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24 Stories Podcast

S.2 Ep.20 - Wedding Planning with Ciara Crossan

Season 2, Ep. 20

We get a behind the scenes glimpse into the wedding industry with all it's whistles & bells from the with founder of Wedding Dates Ciara Crossan who for over 15 years, has helped fulfil thousands of people's dream wedding days.


From an early age Ciara knew the corporate world wasn't for her & the ultimate goal was to become her own boss, well that's exactly what she did! After completing a BIS degree in UCC, an Erasmus in Boston & a number jobs in global corporations, Ciara knew the office job wasn't for her. Instead she spent two years travelling the world on the advice from her father that she would earn a masters degree of life.


At 25 years of age, with ambition & determination she set up Wedding Dates, an online platform & software connecting couples, venues & suppliers together to create client's wedding wishes. In the early days Ciara contacted almost every hotel in Ireland getting clients on board, keeping in mind, this was pre-social media days & overtime with success she expanded the business to the UK market.


While the business has been met with challenges due to the complications of Brexit & the complete shut down of the industry of Covid, we hear valuable lessons in how to overcome obstacles in business. While there has been challenges along the way, Ciara has always had a fun spirit to the business carrying out quirky PR stunts where she was awarded for her accolades from running the Cork's Women's Marathon in her mother's wedding dress, to travelling all the way to Finland ina. campervan with friends, covering 7 countries in 7 days to partake in the Wife Carrying competition where Wedding Dates was crowined most entertaining couple. It's a fun, yet interesting insight to the world of weddings & the operations behind all the glamour.



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