A broke groom from France turned his wedding into a business opportunity — by wearing a tuxedo covered in startup logos to fund the big day.
Dagobert Renouf, a 32-year-old tech entrepreneur based in Lille, France, went viral after coming up with an unusual way to pay for his wedding when he couldn’t afford it. The founder of an AI startup, Renouf decided to sell advertising space on his wedding suit, allowing companies to sponsor different spots for a price.
From broke to bold idea
Renouf had been struggling financially and was even close to homelessness earlier this year. Still, he wanted to marry his fiancée, marketing manager Anna Plynina, and refused to postpone the wedding. So, in July, he posted online asking if anyone would pay to have their company logo printed on his tuxedo — and the internet loved it.
Within days, his post went viral. Tech founders and small startups began reaching out, offering money to sponsor his suit. “Someone joked they’d pay me €500 if I put their logo on my jacket,” Renouf told People. “Then others joined in, and it just snowballed.”
How the ad-filled suit came together
Renouf quickly launched a website to manage sponsorships and pricing. Spots on the outer jacket ranged from $300 to $2,000, depending on visibility, while smaller placements inside the jacket cost around $100. Over the next few months, 26 companies bought in, including Comp AI, Dropkick Copy, Rank.ai, and ShortsAI.com.
He promised to wear the suit during the ceremony and in all photos and videos posted on social media for his 116,000 followers.
A designer, Lamine Sow, was hired to create the dark green tuxedo, turning it into an elegant patchwork of startup logos. On October 25, Renouf and Plynina tied the knot in Lille, with 16 guests attending. Despite the logos, Renouf said the suit “looked premium and elegant” and didn’t spoil the ceremony — even his wife’s mother found it amusing.
How much he made
In total, Renouf raised €10,000 ($12,000) from the ad sales. After paying taxes and tailoring costs, he walked away with a profit of €2,300 ($2,700). While he “barely saved any money,” the project turned out to be more than just a financial success.
One entrepreneur who admired his creativity offered him a job at Comp AI, a growing startup in New York, where he’s now working.
Renouf and Plynina plan to auction the wedding suit for charity by the end of the year, donating the proceeds to help children with epilepsy — in memory of Plynina’s late father.
“I didn’t make much from it, but it brought me my dream job,” Renouf said. “And it made our wedding unforgettable.”
