Fashion designer Helena Etchart-Tine opened her What’s Up Europe boutique at River Park at the end of April. Photo by Anna-Victoria Rodriguez

Brides to be in north Fresno need look no further than River Park for their wedding gowns.

Owned by Helena Etchart-Tine, the What’s Up Europe boutique offers brides one-of-a-kind gowns for their special day. The River Park location had its soft opening April 30.

Etchart-Tine is a European fashion designer with experience creating evening wear including ball gowns, youthful creations for the mother of the bride and gowns for ballroom dancing competitions on top of wedding dresses.

She has designed original pieces for a number of international models including Cecilia Barugel, Gabriella Busigiani, Gada De Maurier, Stella Manolisi and Stella Bullrich. In addition to designing for models and Haute Couture in the past, Etchart-Tine has done original work for multiple pageant contestants including Miss California, Miss USA, Miss Teen USA, Miss Little California, Miss Tulare County and Miss Fresno County.

Etchart-Tine first opened a boutique with her husband in Visalia in 1991 before expanding to Fresno. After searching for a storefront all over the Central Valley, the couple settled on the River Park location in the former Destination Maternity spot.

According to Etchart-Tine, the location was perfect for what she and her husband were looking for. The storefront had the necessary space to display their collections and provided the right atmosphere the couple was looking for.

“I came here and I just fell in love with it,” said Etchart-Tine. “I fell in love because it felt like I was on vacation with the palm trees, the ponds and the people. It’s just fabulous.”

When it came to designing the layout and overall aesthetic of the store, Etchart-Tine’s goal was to give brides a place to feel comfortable and lively. To do so, the front of the store is lined with floor-to-ceiling windows to let in natural light and brighten the space. The adjacent walls are lined with wedding dresses from a plethora of designers including Vera Wang, House of Saint Patrick, Martin Thornburg and more.

It is also the only store in the entire Central Valley to offer the Disney Bridal Collection, which is what sets What’s Up Europe apart from other boutiques in the area, said Etchart-Tine.

Even though the operation is small, brides from all over the Central Valley come to find their wedding dresses at What’s Up Europe, according to Etchart-Tine. She credits this to the creative freedom and attention to detail the boutique is able to give to brides since it is not a chain or corporate business.

“In a chain, you are told what to do and are sometimes limited by the costs,” said Etchart-Tine. “Here, I follow my clients’ desires. If she wants something we will give it to her. If you’re in a chain, you can’t — you have to do whatever they tell you to do.”

It’s for that reason if a bride wants to change an aspect of the dress, it is no problem because part of the experience is finding a dress that exemplifies who you are as a person and that freedom to express yourself is the most important part, said Etchart-Tine.

For Etchart-Tine, the most important part of running her business is being honest with her clients. According to her, honesty is going to be how the brides get the best results for what they want and how Etchart-Tine builds relationships with her clients, which she says is the best part of her job.

“I don’t do this to make money, I do this because I really enjoy it and it gives pleasure to people,” said Etchart-Tine. “It’s just wonderful.”