TOLEDO, Ohio — A pause may be in place, but the threat of tariffs continues to cast a shadow over the wedding industry in Northwest Ohio, leaving vendors and brides-to-be on edge.
Recent tariff proposals by the White House — including a 10% duty on imports from countries such as Ecuador and Colombia — could drive up costs for wedding essentials, from flowers to bridal gowns. Though a 90-day delay has been granted, local businesses are already preparing for the potential economic impact.
“It sounds like it’s going to be pretty rough,” said Jen Linehan, owner of Beautiful Blooms by Jen in Sylvania. “Most of our flowers are imported from Ecuador and Colombia — exactly the countries facing tariffs.”
While Linehan’s contracts allow for up to a 10% price increase to cover sudden cost spikes, she’s never had to enforce that clause — until now. “It’s very scary,” she said. “We’re evaluating things on a week-by-week basis.”
Meanwhile, although flowers aren’t generally sourced from China, another critical wedding item is: bridal gowns.
“Unfortunately, the tariffs are going to put a couple hundred dollars onto the wedding dresses for our brides,” said Michelle McCaulla, owner of Belle Amour Bridal in downtown Toledo. “For most of our clients, that could make their dream dress financially out of reach.”
McCaulla noted that some dress designers are trying to absorb the additional costs, and her store will do what it can to shield customers. But the burden, she said, is too large for small businesses to bear alone.
“Wedding dresses aren’t mass-produced. They require highly skilled labor — intricate beading, fine sewing — and that labor simply doesn’t exist domestically,” she explained. “It would take years to train people here to perform this level of craftsmanship.”
As policymakers argue that tariffs are intended to encourage domestic production, McCaulla remains skeptical. She previously carried a U.S.-based designer with high-quality gowns, but said the line struggled due to steep pricing.
“Even the simplest American-made dresses were priced too high for most brides,” she said.
The same is true for flowers, according to Linehan. “You just can’t grow cost-effective flowers in Ohio greenhouses year-round,” she said. “That’s why we source so much from equatorial regions — the climate and production efficiency just can’t be replicated here.”
McCaulla, along with other bridal store owners and designers across the country, has joined the National Bridal Retailers Association in formally petitioning Congress to exempt wedding gowns from the proposed tariffs.
“We’re hopeful that lawmakers will understand — these dresses aren’t made on an assembly line,” McCaulla said. “For many brides, this is the most meaningful garment they’ll ever wear, and rising costs could put that out of reach.”
As the 90-day pause on Latin American tariffs ticks down and talks over Chinese tariffs continue, local vendors are keeping a close eye on developments, hoping for clarity — and relief — before the next wave of weddings.
