WEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich. (WXYZ) — New tariffs and the ripple effect have the bridal industry bracing for impact.
Finding the perfect wedding dress within budget is one of the most important pieces of a bride's big day. Now with new tariffs, that could get a little more challenging.
From the moment she said "yes," bride-to-be Madison Collier has been busy putting all the pieces together for her perfect day. But she's not excited about potentially paying more for a dress.
"I do worry that my dream dress will be over the budget," Collier said.
President Donald Trump's universal 10% levy against all counties is expected to go into effect Friday.
Related video: US stocks tumble 5% as markets react to Trump’s global tariff plan
It's a concern for bridal salon owners like June Eaton, who runs My Dream Dress Bridal Shop in West Bloomfield.
"One hundred percent of everything we possibly touch is an origin from out of the country somewhere," Eaton said.
She says that's standard across the industry for shops in the U.S. Now, many will have to adjust to the changes.
"You're trying to brace yourself for it because you planned in quarter four of 2024 as to what you were going to project or do in first, second and third quarter of '25 and now, you have to pivot. You have to figure out am I able to afford the gowns that are coming over because the price of the gown, they may still honor that. But what's going to happen with the shipping and logistics?" Eaton said.
Eaton has already seen shipping delays and price increases for material from vendors.
"They've doubled just in the last three weeks," Eaton said about a beaded piece of fabric. "Suppliers are getting nervous, right, because what happens is they've gotta absorb it some kinda way in shipping costs and all of those things."
After 20 years in business, she's making the decision to shut down, only taking a limited number of custom design clients and not planning to order any more gowns.
"We've stopped taking new brides because we don't want the impact. They can come in and get a gown off the rack and those gowns can be altered," Eaton said.
She's focusing on taking care of the clients already in her books and will absorb any added shipping costs that come down the line.
"As a local small business owner, you have to make a decision and say what is going to be best for me and my family," Eaton said.
Trump says the tariffs are about erasing the trade deficit between the U.S. and other countries and leveling the playing field long term.
Vic Veda, vice president of communications for the Michigan Retailers Association, says the bridal industry is just one sector of many local retailers bracing to pay more now.
Watch our full interview with Vic Veda in the video player below:
"We always want to see tariffs used judiciously and responsibly to better our economic climate, and it's hard to tell what the long-term impacts of this will be. But right now, our retailers are certainly feeling the strains of that uncertainty both with the supply chain and being able to source their materials and goods like they need to, as well as the consumer uncertainty," Veda said.
