We are excited to begin a new series on our blog spotlighting wedding vendors and their businesses. Today’s featured vendor is Kendra Barnes of CUTEnCRAFTY. Kendra’s mission of ensuring that groomsmen don’t show up wearing gym socks to the wedding has turned into a complete online store that now offers products for both bridesmaids and groomsmen. As a thank you, Kendra is offering a 10% discount to our clients and readers using the discount code “DIAMOND” enjoy!
Tell me more about Cute n Crafty? How did you get started? What is your mission & vision for your company?
CUTEnCRAFTY specializes in wedding gifts for the groom, bride and bridal party. My main product is the “Cold Feet” label, which is a cute gift that is usually delivered to the groom by the Maid of Honor on the morning of the wedding. It can really put a smile on a groom’s face – which is great to ease those pre-wedding jitters.
I started this business on a whim! I made my first “Cold Feet” label for my husband for our wedding in April 2013. The morning of, I took my husband’s wedding socks and I made a label for them that read: “Just to make sure you don’t get Cold Feet. With love, from your bride”. I had the “Cold Feet” socks delivered to him by the Maid of Honor. It made for a great photo opportunity, put a smile on his face, AND ensured that he didn’t wear a pair of his holey socks to our wedding!
That fall, after our wedding, my husband was wrapped up in fantasy football three days per week. I started to get bored and wanted a hobby of my own. I had been encouraging my cousin to get on Etsy and sell her products and it hit me – now was the time to act on my craftiness and my desire to pursue my entrepreneurial spirit! I spent an entire week getting my Etsy shop up and running… and the rest is history! Since then I have sold over 4,000 pairs of “Cold Feet” socks and other items online and in three brick and mortar stores in D.C. and Pennsylvania.
Several months after I opened my shop, I decided to create my own line of socks so that I could offer my customers consistency in quality and availability. The argyle socks seen here are exclusive to CUTEnCRAFTY. I designed them from start to finish and I am proud to say that we are one of the few places you can find yellow and gray argyle socks! How cool is that?!
Our mission at CUTEnCRAFTY is to provide high quality, unique wedding gifts for the bride, groom and bridal party (but most importantly to make sure the groom doesn’t get cold feet and groomsmen don’t show up in gym socks).
What is your favorite product on the Cute n Crafty website… Go!
The “Cold Feet” socks are my favorite! Hand’s down! They were my very first product and they are such a cute, inexpensive “day-of” gift!
Where do you see your business going next?
I would like to see my business continue it’s growth, without sacrificing quality and customer service. I am working on partnerships with retailers and wedding planners. My goal is to make CUTEnCRAFTY an integral part of the wedding planning process. I want brides and grooms to say “Okay, we’ve got the dress and the tux picked out, now lets go to CUTEnCRAFTY for the socks.” I would also LOVE to make it into Oprah’s magazine! That would be awesome!!!
What advice would you give your clients?
Dream big. Be grateful. Give Love. Laugh Lots…and make sure your groomsmen don’t show up in gym socks!
xxoo
Stephanie
Diamond Events 