WEDDING 101 ENJOYS TWO YEAR GROWTH WITH SECOND LOCATION
FRANKLIN, TN (November 4, 2011)….After launching Wedding 101 during the height of the recession in August of 2009, co-owners Amy Dickerson and Ashley Hicks are looking forward to the opening of a second location in Columbia, South Carolina this November in the newly revitalized Main Street Shopping District. Future goals for the business always included expansion by the time the flagship store was five years old. Opportunity arrived sooner as they had interest almost as soon as they opened their doors in The Factory at Franklin. “Our concept is solid and our business model is original. We knew that both would be transferable to any city in the United States and welcomed by wedding professionals and brides alike,” said Amy Dickerson. “We didn’t expect it to happen so quickly but are thrilled to see it grow. This validates all of our hard work.”
Instead of franchising their business, Dickerson and Hicks decided to license the Wedding 101 name due to the strict federal guidelines involved with franchising and allow licensees the opportunity to bring their own unique style to their Wedding 101 location. All Wedding 101 marketing material, ad campaigns, logo and website will stay the same.
Qualities Dickerson and Hicks look for in potential owners include someone who truly believes the concept of a wedding planning resource center for brides and has the enthusiasm and passion to improve and grow the brand. “Connie Hancock, who is opening up the Columbia, South Carolina location, is a true businesswoman at heart with a passion for weddings,” states Ashley Hicks. “Columbia is a mid-size, large university city with a small town feel and great opportunities for new entrepreneurial businesses such as Wedding 101.” Ms. Hancock states, “I knew I wanted to do something in the wedding industry, but couldn’t decide on one area–I wanted a hand in all aspects. The concept Amy and Ashley created in Wedding 101 is genius and allows me to combine my obsession for weddings, passion for my hometown and desire to own my own business. Meeting Amy and Ashley and visiting the studio in Nashville was a Cinderella moment–it was a magical perfect fit.” The flagship space in Franklin has 3500 sq. ft. and the Columbia location will have 3100 sq. ft. The space will be used for a showroom of wedding professional displays as well as a place to host wedding workshops and classes.
Wedding 101 is a wedding-planning resource library located in a 3500 square-foot elegant yet hip showroom in The Factory at Franklin. A complimentary service for brides, Wedding 101 takes the stress out of planning as brides are able to see, hear, taste and touch the finest products and services that Nashville wedding professionals have to offer all in one location. The resources available are designed to educate and inspire brides and event planners alike. More information on Wedding 101 can be found on their website at www.wedding101.net.