Husband and wife founders, Ashley and Charles, turned a big problem into an even bigger brand! When Ashley was searching for bridesmaid gowns, she knew there should be a better way to shop for bridesmaid gowns.
As Seen on ABC's Shark Tank, Bridal Babes’ mission is to ensure that every bridesmaid can find a gown that suits their personal style, flatters their shape, and is available in missy and plus size.
As Seen on ABC's Shark Tank, Bridal Babes’ mission is to ensure that every bridesmaid can find a gown that suits their personal style, flatters their shape, and is available in missy and plus size.
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00 Hello, hello, and welcome to another episode of Shop Essence Live in partnership with the
00:05 New Voices family.
00:07 This is where we bring you every single week two new Black-owned brands to shop right here
00:12 with us.
00:13 I am so excited about today, and I'm always excited about today because these founders,
00:18 they're so intentional about their products.
00:20 So you need to stick around.
00:22 A little bit later, we're going to have glam body scrubs.
00:27 If you're a body scrub person like I am, you need to stick around for this because they
00:31 have the most incredible scents that's going to get our lives together.
00:36 But up first, are you planning your wedding or are you going to a wedding?
00:41 Are you a bridesmaid?
00:43 We have this incredible Black-owned business, Bridal Babes.
00:48 We are going to be joined by Ashley Young.
00:50 She's co-founder and stylist of this incredible brand.
00:54 So make sure you share this with your friend that's planning their wedding that is trying
00:58 to pick out bridesmaid dresses, X, Y, Z.
01:00 She is hooking us up.
01:01 I'm wearing some of the stuff now, so I'm excited to talk to her.
01:05 Come on in, Ashley.
01:06 Hey, girl.
01:07 Hey.
01:08 Hello.
01:09 How are you?
01:10 I am amazing.
01:11 First of all, you look gorgeous.
01:12 Thank you.
01:13 So thank you for gracing us with your beauty.
01:19 If you could, let the people know how Bridal Babes came to life.
01:25 Absolutely.
01:26 This is my favorite part because literally everyone has been there who's either been
01:32 married or been in a wedding.
01:35 So back when I was planning our wedding in 2016, this gorgeous Cancun destination wedding,
01:42 vibrant colors.
01:44 I had my bridesmaids of all shapes, shapes, and sizes.
01:47 We started looking for bridesmaid dresses, and there was nothing out there that fit the
01:52 vibe we were going for.
01:54 Like I said, we had girls that wanted to show off their curves.
01:56 I had bridesmaids from size 2 to 20, and nobody wanted to be in a frumpy, pastel, you know
02:04 the vibe, right, kind of bridesmaid dress.
02:06 So I ended up searching high and low.
02:09 Of course, I found a dress, but it was not at a traditional bridesmaid boutique.
02:13 I kind of pulled them from a bunch of stores online.
02:16 And when my girls put those dresses on, they instantly lit up.
02:20 I mean, they were taking pictures all night.
02:23 My husband at the time, right, because it was after the wedding, we woke up and I was
02:28 like, "Our wedding has gone viral.
02:31 What happened?"
02:32 Now this is Instagram 2016 standards, so viral is a little different than it is now.
02:36 But we were in shock, but it was because people had never seen bridesmaids looking and feeling
02:42 amazing in their dresses.
02:44 So we turned to each other.
02:45 We went from high school sweethearts to newlyweds and then business partners just in that moment.
02:50 We were like, "We got to do it."
02:52 Gosh, we love stories like that.
02:56 And it is so true.
02:57 I feel like there's almost a stigma with being a bridesmaid.
03:00 Like, "Oh God, what is this dress that I'm about to have to wear that I can only wear
03:04 one time?"
03:06 And then it's done.
03:07 I love the sophistication and the variety of your dresses because it is legitimately
03:13 that.
03:14 You can wear one of these bridesmaid dresses and then have a fancy event to go to, a gala,
03:20 and still wear them again.
03:22 And I know we're about to go through each of them.
03:25 So if you want to, why don't you take us through what you want to show?
03:29 What's the first one?
03:30 Absolutely.
03:31 So our Shades of Melanin collection is our best-selling collection because we chose colors
03:39 that look beautiful and really radiate on brown skin.
03:43 So I failed to mention this, but the majority of our clients are Latina women, African-American
03:49 women, women with curves.
03:50 We really specialize in designing for us, right?
03:54 And thinking about styles that are going to look good and flatter us.
03:57 Like, when we walk into the room, we're going to be fashion forward.
04:01 Everyone wants to see.
04:02 And we found that our brides want their bridesmaids to look good too.
04:06 So the first dress that I will show you is our Sasha gown.
04:11 So this is in Sienna.
04:12 It's a one-shoulder, and you can't see it here, but it has this gorgeous flowing train.
04:17 OK, so this train is the moment.
04:21 I'm going to try to show her up here a little bit.
04:24 But it really adds that extra va-va-va boom.
04:27 And we have a few other complementary styles, like the Tiana dress, the Aria dress, really
04:34 that still have that same vibe, and they're in that Shades of Melanin collection.
04:37 So Siennas, Champagnes, Chocolates, Mocas, ones that are almost like nudes on our skin
04:43 tone.
04:44 Oh, so, so good.
04:47 And I love the intentionality around the Shades of Melanin, right?
04:52 Like not everybody wants to do the pastel and that burnt orange.
04:56 When I tell you that burnt orange, oh my gosh, it's just so absolutely gorgeous.
05:03 If you want to, you want to keep going.
05:05 What's the next thing you want to do, Tiana?
05:06 Yes, absolutely.
05:07 So in addition to that burnt orange, we also have two collections.
05:10 So we have a more high-end collection, which is the Sasha and the Tiana gown.
05:14 So those start at $250.
05:17 And then we have a more affordable collection.
05:19 So gowns that start at $150.
05:20 OK, I'm going to say it again, $150, OK, for bridesmaid dresses.
05:27 So when you're going down to that Cancun wedding, you already spent a bag on getting down to
05:32 the trip and bachelorette party, bridal shower, all of that.
05:35 Now your bridesmaids have an affordable option that also looks and feels amazing on them.
05:41 So the Camilla dress is one of the dresses in that affordable collection.
05:46 We also have, speaking of, some really great options for brides to be.
05:52 So I know you are rocking one of our athleisure sets here.
05:56 We have the wifey crop.
05:58 Yes, come on, show us, show it off.
06:02 Yes.
06:03 I could see my girls going on their honeymoon.
06:06 This is the perfect airport outfit.
06:08 Like, hey, I'm wifey.
06:10 And don't forget, you know how they give you the free drinks when they know that you're
06:13 a newlywed?
06:14 That's a thing?
06:15 I missed out.
06:16 I didn't have a destination wedding.
06:17 Oh, yeah, one of those ones, for sure.
06:19 So that's a crop sweatshirt.
06:22 It's this really nice plush cotton.
06:24 One of the other things I'll add is that every piece we have has stretch, because the stretch
06:29 is really what's going to allow you to accentuate the curves.
06:32 Yes.
06:33 And then with that bride to be collection, we also have accessories.
06:37 So right now, we want to show off our wifey earrings there.
06:40 So we have matching bride earrings and gaugers.
06:45 Our girls, they get every single earring in the collection.
06:48 I'm wearing this to my bridal shower, my bachelorette, my rehearsal dinner.
06:52 And what an amazing gift this would be for a bride to be.
06:56 And it's just so gorgeous.
06:58 I want to take a step back and talk about this.
07:03 First of all, I don't know what kind of cotton this came from, but the comfort that comes
07:10 with this, it's like literally being, I don't know, wrapped in marshmallows.
07:15 I can't explain the kind of comfort that comes with it.
07:19 The inside just feels so luxurious.
07:23 So good.
07:24 Yes, it really is.
07:25 And like you said, the inside, it's lined, it's really nice and plush.
07:30 And then you have that signature wifey there.
07:33 And we actually also have a bride set.
07:35 So wifey is like after the wedding, anniversary, honeymoon.
07:40 And then we have our velour bride set.
07:43 So this is giving JLo, 2000s, Ashanti, this is a throwback.
07:48 I'm aging myself, okay.
07:50 But it's a velour set here.
07:52 It says bride, which is absolutely gorgeous.
07:54 And then it has the flared pants.
07:56 So this one is not cropped.
07:58 The one that you're wearing is cropped.
08:01 So if you want a little bit more coverage, you can go with the bride set.
08:04 And then it has these matching pants that are also the velour, and they have a little
08:07 bit of flare on the bottom.
08:10 We love.
08:12 And then what's the sparkly number behind you?
08:16 Did you talk about that already?
08:18 Yes.
08:19 So a little bit more on our Bride to Be collection.
08:21 So this collection actually started as a response to COVID.
08:25 We were talking about it earlier, but our girls were like, you know what, we're not
08:29 doing the big extravagant wedding, but we love bridal babes.
08:32 Our girls got their bridesmaid dresses.
08:34 We're going to wear them once everything opens up.
08:36 But what can I wear now to my courthouse wedding?
08:39 Or what can I wear now to my, you know, bridal shower, my small celebration?
08:43 And so we started off with a line and the girls just, oh my God, they loved it.
08:47 So we kept going.
08:48 So this is our stretch sequin dress here.
08:53 So I got to get with my thighs.
08:55 First of all, stretch and sequin usually do not go together.
08:58 Do not go together.
09:00 This has actually, it has the pushup and the padded bra.
09:05 We make sure that you don't even have to wear a bra with it if you don't want to.
09:09 It also has this really nice bodice.
09:11 It's actually a full corset here, but then it still has the stretch.
09:16 And one of the things that we know is our girls love a good split.
09:19 So this one has a split.
09:20 And then on top of that, it has detachable sleeves and they're fingerless.
09:28 So we can still show off the bling underneath the glove.
09:32 Okay.
09:33 So these are detachable gloves.
09:34 So these are actually separate.
09:36 They're just on here for packaging.
09:37 So you can decide to wear it strapless or you can decide to wear it with the gloves,
09:41 which is, this is the dress, especially for our fall and winter brides or like early spring
09:48 when you're like, I don't know if I want to go strapless.
09:50 I need a little bit of coverage on my arms.
09:52 This is the dress for you.
09:53 This is the Tia gown.
09:54 Woo.
09:55 We love the Tia gown.
09:56 Oh my gosh.
09:57 That's so beautiful.
09:58 And there's just so much intention that goes into every single bit of that design.
10:05 We're taking care of with the built in support.
10:08 And we have the real corset because you know, we ain't trying to go on a starvation diet
10:13 before the wedding.
10:14 And then the detachable sleeves, you got like two outfits in one.
10:18 So, so great.
10:19 I definitely see that like cutting off the rug at the reception or the party.
10:24 Oh yeah.
10:25 So good.
10:26 You also have bundles, which is something I actually never heard of, but it's so smart.
10:30 Can you talk a little bit about like collections that people can purchase?
10:35 Yeah.
10:36 So we come out with collections every year, really thinking about what's trending, what's
10:41 working, right?
10:42 So the shades of melanin, as I mentioned, that collection has just been our rock star
10:47 because it's something that people know if I come to Bridal Babes, I'm going to get a
10:52 bridesmaid dress that really has me in mind.
10:54 So these colors, like I said, the siennas, the burnt oranges, you can't find these everywhere.
11:00 Right.
11:01 And so we'll come out with other collections where you can mix and match.
11:04 That's the other big thing for us.
11:06 We know not every bridesmaid wants to wear the same dress, should wear the same dress,
11:12 right?
11:13 Because certain ones are flattering on different body types.
11:15 So now you can mix and match within the collection and decide on which dress works well based
11:21 on each bridesmaid's personal style, her shape, and her size.
11:26 So smart.
11:27 She's got you guys covered.
11:29 Whether you're doing a small wedding, you're doing the courthouse, you still want the pictures.
11:34 The pictures is what's going to last forever.
11:36 So you want the pictures.
11:37 I love that you have a $100 price point for these bridesmaid dresses.
11:42 I think that is huge for people.
11:45 And then also I know you wanted to highlight your rose, which is a really big hit.
11:49 Speaking of gorgeous photos.
11:51 So this is the piece that you need for those bridesmaid getting ready photos where you
11:57 guys are throwing the champagne, sorry, popping the champagne, throwing the confetti.
12:03 We don't want to throw any champagne.
12:04 We're not wasting champagne over here.
12:06 So these are perfect for your bridesmaids.
12:09 So a lot of times when you get bridesmaid robes, they're one size fits all.
12:14 And we know one size does not fit all.
12:16 So we have three size ranges.
12:18 We have the Missy size range, which is small through large.
12:22 We have the plus size range, which is XL to 2X.
12:26 And then we have the curve size range, which is 3X to 5X.
12:30 So your girls are covered.
12:32 They don't have to worry about, okay, this is not fitting me across my hips or my butt,
12:35 whatever it is.
12:37 And then also we have bridesmaid on the back.
12:41 So you actually have that there.
12:44 Bridesmaid, you have maid of honor, matron of honor, mother of the bride, mother of the
12:48 groom, really so it adds that extra layer of personalization.
12:53 We absolutely love these.
12:54 This is the blush color.
12:56 The sienna color that matches the Sasha perfectly is another bestseller.
13:03 And these robes are just fantastic, like I said, for those getting ready photos, even
13:07 like hanging them in the closet.
13:10 It just creates that ambiance and that luxury kind of feel for your wedding.
13:16 Love it.
13:17 So you have such a great variety of dresses across the board and products.
13:22 Can you let the people know what your website is so they can go and check out the full array
13:27 of products you have available?
13:29 Absolutely.
13:30 So you can find bridesmaid dresses, bride-to-be gowns, our bridesmaid and bride robes in sizes
13:37 small through 5XL at www.bridalbabes.com.
13:44 You can also follow us on Instagram @bridalbabes and TikTok.
13:49 We get a little crazy on TikTok, so that's why you see us go rogue a little bit.
13:53 But we have all of our fabulous clients posted on Instagram so you can actually see what
13:59 a real wedding looks like with our bridal babes gowns.
14:04 So good.
14:05 All right.
14:06 This is just so incredible, so exciting.
14:09 If you guys do purchase here at Shop Essence Live, all of the money that you give to these
14:15 products goes to these black-owned businesses.
14:17 So do make sure that you go and check out and support.
14:19 If you're looking at this on Pinterest, we're going to be pinning all the dresses that we're
14:23 talking about here so you can follow along.
14:26 So Ashley, you are also a member of the New Voices family, and this is in partnership
14:31 with New Voices.
14:33 Can you talk a little bit about what that experience has been like for you being a part
14:38 of that community?
14:39 It has been fabulous.
14:42 I love the community and the other founders.
14:46 It's almost like you're in this exclusive club that nobody understands if you're not
14:52 a founder.
14:53 And so you have a sounding board like, "Hey, I'm having a problem here.
14:57 Can you help?"
14:58 And you immediately get like 10 people who are willing to help you, not just send you
15:02 a message, but hop on a call with you.
15:05 And just the opportunities are endless outside of just the community side and the support,
15:11 the grants, the networking opportunities, the events.
15:14 Being a part of New Voices is just amazing.
15:17 I'm so proud to be a part of it and so thankful that this space is here for Black-owned businesses
15:24 because it is just so important.
15:26 We need so much support and encouragement to get through the lows and also to celebrate
15:31 our wins and our highs as entrepreneurs.
15:34 100%.
15:35 Now, before I let you go, and the people are going to get me because I didn't say at the
15:40 beginning, you actually have a promo code-
15:43 I do.
15:44 ... for the audience.
15:45 Can you say, let them know what the promo code is and what the discount is?
15:49 Absolutely.
15:50 It is a site-wide promo code.
15:53 So on the site, 20% off using the code ESSENCE20.
16:00 ESSENCE20 for 20% off site-wide.
16:06 So our ESSENCE New Voices Pinterest family, please hop on the website, use that code.
16:13 Your girls are going to love you for giving them that code.
16:16 20% off and it's already a deal.
16:19 Come on, come on.
16:22 That is important.
16:23 It's already a deal, you guys.
16:24 This is so great.
16:26 She has a whole line.
16:27 You can outfit yourself and then have your whole bridal party completely outfitted before,
16:33 after, all of the things, bachelorette party, all of the things.
16:38 Please do tag us.
16:39 Tag me, tag New Voices, tag Bridal Babes.
16:42 When you do purchase these, we want to see those beautiful wedding photos and create
16:45 these magical moments.
16:47 Ashley, you have been so great.
16:48 Thank you so much for being on our show.
16:51 I am so excited to dive in.
16:54 So excited to sport my wifey gear.
16:57 You look good.
16:58 You look good.
16:59 You make that wifey gear look amazing.
17:02 We appreciate you.
17:03 Thank you.
17:04 Thank you so much for having me.
17:05 Thank you so much for supporting the Bridal Babes brand.
17:08 Like I said, the support from Essence and New Voices just has been phenomenal.
17:12 So appreciate you all.
17:14 Ashley, so amazing.
17:16 Thank you so much.