Pearl and Birch Wedding Consignments
539 St. Mary's Road R2M 3L4 Winnipeg, MB, Canada

I may be brick & mortar, but my industry is drowning. And there seems to be no help in sight. This community has always welcomed me with open arms. I remember emailing Jackie at the wedding show before my storefront opened and wondering how I was going to market my unknown idea at the largest industry event of the year. She had the wisdom and kindness to place me next to Nina from @cakestudiowpg who took me under her wing. She offered gentle suggestions between casual conve...rsation & helped me get my booth ready. Nina and David left me a bouquet of flowers before leaving that weekend. I felt welcome. I have met so many talented and driven people who care deeply for their craft in the Manitoba wedding world. The photographers & videographers, such visionaries who literally help you see your own life through a fresh lens. Officiants who find a way to express everything you never knew you felt about your partner & the forever that stands before you. Venue owners that take so much pride in the stage you have chosen for this next act. Decor and linen providers who set the scene so seamlessly. Florists whose vision & skill connect us to the delicate forces of nature and make breathtaking works of art. Makeup artists who draw out our inner beauty even though their job seems to be all about the surface. Hairstylists that create a sense of carefree confidence most of us don’t have as our everyday selves. Seamstresses that personalize a garment to accentuate your every movement in your gown. DJ’s that provide the soundtrack to our lives and the desire to dance everything out. And the planners who move mountains and make magic by weaving all of these contributions together culminating in the flawless execution of your wildest dreams. Imagine putting on a show every weekend, where the cast and crew always changes but the end result is always a standing ovation. This isn’t Broadway, this is the Manitoba wedding community at work for you. Cont...

Oh hey, it’s me. I’m. Still. Here. Over the last several months we have focused on serving our clients. We have been quiet on social media, but what has been going in within our four walls has been truly inspirational. And although I am broken by the reality of having to close again I am deeply grateful to my staff @tiaranicolephotography @maggielysack @janessa11220 Teagan and our seamstress @adriannehilldesigns for their commitment and care with my business and, most impor...tantly, towards our guests. To the brides who have trusted us to serve them during this tumultuous time, we know you could shop anywhere. And it’s so amazing to be seen. And chosen. And loved by you. To the consignors who create the community we seek to provide through the passing of their dresses, we appreciate your gift so very much. And to the people who don’t let me feel sorry for myself @sweet.mama.t @nmrk204 and @jsh.murdock thank you for continuing to challenge me to move forward. We will see you all again. Very soon. #smallbusinessowner #justkeepswimming #winnipegbusiness #staysafemanitoba #stayhome See more

I have hoped that our followers, clients & vendors would know what my business represents through posts like this, originally for 2018. The last few weeks of listening, reading & learning have shown me it’s not enough to assume people know your values. It’s not enough to practice diversity. We will continue to challenge ourselves to do the work. To be active in anti-racism. To be present & vocal in the fight for human rights. And when we falter, we will take responsibility. ...The pursuit of a better world lies in the actions of us as individuals & businesses. Everyday #repost First impressions. They can create long lasting relationships. They can illuminate a preceding reputation. They can also redefine a persons expectations of you. For better or for worse. It is vitally important to me that as a business that lives to serve our local community that the women we invite to become the faces of our business look like the people we aim to serve. And that we move beyond the idea that models need to fit a certain aesthetic. As much as the industry may tell us it’s ascended the stereotypes of size, shape and colour I still see advertising dominated by the same type of woman. And she is beautiful and deserving of the role. But so is every other woman. There is no excuse for lack of diversity in marketing today. The last time I checked, women across all cultures are planning weddings every single day. To ignore that is a direct insult to the women who invest in your products and services When you see Pearl & Birch I want you to see yourself. When you opt in to our newsletter I want our content to connect with your values. When you receive our lookbooks I want those images to reflect the diversity of our workplaces, our neighbourhoods and our community spaces. I want your first impression of us to be one of inclusivity. One that sheds the idea that beautiful only comes in one type of box. We sell gowns on behalf of women across the Prairies. And we are proud of who we sell for and who we sell to. Our way of recognizing who supports our small shop is to to celebrate them. All of them. Hello, we are Pearl & Birch Welcome to all, all are welcome. See more

The smell of lilacs reminds me of home. Those hazy memories in my heart that seemed perfect in their imperfection. The quiet, slow sidewalks of my Wolseley neighbourhood. The white curtains my mother sewed blowing in the early summer breeze. The wild rhubarb growing in back garden. I remember the way the leaded glass prism windows threw rainbows across the room in the mid afternoon. The smell of Murphy’s oil when we polished the hundred year old panelled woodwork. Like a sl...ide show these eternal happy places shuffle through my mind. The hand painted hearts on the vintage chairs. The yellow rose bush, thorny and delicate, in the front yard. The corner post of the staircase that lifted off revealing signatures from a century of inhabitants. A piece of history I will always be a part of, left behind with my childhood. But mostly, I remember the smell of lilacs. Nostalgia is a gift. It has a special way of blending out the bad and illuminating the good in our memories. Until all that’s left is longing. I hope one day, when this time is but a distant dream, I remember how the season turned, the world began to reopen its doors and we were no longer confined to our spaces. That when I smell lilacs I am overcome with nostalgia for long days with my kids, exploring the outdoors, baking and watching endless documentaries about Bigfoot. Not the fear or the uncertainty. But wiser and more appreciative of what I have. That the world was perfect in its imperfection. Have a great weekend everyone! @amcstudio_ca @ncspro_ @courtneymandock Courtney is wearing a stunning jacquard floral ball gown by @leaannbelterbridal available in store available in blush pink. See more

We want to make all the moments memorable! Today feels like the first day of school. We are excited. Nervous. Apprehensive. Today is our first day back in the studios serving our brides. It’s truly been hard to be away and we are thrilled to have a busy (albeit minimal capacity and staggered private appointments) for the entire Saturday. _ It’s also our first day of launching our bridal collection in our online shop! So far we have highlight a dozen dresses for your shopping ...pleasure and we will continue to upload about a dozen a day! Keep in mind it is quite a process as we source or take all our own inventory photos and research each gown online prior to posting to give you the most accurate details regarding each dress. Do not hesitate to email use with the item # if you have additional questions. _ Love this satin off shoulder @morileeofficial Providence gown? Find her online and in store! This classic ball gown had the crinoline and train removed for an effortless a-line silhouette and features covered buttons and a dramatic v back. Call or email us to book your private bridal experience now. See our stories for details on how we currently serve our in store clients. #backinbusiness #slowandsteady #safetyfirst #privateappointments #weddingdress #morilee #ballgown #satindress #herecomesthebride #bridalsalon #consignment #dressforless See more

It’s been a long time since we have witnessed the joy of a solid twirl _ We know many people are eager to move forward, make up for lost time or simply reconnect with the things that make us all feel human and happy. We hear ya, we’re feeling this too _ If we are going to do this, we gotta do it right! Or at least the best way we know how. Our staff are back in store today for limited hours to answer the phones, perform administrative tasks and prepare the shop for visi...tors. We are not open to the public just yet... _ Please see our reopening highlight for all the info and continue to email your questions and share your support. We want to walk you one step further towards that aisle, so let’s do it together in a responsible and safe way! _ If you had booked a bridal fitting that was cancelled or you have been holding out to experience all the good stuff you’ve heard about shopping with us THANK YOU. We want to serve you, we want to hear from you, we continue to need your support. Cancelled appointments will be contacted this week and we would love to discussing your shopping needs! In the meantime, keep practising your spinning skills. Those twirl times are coming! #herecomesthebride #winnipegbride #weddingdress #shopwithus #reopening #weareinthistogether #newnormal #winnipegweddings #twirlbabytwirl See more

Pearl & Birch is uniquely position to offer ready to wear gowns and accessories that are available for same day purchase and affordable. We want to be of service to all those whose timelines and financial constraints have added extra pressure to this already stressful situation. _ It’s important that we balance those needs with public health and the safety of our staff and shoppers. Our team is so excited to return to work but we remain focused on a very gradual reopening tha...t may evolve based on information that becomes available. _ See our stories for a complete update on our reopening plan. All requests can be sent via email at this time and watch for our online booking option launching soon! _ Like so many others I am concerned about reopening too soon even in the face of more financial suffering for my business. I encourage those looking to access our services to be patient with our timelines and conservative in your evaluations of your absolute needs at this time. We have worked out some glitches with the online shop so expect to see a huge amount of inventory coming to the online store. We recommend browsing there and requesting inventory via email if you can shop from home! Stay safe and stay home as much as possible! Xo A. See more

I just sobbed into my 8 year olds shoulder. Maybe it was the daily squabbling that has become the soundtrack of my household. Perhaps it was the pressure of pandemic purgatory finally releasing in a tidal wave of tears. More than likely it was my 4 year old throwing a hockey stick across my living room in the throes of what feels like his 243rd tantrum since this all began. Raise your hand if you know what this new normal feels like _ I ache to return to some sort of aut...onomy. Everything I am. Everything I do. Everything I’m struggling towards is for them. With them. Surrounded by them. And feeling like failing them is worse than failing at any other relationship or business. I feel like I should be better at this. As I write this echoes of another argument is bubbling up between them and I want to hide. _ Am I excited about being able to reopen? Absolutely. Although I’m sure this post isn’t instilling a lot of faith in my state at the moment Like many other moms though, I am not in a position to simply return to business as usual. And this current stage is just another layer the gamekeeper has dropped into the arena for us to figure out. _ Meeting with some of the team via Zoom last night made me realize how much I missed them, our work, serving others and the joy of weddings. Going through another day reminded me that I need to lean on them now more than ever. _ P&B has plans. We are taking a phased in approach that will adhere to provincial guidelines and keep everyone safe while reinstating our services in an organized fashion. This process will take a few weeks with an administrative return as of May 5, 2020 where clients can access our booking calendar and speak to our staff via phone. Details to follow! _ Please watch for updates as we establish our hours, staffing levels and priorities for the weeks ahead. We all want to go back to business as usual but we want to do it the right way. The healthy way. In the meantime, my heart goes out to all the parents doing their best to be their best in circumstances that are far from that _ This too shall pass. See more

A quick search of #ecowedding or #sustainablewedding will reveal a feed full of neutrals and flowers. The broad strokes of this theme painted with a colourless brush. The planet, with all her vibrancy, diminished to a plain palette. Let’s change how we see ethical weddings. _ Live and in colour we present to you a feast for the eyes designed with the environment in mind. This #styledshoot is in the inspiration gallery and on the journal today. A vision of french blue, rich cranberry, peachy pink and pops of marigold orange styled with #thrifted, #secondhand, #repurposed and rented details. Going green has never been more chic. Happy #earthday

Every day is #earthday at Pearl & Birch. From my humble beginnings joining Kids for Saving Earth, to adopting a whale and discovering a love for thrifting and repurposing my mission in starting this shop has always been to create awareness around the clothes we buy for the events we attend. _ Now, more than ever, as we are limited in how we can shop to our online experiences, it’s important to ask WHAT you are buying, WHY you are buying it and WHO does that serve? _ This isn’...t an all or nothing mission. You can buy new, but seek out the used version first. You can repurpose something you have or invest in buying an item that will last. Or you can choose products that bring both joy to your life AND are made mindfully, ethically or locally. _ If you want to learn more about how to create mindful habits to pursue post-pandemic or you would love to see an ethical wedding styled shoot you’re in the right place. Opt into our email list, hang out on our blog and swing by our website for sustainable shopping & eco friendly info for the mindful bride and secondhand shopper! Our French Industrial Ethical #styledshoot goes live tomorrow See more

2020 brides won’t want to miss this! Starting off our Monday with an interview and a FREE checklist! _ Being a bride in 2020 will forever change your marriage story. In a time where everyone has seen some disruption to their day to day life, this new normal has brought an entirely different level of uncertainty for those planning a wedding this year. And as couples, and the entire wedding industry, scramble to keep pace with a situation that remains fluid but frankly feels l...ike it is going no where brides and grooms are left with big decisions, no real timelines and a whole lot of currency, emotional and financial, on the table. _ I asked the lovely Leanne from Prairie Sky Events to help me answer some tough questions using her expertise as a wedding planner and together we discussed postponement, cancellation and logistics. The result? Some great advice and a free checklist that will get your from Isolation to Aisle in just 30 days. Read the interview on the journal and don’t forget to grab you free checklist when you are done! https://www.pearlandbirch.com//from-isolation-to-aisle-in-

Sneak peak at our Earth Day eco shoot going live next Wednesday! _ We were walking the other morning and my son turned to me and said, can we walk on the busy street. The silence is so creepy. I felt sadness sweep over me. That he was afraid of how the world was changing. So I asked him what he could hear, if he listened carefully. _ I can hear birds, he told me. ... _ I asked him what what else he noticed. About the grass. It’s getting green. And what else do you see? Squirrels and bunnies and bugs. And I told him to watch the tree tops in the weeks ahead. Because the world was coming alive. But not just because she is waking from a long winter slumber. Because she is healing from the decades of atrocious oppression of her natural state. _ Everything has slowed, and in some cases, stopped completely. There are no cruise ships polluting our waters. Planes, trains, buses and cars are pumping less pollution into the air. Humans are interacting less with the natural world. And without our normal daily interference, carbon emissions are dropping. _ There is a heavy price tag attached to this shift, nothing should come at the substantial loss of life. And it remains to be seen if once the distancing measures are lifted if this global event will push governments to consider cleaner energy as not only a way to create new economic opportunities, but also preserve the reductions that were the fortunate bi-product of a disastrous health crisis. Regardless, there is still a real opportunity for us to take away some ethical actions from our experience. Read about my mindful habits in a post-quarantine world in the P&B journal and watch for the release of our Earth Day eco shoot all coming to you next week. As always, links are in the bio See more

Going somewhere? We have a clutch for that! After all this distance, we are definitely going to enjoy our destinations _ Find the most eco friendly, affordable options in our selection of evening bags for the modern minimalist or the vintage romantic. _ See today’s stories for all the pretty things coming to the online shop on a Monday! Have a great weekend everyone. And thanking you for shopping small