
Ever wonder what it’s like to run an e-commerce wedding business? Joy Q. Wang tells us about her journey with Bone and Grey Bridal.
We love entrepreneurs and small business owners at Honeycombers, which is why we’ve created Launchpad, a digital networking platform (with IRL benefits) that encourages connection, business support and community. It’s a privilege and pleasure to learn from so many talented folks! Looking for inspiration? Check out how Joy Q. Wang, the founder of Bone and Grey Bridal, gets it done like a boss.

Tell us the story behind your business.
I was taking a career break from burnout in the tech startup industry when my husband proposed to me. Suddenly, my world was hurled into wedding planning. Fashion has always been an important part of my daily life, but when I visited bridal studios in Canada and Singapore, I felt the whole customer journey could be more transparent and smooth.
At the end of 2022, I was back in China amidst Covid-19 as I took care of my grandpa who had a stroke. That’s when I realized that my hometown was famous for wedding dresses and I could customise one from scratch. The experience was eye-opening and mostly digital, which I thought could shake up the traditional bridal industry.
After doing market and product research, I embarked on starting Bone and Grey Bridal in 2023. We are an online bridal boutique serving minimalist, quality, and customisable gowns from $300. We design, source, and produce our gowns from small studios in Singapore and China. Since I’m Canadian-Chinese, I also enjoy combining Western styles with Asian influences to create a bridal identity that’s unique and representative.
We are mainly an e-commerce business with ready-to-wear and made-to-order wedding dresses and bridal accessories to keep costs low and the customer journey digital yet intimate. For Singapore brides, we have gowns for rental and we work on bespoke gowns too. Plus, we have a fair exchange and return policy which allows the business to survive and makes the shopping experience fuss-free for brides!
What are some milestones or achievements you’re proud of?
A wedding dress is no small decision, so when a bride decides to get a dress from us, I’d call that an achievement in itself! However, there are a few others that come to mind. Having grown up in North America, I’m proud to share that most of our brides are from the US or Canada, which is what we intentionally worked towards when I first launched the business.
Being a relatively young and small brand that’s officially been around for a year, we’ve had the opportunity to serve over 80 brides. We also received our first order from a bride in Rome, Italy!

Share a setback that taught you a valuable lesson about running a business.
I learnt that there will be lull periods in your first few years where you feel like what you’re doing may not work or the effort you’re putting in does not equal the outcome. But my outlook is to continue and be smarter about where I’m spending my time and efforts. Plus, people forget that building a brand doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time for people to trust and love the brand.
One practical lesson is that a great manufacturer is better than a few mediocre ones; sometimes you have to pay for the quality and craftsmanship to offer better quality products to your customers. Even if you find good manufacturers, it may not always work long-term, so make sure to diversify that to reduce risks.
Describe a typical day in your life and what you love most about it.
There is no typical day in my life because every day is so different – and that’s what I love about it. Being an entrepreneur gives me the flexibility to manage my own time, but that also requires a lot of discipline.
Usually, my day always starts with feeding my cute furbabies (Ot the Ragdoll Cat and Monty the Shiba Inu) and walking Monty. I have a to-do list for the week instead of every day to keep things more flexible and manageable in case anything urgent pops up. Some tasks include social media content creation, partnership dealings, product launches, sewing, editing photos, packing and delivering orders, and dry cleaning rental gowns.
What’s your favourite book, movie, or TV show that has influenced your entrepreneurial mindset?
If I had to name a few books that left a lasting impression in my mind, it would be: Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike, Rework by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson (the founders of Basecamp), The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson, We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story by Simu Liu, and The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.
I try not to read too many non-fictional books as it feels like work, so a good balance of non-fiction and fiction (and TV) is key!

Any advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?
If you want to start your own business, you need to have general business knowledge and financial literacy. Critical thinking and problem-solving skills are key. One of the reasons I made Bone and Grey an online shop is my background and experience in the e-commerce and growth marketing world. My advice is to get into an industry you’re interested in and see if there’s a gap in the market for you to start something.
It’s fun designing products and creating them, but you need to look at your numbers realistically. This includes understanding your profit margins, business runway, how to be more efficient with your money, and what you need to grow.
Get your hands dirty – do the grunt work so you know what the business is like from the ground up. After you have a grasp of the whole business, you’re able to grow, scale, and optimise it further.
Top tip for maintaining a good work-life balance?
I use my calendar to keep me organised with my personal and work life so I make time for my husband and my pets. I also take time to mindfully step away from work so I’m not always thinking about it.
Favourite thing to do on weekends?
Breakfast at home, meals with friends, quality time with pets, and watching movies or musicals with my husband! I also love a good yoga or pilates session.
Tell us one fun fact about yourself that not many people know.
I got into acting school when I was a child but my mom wasn’t fond of it. On my career break, I went deep into pursuing acting and ended up on Netflix in The Apprentice: One Championship edition. If you’ve watched it, hit me up!
Get in touch with Joy Q. Wang online.
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