This interview is part of the Entrepreneurial Women Series, a column published by Leila Lewis, to shine the light on the inspiring women making waves in the business world.
Sarah Ghabbour had years of experience in the bridal fashion industry, but when the pandemic hit, she noticed a massive need in brides everywhere were experiencing: without their original wedding plans taking place, they had beautiful gowns and nothing to do with them. Sarah took the opportunity to create Loved Twice Bridal, an alternative to peer-to-peer bridal gown resale websites to take the stresses off of brides looking to sell their gowns (and brides looking to purchase previously loved gowns!). As her brand has grown, so has her capacity to adapt to her customers’ needs, with her passion for providing a luxury level of service always at the forefront of everything she does. We were honored to hear more of her story!
Interview with Sarah Ghabbour, Founder, Loved Twice Bridal
What inspired you to start Loved Twice Bridal and how has it grown since then?
The concept for Loved Twice Bridal came out of the COVID 19 pandemic. At the time, I was the store director of an international bridal flagship in Beverly Hills. During our closure early in the year, I reached out to brides whose weddings were scheduled during that time, and over 50% of them said they no longer needed their gowns. This was for various reasons, but the most common was simply that they weren’t having the big wedding they had planned any longer. Many asked for refunds, and with bridal industry standards being that all sales are final, I had to share with brides that they were still responsible for paying off their balance and taking their gown. The follow up question I would get was: “Well, what can I do with it?” My suggestions were peer-to-peer bridal resale websites where brides could try to sell their gowns on their own.
It was during those calls that I had the thought “there should be a place where she can just drop the gown off to someone who will sell it for her.” The follow up thought to this was: “Well, why would she go to a stylist to buy her gown and not go to a stylist to sell her gown?”
This is where the idea of Loved Twice Bridal came from. Our local LA showroom services the SoCal bride, while our online platform allows us to assist brides around the US.
What has been the biggest lesson you’ve learned in business?
The biggest lesson I’ve learned in business is to pivot as needed. It is important to consider your main objectives when building out, but it’s more crucial to be adaptive to what your customer is looking for and what their needs actually are. Minor changes in the systems, processes, and offerings really make a big impact for your overall success and efficiency.
What is your key to standing out in your industry?
Unlike our resale website competitors, the Loved Twice Bridal collection is truly curated. We do not just take in any gown to have a huge variety for brides. Instead, each gown is assessed for value and how it compares to what brides are currently looking for in the market. Only if it meets certain standards does it hit the showroom floor and get put on the website. The transparency with our selection process ensures that brides shopping with us are only getting the best assortment.
What excites you most about what you do?
It is always fun to sell to brides looking for their dream gowns, but what excites me the most is being able to share that sale with the bride who owned the gown. We are unable to do what we do without our selling brides trusting us with their gown to get the job done.
What do you envision for your brand in the next 5 years?
I would love to expand the Loved Twice Bridal name into all things wedding consignment. Our goal is to make weddings more sustainable, and if we consider how many outfits and accessories and DIY projects brides purchase for their one special day, we can make a huge impact on the industry.
What’s something surprising that people may not guess about the work you do?
The bridal industry is an emotional business and we are constantly navigating family dynamics and our brides’ innermost thoughts. Seasoned bridal professionals have learned skills to provide a safe space for brides and their guests, all while performing our duty of customer service and fashionably styling her for the big day. It can be tiring at the end of the day, but nothing brings us more joy.
What is the number one thing you want people to know about Loved Twice Bridal?
Over the last few years, the secondhand market has completely changed in regards to accessibility. One of the few sectors that has not caught up is the bridal industry, and that is what we want our customers to know us for. We make shopping second hand wedding dresses accessible to brides all over the country. Brides looking to purchase a gown online should not be left to fend for themselves and Loved Twice Bridal takes the guesswork out of that option. Our try at home program and access to our in person and online stylists ensures she has the best customer experience in saying yes to the dress!
Rapid Fire!
What’s one thing you always start your mornings with?
Gratitude and family time. Work means nothing without my husband and son.
What are 3 words you’d hope clients/customers would use to describe your brand?
Unique, refined, and approachable.
What’s your go-to inspiration source (podcast, book, Instagram account, etc.)?
Keeping tabs on the secondhand market and bridal designers through Instagram accounts ensures I am up with the trends, while speaking to our stylists and brides ensures I am up to date with what brides are looking for. Staying relevant in the market can only happen when you bring those two together.
Favorite AM drink.
Depends on the season, but generally, a coffee with a splash of creamer.
Favorite PM drink.
A cup of herbal tea with honey.
WRITTEN BY
Leila Lewis