Shecky’s

It’s pretty much a given that February is National Weddings Month, which has every wedding-obsessed woman (wait, all of us?) dreaming about getting hitched and thinking about one of the most important elements—the dress! We were so psyched to interview Kimberly Hoffman, the founder slash genius behind YourDreamDress.com, a company that sells couture wedding dresses at up to 90% off (not a typo!). Here’s what her job is like!

Kimberly Hoffman Founder of YourDreamDress.com Your Dream Dress Enola, PA yourdreamdress.com

1. What inspired you to create YourDreamDress.com?

After managing my family’s couture bridal salon for over 12 years, I realized how easy it was for bridal salons and bridal designers to overstock gowns and how hard it can be to sell each one in a small area. I also noticed that many brides wanted to wear the same couture bridal gown that they’ve seen in national bridal magazines, but due to budget constraints, many settled for less.

2. What did you do before you created YourDreamDress.com?

During college, I was the buyer for my family’s women’s boutique. After college, I returned home to help manage and buy for my family’s business. Within two years, I realized a void in the local marketplace for a bridal salon that offered moderate and higher-end designers.

3. What resources do you use to get the dresses?

We have built up close relationships with many world-renowned bridal designers and their authorized bridal boutiques to purchase only authentic high-end designer bridal gowns.

YOU could own a Monique Lhuillier gown for less!

4. What was your own wedding like?

It was on Memorial Day weekend, and my wedding colors were light ivory and gold. I wore a Badgley Mischka Desiree Couture Bridal Gown with Chantilly lace sleeves and an empire waist bodice. The bridesmaids wore antique gold strapless silk duchess satin gowns that were custom-made by celebrity designer Chris Kole. There was a formal evening reception at The Hershey Hotel, Hershey, Pennsylvania in the Grand Ballroom overlooking the Formal Gardens

5. What’s the most inspiring story that you’ve encountered?

Each bride’s story is important to us, but there is one that sticks out—and it’s actually about a man! He called us asking about a beautiful Anne Barge Couture bridal gown that was listed on our website. He had planned an intimate ceremony in Las Vegas to renew his vows, which included a day at the spa, our incredible gown, wedding cake, candlelit dinner, and at the end of the evening, a romantic gondola ride!

Yes, there really are men like this out there in the world. I was thrilled and honored to help him with such a special and romantic surprise for his wife.

6. Describe a typical day on the job.

My day usually starts off with checking our email inbox through my iPhone while feeding my five-month-old his bottle. Since we ship worldwide, it’s normal to receive many emails throughout the night from the United Kingdom, Japan and Russia.

Throughout the day, I work with my team to answer any questions. I also help them with anything like checking in new gowns and accessories.

My favorite part of my day is speaking with brides that are excited about their weddings and finding their dream dresses. When I can help a bride find the designer dress that she has been dreaming of at a price that she can afford, it makes me fulfilled and even more passionate about what I do.

GIRL TALK TIME: What do you think of Kimberly’s gig? What do you think of YourDreamDress.com? What did your wedding dress look like, or what does your dream dress look like? What job would you like to see featured here?