Here's What Went Down With Nearly Newlywed After Shark Tank
Entrepreneur Jacqueline "Jackie" Courtney joined the ranks of several other wedding companies on "Shark Tank" when, in 2012, she turned to the show to get funding for Nearly Newlywed, a wedding dress resale marketplace. Courtney wasn't the first to try and launch a bridal business with the support of the Sharks – concepts like bridesmaids dress company Bridal Babes and bridal dress net business Bridal Buddy have also appeared on the show.
Courtney's business, however, focused on sending out gowns worldwide to brides who didn't want astronomical prices or wanted to be more eco-friendly. The entrepreneur decided it was time to shake up the industry (and ease some of the struggles young brides have when it comes to choosing affordable bridal outfits) following her own wedding. "I was working as a publicist at the time, and we loaned dresses to people all the time," she recalled on "The Glossy Podcast." So when I got engaged, it was like, 'Well, why can't that be for me?'"
Although Nearly Newlywed received a lukewarm reception on "Shark Tank," it went on to see success. In addition to used dresses, the company also stocks sample and overstock gowns, but, uniquely, allows brides to sell them back once they're done. "Being an entrepreneur and an innovator in the sustainability and wedding spaces came to define me," Courtney told Medium of how the business began to flourish, adding, "It sounds simple, but it isn't and it was a very hard road to navigate internally."
It wasn't a match made in heaven for Nearly Newlywed and Shark Tank
It wasn't until the year after the company's founding that Jackie Courtney presented her idea to the entrepreneurs on "Shark Tank." Her episode aired in 2012, during Season 4 of the ABC show, and saw Courtney looking to get $35,000 for 10% of her company. Things started with Courtney explaining how much profit she could make from selling and then potentially re-acquiring each dress. But the Sharks started to turn against the idea when she explained that she'd only sold four dresses in the first month Nearly Newlywed was in business.
Barbara Corcoran was the first to drop out because of the uncertainties associated with the infant business model, a notion that her fellow Shark Robert Herjavec agreed with. Daymond John was also unwilling to invest, even though he was intrigued by the market and the concept. Kevin O'Leary showed a little more interest, but his proposal wasn't exactly an offer Courtney couldn't refuse.
O'Leary said he was willing to give Courtney the full $35,000, but he wanted four times the equity Courtney originally offered. That would have given him a 40% share. Refusing to give away so much of the business she started from scratch, Courtney turned down O'Leary's offer and left the show with no deal.
Nearly Newlywed carried on without an investment and was acquired in 2020
Despite leaving "Shark Tank" without an investment, Nearly Newlywed still got a decent boost from the TV appearance. "Going on 'Shark Tank' in the first year of our business was really huge, because suddenly millions of people knew the name of our company and what we were trying to build," Courtney told Medium.
Not getting the $35,000 cash investment didn't hold the business back, either. It continued to thrive, with Courtney even sharing on "The Glossy Podcast" that Nearly Newlwed's website was set to attract 1 million users as of 2019. That same year, the company expanded to become more of a marketplace for all things wedding. The entrepreneur explained to Fashionista that they made the move after customers asked for more opportunities to buy and sell other wedding-related items, such as jewelry.
In 2020, Nearly Newlywed was acquired by another company, which appears to be when Courtney ended her involvement. She opened up about leaving the business on the "Web3 with MCG" podcast, explaining she enjoyed being able to help brides not only with their big day but also with budgeting for life afterward. She also explained how passionate she was about highlighting bridal outfits that focused on sustainability during her time with Nearly Newlywed.
Nearly Newlywed is still in business ... without Jackie Courtney
Nearly Newlywed is still in business and appears to be doing well as of May 2024. The company's website is still up and running and continues to offer brides the chance to buy new, pre-owned, and sample gowns. It sells several dresses by big designers, including Monique Lhuillier and Vera Wang. Nearly Newlyweds also continues to give brides the chance to sell their dresses, offering sellers 70% of what their dress goes for on the website.
The company has managed to amass an impressive following across social media. On Instagram, the business has over 19,600 followers, plus more than 1,500 more on X (formerly known as Twitter) — although that social media avenue hasn't been updated since 2018. On Facebook, Nearly Newlywed has a following of another 19,000 people. The company often promotes its dresses across its Facebook and Instagram pages, advertising its five-day returns policy alongside its many designer gowns.
Jackie Courtney is focusing on other business ventures today
While Nearly Newlywed seems determined to carry on with its buy/sell model, getting discount gowns to brides who need them, founder Jackie Courtney has had plenty of other irons in the fire since moving on from the business in 2020.
Courtney's LinkedIn page reveals she's carried on in the business world since leaving Nearly Newlywed behind. Amongst her current roles? She's the founder of the technology company QUALIA, focused on investing in and supporting the arts and fashion, as well as connecting creators. She also works as a consultant and investor, having invested in the likes of Aplós, House of Wine, and DORÉ. Courtney's personal life is also a little different than it was when she was on "Shark Tank," as she confirmed on Instagram that she welcomed her second child in 2020.
Prior to parting ways with Nearly Newlywed, Courtney shared her plans for the future with Medium. "Hopefully more writing, more mentoring and consulting with other businesses, quality time with my son and husband, some belly laughs, and lots of fun fashion," she explained. And it seems like she's certainly achieved that goal.