Lisa Dawson makes proud mums’ dreams come true by finding them their perfect outfit for their son or daughter’s wedding from her Southsea boutique.
Lisa had a background in retail before moving into the wedding industry, so her business is a blend of her two former careers.
“In my younger days, I was a manager of various Dorothy Perkins and Principles stores in Hampshire, Surrey and finally London where I also worked in Head Office so retail is in my blood,” Lisa said. “I remember nothing better than a lady coming into the store and saying I am going out on whatever day and don’t know what to wear…. I was in my element and generally picked right for her.”
She launched the boutique after leaving a busy wedding venue in Surrey.
“I worked in the wedding industry for over 26 years, starting out as an independent wedding coordinator before becoming the general manager of a wedding venue in Surrey.
“I have been involved with over 2,500 weddings. The one thing I heard a lot of was mothers stating they struggled with their outfits.
“I would always love seeing the mothers who had the right outfit on and can only describe them as walking on air throughout the wedding day, but I also felt for mothers who had struggled so much that they were not feeling the same way and I knew I could help my having the right designers and having a dedicated boutique just to the mothers.”
So Lisa Dawson Boutique was born, but it wasn’t plain sailing at first – Lisa took on the premises for her shop in September 2020, expecting to open in December.
“Builders got on with transforming what was a kitchen showroom into a boutique but then Covid took hold again and I couldn’t open until 12 April 2021 along with all other non-essential retailers,” Lisa said.
“I could not have picked a worse time to open a mother of the bride/groom occasionwear boutique if I tried, but after a couple of years of sleepless nights it is becoming busier and I love it!
“I have been lucky enough to have had so many ladies who have left the boutique with an amazing dress and hat and they look incredible. The best part is they know it too which is my ultimate goal! I really do have the best job in the world!”
To find out more about Lisa Dawson Boutique, visit: www.lisadawsonboutique.co.uk