How to start up a wedding decorating business

[BatCrapCrazy]

Since planning my own wedding and helping my best friend plan hers, I have been thinking about setting up a business decorating wedding venues (chair covers and sashes, balloon arches, Centrepieces, sweet cart etc).
I have researched the market for this kind of thing in my area and it seems that it is an ever-growing trade around here.
I have decided it is definitely something i want to pursue but I have no idea where to start.

Can I take out a business loan for a business as small as this?
Are there any grants etc available? Im 23 if that makes any difference.
I was planning on using Facebook and gumtree as my main sources of advertising initially.

Any advice would be gratefully received.

Thankyou

I think you need to think broader than just weddings, think any kind of event people might want decorating, birthday, corporate dinner, christening, etc

You'll need a website and to check it's coming up in searches on google, look into SEO - there's no point having a website/business is nobody finds you :)

Do you have transport? You'll have to think about where you're willing to travel to, and what kind of initial costs you'll have before you can look into a business loan

Transport is sorted - I drive and DP has a van so that the bulkier things can be transported.
My BIL works in website design so I could have a chat with him about the website side of things. I was thinking of working within a 30 mile radius initially.

Contact wedding planners/ events organisers to talk about getting on their supplier lists, lots of people use those type of services now. Google some in your area.

Do your costungs, what would you charge and what do you need to earn, how many events do you need to do to make it viable? What will your inital investment be? Speak to the bank about what advice there is for you.

Some locations have their own people to do this kind of thing so that will shut off some avenues for you.

Balloon arches etc possibly bit old fashioned now, look on pinterest for weddings to get up to date ideas and see what is possible.

Build up a portfolio.

Good luck

I think I would have to plough about 4-5k into it initially. I can store stock and work from home. I think it may be easier to provide packages as well as individual prices. I would like to aim for 1 event per week.

Hi OP. I have my own candy cart business started up around this time last year. I thought about doing the whole venue decorating thing but there are so many people doing it in my area (and for very very cheap!!) that I decided it wasn't worth the investment of buying all the stuff. You need to offer something that is more unique that the others don't. I'm currently looking into other things I can add.