was planning her February wedding. Insistent that her mom visit a bridal boutique and have a proper bride-to-be experience, the two began kicking the idea around with Lucy (Kaylee’s grandmother and Ashley’s mother).

“I’ve always loved weddings and I was obsessed with planning mine since I was eight,” Coburn shared, noting that while that has yet to happen, she’s been creating her Pinterest board of the perfect day for years.

“I love wedding dresses. That’s the most fun part of putting together your own wedding, so it was kind of this crazy idea,” she continued of the idea the trio shared to open a boutique.

As the Cotton and Sage founders toyed with the idea, they felt it was a definite niche which was unfulfilled in Oakdale and nearby communities; not dissimilar to their current boutique when it was first launched. With their sense of style and Cogburn’s passion it was something worth exploring.

“We had a five-year plan. We thought in five years we’ll find another spot and that’s when we’ll make it happen,” Harris said.

What seemed like a great plan, was quickly expedited when two weeks later the trio learned that the East F Street location would be coming available in early 2023. Noting it as the perfect location, with little to do by way of interior work, the three women jumped on the opportunity.

“I got really excited. I had always loved being part of Cotton and Sage. When she called me and said that we had something, it made it very real,” Cogburn said, sharing that prior to the launch of KC Bridal she had maintained work at Starbucks, as well as part-time work at Cotton and Sage. This would be a completely new endeavor for the youngest owner.

“KC Bridal is Kaylee’s baby,” Harris said of her daughter’s commitment to the business, as well as the vision.

Taking over the keys to the new building in mid-February, with a Grand Opening scheduled for mid-April, the family quickly got to work. The trio shared that with everything happening so quickly they kept waiting for that one hurdle or hiccup which is known to happen when starting a new business, yet it didn’t happen. Everything continued to go smoothly from the time they decided on the building.

“It was a lot of planning, but there wasn’t a lot of physical changes,” Lloyd said of starting the boutique.

Fitting rooms were built out, platforms put into place, light fixtures hung and couches delivered, creating a beautiful and inspiring bridal boutique.

“Everything is so beautiful,” Coburn said of facing the challenge to select the right gowns for the boutique space. “You have to narrow it down to what you really like and what styles you need. You need a little bit of everything for everybody.”

Harris shared their bridal reps were very helpful with choosing styles and sizes for the region. The shop currently hosts five different designers and a range of styles, as well as sizes. The boutique also offers a variety of bridal accessories, wedding party gifts and personalized gift options.

“If you want full attention or you need help being styled, you need to make an appointment,” Harris shared, regarding the retail side and accessories.

While that shop is still fine tuning the retail hours of the business, appointments are necessary for wedding dress try-ons. This ensures proper attention for the bride-to-be, as well as quality service for that special day.

“I think brides will feel very comfortable here,” Lloyd said of the space.

“In a sense I feel like I have so much freedom, but not any at all,” Cogburn said of transitioning to full-time, hands on, business owner. “No one else is telling me what to do. I have to tell myself what to do, because this is the brand I want to create for people. So, I want to make sure it’s good.”

And as the namesake for the business, the entrepreneur wants it to be all that a bride might hope for in one space.

“It’s better than my Pinterest boards ever could have been,” she said of the finished product. “I’m a big part of this. This was my passion project and this was what I wanted to do. So I do feel a different sense of responsibility.”

“I think it was time for Oakdale to have a bridal boutique,” Lloyd concluded. “The response from everyone has been so positive and welcoming.”

For appointments and boutique details, visit www.kcbridalco.com.