The following interview has been republished from https://www.essensedesigns.com/blog/inspiring-women-in-bridal-3/.
For sisters and owners of The Wedding Factor, Stacey Veeraraj and Kathy Hart, providing the ultimate bridal experience comes naturally. With backgrounds as wedding planners, the duo started The Wedding Factor nine years ago after realizing they wanted to expand their wedding expertise and start their own bridal boutique.
Located in historic Old City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, The Wedding Factor is a full-service bridal salon and wedding dress store that offers designer wedding gowns, plus size wedding dresses, headpieces, handmade veils, jewelry and other accessories. In addition, they also offer in-house master seamstress services and continue to offer their wedding planning services since it remains as one of their passions.
We couldn’t be more thrilled for you to meet these savvy sisters, Kathy and Stacey!
Q: What inspired you to start your own bridal boutique?
A: We started out as wedding planners and transitioned into store owners after the NYC Bridal Market in April of 2013. We met a fellow bridal representative there, and it was then that we decided this was the direction we should head in, even though we did not own a store yet.
Q: What is your favorite part of owning a bridal store?
A: Helping brides and their families create special moments that will be remembered forever. It’s very rewarding to watch brides find their dream dress. We enjoy being part of a community where we provide valuable services to our brides.
Q: What is it like being Black women in the bridal industry?
A: The community is small, however, that is not our focus. We have consistently tried to provide excellent service and a positive environment for all brides, but it can be particularly rewarding to have brides of color come in and cry real tears because they are so happy to be given this level of service that was not offered to them at other bridal stores. We have heard this from many brides, and we are happy to be a part of their journey.
Q: What advice would you give to other Black women in the bridal industry?
A: Be prepared to work hard and fight for your dream! Also, it’s important to meet other store owners so you have a support system. Always be willing to learn and grow!
This is a question that comes up from time to time. Both options lead to successful parties and both have their strengths and benefits. Most important thing is to determine what you really want and what will serve your party the best.
The first item to address is budget. A band will typically run higher than a DJ in most cases simply due to the fact that there are more individuals to be compensated than just the DJ. It is best to determine what your budget for entertainment is before you seek out entertainment for your dinner reception.
The second item to consider is the physical space available for the entertainment to set up in your dinner reception ballroom. You also have to check to see if you venue has restrictions imposed upon it by the local townships for noise levels. Some venues are required to use a Decibel Meter to maintain the volume of your entertainment under the imposed thresholds throughout the night.
Third, is live music or Electronic Dance Music (that DJs do better than bands) more important to you? A DJ can certainly play anything but a good band performing a song like “September” by Earth, Wind and Fire would be a different experience than a DJ playing it. On the flip side, a band performing a song like “This Is What You Came For” by Calvin Harris would be different experience than a good DJ performing it. What is it that you want with the music at your party? Do you want your playlist to concentrate more on the classic hits or more on current Top 40 genre? Consider your guests and think about what they might like.
Consider your theme and what you want it to feel like in your ballroom and which of the two would be a better fit for your vision? How much of a variety in music do you want throughout the night? While many bands can give you great variety in music genres, a DJ can pretty much play anything.
One more worthwhile item to bear in mind is the quality of the talent your book. Be it a DJ or a band, you need to do your research on the act/talent you are considering. Read testimonials, talk to others who may have seen them perform before, go to one of their live showcases, how much experience do they have running weddings, talk to them and get a real good sense about their ability to run a party like professionals. Is the DJ or band you are considering skilled with MC’ing? Can you picture the band’s MC or the DJ MC’ing your dream day?
In a nutshell, once your budget has been determined, identify what is important to you first and then begin your research and seek those qualities in your talent. After all, this is the day you have been dreaming of and you want it to be perfect, one that reflects your personality and tastes.
The Wedding Factor is very proud to offer Stella York’s Every Body Every Bride Plus Size Wedding Dresses, ranging from size 18 – 36. We have in stock, over 15 different styles, including mermaid, A-line, ballgown and fit-and-flare. You are able to try on a variety of styles before confidently saying “yes” to your perfect dress.
All of our Bridal Stylists have been trained by Stella York to help you find your dream wedding dress that perfectly suits your style, your body and your budget. We strive to make sure every bride receives excellent customer service by providing private dressing rooms, robes and 5 star customer service.
We recommend that you bring your preferred undergarments for formal wear. Our team will go the extra mile to ensure that you feel comfortable and that your appointment is custom tailored to fit your individual needs. Your journey to finding your dream wedding dress ends with your appointment at The Wedding Factor.
See our Plus Size Dress gallery here or learn more at https://www.essensedesigns.com/everybody-everybride/.