Wedding Dresses - Designers

Not wishing to put a dampener on your ideas, but owning a bridal shop is a lot more than just looking at pretty dresses all day. It is bloody hard work, costs literally thousands of pounds, and it can take years before you actually make any profit.

If you want your business to be successful you need to work like a slave too, and you need to have very little else going on in your life because you are ALWAYS at work.

You can't just go home at the end of the day and forget about work, it becomes your life and rightly so if you want it to be successful. It is a fabulous job and I wouldn't want to do anything else but a lot of people who have been married themselves think they can start a bridal shop but my advice is to think long and hard, and do lots of research, and I mean LOTS of research. (I did 2 years of research) When you think you've done enough do some more. Then on top of that, brides can be notoriously difficult to please!

If you really are at the early stages, don't do anything about this until you've done your research (research the area you're thinking about too, is there even a market for another shop?).

On a positive note, it can be very satisfying and seeing a happy bride makes it all worthwhile, but don't expect to get rich!

B-ela where do you live?

I love the designer stalo theodoru- not many shops stock them in my area, mayb u shud try them.some unique dresses

Pookie Bear

I live in Ruislip, Middx

?

OMG why do people think it is a lovely, easy job to do???

If u are serious u should learn about the trade first - work in the bridal business for a while - see if you can get into a bridal shop for a while it will really make a difference to your outlook.

Getting suppliers too is not easy and you need a ****e load of money to get started.

You have to put up with very indecisive brides, suppliers letting u down, late deliveries, and lots more besides.

On the other hand when you make someones perfect day go with a bang you feel great ?


But if a bride tells u that u have ruined thier day cuase there shoes are not in on the day u told them cause ur supplier didn't ship them ontime - you feel like crap!!?

Do look into both money wise, suppliers, demand.

Goodluck whatever u decide to do.?

To all that have replied so far:

Since i organised my sisters wedding i have been doing some wedding business online. i have been buying dresses and also selling them so i have some kind of idea as to how hard and satisfying it can be. I have had people ask for refunds for silly reasons etc so i can imagine some of the 'nasty' situations i can find myself into.

So far it has been a great challenge and i have definitely been researching since last May07 into all the suppliers, been looking at prices, around the area i.e which designers are available and which ones are not etc but i wanted to know what BRIDES find it very hard to find i.e Short dresses, or a certain brand like the one - kisses- mentions for example.

I am still working on my research and everyone's feedback is welcome.
Dont worry it doesnt always have to be good :-0). Thanks again to everyone who has taken time to reply and keep them coming.

By the way as a BRIDE myself it took me months to decide which dress to choose! I cant wait till my wedding in July!

ALL THE BEST!

YOU'VE GOT TO PUT TOGETHER A REALLY GOOD BUSINESS PLAN AND GET SOMEONE IN THE BUSINESS TO GIVE YOU A HELPING HAND.

YOU MAY BE BETTER OFF AS FRANCHISE OR HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO GET IN

THE WELL TRAINED STAFF, GOOD LOCATION , BUSINESS ACUMEN TO COMPETE

WITH THE BIG GUNS OUT THERE WHO HAVE CORNERED THE MARKET AND OWN EVEN

THE LITTLE BOUTIQUES ETC.. ETC.. ETC.....id="red">id="Comic Sans MS">

If u are not in the bridal business yet how are u getting wedding dresses to sell online if you have no stockist??

Also suppliers do not let u sell online so if u open a shop u will have to stop this.

quote:Originally posted by B-ela
To all that have replied so far:

Since i organised my sisters wedding i have been doing some wedding business online. i have been buying dresses and also selling them so i have some kind of idea as to how hard and satisfying it can be. I have had people ask for refunds for silly reasons etc so i can imagine some of the 'nasty' situations i can find myself into. id="red">

So far it has been a great challenge and i have definitely been researching since last May07 into all the suppliers, been looking at prices, around the area i.e which designers are available and which ones are not etc but i wanted to know what BRIDES find it very hard to find i.e Short dresses, or a certain brand like the one - kisses- mentions for example.

I am still working on my research and everyone's feedback is welcome.
Dont worry it doesnt always have to be good :-0). Thanks again to everyone who has taken time to reply and keep them coming.

By the way as a BRIDE myself it took me months to decide which dress to choose! I cant wait till my wedding in July!

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It sounds as though you've been buying & selling on eb@y, and that wouldn't give you a proper idea of how a professional bridal shop is run. I would try and get a job in a local one and go from there.

A bridal shop opened up near me about 6 months ago, looked lovely but i had already bopught my dress so didnt bother going in. Its now closed down.

i think its very cut-throat type business. Maybe you could buy a business rather than starting up your own?

and agree with Tahdah, selling on-line is nothing like running a business in a shop. Will you employ staff? do you know anything about employment law etc, health and safety rules?