My sister worked in exactly this same type of business and here is her synopsis from speaking with her.

High up-front costs

You have to deal with VERY demanding people

It is difficult to price the rentals versus their lifetime use.

Some suggestions:
Get to know the people that work in this industry but are not competing (tent rental companies, caterers, bakers, wedding planners, etc)

You will probably need some serious seamstress skills as the majority of the dresses will need to be altered.


One of my customers actually did something similar to this and here is something they did to make their business more successful:

They set up a semiannual bridal convention in their area at their civic center. They called up everyone associated with the industry and got them to purchase booths for the event. This covered the rental costs of the location. This may seem like a headache, but according to them it was the ultimate networking tool - They were at the center of a great network of people that they could pass business to and from.

My take on the business is that it is all about qualified referrals.

I would hire or be associated with a freelance photographer that you could pass deals on to your customers.

Hope this helps