Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sarah Kennedy & Kenzie Kirchoff. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Sarah & Kenzie, appreciate you joining us today. What’s the best or worst investment you’ve made?

Usually, when we think of investments, we think about the amount of money we put into something. Sure, we’ve put some cash into this business—but truly our investments came from a much more vulnerable place that I don’t think a lot of people give credit to. We invested a ton of trust in ourselves. Trust that we could make this work and sustain our lifestyles off of it. We believed enough in our services, products, and mission to make this business more than a side project.

Look, there is a lot at stake. Not only do we need to show up every day for ourselves, but also for each other. I trust my business partner 100%. She shows up not only to work hard but as someone who pushes me to invest more belief in myself. Investing in yourself takes bravery, it takes observation and research, it takes risking so much and sometimes failing to hit your initial goals. Investing in yourself is knowing that even on the worst days, you’re growing.

Our best investment has been trusting ourselves to succeed.

Sarah & Kenzie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

We are the co-owners of Saint Strange Bridalwear in Saint Paul, MN.

Sarah & Kenzie had different wedding industry experiences prior to becoming friends. Both of us saw the wasteful side of weddings and it motivated us to start something that could help our community’s wedding waste problem.

At Saint Strange, we have a focus on sustainability. First, to keep 1x worn garments out of the landfill. Second, to help connect local small vendors with potential clients since we are at the start of many clients’ to-do lists. When the newly engaged are at our salon, we help them find an outfit or gown for their wedding. We have a collection of over 100 wedding gowns that have been sourced secondhand through donations and thrifting. We wash, repair, rework, and rehome garments in the hope of giving them a second chance to be worn. These gowns are made with incredible materials such as buttery soft silks and handmade lace. Since our goal is to keep gowns out of the trash, but all of our dresses are unique, there are a lot of alterations that need to happen. Sarah is a fantastic alterations specialist. In her studio, all are welcome. We work really hard to make our space safe and inclusive for everyone. This is a very special time for our clients and we just love having them here.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

We filled our plates too full and burned out for a bit. The wedding industry can get really nuts from April-Oct and when you’re starting a business, you don’t want to turn anyone down. The fear is that clients will dry up or your services may not be as reliable because you couldn’t squeeze 1 more person in. This is actually not a ‘new business problem. It’s an overarching issue with many businesses that overstretch themselves due to pressure and poor habits.

Truth is, there are more than enough clients. In the Twin Cities, there are quite a few wedding shops. Each is unique and frankly, we LOVE to root for each of them. As a new business, we were surprisingly flooded with inquiries, and while our business cup was running over with support, our own cups were bone dry.

Now that we have had the experience to know our limits, we respect our boundaries. We say no when we don’t have the bandwidth, and instead, help connect other vendors to our clients. Because, as I said, there is more than enough work and workers to get every job done!

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

I love this story. Kenzie and her husband moved into a duplex on a quiet street in Saint Paul during the pandemic. They really hadn’t connected with anyone new in a while and this cute neighborhood was a totally new vibe from living downtown. Next door, Sarah and her husband owned a home that they were renovating. One morning while sipping coffee and working on the porch, Kenzie saw Sarah yelling and chasing her cat down the street in a bathrobe. Although this was not the beginning of our friendship, it very much represents the energy we bring to the table.

We did meet soon after and bonded over nearly everything.

Contact Info:

• Website: saintstrangexoxo.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saint_strange/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saintstrangebridal

Image Credits
Photographer: Aminda Villa