yes, yes, oh yes

HUGELY SUCCESSFUL LONDON-BASED BRIDAL BOUTIQUE, LONDON BRIDE COUTURE, HAS OPENED A PORTUGUESE OUTPOST IN THE ALGARVE. HERE’S WHY TAVIRA SHOULD BE ON EVERY SOON-TO-BEWED’S “I DO” HIT LIST

Words: SALLY DIXON

AS WRITERS GO, I’ve had my fair share of wedding dress experiences. I hasten to add not from multiple marriages (I’m no Liz Taylor), but from years of working at UK wedding magazines like Cosmopolitan Bride, You & Your Wedding and Wedding Style.

In my time as a Fashion Director, I’ve taken wedding dresses to obscure places like the wilds of the Masai Mara, the salt flats of Death Valley, the depths of the Malaysian rainforest and the remote island of Aitutaki. I’ve become au fait with the dress designs of Vera Wang, Oscar de la Renta, Monique Lhuillier, Paloma Blanca, Elie Saab et al. If you know, you know.

A wedding dress is the one most important frock purchase of your life, unless you really are an aspiring Liz Taylor and you decide to have that experience multiple times. Finding ‘the one’ (I’m talking dresses here) is not just about the dress itself but the whole experience from start to finish, which is where finding a trusted boutique should be high on the wedding priority list.

Here comes the bride

Having spent many years working in the wedding world, I was pleasantly surprised to hear that renowned UK bridal boutique London Bride Couture has recently opened a branch in Tavira. Owner, Ingrida Allen, has long been synonymous in the UK with beautiful bridal gowns, both of her own creation and a thoughtfully curated designer edit, in her boutique in Pimlico, London.

Originally from Lithuania, under the watchful eye of her grandmother, a young Ingrida learnt how to sew. A skill that would see her go on to study Fashion and Design Technology in her home country, designing and making her own wedding dress.

She says: “Feeling inspired by the emotional connection I felt having a bespoke wedding dress, I decided to open my own boutique and showcase my very first bridal collection in Lithuania in 1996”.

A few years later, and with a desire to broaden her experience in the wedding industry, Ingrida decided to move to London. She recalls: “With my passion and skills I was lucky to take a position with well-known UK bridal designer, Alan Hannah.” Twelve happy years working as a pattern and sample cutter at that respected Alan Hannah brand meant Ingrida gained a wealth of invaluable experience in the world of wedding dresses.

Fast forward to 2017, Ingrida decided to take the leap and become a bridal boutique owner again, taking over the reins at already established, London Bride Couture, another respected brand that first opened in 2004. Ingrida’s focus at the boutique has always been to provide a dedicated bridal service with beautiful bespoke dresses at affordable prices, and that’s something she was keen to bring to the Portuguese market. She says: “I surround myself with a skilled team of seamstresses and stylists who share the same ethos of customer service, so that together we can create an enjoyable and special experience for our brides.”

Ringing the bells here

After 22 years of living in London and the busy, stressful lifestyle that often comes with it, Ingrida dreamed of moving to another country where she could enjoy a more relaxed life. Cue Portugal and the Algarve, where Ingrida found a beautiful second home within easy reach of her London boutique (she travels back every other week). Not one to relax too much, she soon found she needed to pick up the pace a little. “As much as I was looking for a more peaceful life, I realised that Algarve brides seemed to be missing a choice of high-end, quality wedding dress labels and designs. So, I brought the London fashion stage and world bridal trends to the Algarve,” she says.

boutique. As Ingrida says: “I’ve seen a big change in women buying cheaper dresses on the internet, but these dresses require significant alterations that cost as much as a higher end wedding dress.” Which is why the boutique in Tavira offers the option of renting.

Renting a dress from London Bride Couture doesn’t just mean having to wear the sample size on the rail – it includes tailoring of the dress to a bride’s specific needs to ensure it fits perfectly. Not only that, those keen to reduce the environmental impact of their big day can shop sustainably by renting their dream dress. With eco-friendly weddings increasing in popularity, especially in the destination wedding market, this seems a smart move on Ingrida’s part. Every year, Ingrida attends the must-see shows on the bridal calendar, White Gallery in London, Bridal Week Harrogate and Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week, to source the latest designs for her stores. The Tavira shop carries international designers such as Paloma Blanca, Mikaella Bridal, Signature, Lillian West, Martin Thornburg, MiaMia (an Alan Hannah brand), Elena Morar and Innocentia, plus Bianco Evento accessories, bringing all the glamour and fashion trends of the world bridal stage. Check out my personal favourite this season, MiaMia, with its bodice and skirt separates, made in soft fabrics for an interchangeable boho wedding vibe.

As the Tavira store has evolved over the past couple of months, Ingrida has tailored her offering to the clients. “In the beginning,” she says, “I brought over all the same dresses as I have in the London store, but I soon realised not everyone wants, or can afford to buy, an expensive designer wedding dress. I wanted to be able to help every bride in making her dream come true, without having to spend too much. So, all my brides have three options: they can order a bespoke made-toorder dress, from €3,000, a new collection dress for €1,000 to €3,000, or they can rent a sample for half price.”

In the age of internet shopping, we’ve become increasingly used to having whatever we want delivered to our door. However, when it comes to wedding dress shopping you just can’t beat the skills and experience of a dedicated

Operating on an appointment-only basis and echoing the trusted experience of the London store, the Tavira boutique offers a personal bridal consultant to help brides find their dream dress. Plans are in place for designer days, showcasing specific designers and their collections, so keep a lookout on the boutique Instagram, @londonbridecouture_algarve. International designer dresses, beautiful bridal inspiration, on-trend wedding gowns and accessories, a personalised service, and all in the heart of one of the Algarve’s most beautiful towns – anyone fancy getting married (asking for a friend)?

Right now, as the temperatures climb up, eating outside is a real pleasure. Make every meal joyful, with beautifullystyled table settings to go along with the food, drink and company. Enjoy the colours of Summer.

We don’t buy a new set of tableware every year so will have a range of crockery selected some time ago, which hopefully we still like to see and eat from. In the best case scenario it is a neutral colour and can be matched easily with a new salad bowl, serving dish or charger plate.

A simple idea and a great addition to table settings are napkin rings. Napkin rings, also called serviette rings, first appeared in France in the 19th century and quickly became fashionable amongst the bourgeoisie. Different people and families soon developed their own unique designs for showing off their wealth and prestige to friends and guests. The most common rings were made out of silver, but others were made of bone, wood, pearls, porcelain, glass, and other materials.

I have a batch of rings made out of palm leaves, which are the most eyecatching and cutest things you can imagine for your table theme. These rings are made by crafts people in Columbia where a deep tradition in palm weaving is established. Needless to say, there is a bond between the artisan and the entrepreneur and a stable and respectful income in areas where work has historically been limited, is provided.

Your guests will certainly be entertained with a dragonfly, seahorse, lobster, crab, fish or parakeet on your outside table.

Left: An Aveiro speciality, Ovos Moles. Below: Doces Fálicos (phallic cakes) once made at Amarante festival time, but now in demand year-round.