Walmart + Wonderwall = Wedding Dress Wisdom

I love talking to people. What’s even better is when they actually want to talk to me, too, and don’t completely glaze over or fall asleep. This is the focus of today’s blog post: my friend Alisha from the Walmart in Pasadena, MD who wanted to talk to me. About my business. About my work. About Wonderwall. Let me share a little story that may not seem like much to you, but it meant EVERYTHING to me.

I love this particular Walmart near my house. It’s not too big, it always has what I need, and the employees are super friendly. The last time I was in the store, I had to make a return first— no surprise since I’m always overbuying and then returning what I don’t need. At the return desk, I was met with a smile from the young woman behind the counter. She said, "Can I ask you a weird question? Are you the woman who owns a balloon business?” When I told her that yes, I do own a backdrop and balloon company, she squealed and asked, “Well, how did the wedding dress made of balloons turn out?!?” Ummm… what?!?!?!

I couldn’t believe she remembered me, and was even able to recall a specific project I was working on. I happily shared details about the first version of my wedding dress made of silk flowers and balloons, and my plans to make some tweaks. Her eyes lit up as we exchanged ideas; she first hestitated, but then offered up her thoughts on using a touch of gold on the bodice instead of the pink.

Apologizing for sharing her perspective, Alisha expressed her genuine excitement about the potential transformation. She believed that the addition of gold would elevate the entire design, creating a more captivating and elegant balloon wedding dress. I couldn't help but appreciate her keen eye for detail and her willingness to share her thoughts. It's moments like these that make the Wonderwall journey so special – unexpected encounters sparking creative inspiration.

And so, thanks to a chance conversation at Walmart, the balloon wedding dress project took a turn for the better; have a look at version 1.0 compared to version 1.1. Which one do you like better? Do you agree with Alisha’s comments to use gold instead of pink? As for me— I think Alisha NAILED IT and I am so dang lucky that I ran into her that day.

Stay tuned for more Wonderwall Chronicles, where the magic of balloons and the beauty of human connections come together in the most delightful ways.

P.S. Alisha— I’ll see you soon, my friend!

Here is version 1.0 where I used Reflex Pink 260q balloons to create part of the bodice.

Here is version 1.1, where I added additional silk flowers to the bodice, and switched out the pink 260q balloons to gold ones. A HUGE improvement, yes? Just a little softer, I think…