When Shane and I (and our bridesmaids) made the favors for our wedding we never imagined it would become a profitable business! Honestly, we made our own favors to save money with no intention of ever trying to make money. No one could believe our favors were handmade and several people suggested we start a business with our delicious treats. What a great idea! But… uhh… I have no idea where to start. I’ve never done anything like this before…
I came across these bride and groom chocolate covered pretzels while planning my wedding and thought it would be a great idea to make for our wedding favors. The materials were affordable and I love to try new things. A few weeks before our wedding we set up shop in our tiny apartment. Shane, my sister and my bridesmaids came to help make 200 favors. That means 400 pretzels! We had pretzels and chocolate and wax paper and sprinkles (oh my!) laid out all over our dining room table (and a few folding tables… and chairs… and maybe the kitchen counter).
I must have made 10,000 trips to and from the kitchen to melt the chocolate. I had everyone working on the “brides” while I worked on the “grooms” (because they were a little harder). Eventually I promoted Shane to “grooms” (hey, if the shoe fits…).
We ended up with an impressive mound of edible brides and grooms. It took us all weekend and lots of trial and error (a few grooms lost their heads in the process). I was so happy with how they came out! Our wedding guests were so surprised that we made the favors and insisted we sell them.
I had no idea how to do this so I started out small. In the beginning, I made my own order forms and worked with friends and family for their special events. I liked being able to test my creative skills, especially because I’ve never worked with food before.
Then I discovered Etsy. I’d seen Etsy before and browsed a few items but never actually bought anything and certainly never thought about selling anything. The idea was growing on me, though, and I figured why not try it out? This is where Sweet Melissa was born. I set up my own Etsy shop, posted a few listings and crossed my fingers.
Over time, I experimented with different designs and ideas and added even more listings. I don’t have an overwhelming number of orders coming in, but I have just enough to keep me busy and to put a little extra cash in my pocket. I’m okay with that as it’s a side business and a hobby for me. I never imagined I would make any money doing this let alone a few orders here and there.
Eventually I started a Facebook page to try and grow my client list. It’s weird to see complete strangers “like” my page and posts. I always wonder how they discovered Sweet Melissa.
If you have a creative side or special talent turn it into a business! This allows you to do something you love and make money from it. Don’t say I don’t know how or It’s not worth it because where there is a will there is a way. Give it a try and have fun with it!
