Starting a wedding business can be one of the most exciting entrepreneurial journeys you’ll ever take on. Not only are you able to help people on their special day, but get to work with an amazing industry that’s both fun and creative. And if you’ve been looking at how to start a wedding business, then here are a few useful tips to get started. Check them out below:

Know What You Can Afford

If you’re going to be starting a wedding business, one of the first things you need to consider is what you can afford, as well as how you’re going to be able to do it. While it’s relatively cheap to start a business from home, when it comes to the wedding industry, there are going to be a few items that you might want to consider for your upstart costs. For example, items like your marketing materials and website are going to be necessary from the start. And if these are relatively new concepts to you, then not only knowing what you need but much it will cost will be vital.

To get started, make a list of the items that you’ll find necessary to start your wedding business. Try to divide these up based on priority and longevity of the investment. For example, putting your money into branding and a solid website will be long-lasting if you don’t go cheap (and in fact, can be much cheaper than hiring several people to find the best value). Look at what options are going to give you the best ROI out the gate, as that will be what’s most advantageous to tackle first.

Once you’ve established the overall cost of what you need to get started, then it’s time to see how you can work on affordability. A big part about this will not only be the items listed above, but the amount saved for you to live off of while you’re getting your business off the ground. Check out how much you have in savings because, as noted by GoBankingRates, approximately 69 percent of Americans have less than $1,000 in their account. If you find yourself in the same category, perhaps looking into credit repair or a savings plan might be a good route to go.

Focus On Trust

A huge aspect of the wedding industry is building trust not only with your potential customers but the partnerships you want to form as well. As we mentioned above, while branding is a wise investment to form your identity, it’s also the biggest cursor to start building trust with your base. Furthermore, as noted by LucidPress, 64 percent of consumers cite shared values as a primary reason they have a relationship with a brand. And if you’re looking to capitalize on the same, then focusing in on how you can build trust in the wedding community is a must.

Start out by seeing what type of brand you’re trying to form, as well as what that represents in the current wedding landscape. This is important because with how similar a lot of branding in the wedding industry can look, setting yourself apart from the crowd is a must. Envision what type of wedding services you’re specifically looking to offer, as well as what type of identity that would hold; breaking down all the typefaces and color schemes associated. I’ll note that while this isn’t an easy process, it’s one that will last you quite a bit in the long run.

After you’ve somewhat established what your brand should be, it’s time to start looking at partnerships. Try reaching out to some of the up-and-coming companies in your industry, especially if they can offer complementary services to what you do. For example, a dress company that makes custom bridal gowns could help you save while strengthening both of your brands. Make your partners people that are going to be worth growing alongside, as that will form the strongest bond (and ROI) in the long run.

Don’t Forget About Marketing

Finally, once you’ve gotten together who you are, it’s time to start letting people know. As marketing can range dramatically in price, it’s important to have financial focus on your budget, looking through what options you can explore and getting the best ROI. This can sometimes be hard to distinguish because, as noted by Hubspot, approximately 60 percent of small businesses are not able to track ROI for all social activity.

Regarding how to get started with ROI, the goal is to calculate not only the cost in dollars but time as well. For example, as posting on Pinterest or Instagram is free, getting the best traction on there will either require great photography skills or someone who has them; and no matter if that means teaching yourself or bringing on a contractor, this is crucial to calculate. All-in-all, utilize strategies like this if you’re looking to make the most out of your efforts.

What are you most excited about in entering the wedding industry? Comment with your answers below!