A Couple's Fight Against High Wedding Costs Turns Into A Unique Small Business on Etsy

An engaged couple's quest in reducing high wedding costs gave birth to their new boutique online company.

It was 2007, a year littered with news of financial meltdowns and economic collapse. It was also the year Dennis and Sylvia Lai decided to get married.

The modest couple felt firsthand the impacts of a toppling economy - the real estate market in Florida plummeted, taking the couple's real estate equity with it. But love was to conquer all. They envisioned a stylish wedding can still be had with a small budget using a secret weapon: their creativity.

In the months before the couple's wedding in 2008, they struggled to find fun, unique and affordable wedding favors that reflected their passion for cooking. The prices for so-called "standard" wedding favors were also outrageous. So they created their own.

The result was custom-designed spice bottles filled with original blends of spices created by the couple. They also designed their own labels with photo headshots of themselves juxtaposed on cartoon bodies. Custom wedding colors, fonts, and dates were artfully incorporated in the label. Spice combinations ranged from an Italian seasoning mixed with sun dried parsley to a gourmet garlic and onion powder blend. A little ribbon and cellophane wrapped around each bottle adds the finishing touch.

It was an instant hit at their wedding. Requests from friends and family to customize spice bottles for their own parties started pouring in.

And the company SpicyWedding was born in 2009.

In the first year, SpicyWedding shipped 3,000+ bottles and was eventually featured in the popular WedLuxe.com wedding magazine (http://tinyurl.com/wedlux-mag) and the Sun-Sentinel (http://tinyurl.com/sun-sentinel2012). They also showcased at wedding conventions and have been selling their products on Etsy (http://spicywedding.etsy.com).

"We've shipped our bottled spices all across the country for the past 3 years now," said Dennis Lai. "We are thrilled to be able to share our customized spice favors with others who are also looking for something affordable yet unique for their weddings or parties."

At just $2.25USD a bottle, the new start-up has taken the concept of affordability and customization to a whole new level. Not to mention the business has helped the couple offset some of their wedding costs. Best of all, they love hearing how delighted their customers are when guests admire the spices and custom artwork on the labels.

Sometimes, a dash of creativity is all it takes to spice up the fight against high costs.

Company Contact Information:
SpicyWedding
c/o Dennis Lai
spicywedding@gmail.com
http://spicywedding.etsy.com
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Phone: 954-721-1880

About SpicyWedding

SpicyWedding
3670 Inverrary Drive
Fort Lauderdale, FL
33319

Contacts