Are online wedding businesses even profitable?

[msaelim]

I was brainstorming ideas of what I’m interested in. I came up with weddings and dogs (what girl isn’t?). I was thinking of doing online retail for wedding favors, bridal gifts, and wedding shower gift packages for the bride. Also to sell gently used wedding and bridesmaid dresses and rent some decor. Eventually I would like to have it turn into a community providing discussion forums and also maybe partner up with someone and offer personalized items.

Seeing my friends start their businesses and have it successful has inspired and motivated me to really get going and not waiting for the perfect moment. Example, my boyfriend's friend has a highly successful online business servicing businesses with high-end cards for memberships, gifts, business, etc. I looked online and it brings in nearly 1 million in revenue! He now has offices in Hong Kong and Australia.

I want to do my own thing. I want to be able to pursue something without quitting my full time job. My job is cushiony and okay but I have no passion in it!

Anyway, can online wedding details make any money at all? I don't need to be rich...just not poor! I currently make $40,000 so if I can make that at least I would be okay but of course eventually want to grow.


I plan on researching a bit about search engine optimization and social media marketing. I already know a bit about it because I created a website, Instagram, and Facebook for my parent’s business which now has over 1,000 likes and people even find our business because of it!

So is this worth a shot?

[tallen]

The wedding business can be quite lucrative, but is also a very competitive business as there are a lot of entrants wanting to try to cash in. It can also be a fickle business, subject to changing fashion trends, and there are both local (geographic) aspects and seasonal aspects to it as well. Be sure to take a look at the big players like TheKnot.com and WeddingWire.com, which aren't retailers or vendors themselves but rather directories/marketplaces/communities/resources for wedding couples. There is a pro/vendor discussion board on Wedding Wire, but you have to have established an account for your business in order to access it. Good Luck!

[Harold Mansfield]

Is it worth a shot? Of course it is. And you have people around you with experience. You are correct that there is never a best time, or perfect moment and you won't know until you try.

[msaelim]

I think I would leave out wedding fashion for now since I'm not savvy in it.

I have tons of people I know always engaged lol.

Do you know anything about the personalized gifts? I have a background in graphic design...but I don't necessarily want to design the gifts. Any recommendations? I am wondering how websites offer templates where you click and can preview the design?

[msaelim]

I think I need to think deeper. I would like to sell favors and gifts but I think that I would really also like to be able to rent supplies and decor out. I don't see too much of that anywhere online.

[Harold Mansfield]

I think I need to think deeper. I would like to sell favors and gifts but I think that I would really also like to be able to rent supplies and decor out. I don't see too much of that anywhere online.
Doesn't mean it can't work. People do that. I used to work for a lady when I was younger who rented decorations. We used to go and decorate offices and such for holidays and special events. It is a business model.

Work it out. Think it through. Think about who your target customer is, and how you will get them. Talk to people. Look around.
The more you work it through and investigate options the more you'll discover where there may be some opportunity.

[tallen]

Rental of stuff does require careful thought. To me "online" generally means devoid of geographic restrictions, you are potentially selling to wedding couples all over the country. But rental of physical stuff requires that the stuff get to the place it needs to be on time, and then back to you again also in a timely way so that you can rent it out to the next customer. Is the stuff ship-able or does it have to be delivered by courier, truck, or maybe the customers pick it up from, and return it to, your location themselves? Is this really an online business, or does this now become a local business that just happens to have an online presence?

[tallen]

By the way, when I mentioned "changing fashion trends" I wasn't necessarily referring to clothing (traditional "fashion") but to decor and other "trendy" aspects of wedding planning and design that are subject to fads and changing whims. For example, photobooths may still be the "in-thing" for a wedding in some markets, where as in other markets that fad may have passed. Rustic Chic, Candy Bars, Cup Cakes (instead of slicing up a real cake), Up-Lighting, etc., etc...Some of these are currently "hot," but will they be so forever? While there are a lot of traditions in the wedding business that have staying power, there are also a lot of trends that are here today gone tomorrow, so there is a lot to keep up with and one key to success in renting decor items will be to be at the leading edge of trends.

[msaelim]

I found a website similar to my idea called rentmywedding.com and does successfully well and has over 40k Instagram followers.

They seem to ship all over but also have a local presence and seem to help set up for events too.

I would think many things would be ship labor such as back drops, card holders, plates, etc. but then there may be stuff not easily shippable which would require a higher cost of needed. If local people rent, I would provide pick up for cheaper costs.

So now I am shifting from wedding favors to a focusing more on decor rentals because there seems to be less market for that. I would like the ability for people to sell their gently used decor to me too.