Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelsey Tuben.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started at Unbridaled as a side hustle in 2007, the business had opened in 2005 and I had worked in bridal in college and thought it could be fun to do again before my upcoming vacation. It was a quick love for the store and vibe offering a laid back environment that had less traditional styles. The opportunity came for me to take over and I couldn’t have been more ready. We were still in a world before pinterest and instagram we were able to help brides find dresses that felt more like their personality. We kept hearing from brides that they wished we were closer to them so I expanded to Houston and now recently to New Orleans. Keeping the same mindset at all locations unique designers in an environment that is fun and welcoming. We represent indie designers from around the world and inspire brides!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There are always ups and downs. I think overall the road has been really smooth but I think when you work in bridal you have to have a level of patience that trains you on not sweat the small stuff. There have been times when I could have handled something better for sure but you just learn from it. I used the resources available for small businesses that Austin offers to learn as much as I could about topics I felt less familiar with and it helped me decide what things I could save money on in the beginning and what things I absolutely had to outsource. Deciding to grow was the biggest struggle for us as a company and me personally. I started by trying to do too much on my own and doing many things poorly and exhausting myself and stressing my team. I wish it was a quicker realization but it took me about a two years to realize that I wasn’t supporting my team or my stores in the way we needed to be successful.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Unbridaled?
Unbridaled is a laid back bridal boutique specializing in unique designers from around the world. We are known for having wedding dresses that are unlike the others in the industry. I am proud of our brand for not compromising on quality, sourcing, or style to meet the needs of our brides. Some of the most sought after brands were first represented in the United States by Unbridaled. I want all the brides to know that wedding dress shopping will be fun even if it was something that had not dreamed of or are intimidated by the process.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Most people don’t know that I am the owner, I love helping brides and making them feel comfortable and confident and want to keep the focus on them!
Pricing:
- $1000 – $7000
Contact Info:
- Email: info@unbridaled.com
- Website: www.unbridaled.com
- Instagram: unbridaled
- Facebook: unbridaledbride
- Yelp: unbridaled
