How to Start a Wedding Dress Business
Many young girls dream about what kind of wedding dress they’d like to wear on their special day – and luckily for wedding dress businesses, they eventually pay a price for it. The 2006 Wedding Report, published by the Bridal Association of America, reports that brides spent an average of $1,505 on wedding dresses reaching an accumulated market value of $3.4 billion. It’s possible to tap into this profitable market by starting your own wedding dress business.
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Research your market. Discount wedding dresses will not be in great demand in a highly affluent area, for example. On the other hand, if your area is already saturated with expensive boutique wedding dress businesses, try angling for a niche – for example, offering gowns made from earth-friendly materials using sustainable practices, or offering only gowns imported from Europe.
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Choose a location. You’ll want to start your wedding dress business in a bustling commercial area near other shops, restaurants and retail stores, according to the online article, “Starting a Bridal Shop Business.” Expect to pay steeper rents for shopping mall locations in exchange for high visibility. Because wedding dresses can be voluminous, plan for plenty of room to store and showcase gowns. Fit your location with flattering lighting, large dressing rooms, floor-length mirrors and comfortable seating for the bride’s entourage.
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Stock your inventory. Attend fashion shows to decide what types of wedding dresses you’ll stock for the business, ordering from the designer or manufacturer directly to save costs. You can also order from online suppliers and wholesale bridal catalogues.
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Market your business. Target potential consumers by reading the newspaper’s engagement notices and sending congratulatory notes when possible. Reserve tables at bridal expos and bring your most attractive dresses, or develop niche offerings, such as preserving wedding dresses for storage, that competitors don’t yet offer.
References
Tips
- While most profits from your wedding dress business will stem from the dress itself, it’s possible to upsell to brides by selling add-ons, such as shoes, veils and other bridal accessories, according to “Starting a Bridal Shop Business.” Other possibilities include selling bridesmaid, flower girl and mother-of-the-bride gowns.
- Renting bridal gowns is another option for people interested in starting a wedding dress business. Purchase new dresses, or stock inventory with quality secondhand purchases from consignment stores.
Warnings
- Individual wedding dress businesses may have trouble competing with major bridal gown retailers, who in some instances capture up to one-third of the market by offering inexpensive gowns to high volumes of customers. You’ll have to work hard to earn customers by offering superior customer service ranging from free or discounted alterations to champagne toasts after dress purchases.
Writer Bio
Morgan Rush is a California journalist specializing in news, business writing, fitness and travel. He's written for numerous publications at the national, state and local level, including newspapers, magazines and websites. Rush holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, San Diego.