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1 Rebbeca Kingston with
her twins, and (inset) the Dress In Love boutique
Agent mum of twins seeks votes to win £150,000 from Branson
Juliet Dennis
A travel agent who co-founded a bridal and honeymoon boutique after she nearly died giving birth to premature twins is pitching for £150,000 in Richard Branson’s Pitch 2 Rich competition. Rebbeca Kingston set up the business, selling bridal gowns, honeymoons and wedding packages, in Hertford with co-founder Lindsay Everett last May. Originally trading as two brands in the
same shop, the business is now rebranding under one name: Dress In Love, The Bridal and Honeymoon Boutique. The company is one of 500, including
other travel firms, competing for a slice of £1 million prize money, which includes marketing funds and mentoring. Kingston and Everett are appealing to the industry for support in a public vote to reach a shortlist of 50, having already had a business plan accepted to qualify for the competition’s start-up category. Kingston said: “Selling bridal gowns and honeymoons in one boutique makes perfect sense. It’s a simple idea that brings so much happiness to people.”
4 •
travelweekly.co.uk — 16 April 2015 But she added the business needed
money to promote the agency. Kingston added: “Ideally, you only get married once, so there’s no repeat business. We constantly need to market the business.” The former Thomson agent was
inspired to enter after the ordeal she and her twins have been through. After being forced to have an
emergency C-section to save her own life, Rebbeca’s twins Daisy-Mai and Oakley were born at 26 weeks, weighing just 1lb each and suffering major complications. They spent up to seven months in neonatal intensive care. “I said goodbye to my twins three times but amazingly both pulled through,” said Kingston. Now 18 months old, the twins have
chronic lung disease. Kingston, 34, spent hours by her twins’ bedsides planning the agency, part of the Freedom Travel Group. Freedom head Kelly Cookes said:
“Rebbeca is an inspirational lady.” Winners will be named on June 26. ❯ To vote, go to:
bit.ly/dressinlove
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