Melissa Sweet was destined to become a bridal designer. While most young girls her age chose bright t-shirts and denim, Sweet opted for white shirts, dresses and skirts. As a child living in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, she learned to sew under the watchful eyes of her grandmother and mother. Growing-up, Sweet hand-stitched her own garments and designed white gowns for each year that she attended the prom.

Sweet left her hometown to further cultivate her knowledge of design and business at Parsons School of Design in New York and Bauder College in Georgia. In 1996, she launched her namesake company in Atlanta and showcased her bridal collection from a historic white mansion downtown.