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Wedding central
One-stop shopping for that one big day

TERRY DUENNES/The Post

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There was a time not so long ago that brides-to-be were forced to traipse from store to store, driving from one end of town to the other, in search of the perfect dress, invitation, cake, caterer, florist and reception hall.

It's no wonder that the "happiest day" was often preceded by some of the most frustrating and certainly the most tiring.

But now brides (and grooms) can skip the shopping nightmare altogether and still have the wedding of

their dreams thanks to the vision of Jim and Donna Salyers and the completion of the Covington Wedding District. Anchored by Donna Salyers' Fabulous-Bridal Boutique and The Madison banquet hall owned by her husband, the addition of the 16-shop wedding mall allows couples to find everything they'll need - all brought together in a single location.

"This is going to be amazing," said Jessica Kern, who manages The Madison. "It's a fantastic concept, with everything just a step or two apart. Park once and you're ready to plan your big day from beginning to end. It takes so much of the usual hassle out of the picture."

Late last year, Donna Salyers, known worldwide for her luxurious and incredibly realistic faux furs, expanded her Covington-based business by opening Fabulous-Bridal Boutique.

The idea for the million-dollar mall project began with the immediate and dramatic success of that new venture as well as continuing growth of business at The Madison.

"We've been busy since the day the doors opened back in 1989," said Kern, speaking about the beautifully refurbished banquet hall, located in what was once the F.W. Woolworth building at 700 Madison Ave. "And the same is true for Fabulous-Bridal. Both businesses were constantly being asked for referrals to other wedding service suppliers. It happened so often that the mall concept seemed like the logical next step."

To that end, Jim Salyers purchased the property at 630 Madison (next to Covington City Hall) and issued an industry-wide invitation for wedding-related businesses to investigate the idea and the area. A tux shop, DJ services, and a graphics designer are among those who have or will be moving into the mall this week, joining Motchs Jewelers and

But first, the space was transformed with marble floors, elegant chandeliers and perhaps even a sense of magic.

"There's no question that most of our customers want us to help them create the wedding they've been dreaming of since they were little," said Tricia Schweitzer, general manager of Fabulous-Bridal. "We hear the term 'fairy tale wedding' a lot. We can take care of the gowns and accessories, and the venders in the mall will be there for other needs. And then there's The Madison for the rehearsal dinner, reception and sometimes even the wedding itself. Our customers will be assisted through the whole process to keep the pressure off while they make all the important decisions."

"The Covington Wedding District will be wonderful for our clients," she continued," and should benefit the city as well."

Kern agreed. "There's no question that this kind of business area will be good for Covington. The city is reaching out to individual artists and other businesses, hoping to build on what the Salyerses have started. The hope is that this will grow into a pedestrian-friendly district with appeal far beyond the wedding business."

She went on to point out that while florists, travel agents and invitation designers obviously play important roles when it comes to weddings, the companies that locate in the mall will serve much wider needs.

"Just the way Fabulous-Bridal carries dresses for proms and other formal occasions beyond wedding gowns and The Madison hosts business meetings and other social gatherings, the shops in the mall won't be 'weddings only' either," Kern said.

That point becomes clear if you speak with Kristen Folzenlogen, co-owner (with Phil James) of Letter Heads, Ltd., a graphic design firm that specializes in high-end social invitations and one of the tenants in the mall.

"We're a full-service graphics company," said Folzenlogen. "But designing distinctive invitations is the pet part of the job for me. We decided to move from Reading to Covington because we just weren't seeing the growth that we'd hoped for in Reading. If you look at the success of the Newport Levee and the MainStrasse area, this seems like the place to be right now."

That's especially true for one lucky couple. To encourage customers to take advantage of the new mall, a $25,000 dream wedding will be given away. Registration forms (due by Feb. 19) are available at Fabulous-Bridal Boutique and The Madison. Four finalists will be announced on Feb. 26 during the Perfect Wedding Guide show along with the date the grand prize winner will be announced.

Details are available through The Madison, (859) 261-1117; Donna Salyers' Fabulous-Bridal Boutique, (859) 291-9222; or online at www.fabulous-bridal.com/dream.htm and www.thecovingtonmadison.com/dream_giveaway.html.