Couple Secures $250K Deal on Shark Tank for Black-Owned Virtual Bridal Company

 

Meet Charles and Ashley Young, a married couple who co-founded Bridal Babes, a virtual bridal company that creates body-flattering bridesmaid dresses for voluptuous Black women. Their Maryland-based company has become one of the fastest-growing brands in the wedding market after appearing on Shark Tank and earning a $250,000 contract.

It was difficult for the couple to find the perfect gowns for their bridesmaids when they were arranging their wedding in 2015. Their bridesmaids donned figure-hugging gowns that went viral for their unconventionality and how wonderfully they fit. These encounters motivated the couple’s desire to launch their own bridal gown company.

After nearly three years of development, they launched Bridal Babes, which offers stunning curve-hugging dresses for women of various sizes and ages. They focus on designs that are unique and compliment the body types of Black women. What makes it even more distinctive is that they were among the first in the industry to embrace virtual consultation.

“We would have a client meet with a stylist and that will really help trim down exactly what the bride wants ’cause we have so many different dresses and so many different styles. But you’ll really direct them through the process of picking the perfect style for all the bridesmaids of all shapes, shades, and sizes,” Charles told AfroTech.

Furthermore, Bridal Babes witnessed an increase in virtual consultations when the couple appeared on Shark Tank in the hopes of receiving $250,000 in exchange for 10% stock. They eventually got a deal when Emma Grede, CEO and co-founder of Good American, approved their offer for 20% shares.

“She’s really hands-on and digs into all the details with us. As far as exposure, of course, you get the huge uptick in sales that everybody talks about, but also we saw an influx of people coming in through that virtual consultation platform so much so that we had to like release new dates,” Ashley said.

Moving ahead, the monies they received will be used to expand their inventory, including restocks and new designs, in order to fulfill rising client demand. They now provide various bridal attires such as robes and rehearsal dresses, and they intend to expand their platform with more features.

Leave a Reply