We had the good fortune of connecting with Gabrielle Bayona and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gabrielle, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Between ages 18-20, I was custom making graduation & wedding dresses at a shop my mom & I co-ran. Since we were sewing all of the dresses ourselves, there was a limit to what we were able to make each year. I knew that I wanted to grow beyond custom making dresses, so took my favourite dresses from the shop’s custom wedding dress collection & put them on Etsy. At the time I didn’t know much about building a collection & creating standard sizes, but I’ve always learned best when I’m thrown into situations. It was 2013 when I put that collection on Etsy, and I’m proud to still be running my company 11 years later!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I now have three bridal brands (@truvellebridal, @laudaebride, and @aeslingbride) & 4 bridal shops with locations across Canada. What I’m most proud of is also our biggest struggle : local manufacturing in Vancouver, Canada.

How did you get to where you are today business-wise. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges?
I was able to grow my business to where it is today because I always chased growth; most years there has been a big change for us. One of the hardest parts of chasing growth, is that finances are always very tight. I’m currently considering a pause on growth for the next while, so the company can build our our cash resources.

What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way.
The biggest lesson for me, is to be alright with your mistakes.

What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I started my business without family money & higher education, and was able to create one of Canada’s largest bridal companies. I hope that my story inspires people in similar situations, to know that anything is possible with hard work & the right vision.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If somebody was visiting me in Vancouver, the first thing I would recommend is to come in the summer! We’d hop on our bikes to a grocery store & bike the seawall to Third Beach for a picnic. After relaxing in the sun, we’d bike to Mount Pleasant & visit a few of the breweries with patios in the area. Then, we’d get ready for dinner at Dachi in East Vancouver before ending the night with natural wine at Bar Tartare.

After that, I’d recommend doing a weekend trip to Victoria. I’d take the seaplane there to enjoy the views, make sure to stay in downtown (there are so many fun things all within walking distance), and on the way back – take the ferry. If you get lucky, you may see whales on the way back to Vancouver 🙂

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have to thank my mom, for putting me on this path! I grew up in the wedding industry thanks to her, and learned how to sew & design from a very young age.

Website: www.truvelle.com / www. laudae.com / www.aesling.com / www.lovenotebride.com

Instagram: @truvellebridal @laudaebride @aeslingbride @lovenotebride

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaby-bayona/

Other: If you want my personal accounts, I’m @gabybayona on Instagram & @gaby.bayona on TikTok!

Image Credits
Photography/hair/make-up credit all go to me (Gabrielle Bayona). No need to list the model names

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlanta is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.