Contestant's Case to Win

Since its creation, BridesVillage has always been a mom-run website. Its proprietor, Cathy Ward, has been helping brides to plan their dream weddings for 17 years. Cathy knows that each bride is different, and is an expert when it comes to ensuring that each detail is attended to. "Each bride has a distinct personality, and has a particular preference regarding their wedding's theme and related accessories… and my passion is bringing that to life in a realistic and cost effective way," says Cathy.

Before starting BridesVillage.com, Cathy owned and operated For Any Occasion, a successful wedding accessories store in Erie, Pennsylvania. In 1999 Cathy made a decision to sell her store in order to care for her infant son, who suffers from a series of health complications. "Something happens when you have a baby that kicks you into overdrive," Cathy says. "You find yourself willing to make changes and overcome challenges you never would have before." She adds, "I wanted to continue to use my experience in the wedding industry to do what I love, but I also needed to earn income in a manner that was compatible with the restrictions I had in my life. Starting a Yahoo! Store allowed me to work flexible hours while following my desire to help brides make their wedding all they ever imagined, and more."

BridesVillage is operated with the core values and work ethic Cathy learned from her father. Always a little too stubborn to ever fit a mold, Cathy searched for "the things nobody else had", developed personal relationships with vendors, and grew Bridesvillage into one of the strongest bridal retailers in the nation.

BridesVillage would be honored to be chosen as a winner in this contest for a host of reasons. However, the most important would be to serve as inspiration to all the moms out there - the dream IS achievable. BridesVillage was initially begun with just $50 and a book of samples, and was grown with a whole lot of determination. You don't have to accept what you perceive as a limitation. Identify the limitations, and find the path around them (or just mow them over).

Most importantly, never sacrifice your integrity - even if you make less money. Your integrity is all you have, it defines who you are.