Years of sleepless nights finally pay off as owner of mother-of-the-bride boutique Lisa says 'I love it'

Lisa Dawson admits she couldn’t have picked a worse time to launch her mother-of-the-bride boutique business.

It was April 2021, during the pandemic.

She had planned to launch her new venture the previous December, three months after taking on her premises in Marmion Road, Southsea.

Lisa said: “Builders got on with transforming what was a kitchen showroom into a boutique but then Covid took hold again.

“I couldn’t open until 12 April 2021 along with all other non-essential retailers.

“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!”

Lisa makes proud mums’ dreams come true by finding them their perfect outfit for their son or daughter’s wedding.

As the owner of Lisa Dawson Boutique, she has high hopes for Southsea as a thriving retail centre.

Lisa said: “I’m Southsea born and bred and have always had a soft spot for Marmion Road.

“I love the small independent stores here and although it would be great to have more,  I knew I had to be a part of it.

“Along with other shopping centres, Southsea has taken a knock, especially losing Knight & Lee and Debenhams.

“But there is a good atmosphere here, and I think Portsmouth is improving.

“Southsea, and especially Marmion Road, could take on a Brighton Lanes feel and give Portsmouth another type of shopping experience and this is what I wanted to be a part of.”

Lisa launched her boutique after leaving a busy wedding venue in Surrey.

She said: “I have 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. One thing I heard a lot was mothers saying 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 those who had struggled and I knew I could help with the right designers and having a dedicated boutique just for the mothers.

“So many ladies 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!”

• www.lisadawsonboutique.co.uk