Happily Ever After

The fairy tale business dream which did come true

Local business woman, Barbara McKeown, is riding high at the moment. Her company, Fairy Tale Chairs, has been nominated for a Getting Married in Northern Ireland Magazine Reader’s Award, and is just about to move into a new 2000sq ft showroom at Junction One.

Barbara set up Fairy Tale Chairs just over four years ago when she identified a gap in the market whilst planning her own wedding.

“From the moment we got engaged I had a very clear visual image of what our wedding would look like,” explains Barbara, “and I knew that I absolutely had to have ‘fairy tale’ covered chairs with elegant decorative sash bows, just like the ones I had seen in countless wedding magazines. The only problem was, our reception venue didn’t offer that service and when I tried to source chair covers locally I drew a blank. I did eventually find someone who could provide covers, but their range was limited and their prices were outside my budget. So I decided that I would just have to organise the chair covers myself, and in that very moment I knew I had hit upon a brilliant business idea.”

Barbara spent the next few months planning both her wedding, and her new business. She left her job as a fundraiser for a local charity and dressed chairs for a few weddings free of charge to gain experience and help raise the profile of Fairy Tale Chairs. She also contacted Invest NI who steered her in the direction of their Start a Business programme.

“I had such a strong vision for Fairy Tale Chairs,” she says, “but obviously possessed limited business experience. The programme taught me so much and gave me realistic expectations. Enrolling on the Start a Business Programme was absolutely crucial for me, and I would really recommend it to anyone who is considering setting up their own business.”

Since launching the company, Barbara has dressed numerous weddings, corporate events and private functions throughout Northern Ireland, and the company’s success has even produced a couple of competitors.

“The fact that there are now other chair dressers out there proves that there is a market for what we do, especially as we currently have bookings for up to three years in advance,” she says. “It’s good to have some competition and, as we are busier than ever, there is obviously enough business out there to go round. And it’s quite flattering that Fairy Tale Chairs, a small business from Antrim, has been something of a trail blazer in this field.”

As well as chair covers and seat sashes, Fairy Tale Chairs also provides an enticing range of complementary accessories including bride and groom thrones, fairy lights, napkin ribbons, decorative trees and a selection of table decorations, all of which are sourced from suppliers across the world. And it is because they have extended their repertoire that the need for a larger showroom arose. 

“A few months ago it became evident that we had outgrown our existing premises at Antrim Enterprise Agency,” explains Barbara. “The move to the Junction One site will not only provide much needed extra showroom space, but will also further increase our profile. And the Getting Married Magazine award nomination is the icing on the cake. It’s certainly a very busy time right now, and an extremely exciting one, especially as every day I know I am so lucky to be doing my dream job.”

If you have an idea for a business, the Go For It Programme can help you, just as it helped Barbara. Call 0800 027 0639 to turn your business idea into a business success story.