A Unique Shop
New Mother of the Bride reality TV show to be based in Houston, highlighting theother woman
Barbara Tibbetts, left, and Terrie Tibbetts Martin already help soon-to-bemothers of the bride and groom find the perfect dress. And now they'll do it onTV.
T. Carolyn Fashions bridal shop in Vintage Park CenterT. Carolyn Fashions
The cast: Margaret, Dante, Barbara and Terrie
In 1991, T. Carolyn Fashions opened as Houston's first boutique specializing in dresses for the mother of the bride and groom — with just 54 dresses in a tiny strip center storefront.
Mother-daughter pair Barbara Tibbetts and Terrie Tibbetts Martin promise to help the other important woman at the wedding (i.e., mom) find a dress in the correct color, and in the most flattering fit.
Over more than 20 years in business, the shop has steadily gained clientele and now, worldwide exposure — first with the release of Tibbetts' book, I Want My Mother's Dress to Match the Napkins, which is now being used as fodder for a new reality TV show, Mother of the Bride.
"It will be kind of like Say Yes to the Dress, only we're more interested in the stories. How the bride and groom met and things like that," Tibbetts tells CultureMap.
Tibbetts hopes it will be more of a "lifestyle program" than a "reality show," with an educational element and plenty of style tips that viewers can use.
"It will be kind of like Say Yes to the Dress, only we're more interested in the stories. How the bride and groom met and things like that," Tibbetts tells CultureMap.
And, as I learned during our conversation, many of those stories are priceless. From the groom falling into a baptistery just minutes before the ceremony, to a woman being buried in a borrowed dress, Tibbetts and Martin have seen and heard it all.
"I mean, you couldn't make these up," Tibbetts laughs.
The project has been in the works for more than two years, and the show's first 13 episodes are currently being bid on by several U.S. broadcasters (though the official announcement has not yet been made, the production companies, RTR Media and Citizen Skull, have worked with clients like HGTV, the Food Network, Comcast's Style Network and W Network in the past).
The producers are currently hosting an open casting call for mothers in the market for the perfect dress. Shooting is scheduled to begin at the 6,500 square foot store on April 24 but, Tibbetts promises, there's more than enough room and consultants for the film crews and the regular shoppers.
Agua by Agua Bendita, the beloved Colombian brand known for its hand-embroidered artistry and deep reverence for Latin American culture, will debut is Spring/Summer collection in Houston. Photo courtesy of Agua by Agua Bendita/Facebook
