Due to the full-scale war, the number of weddings in Ukraine has significantly decreased, affecting the wedding services market. However, the number of brands continues to grow, as does production. A key trend has emerged: active expansion into international markets, helping to offset domestic demand decline and reinforcing Ukraine’s position as a global leader in the wedding industry.

Ukrainian wedding dress manufacturers create high-quality products that can easily compete with Italian or Spanish designers. Yet entering European markets independently is a real challenge. It’s not just about logistics or legal hurdles, but also the lack of direct contacts, trade show representation, and knowledge of how to present a brand to Western buyers.

This is precisely the type of challenge addressed by the Business Bridge — Ukraine-Ready4EU program. Its goal is to help Ukrainian companies effectively integrate into European supply chains and discover new markets for growth.

One of the most notable examples of successful participation is the public organization Export Alliance “Ukrainian Wedding Dresses.” With the program’s financial support, they implemented a large-scale exhibition project in Italy, showcased the collections of 12 Ukrainian brands, and took a confident first step into the EU export market.

How the Idea to Apply Was Born

The Export Alliance “Ukrainian Wedding Dresses” is a union of wedding dress manufacturers that have carved out a unique niche within Ukraine’s light industry, allowing them to dominate the local market and compete on an international level.

“Our goal is for every girl in the world to dream of wearing a Ukrainian wedding dress. That’s why we actively promote Ukrainian brands and work to increase their presence abroad,” emphasized Maryna Vasylieva, head of the Alliance.

The team learned about the program through a consultation with the national Diia.Business project, where the opportunities and potential of Business Bridge — Ukraine-Ready4EU were clearly explained. They submitted their application immediately, recognizing that the program was a perfect fit for the Alliance’s ambitions — to present Ukrainian products abroad in a bold new format.

The organization had a clear vision: to create a full-fledged exhibition of Ukrainian wedding dresses at a prestigious international trade show. This required significant investment and thorough preparation — made possible through the support of the program.

About Wwplatform and the Ukraine Bridal Fashion Showcase

The main idea was to organize a collective exhibition under a single brand — Ukraine Bridal Fashion. To bring this idea to life, the team chose Wwplatform, a wedding industry trade show held in Italy.

Thanks to the Business Bridge — Ukraine-Ready4EU project, the Alliance received funding for printing, logistics, booth rental, branding, and comprehensive support throughout the event.

“We chose an exhibition format because it offers a visual, emotional, and holistic way to present the Ukrainian wedding industry. It’s the format in which our brands can shine — build professional relationships and communicate their unique value. We didn’t just want to show dresses — we wanted to create a new perception: Ukrainian wedding fashion stands for quality, style, and confident expertise,” recalled a representative of the Alliance.

This wasn’t just another rack of dresses. It was a shared space where each Ukrainian brand had the opportunity to present their collections. The carefully curated environment was designed not only for meetings and showcasing but also for creating content and offering visitors a genuine experience with the brands. Every detail — from signage and decor to catalogs — was crafted with intention.

This format had a strong emotional impact, increased interest in Ukrainian brands, and demonstrated that they are not just “another group of dressmakers” — but new market players with a distinct identity.

What the Exhibition Achieved

Participation in Wwplatform gave 12 Ukrainian manufacturers the opportunity to experience, for the first time, how the European wedding fashion market operates. They gained invaluable insights into presentation standards, buyer expectations, and how negotiations are handled in the EU.

More than 300 buyers attended the event and expressed interest in Ukrainian brands. This gave the companies a chance to present their products directly and build the foundation for new partnerships.

As a result, the participating companies signed around 200 new contracts, received direct orders, and met with current clients from Italy, Germany, France, Greece, Serbia, Spain, Portugal, Romania, and Poland. After the event, many continued negotiations with new partners for future collaboration.

Additionally, participation helped deepen the companies’ understanding of international trade: from pricing strategies that align with EU expectations to recognizing what purchasing managers focus on and how global competition operates.

“The atmosphere we created was elegant, but also emotional — capturing the strength, vulnerability, and sophistication, that Ukrainian brands communicate through their unique pieces. We demonstrated that our companies can compete globally and proudly represent Ukraine in the international arena,” said Maryna Vasylieva.

Challenges and Looking Ahead

The most difficult phase was organizing the presence at Wwplatform. Logistics in wartime conditions, developing collections on tight deadlines, and brand coordination required efficient teamwork and quick decision-making. Alongside these technical obstacles, internal doubts arose — some participants weren’t sure if there would be demand for their products or whether they were ready to scale.

These concerns were resolved thanks to solid preparation and close collaboration. The success of the event showed that Ukrainian wedding brands are ready for new horizons.

Participation in Business Bridge — Ukraine-Ready4EU and Wwplatform proved the value of this kind of representation on the international stage. The Export Alliance “Ukrainian Wedding Dresses” now plans to build on this momentum.

The team is currently preparing a new catalog of Ukrainian brands, planning for their next participation in an exhibition in Italy in September 2025 — at the royal Musei Reali di Venaria Reale — and exploring partnerships in the United Kingdom.

Thanks to the success of the event, the Alliance also attracted additional support from donors and international organizations. This allowed them to provide training for manufacturers and create their first structured buyer contact database.

When Ambition Works in Your Favor

The key message from the Alliance team: don’t be afraid to look for support programs, even if your idea feels “too ambitious.” The Business Bridge — Ukraine-Ready4EU project proves that bold, export-oriented ideas can and do receive real support.

“It’s also important to have a clear plan: know which exhibition you want to attend, what your goal is, and what exactly you’ll showcase. This kind of specificity helps secure support and bring your vision to life,” added Vasylieva.

Participation in Business Bridge — Ukraine-Ready4EU allowed the Export Alliance “Ukrainian Wedding Dresses” to achieve what had long seemed impossible — a full-fledged presentation of the Ukrainian wedding industry in the EU market. It’s not only a step forward in exports, but a key image-building milestone for Ukraine.

About the Program

Business Bridge — Ukraine-Ready4EU helped Ukrainian SMEs implement activities to strengthen their presence in the EU Single Market and build successful partnerships with European companies. The project was coordinated by the German company Bayern Innovative GmbH and implemented by a consortium of Ukrainian and European partners, including: the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Entrepreneurship and Export Promotion Office, the Kharkiv IT Cluster, the Institute of Physics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the Lithuanian Innovation Centre, and the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development.