A new store has arrived on Whitley Bay’s most vibrant shopping street with a promise to bring something new to the region, after its owner left a eight-year-long career to pursue her dream of becoming her own boss.
Lauren Whitaker, 33, grew up in Newcastle before later moving out to Melbourne, Australia, for work. It was there that she became inspired by Australia’s bridal styles, and before long she knew she wanted to venture into the wedding industry.
After moving back home and settling in Whitley Bay, Lauren began to think about starting her own business - but although she was “obsessed” with bridal fashion, having just welcomed her daughter in 2019, the idea of taking the leap to a new industry was a daunting prospect. “I was too nervous to do it, because [I thought] I’ve got a new baby, and you just don’t want to put it all on the line,” Lauren says.
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But when Covid hit, it gave Lauren the push she needed to begin the new career she had dreamed of. Following her own wedding, which was originally set to take place in April 2020 and was postponed to last year, Lauren started planning her new bridal business.
She found her Park View premises, formerly an estate agents, in October. After lots of hard work to transform it into the stylish space it is now, MRS W opened its doors in February.
Lauren admits it was “probably the worst time” to set up a new retail business during the pandemic - but looking back, it’s already clear it was the right decision. “I would have regretted not doing it,” Lauren says, adding that she now “goes home smiling every day”.
Opening her own wedding dress shop was a far cry from Lauren’s previous career, having worked in manufacturing and engineering for 13 years. But going from a male-dominated industry to working with brides on their big day has been a change for the better.
Lauren said: “Seeing brides from the start to finish of their journey, and just the excitement they feel is the best thing about this job. It's so rewarding to see the look on their faces when they put on their perfect dress.'
Lauren hopes to create a positive and relaxed experience for those who visit Mrs W. “This is what bridal shopping is meant to be,” she says. “It’s not stressful, it should be fun - wear what you want, as long as you feel confident.”
The dresses MRS W specialises in are based on Lauren’s own tastes - as someone who shies away from traditional wedding style who struggled to find a dress for her own big day, she wanted to create a shop for the “non-bridey bride” with modern and minimal designs. The dresses at MRS W come from designers all over the world, as far as the US, South Africa, and Australia.
“I just knew I had something different for the area,” Lauren says of the designs, which she adds, based on her own wedding experience, are difficult to come by in the North East. “It’s about doing what you want for yourself, rather than going for what tradition or family tells you to do.”
It is an exciting time to be joining the bridal industry, with weddings back in full swing, as many who had to postpone or settle for smaller ceremonies during the pandemic are now planning to have their big days as they originally envisioned them. Lauren says she has also loved being part of the “positive and helpful” community of local businesses in Whitley Bay.
In the future Lauren hopes to expand the collection of what’s on offer at MRS W to include more bridal accessories and homeware, and showcase her new business at more wedding events. She also hopes that the future will eventually involve opening more of her own stores, including a Mr W version for grooms.
