Woodbury’s What a Wedding!

Photo: Tate Carlson

LeAnn Beatty with a few of the items offered at What a Wedding!, her Woodbury-based business.

LeAnn Beatty was looking to make her life recession-proof. Along the way, she created a business that helps others deal with the economic downturn as well.

With day jobs surrounded by mergers, layoffs and lots of uncertainty, Beatty and a co-worker began to dream. They wanted something they could do at home and on their own schedules. Both had daughters getting married, so they were in wedding-mode with lots of driving, shopping, driving, buying and . . . driving. Looking at the pile of wedding stuff in the basement, Beatty had an epiphany. "We could rent all of this," she realized. Voila! Their one-stop wedding shop, What a Wedding!, was born.

The business ideas began to flow in 2009 and a showroom was cobbled together. The pair shyly frequented a liquidation warehouse, shopping amongst scantily clad mannequins, and before long a husband’s 35-year-old set of college speakers served up atmosphere on their first day of business—The Minneapolis Wedding Show at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

They began with a bang and have accelerated ever since. Fifty-eight brides in 2010 alone saved a bundle by renting from What a Wedding! Beatty’s friend left the business for health reasons and was replaced by business-inspiration, daughter-bride Christine Charlson, and her new husband. They now average two to three weddings a weekend, held as far away as Rochester, Sauk Rapids and Baldwin, Wis. Forward–thinking brides have orders in up to 17 months ahead. Others have found their perfect accoutrement amongst the inventory, just a few days before the wedding.

Brides are usually the ones with a vision and Beatty brainstorms to make their ideas a reality. “I could not have pulled off the look I wanted without her,” says Bayport bride Anne Stoudt. “LeAnn has great ideas, she pays attention to the details and she's enthusiastic about each wedding she works on.”  

Stoudt also claims an immense savings on wedding decorations. Besides being a one-stop business that reduces the mileage on your car, the appeal of What a Wedding! is its ability to offer a wide variety of items at a reasonable rental price, saving the wasteful purchase for a one-time event.

The business recently increased their selection and inventory to keep up with demand. You can choose centerpieces ranging from $1 to $15 each. You can also book cake serving sets, envelope holders, vases, pew bows, champagnes flutes and much more.

What a Wedding! decorates the space but can also adorn the bridal party. Their line of jewelry includes necklace and earring sets all priced for sale, not rent, for under $30. You are, however, on your own with the rings.

Another item the business offers includes rental “fake cakes”. A beautiful display cake can be rented, leaving you to serve less expensive sheet cakes from a local bakery. Because many couples want the traditional cake-cutting picture, you can also rent a part real/part fake wedding cake. 

Beatty and daughter cater to weddings, but their inventory can also be used for anniversaries, graduations and other parties. Now their goal is “not to be enticed into buying any more centerpieces or wedding stuff. We are out of storage space,” Beatty says. Her husband cheers in agreement.

Our business plan was to “have fun,” she says with a smile. “This is a great business because there will always be brides and weddings.”

SIDEBAR

Save $$

“One mother used her mother-in-law's collection of silver teapots at the head table to hold the bride's and bridesmaids' bouquets,” says LeAnn Beatty. The What a Wedding! website features wedding pictures of past clients, showing how they used rental items. It’s a treasure of ideas for future brides. whataweddingmn.com

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