We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ashanti Davis a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Ashanti, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
While being a lead stylist at a wedding boutique(Bridal Bliss Homewood), during their consultation with me one of my brides literally said on her wedding day she only wanted me to handle her gown and help her get dress. I said it would be my pleasure. So after that experience I did my homework and learned this is actually something people do for a living and make good money as well. Then BOOM!! WGS Bridal Styling and Concierge was born! So every Bridal appointment I would have with new brides, I would let them know services I offered with WGS. I also expanded my business needs as well because every Bride is different and I wanted to make my business covered every need.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Ashanti Davis. Mother of beautiful daughter and I have owned my business WGS Bridal Styling and Concierge for over 4 years now and I’ve been a Bridal Gown Stylist for over 8 years now.
Questions you asked yourself What is a Bridal Stylist and Why Do I Need One. A bridal stylist assists with the Bride with her appearance for her Wedding Day and also Engagement Activities(Engagement photos, bridal tea, bridal shower, etc)
Your bridal gown is one of the most important elements of your wedding day. As a Bridal Fashion Stylist, I provide a personalized shopping experience with an expert unbiased eye ensuring that you make the perfect choice. My curated experience is designed with your personal style, budget, and wedding style in mind. On the day of I am there to dress and bustle you to perfection. My services extend to bridesmaids, and other wedding party members.
Benefits of a Bridal Stylist- Relationships with Bridal Salons and Designers. Knowledge of Fabrics, Fits, and Silhouettes. Objective Advisement. A Wedding Professional focused solely on your needs on your Wedding Day.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
In this business, I definitely had to learn all Brides are different which means their needs would be different as well. I learned this lesson while presenting the pitch to promote my business with every bride. I then realized that I had to treat my brides differently just like I did when they were shopping for wedding gowns. Once I mastered this my clientele grew.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
Hashtagging is literally a calling card. So even before I started my business I made my own hashtag #weddinggownslanger hence WGS in the business name. So every time a bride said yes to her gown I would post a pic and use that hashtag. Also I wanted a hashtag that would standout. As of today, I still use the same hashtag and also added more hashtags #wgsbride #wgsbridetribe. Im the only business to my knowledge that have these significant hashtags. Also any time I see a post where theres a proposal or engagement, I send my congratulations and I also offer my services.
Contact Info:
- Website: Wgsbrides.com
- Instagram: wgsbridalstyling
- Facebook: Wgs Bridal Styling & Concierge