Skip to main content

How Wedivite.com Sold for $70,000: Bootstrapped Digital Wedding Invitations with Auto-Pilot Profits

6/8/2024
Wedivite.com
Ben Novak
Wedivite.com
www.wedivite.com
Tel Aviv, IsraelFounded 2018
💰
Monthly Revenue
Undisclosed
👨‍💼
Founders
Ben Novak
👥
Employees
1
🏢

Business Description

Wedivite.com was a digital platform for online wedding invitations. Launched and managed solo by Ben Novak, the service quickly became a go-to tool for couples worldwide, offering automated, mobile-friendly invitations and event management. Wedivite built a global reputation, gaining 200,000+ users and ranking first on Google for key wedding keywords, while requiring minimal upkeep, making it highly profitable on a nearly passive basis.
📝

Executive Summary

Wedivite.com, a digital wedding invitation platform, was created by self-taught entrepreneur Ben Novak. Operating the business as a side project, he built a strong global user base through organic growth and search engine prowess. With over 200,000 couples worldwide and a low-maintenance system, Wedivite delivered high profitability and minimal time commitment, leading to a $70,000 exit for 11.5x its annual profit. The sale included full brand assets, mobile apps, and an active community with hundreds of feature requests, providing a launchpad for future growth.
📄

Case Study Content

Turning Digital Wedding Invitations Into a $70,000 Exit: The Wedivite Story

There's no shortage of online wedding services. But few have cracked the code of repeat, organic business and a nearly "set it and forget it" approach likeWedivite.com. Built by solo founder Ben Novak in Tel Aviv, Wedivite became the digital invitation platform for over 200,000 couples. In this case study, we're breaking down how Ben grew auto-pilot revenue through search dominance, smart product choices, and ultimately scored a $70,000 cash-out—11.5x his annual profit—all while holding down a regular job.

Starting As a One-Man Show

Ben Novak had been building digital products since he was 16. Not just a developer, but a designer, marketer, and copywriter too, he worked with enterprise brands like Google and IKEA. But Wedivite wasn't a corporate client job. It started as a personal solution: Ben made it to send his own wedding invitations. Recognizing how time-consuming and clunky traditional methods were, he decided to turn his tool into something others could use.

Early on, he let couples use Wedivite for free. The demand for extra features grew fast, far quicker than his solo project pace. As users started requesting advanced tools—customization, RSVP tracking, digital maps—Ben realized people would pay for premium features.

Keeping the Machine Lean—and Profitable

Ben’s edge wasn’t huge capital or round-the-clock support. It was relentless focus on automation. By the time Wedivite found traction, Ben was spending about 1-3 hours a week just handling support and answering feature requests. Everything else? Automated. The platform handled invitations, tracking, payment collection, and guest management without manual work. That approach kept costs near zero and made scaling possible for a single operator.

His technology stack—built with PHP, Laravel, Angular, and React—was flexible, letting him iterate with the little spare time he had. That's a blueprint for founders who can't or won't quit their day jobs. Monthly operating costs were low, so nearly every dollar earned turned into profit. Plus, couples created and voted on new features, helping the roadmap write itself.

Growth Without Paid Ads: SEO and Word of Mouth Take Over

Instead of pouring money into ads, Ben focused on SEO and organic buzz. He snagged top spots on Google for highly valuable search terms like "mobile wedding invitations" and "digital wedding invitations." This search dominance funneled a stream of new couples into his platform every week, with minimal marketing investment. And satisfied users—over 200,000 couples worldwide—kept Wedivite top-of-mind for future brides and grooms through word of mouth.

  • Wedivite handled everything online: RSVPs, maps, event updates, links to wedding lists, and RSVP tracking.
  • The brand leveraged Instagram and Facebook, building a solid social following and encouraging couples to share their digital invitations. Free couple-generated content fueled social proof and discovery.

Beyond Invitations: Branching Into Two Businesses

By the time it was ready for sale, Wedivite was much more than an invite generator. It included a vendor directory (adding B2B opportunity), a full-featured web app, and two mobile apps—making the platform more appealing to buyers looking for diversified revenue streams. The brand package included all marketing assets, videos, and feature lists voted on by real Wedivite couples.

Why Sell? Knowing When to Pass the Baton

Despite its strong growth, Ben knew he couldn't give Wedivite the time it deserved. He had a thriving career and other side projects (like Thinger and OfficeHealth). Not wanting to let the brand fade, he decided to sell while interest was high, aiming to find a buyer who’d take over and expand where he left off.

The Sale: $70,000 Attracts Attention at 11.5x Profit

One of the most striking things: Ben had a reserve price of just $23,000 but ended up selling for $70,000. Why? Buyers saw the value in a platform that ran itself, had nearly all revenue as pure profit, and came with a built-in audience and growth roadmap. Getting 11.5x annual profit for a side project is proof that even solo founders, with smart automation and organic growth, can cash out big.

After the Sale: What’s Next?

Ben continues to build and launch digital products, but left clear advice for sellers: only sell products you truly believe in, and be transparent with potential buyers about what's worked and what hasn't. Leaving behind hundreds of validated feature requests and an active, loyal user base makes transitions easier and makes the product more valuable.

Key Lessons for Other Founders

  • Automation multiplies solo founder impact.Time invested up front in process and platform automation will pay back every month in reduced workload and higher profits.
  • Organic traction beats paid traffic for the long haul.Wedivite’s near-zero marketing costs were possible due to laser focus on SEO and user-story sharing on social.
  • Clear, fast iteration keeps users engaged.Using community voting for new features, Ben made sure users felt heard and invested in product improvement.
  • Sell while the fire's hot.Recognizing when you don’t have the bandwidth to keep up with growth is healthy. A timely sale maximizes exit rather than letting the asset stagnate.

Conclusion

Wedivite’s expansion from a single-use tool into a complete, easy-to-use digital wedding platform didn't happen overnight or with tens of thousands in VC. It happened because Ben Novak understood his audience, built lean, and leveraged automation and organic channels. His experience proves it's possible to build, scale, and sell a digital product with almost no help, as long as you stick to a clear vision and focus on efficiency and honesty.

💡

Key Takeaways

  • 1Ben Novak grew Wedivite.com to serve over 200,000 couples worldwide with digital wedding invitations, all as a side project.
  • 2SEO-focused growth and powerful social media presence (especially on Instagram) replaced traditional advertising, minimizing expenses.
  • 3Wedivite was almost completely automated, allowing the founder to maintain the platform on just 1–3 hours per week.
  • 4Ben sold the business for $70,000, at 11.5x its annual profit, far exceeding his original reserve price and proving high value for automated, niche platforms.
  • 5Feature requests and votes from Wedivite users fueled the product roadmap and made the platform more attractive to buyers.
  • 6The sale included not just the main brand, but also a vendor directory, two mobile apps, and all social/marketing assets, giving the buyer instant multi-channel presence.
📊

Key Facts

Couple Userbase Worldwide
200,000+
Sale Price Multiple Over Annual Profit
11.5x
Total Time Spent Per Week Managing
1-3 hours
🛠️

Tools & Technologies Used

🔒

Premium Content Locked

Subscribe to access the tools and technologies used in this case study.

Subscribe Now
🚀

How to Replicate This Success

🔒

Premium Content Locked

Subscribe to access the step-by-step replication guide for this case study.

Subscribe Now
Share:
✍️

About the Author

Founders Hut Logo

Founders Hut

Founders Hut is a leading online platform dedicated to sharing thousands of in-depth business case studies from successful companies around the globe. Since its launch, Founders Hut has empowered entrepreneurs, marketers, and corporate innovators with actionable insights drawn from real-world successes and failures.

Interested in Being Featured?

Share your success story with our community of entrepreneurs.

Get Featured
Disclaimer: Some data in these case studies may be inaccurate or out of date. In certain cases, AI-generated content is used.