When Kimberly Iraci, owner of Kimberly James Bridal in Chestnut Hill, received an email from the Hallmark Channel last year, she thought it was a phishing scam. However, a phone call from a producer in California confirmed that the email was real: Hallmark wanted to film in her store.

Iraci was excited to show the filming crew this corner of Philadelphia.

“When it comes to towns that look Hallmark-y, how could they not film in Chestnut Hill?” Iraci told the Local. “It’s the Hallmark of America.”

The first and third episodes of “Mom’s the Bride,” a six-part series on the streaming service Hallmark+, includes scenes filmed in Kimberly James Bridal. The first episode premiered on May 7, while the second episode shot in Chestnut Hill will run on May 21.

Hosted by actress Erin Cahill, “Mom’s the Bride” flips the traditional roles of a wedding, having daughters help plan the special day for their mothers. Each of the six episodes focuses on a different mother-daughter pair.

Filming in Kimberly James Bridal, located at 8333 Germantown Ave., took place over three days early this year — one day for each of the mothers and another day for Cahill to film the opening credits scene. Iraci said this was a brand new experience for her.

“I had no on-air experience before,” Iraci said. “I was featured a couple times on news segments, but nothing like this. I was a nervous wreck.”

However, before long Iraci got into the groove of filming. She said the premise of the show mixed things up a bit, but it was still similar to a regular bridal appointment. The main difference was the constant cuts — which gave Iraci time to think about how she came across.

“We had to stop after each location change from the front of the store going to the back of the store because they needed to hide the cameras,” Iraci said. “We did have time to sit there, pause, and think about what we were going to say. I have a Philadelphia accent. I was trying to not have that portrayed strongly on national TV.”

Iraci said the most surprising part of the shoot was how long it took. Even though the show is “reality” television, there were still plenty of times they had to reshoot scenes to adjust the lighting, framing, or audio.

Despite this “very draining” process, Iraci is pleased with how her store looked in the first episode.

“They did a really excellent job,” Iraci said. “They portrayed the store in an amazing way … I couldn’t ask for more.”

Iraci is hopeful that “Mom’s the Bride” will give Kimberly James Bridal exposure on a large scale at a time when small businesses are “struggling.”

“Currently, a lot of bridal stores are closing,” Iraci said. “Times are tough right now. People are holding onto their money, especially with gas being at $5, and a lot of franchise bridal stores are now popping up. I would just hope that this gives more exposure to my store being in the Philadelphia area and maybe puts my name out there a little bit more.”

Iraci also believes the series can send a positive message to anyone imagining their dream wedding.

“There isn’t an age limit on getting married and wearing a beautiful gown,” Iraci said. “You can be 21 years old or you can be 65 years old, you’re still celebrating love. You should have that experience and get the day that you want.”

Learn more at kimberlyjamesbridal.com.

Maggie Dougherty can be reached at Margaret@chestnuthilllocal.com.