Schedule Appointment Call or Text: 215-491-8500

Staff Appreciation Spotlight: Suzanne Ardite

It is important to us as a family business that we take care of our staff. Part of taking care of them, I believe, is to highlight how special they are.

All too quickly the days turn into months and it is easy to wonder if those around us even notice our contributions. WE DO. We notice and appreciate that our staff gives 100% all year long and while it isn’t always “easy”, they make it look easy. It isn’t always “fun”, but they do have fun together.

Today I am excited to start our series of Staff Appreciation with Suzanne Ardite.

Suzanne is our Mother of the Bride/Groom Department Manager and made after my own heart.

She runs a tight ship, is controlling as hell over the department (LOVE!), and has a wicked knowledge of brands, fabrics, colors, prices, deliveries, alterations, and pretty much anything related to bridal/MOB. We love this about her.

She also has a wicked sense of humor that I personally have come to depend on.

She is a devoted wife and mother of two (her daughter Kaitlyn is also part of the Darianna team!) which keeps her busy enough, but she is also an active member in the local community theaters.  She still has so much energy in the store – I am not sure how she does it.

A very loyal, incredibly generous, and thoughtful soul, she has become a true friend. We even persuaded Suzanne and her equally wonderful hubby Frank to join the Chaîne de Rôtisseurs, a dining group that we are proud to belong to!

Socializing outside of the store is delightful and having Suzanne and Frank as friends has enriched our lives.

Inside the store, I am able to observe the way she interacts with her moms and brides. It is truly something I know other stores wish they had. She is honest above everything which is really what we are all about. She is not pushy and wants her moms to be truly happy with their choice. And in that regard, she will introduce dresses that they never thought they could wear. When their faces light up I can see how proud Suzanne is.

She is also proud to tell them the price and that they don’t have to “remortgage the house” or “sell a kidney” in order to buy it. She does her research constantly  and brings in beautiful pieces in very good price points.

Also inside the store: Getting along with your staff (I don’t really care for that word, it seems so generic) – team members is critical for a good business! Here is what some some of her fellow team members have to say about her:

Daria: I have learned so much from Suz just from listening to her in the store! She knows everything about bridal (and a lot about everything else) and I’m always so grateful for her expertise and humor.

Sarah: Suzanne not only knows everything about gowns, she generously shares her wisdom with all of us! She can brighten the craziest of days with her humor, and I love that she brings us snacks.

Courtney: I truly love her sense of humor, I feel like I need her in my back pocket to make me laugh throughout the day! I also love how knowledgeable she is about everything, whenever I have a question she’s always there to help out! Love Mama Suz!

Tori: Suzanne is always incredibly helpful, organized, friendly, and understanding. If you ever have a question, relating to bridal or even the outside world, Suzanne is the person to go to!

Joe: Supportive, fiery, and always ready for battle, Suzanne is an amazing coworker and a phenomenal friend. Anyone would be lucky to know her.

So to my fellow Gen Xer, July/Cancer girl, and lover of a good Cabernet, THE BEST gift-giver, hashtagger, and one-liner deliverer, thank you for another year with us, for turning my boring group chats into meme-fests, and for letting me know that “sympathy” is between shit and syphilis in the dictionary.

I love you, we love you, and THANK YOU for being part of our lives!

About the author: Wendy Ianieri-Salerno is co-founder and co-owner of Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo, now in its eighth year in business. In that time the store has grown from a small bridal boutique to a full-service bridal store serving not only Bucks County, PA but the surrounding counties and even border states. With the customer experience in mind, Wendy steers the company by offering the best designers and wedding attire while creating a caring, family atmosphere. A life-long Bucks County native, she currently resides in Warrington with her husband and co-founder/co-owner Franco Salerno, and their two daughters for whom the store was named, Daria and Deanna.