Business idea around weddings - please give me your thoughts

[Mmmmbrekkie]

Ok, so I imagine this is going to be a marmite idea and you will either like or think totally stupid.

I’m trying to establish whether it’s ovwrwhelminfly on the “totally stupid” side.

I went to the US and in one of the backwater towns that we travelled through I picked up a haul of the most astonishing bridesmaid dresses you can imagine. Think lime green polyester; purple shiny monstrosity; peach puffball. I have since contacted the shop since returning home and we have built up a relationship. They don’t sell these dresses tongue in cheek. They sell them seriously and they do sell in this part of the US. The shop would be willing to supply me.

I’m thinking of starting up a small online business selling quirky bridesmaids dresses for brides who want to inject a bit of humour in to their wedding.

I appreciate very niche market! But what do you think? Does it have legs?

Huge thanks for any thoughts and don’t back if you think ridiculous!

This kind of thing

Personally I very much doubt it would work. People generally don’t want to make fun out of their weddings

It would be very niche as I agree, the vast majority don’t!

Could be fun for hen dos? Not sure you'd get many people wanting them for weddings but maybe one or two in a season?

The problem is that you can get Bridesmaid/Prom/Event dresses, of any type from China, really cheap.

My DD wanted a green, quirky prom dress, we got one for £27. It came in three weeks.

You can't compete with that.

They voted to lift trading restrictions, if Brexit goes ahead. It isn't the time to be starting a business.

I've got FB gamer friends, from small towns in the US and it is like they still live in the 70's.

They're very dated, aren't they? I can't see them being popular here.

@Birdsgottafly

Good point.
But having looked online - there isn’t actually much selection from China

Whereas this shop.... would make your eyes bleed!

But would anyone want to buy them?

How much would you need to sell each dress for?

What would be your base price?

Dependant on dress.

£40 - £90 per dress.
I would be paying £20-50 including delivery

So not exactly taking over my day job. Just something in the side.

But consensus not got legs?

No chance

No. Sorry.

No I can't see it working.

Maybe for hen parties/fancy dress parties but then I would just go to a charity shop and get something for a fraction of the price (they often put their really old wedding stock out just before Halloween)

I don't think it's worth the hassle for £20-£40.

You'd have to have samples.

They'd come under the 'long distance buying rules', so could be returned.

That's if anyone would buy them.

I could see one or two being bought, as a joke, by a Man on a Stag do etc, but you'd have to market them well, so they are easily found.

It isn't worth the amount you'd make.

You won't make money from this. You won't make enough to cover your overheads. You cant just ship in one dress at a time. You'll need available stock. What if someone wants next day delivery? What about the import tax you'll have to pay?
Also I doubt anyone will spend £40-£90 on a dress like that. Sorry. There isn't a market for this kind of thing for a good reason.
There is also a vast selection of dresses form china online so I'm not sure where you have looked.

On what basis have you built up a relationship with the person who makes these? To take the piss out of their work?

Also how does the seamstress enjoy the idea that you will be marketing her work as a joke?

I don't know anyone that would agree to wear a silly looking dress and stand there all day havi g their photo taken.

Its hard enough getting your friends to agree on the style of traditional dresses.

Thank you for feedback!

I have sold 6 of the 8 dresses I brought back, and made £170 through no effort in terms of advertising or marketing. And I suppose I then began to wonder whether little side business option.

However I suspect that this was just lucky. You’re right. I’ll sell the final two and then leave it. Thanks so much.

OP don't let the people on here push you down that easily. You've sold 6/8 dresses - how quickly did you do that? If in a fairly short space of time that suggests that there are legs to a certain extent.

If it's not too much bother and it makes you a bit of extra money, then I'd say go for it. I guess the only problem might be tax implications - how much of the money you make do you get to keep.

So you've sold most of your first batch and now your going to jack it in on the advice of s few posters? Doesn't make sense - think about who bought nd why your first batch. Try again with a second batch to test the market again and then make a decision. Good luck!

Where is the shop getting them from- can you cut out the middle man?

I think the selling of first batch was pure luck. Won’t go in to detail as outing. It wasn’t for a wedding.

There is no middle man

I work in the wedding industry & I really can't imagine anyone wanting to add comedy to their wedding at the expense of their best friends. I'd be so disappointed if I was asked to wear such a dress on such a special day. The bridesmaids will be in all of the photos, a lasting memory. Nobody wants their wedding to look tacky.
I think it could work for fancy dress, but at that price point, might be too much for that purpose.

If I was looking for a "so bad that it's good" dress that I'd only wear once for a joke, I wouldn't be spending £40 let alone £90. It's go to a charity shop and spend £10 maximum.

I don't think you could make a living from it but I wonder if you could do it as a second job or "side hustle" as all the cool kids are calling it these days. Just earn a small amount of extra money but not relying on it.

Give it a go! Set a budget that you can afford to lose if worst came to the worst! Hen do’s, stag do’s, parties etc might all have legs