Birdy Grey Founder Grace Lee on Making Pandemic Weddings Meaningful

By Hannah Wiser

I love weddings. I love cake, I love dancing, and I love, well, LOVE. I recently even got ordained to officiate weddings. We’re living in times where it’s more important than ever to enjoy our celebrations with the people we love. That’s why I couldn’t be more excited to have had the chance to interview Grace Lee, co-founder of Birdy Grey, a direct-to-consumer bridal brand focusing on affordable, on-trend bridesmaid dresses. Here’s our conversation below!

First of all, I love the origin story of Birdy Grey. Grace, you co-founded the company with Monica Ashaeur, a close friend of yours. Together, you‘ve been bridesmaids 13 (!) times. What led you to create Birdy Grey?

Grace Lee: I got the idea to start Birdy Grey after having been a bridesmaid 6 times—the first time in my early 20’s, and most recently in my mid 30’s. I realized the bridesmaid dress shopping experience hadn’t changed in a decade — dresses were still ugly and expensive, and the overall shopping process was painful. No one had bothered to disrupt bridal party dressing . . . and we wanted to be the ones to do it by offering women what they want: gowns that look great in photos, at prices that won’t break the bank.

About a year into my startup journey, Monica joined as co-founder and COO. While my background was in editorial and brand, hers was the opposite — she went to Wharton undergrad and worked in strategy consulting. She’s the operator to my creative; the Micky Drexler to my Jenna Lyons.

Weddings nowadays are looking quite different because of this pandemic. What are some of your suggestions for making a pandemic wedding meaningful, whether over Zoom or in a small gathering? 

GL: There’s no doubt that COVID has changed the way we celebrate weddings—at least for the time being. Right now we’re seeing a rise in microweddings of 50 people or less. Microweddings have all the design details of a traditional wedding — wedding gown, full bridal party, invites, cake, florals—but with fewer guests. You can make a microwedding feel extra special by mailing favors (such as signature cocktail kits or mini wedding cakes) to virtual guests to make them feel included on the big day. 

Now for the bridesmaids: What are some of your favorite tips for bridesmaids to enjoy the experience and be of service, while also not feeling burnt out in the process?

GL: Being a bridesmaid is a huge honor, but it can be quite stressful. I always find it helpful when someone in the group (typically the maid of honor) delegates various tasks for the shower or bachelorette so that everyone feels like they are contributing, and no single person feels like they’re carrying all the weight. 

A tip for bridesmaids on the day-of? Hitting the dance floor is an actual bridesmaid duty, so wear comfy shoes!

Let’s talk about self-care. What are some of your own favorite self-care practices that lift your spirits?

GL: No matter how stressed or busy I am, I always find time for skincare. Pre-COVID, I made it a point to get facials at Kate Somerville Clinic in LA once a month. During COVID, I gave myself facials at home with an exfoliator, Korean sheet masks and a Jade roller. Glowing up (even if there’s nowhere to go) always boosts my mood.

Lastly, every day on the Womaze app, we send messages of love and support to our community. If you could share one message with the world right now, what would it be? 

GL: There is ALWAYS a silver lining—you just have to look for it. 

Head over to birdygrey.com to learn more!