Spellbound Bridal

Spellbound Bridal

From Covid bride to boutique owner, Laura Erskine now helps others to select dresses that represent who they really are. 

Laura Erskine’s journey into her bridal boutique began with the Covid pandemic, several postponed wedding dates, and a radical decision to change her dress. “For most Covid brides, it was a stressful time worrying if you would ever be able to have your dreamed-of wedding day,” she recalls. For Laura though, the enforced pause became a catalyst for reinvention.

“During the Covid lockdowns, I had the extra time needed to be able change my mind on my already purchased wedding dress,” she explains. That seemingly simple act of choosing differently led to Zoom fittings with a Parisian designer, a dress she truly loved and, three months later, the opening of Spellbound Bridal in Arklow.

“During this process I reflected on what made me truly happy – in love, in life and for work,” Laura says. “It gave me the opportunity to turn my happily ever after into a brand new venture. When businesses were closing down, I seized the moment to start something new. I wanted to create a bridal boutique that would offer exclusivity on up and coming European designers, offering a personal experience with custom designs and bespoke styling and where the bridal stylist is the voice of experience.”

Making Memories

Walk into any Irish wedding today and you’ll likely encounter singing waiters, hypnotists, or wedding bingo alongside the traditional speeches. Laura has watched the evolution firsthand. “Today’s weddings are all about making and preserving memories and having lots of fun while doing it,” she observes. 

But it’s not just about spectacle. The aesthetic has shifted too, with brides moving away from modest styles towards what Laura describes as a “more carefree, relaxed vibe”. The popular Bohemian look reflects this change, along with dramatic veils perfect for Instagram-worthy photos.

Yet beneath the social media veneer, something more fundamental has changed. About a third of Laura’s clients are in or over their 40s. She regularly dresses LGBTQ+ couples and recently helped a transgender woman find her dream dress. “There is nothing traditional about any of the love stories I hear now,” Laura remarks.

The Quiet Moments

The tissue box at Spellbound Bridal tells its own story. “It is rarely used by the bride herself; it is usually the bridal party that are overcome with joy for their bride,” Laura notes. These are the moments that matter – mothers, sisters, and friends witnessing someone they love step into their future.

“The most powerful love stories, where I feel the most honoured to share in with a bride, are the private ones, where they have finally chosen to love themselves,” Laura adds. “These are the  brides who choose their happiness and commit to loving themselves enough to truly believe they deserve the love of another.”

Laura remembers one bride who met her fiancé at a local table quiz. What struck Laura wasn’t the romance itself, but what the bride revealed during the appointment. “She told me that she never thought she would find love and that she had resigned herself to the fact that having a romantic relationship was just not going to be a part of her life.”

When this bride found her dress and cried happy tears, she explained that her fiancé made her “see the world through a different lens”. His beauty, she said, lay much deeper than his appearance. “She said that he would always be the most handsome man that she had ever met,” Laura relates. “Modern Irish love is so different now than even 20 years ago. It’s more real, with both partners on more of an equal footing in financial earning power, emotional intelligence, and even in the practical day-to-day roles being shared more fluidly within home and family life.”

Authenticity

Laura adds that today’s brides are seeking authenticity over perfection. 
“When it comes to their wedding day, modern Irish couples want the day to feel like them,” she explains. “Of course brides want to feel beautiful, but it’s not about being perfect anymore. It’s about being seen. Today’s modern Irish bride wants a dress that represents her personality, which gives her confidence even if it’s unconventional.”

Because ultimately, Laura has learned, it’s never really about the dress at all. “It’s about what the dress represents. A new beginning. The first step in a commitment made in front of their loved ones; to love, to respect, to honour each other’s dreams, to support one another through the tough times, to be true to themselves and one another.”

Spellbound Bridal is located on Main Street in Arklow, Co. Wicklow. See www.spellboundbridal.com. The An Post Love stamp launches this month, celebrating love in all its forms.