Janelle Power, of Mary Vidler Bridal Gowns, has found that perfect dress for hundreds of Lismore brides-to-be - first as Mary Vidler’s assistant and then, for the past 15 years, as the owner of the Lismore business. Now she’s ready to pass on the baton.

I started working at Mary Vidler Bridal Gowns after I finished school after my fourth year at Richmond River High School. I was walking up Warina Walk one day - the shop was in that arcade at that point - and I went in looking for a handbag to go to my cousin's wedding. That was in the old days when we matched handbags and shoes. While I was in there, we just struck up a conversation and Mary offered me a job. So I've worked for Mary since I was 16, on and off.

I did nursing for 13 years in between. I came back to Lismore to bring the kids up in the country and ran into Mary again - this would be 31 years ago because my son's 31 - and I've been with her ever since. Fifteen years ago Mary retired and I decided that it was too good a business to let go to someone else, so it was my turn to take over.

Mind you, we used to be really busy in those days because this was the only way girls shopped; they came in to view the dresses and try them on. There was no online buying. We had only just got an eftpos machine at that stage, so things have changed in the 15 years that I've taken over.

We're still here and thankfully girls are still getting married and I still love my job, but I am 65 this year and it is time. I have to retire and I would like to hand the business over to someone who loves it as much as I do. There has got to be somebody out there. They don't have to sew. We do alterations here but they have to do that. Not every bridal shop does, some just sell dresses.

I've met some lovely people over the years while working here. I find now that I'm getting them coming back with their daughters. One a little while ago, I did her wedding 20 years ago and she came back when she was getting married again. She's come back because she got her first dress here and she was happy with that.

It's lovely. When everyone's happy with what they have got, you get to feel like you made that happen. I've received some lovely letters back from people and they send me photos of their weddings. I keep them all.

I don't make dresses but I do alterations. Most people don’t fit perfectly into a wedding dress straight off, usually something has to be done to it. Most of them at least have to have a hem done. I don't know how girls buy online without trying a dress on. I'll never get to understand that.

They also lose a big part of the fun of getting married. Trying on wedding dresses isn’t something you get to do every day. When I get them in the change room I don't let them out. I like them to try a little bit of everything so they can see what they look good in.

A big part of what I provide is an ability to find a dress that the bride will feel happy in. A lot of girls come in with pictures on their phone saying: “I want a dress like this.” More times than not they go out with something totally different. They think they might look good in that dress, but when they try it on it doesn't necessarily look that good.

I learned from Mary Vidler how to look at someone and work out what will suit them. I've learned so much from her. If you know your dresses well enough you should be able to go and pick a dress off the rack which will look beautiful on her. I've done that quite a few times.

The most important thing is getting a connection with the girl. You have to win her confidence. You have to listen to what she's saying and go and get it. Try and give her what she wants but also be honest with her.

A lot of larger fitting girls don't think they're going to look good in anything but you have to get the dress off the rack and get them into it before they even get to look. Say: “Come on, I want to see what you look like in this dress.” They're the ones you have to win over first and when they see themselves in that dress, then they trust you. They know then you've got a bit of an eye. Everyone's happy then. They come in with a sad face thinking: “Nothing's going to look good on me, I'm too big.” But they will look just as good in a wedding gown as a littler girl. I've proved it.

My favourite thing about the job is buying the most beautiful wedding dresses, and I spend too much money, of course. The bridal houses used to come here a lot but nowadays you go to Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne where the bridal showings are and you go to all the different designers and pick out what you want. Which is the hardest job ever.

I've learned to curb my spending a bit. When I took over from Mary I blew it. They're all beautiful gowns but you have to visualise what girls in Lismore will buy. Girls in Melbourne buy totally different to the country girls and you have to have the gowns that are more affordable than what they city girls buy. They spend thousands, but you can't do that here.

After I took over 15 years ago, Mary stayed with me thank goodness. She's my right-hand girl. If I go away for a day, I always call on Mary. She's 85 this year and I couldn't do it without her because you can't leave a bridal shop in the hands of someone who doesn't know the dresses. She's good. She's always there for me.

I'd like to sell the business to a girl with an eye for detail who's good with fashion. Someone who understands what looks good on girls. If you came in wanting a dress, she could just size you up - know what size you are for a start - and if your short what style of dress looks better on you than a tall girl. All that. There's girls out there doing TAFE courses in design, this is a perfect opportunity for them to practice what they're learning, and learn as they go. That's what I did. I learned from Mary.

I'd love to mentor them. I wouldn't like to see them not do well.

When I bought the business 15 years ago, it was my plan to do 15 years. I want to retire or downsize. It's a big shop and I'd like to do a bit of holidaying and do what people do when they retire.

I wouldn't like to see the shop go to somebody who doesn't love it. Somebody has to take care of this shop because it's Lismore's heritage. It's been her for 64 years, in different shops around and even out at Wyrallah Rd, it's been out at Mary's house, and we've been back down her in Carrington Street over 20 years now, I'd say. I would like it to go to somebody who would respect it and respect the people who come in here.

Anyone interested in taking over Mary Vidler Bridal Gowns can contact Janelle Power on 6621 6724 or 0414 809 931.