Behind the Veil
Finding a Niche
"Unique" was in the plans of Joanna Dreifus and Ellen
Horowitz when they founded BridesmaidAid.com in 2000. The idea was
birthed out of the many experiences Dreifus, 29, and Horowitz, 28,
had as bridesmaids. "We realized there were all these wedding
Web sites and there were [virtually] no information sources for
bridesmaids," says Dreifus. "And there are so many more
bridesmaids [than brides]." The pair created a Web site with advice for bridesmaids, a list
of duties, suggestions for bachelorette parties, wedding city
spotlights, links to wedding stores and a horror story section.
Both full-time graduate students, the pair focused on generating
content and building a user base. The business side--i.e., the
money to be made from a site that gets over 10,000 hits
daily--didn't come until recently. Now, says Dreifus,
they're crafting a business plan to capitalize on the site and
get revenues flowing. A segment on The Today Show and being
picked as a Yahoo! site of the day have helped to generate
exposure. "People want really specific information," says
Dreifus. "[Wedding sites often] get caught up in the formal,
flowery, syrupy side of things-[people] want specifics." More couples are turning to the Web for wedding research and
purchases, according to Lawrence. Other trends in weddings: People
are marrying later in life, and wedding consultants are becoming
more common among middle-class couples-not just a luxury for rich
folk anymore. Content Continues Below
Vincent S. Lipe, owner of Acquisitions Event Management Inc. in
Seattle, happened upon another wedding trend: He plans weddings and
commitment ceremonies for same-sex couples, in addition to
traditional ceremonies. Finding most of his business through
word-of-mouth, Lipe, 46, happened upon this opportunity at a
millennium party he had put together for a client. "A number
of the guests approached me and said, 'We understand you put
this all together--do you do commitment ceremonies and same-sex
wedding planning?'" recalls Lipe. "I hadn't done
one, but planning a wedding is planning a wedding." The best lesson to take away? Whatever type of wedding biz you
want to commit to, serve customers the best way you know how. As
entrepreneurs like Lipe can attest, referrals can make all the
difference. | WALKING THE AISLE
ONLINE | Here's a roundup of some cool
wedding information sites-and just plain interesting wedding
businesses-we found on the Net:
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What makes a good client gift?
What guidelines do you follow when buying gifts for your clients? Have you ever received an unusual or inappropriate gift?
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