Sisters and business partners, Colleen Gillies Peterson (right) and Maureen Gillies Carbonneau (left), have always shared a passion for playing dress-up since childhood. Little did they know that their playful beginnings would lead them to become business partners today—life truly has a sense of humor!

Colleen's journey in fashion design took her to Virginia Commonwealth University and then to the Tragen School of Design in New York City. To support herself financially, she worked as a "door woman" at the Parkside Evangeline in Gramercy Park, where she also lived, gathering countless memorable stories along the way.

Maureen was torn between interior design and fashion merchandising until a friend introduced her to The Barbizon School in New York. The opportunity to live in New York and study on Fifth Avenue was irresistible. At just 18, she worked at Chandlers Shoe store, where she was starstruck by the celebrities who frequented the shop. When funds were low, she would walk the 30 blocks from Gramercy Park to 57th and 5th. To complement her fashion education, Maureen also attended Chestnut Hill College for marketing.

In 1987, after living in New York City, Paris, and Long Island, Colleen returned to Montgomery County and fulfilled her dream by opening Harleysville Bridal & Tuxedo Shoppe. Reflecting on her grand opening, she humorously recalls, "We had 10 bridal gowns and about 50 beautiful flower arrangements; it looked more like a funeral home than a bridal shop." After working for Bonwit Teller, John Wanamaker's, and Joshua Slocum, Maureen, then living in Philadelphia, joined Colleen in 1989. "I always knew I would have my own business, but I never imagined it would be a bridal shop," Maureen often shares.

In 2014, Harleysville Bridal & Tuxedo Shoppe merged with Colleen and Maureen's other store, Page Six, located in Skippack Village. When customers ask about the merger, Maureen quips, "We are 25 plus years older; I don't think I need to say more." This change has allowed them to continue doing what they love while enjoying more flexibility in their lives.

Now, with over 35 years of experience helping thousands of clients with weddings, proms, and special occasions, Colleen and Maureen express that it has been and continues to be a joy and a blessing, for which they are grateful every day.

Currently, you will find Maureen in the shop more often, supported by her fantastic team, while Colleen, with a teenager at home, is eager to embrace all the fun adventures that come with raising a teen!