Renaissance Bridesmaids

For every entrepreneur, the fantasy of your own business is about being in control of your destiny. For a lucky few, that pays off with the job — and lifestyle — of your dreams.

One way to get there is to help other folks fulfill their own fantasies. Or maybe even one — at least temporarily. That fantasy might be waltzing through an evening of elegance in the gown of your dreams. Or hobnobbing with trolls while you nosh on a turkey leg.

If the latter is your cup of mead, you might venture to Ville Platte for the Acadiana Renaissance Faire, co-founded by Blanche Boudreaux.

Blanche Boudreaux, Co-Founder and Creative Director of the Acadiana Renaissance Faire where you can get everything from the traditional turkey leg to an Acadiana Renaissance special Cajun Scotch Egg – made with boudin

Blanche is the Faire’s creative director. She grew up going to Ren fairs as a teenager and leapt at the chance to get involved with one as an adult when she volunteered to help some friends get the Acadiana Fair started. She and her husband were pulled in as part owners, and they debuted the Acadiana Ren Faire in 2021.

The Acadiana Renaissance Faire has grown from a rented field to a full-on fantasy village in Ville Platte, complete with trolls, pirates, and fairy lands.

Blanche is also a licensed practical nurse by day, but her passion for storytelling and spectacle is what fuels her side hustle.

If Blanche helps you live your fantasy, then Annie Bonaventure helps you dress for it. Annie is the co-owner of Bella Bridesmaids in Lafayette, part of a national franchise offering a curated boutique experience for weddings and formal events. She bought into the business in 2021 after being a customer herself and realizing she loved the model.

Annie Bonaventure, Co-Owner of Bella Bridesmaids in Lafayette where designer dresses are fashion forward – the days of wearing a bridesmaid dress for one day then putting it away in your closet forever are no more

Bella Bridesmaids prides itself as an all-one-shop. Bridal parties can get the whole crew styled for the rehearsal dinner to the after party. The company also boasts a virtual showroom that allows wedding parties to share favorites, order online, and get reminders.

Annie’s background is in cosmetology and wedding hair and makeup, so stepping into bridal fashion felt like a natural next step.