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Rebbeca Kingston co-founder
Dress In Love, The Bridal and Honeymoon Boutique, Hertford Childbirth setback spurs retail innovator to succeed
Good friends Rebbeca Kingston and Lindsay Everett came up with an idea to set up a combined boutique and travel agency selling wedding dresses and honeymoons following their own experiences. The pair, who have known each other for 15 years and used to work together on the
perfume counter at Harrods, got engaged and married at a similar time. “We were on the hunt for dresses at the same time and it was a really disappointing experience,” recalls Rebbeca. “Lindsay said booking her honeymoon wasn’t what she thought it would be and was sure we could do it better ourselves. We looked at each other and said ‘that’s a really good idea’.” The experience shaped the idea for the business, which opened in May last year.
Rebbeca runs the agency in the boutique. “People call us the ‘dynamic duo’,” jokes Rebbeca, 34. “The business is profitable and,
long term, we’d like to open in different areas.” But both suffered personal setbacks which made setting up the business challenging – and inspired them to do better. Recently, they entered Richard Branson’s Pitch 2 Rich competition to try to win a slice of £1 million prize money for their business. During the planning of the business, Rebbeca gave birth to twins prematurely. “I was told my life was in danger; the only cure was to take the babies out,” she says. Her twins were both born with serious problems: Daisy-Mai suffers from a heart condition and stayed in intensive care for seven months, while Oakley was in intensive care for four months. Both have chronic lung disease. Rebbeca balanced looking after her babies and researching the agency. “Daisy-Mai had to be wired up to receive oxygen at home. I spent hours by her side,
Rebbeca’s CV
●May 2014-: co-founder Dress In Love, The Bridal and Honeymoon Boutique,
●2013: Hilton Worldwide, Stansted ●2012-13: Mr & Mrs Smith, Chiswick ●2008-11: Teletext, Barnet ●2005-08: Thomson, Harlow ●2003-04: Thomas Cook, Spain
reading Travel Weeklys and researching. I wanted the babies to be proud of me.” Just before the boutique opened,
Lindsay’s youngest son Vinnie, four, born with a partially fused skull, underwent extra surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital. “With five children between us, three of which need a lot of hospital care, we help each other as and when needed,” adds Rebbeca. She is now appealing for readers to
vote for the pair to reach the shortlist in Branson’s competition. “Some people have doubted what we’re doing; now we want to get a name for ourselves.” To vote, go to:
bit.ly/dressinlove.
Would you like to be profiled on Readers’ Lives? Email:
juliet.dennis@
travelweekly.co.uk
30 •
travelweekly.co.uk — 30 April 2015
REBBECA’S TIPS ON SETTING UP A BUSINESS
✪ Find your niche: I’d always worked best with professionals, of a similar age, looking for a very special trip. Having recently been on my own honeymoon, I know what is different about this trip.
✪ Be original: I don’t know anyone else who runs a combined boutique selling wedding dresses and honeymoons.
✪ Keep it personal: I will never make our website bookable because it’s not that type of holiday. I want to spend time with the couple to find the perfect honeymoon.
✪ Do your research: Make sure you understand the market and how to run an agency. Find the right consortium; for us, it’s the Freedom Travel Group.
✪ Grab every opportunity: We’ve entered the Pitch 2 Rich competition and got through the first stage; you’ve got to be in it to win it!
READERS’ LIVES
Rebbeca Kingston (left) and Lindsay Everett
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