Couple secures deal on Shark Tank valued at 250K for a virtual bridal company
Meet Charles and Ashley Young, a Maryland-based married couple who are the co-founders of Bridal Babes, a virtual bridal company that designs body-flattering bridesmaids’ dresses catered specifically to curvy Black women. Since appearing on Shark Tank and securing a $250,000 deal, their brand has become one of the fastest-growing in the wedding industry.
The idea for Bridal Babes came about when the couple struggled to find the perfect gowns for their bridesmaids back in 2015. Their curve-hugging dresses went viral for being nontraditional and for how well they fit, and this experience sparked their interest in creating their own bridesmaids’ gown line.
After three years of hard work, they launched Bridal Babes, offering glamorous, curve-hugging dresses that are inclusive of all sizes and ages. They focus on designs that enhance the body types of Black women and differ from the norm. What makes them even more unique is that they were one of the first to incorporate virtual consultations in the industry.
Charles explained to AfroTech, “We 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.”
After appearing on Shark Tank, Bridal Babes saw a significant increase in virtual consultations, and their offer of 20% equity was accepted by Emma Grede, CEO and co-founder of Good American. Ashley shared, “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.”
Moving forward, the funds they received from Shark Tank will be allocated to expanding their inventory, including restocking and designing new dresses to meet growing customer demand. Bridal Babes also offers other bridal attire, such as robes and rehearsal dresses, and they plan to integrate more features into their platform. Visit their official website at BridalBabes.co to learn more.
