Hello, I’m Deb Bradley. If you are looking to plan a wedding of a gothic or alternative nature then you’ve come to the right place. If you have been intrigued enough by what you’ve seen of this site so far, to take a look at this page then let me tell you now about the subjects I cover below:-
- The Inspiration behind Gothic By Design
- Benefits to Engaged Couples and Wedding Vendors
- My Goth Credentials
- My Business Credentials
- My Wedding Industry and Design Credentials
The Inspiration behind Gothic By Design
For the past 4 or 5 years I have run a small sideline business called Pageant Design, which made wedding stationery and accessories. The portfolio that I carried online and to client meetings and wedding fayres was strongly influenced by medieval and gothic design.
I found great difficulty in getting this business off the ground, partly due to other personal commitments, but mainly due to the fact that I couldn’t find the right place to advertise my wares. If I paid to go on the usual wedding directory websites I knew that the vast majority of the people clicking on my details were not going to be turned on by my style. I also knew that the people who I wanted to reach were unlikely to spend their time trawling through such sites in the hope of finding lil’ old me.
On the flip side, whenever I met up with new clients they all told similar stories of having difficulty finding vendors that would supply what they wanted.
Continually frustrated with this state of affairs I toyed with various ideas of how I could bring together alternative couples and suitable vendors. No platform seemed viable to me with my limited resources, until I discovered the world of blogging.
Hopefully, the rest will be history…….
Benefits to Engaged Couples and Wedding Vendors
Not just a directory….
I believe that the feature that sets this site apart from other wedding directories is The Blog – the main reason for the blog’s existence is to bring you features about the very people who can help you to create the wedding day of your dreams. This should help both visitors to the site and those featured in the directory, over and above other sites, in the following ways:
- visitors to the site have a fantastic pool of gothy goods and services all gathered together in one place – a first for the UK, I believe.
- visitors don’t just have a link to a website – in time all vendors should have at least one article published about them in The Blog, which will help visitors to learn more about what that particular vendor can offer the goth community, and ultimately make you feel more comfortable when contacting them for the first time.
- Gothic wedding vendors have a relevant place to show themselves off – again, a first in the UK I think. Until now, the only place to advertise has been established goth lifestyle sites and magazines – not to be scoffed at I know, but not ideal nevertheless – you are paying to reach a lot of people who aren’t getting married just now.
- Many non-goth wedding vendors have hidden creative streaks that they would like to flex given the option. However, predominently advertising to the mainstream means that they get few requests for more alternative commissions. Furthermore, displaying this side of their creativity can put off potential mainstream clients and damage business. Gothic By Design would like to help all with the skills, imagination and creativity to serve the darker side, flourish and not be overshadowed by the mainstream. This site can be your outlet for a whole new range of goods and services that you might like to offer, without it interfering with your established business.
My Goth Credentials
Like many of you growing up I felt like I didn’t really fit in with the crowd. That’s just how it was.
At the age of 12 (1980) David Bowie released ‘Ashes to Ashes’, the first single off the ‘Scary Monsters’ LP. I spent hours twiddling the radio dial to find if it was being played anywhere. If a station wasn’t playing ‘Ashes to Ashes’ at any given moment, then it wasn’t the station for me. From this time I discovered the world of Bowie and he has been my No. 1 ever since (and that’s a long time now).
A couple of years later, whilst all of my mates were swooning over Duran Duran et al, a band previously unknown to me called Bauhaus released a cover version of ‘Ziggy Stardust’. As part of my ongoing plans to possess all-things-Bowie I purchased the single. It was stunning. Then I turned over the single and played the b-side – this was a tidalwave of GOTH called ‘Third Uncle’ – I consider this choon to be the one that did it – from then on I was goth, at least on the inside, without really knowing it.
A couple of years after that, in October 1984 to be precise, I got to go to my first gig. This was Echo and the Bunymen at Birmingham Odeon. I went with my friend Tanya (who has since emigrated to New Zealand) and didn’t really know what to expect – in fact, the whole lead up to the gig is a blank to me – I can’t think why she would have wanted to go to see The Bunnymen at all, but thankfully she did – if she only ever did me one favour in life it was this.
The whole spectacle of that first gig knocked me bandy. So began my favourite pastime of watching live bands whenever I could. But so too began my understanding of who (or what) I was – Goth. Lordy, oh Lordy, I was impressed with the live show, but absolutley thrilled by the audience – the sights were totally amazing. The leather, the lipstick, the big hair, the smell of Elnet hairspray, the poiiinnnty boots, the buckles, the shades, the smoky atmos, the whole lot….. I was sold.
It took a while to fully adopt my rightful persona – it’s difficult to take on a whole new image change as a penniless 16-year-old 6th former – this was before the days of ‘dosposable consumerism’ and to possess material items such as records, fishtail skirts and winklepickers was a big deal. Luckily though, I evolved in good time, gravitated towards the right people, started drinking in the right places, started watching the right bands in the cool places and along the way had the best laugh going.
As it goes, I’m still sold and, given the right circumstances, I’m still having the best laugh going….
My Business Credentials
So why should I understand how a site like this needs to work then, given that so far all you know about me is that I saw The Nephilim a few times in Days of Yore, and I like making wedding invitations?
Fair question. Well, for my sins I’ve been an accountant now for a good few years – started training from leaving higher education in fact. Now, it’s not something I shout from the roof tops, as when I’m not at work I like to think about other things, but hey, somewhere along the line I’ve actually learnt a little bit about what makes the world of commerce go round.
I understand how difficult it can be to run your own business and still find time and energy for the marketing as well. This site should help you along some of the way with that.
My Wedding Industry and Design Credentials
Mmmm, now let’s see.
Alongside my accountancy carrer I’ve also gained a few passes in the world of design. I took a few years out to do Art and Design Foundation, followed up by a BA(Hons) degree in Textile Design (specialising in weaving as it goes).
I’ve always had a creative urge and when we got engaged in 2002 we did most of the work ourselves – where we could. This awakened a desire in me to follow the path of providing the world with the most spectacular wedding stationery (and accessories) available to man – well, gothy medieval-inspired types like me anyway. Then I had the difficulties with reaching my target audience as described above.
I have exhibited a big wedding fayres – the Autumn and Spring Brides shows that used to run twice yearly in Harrogate, and so know how hard and expensive it can be, expecially for smaller businesses, to make these events pay. Smaller hotel run fayres can prove even less rewarding, especially when they are not attracting the niche audience you are hoping to reach.
I am quite convinced that the way forward for such a niche market is through co -operation with like-minded, creative individuals through the virral marketing phenomenon that is with us right now.
