WTF?
Why the fuck am I doing this?
The question I get asked the most is simply, why?
The truth is that I am sick of the bullshit. I set out to build a unique sanctuary for the bold, a safe place specifically catering to non-traditional nearlyweds. Coven & Court was born from a desperate, uncompromising need to rip up the rulebook and start rewriting classic wedding tradition. It is going to be mega.
Losing myself to "normal"
To be fair, the very first album I ever bought was Smells Like Children back in 1998, so a pristine, white showroom was never going to be my bag anyway. Back then, I was box dyeing my hair black, wearing paperclips as earrings and living in my Slipknot hoodie. I went to Affleck’s every single weekend. I was colouring in my fringe with a red permanent marker and Tipp-Exing my nails white just to draw on them.
But then I lost myself and became "normal". Going to a retail job as a travel agent demanded a certain style, and my weekends at Affleck’s turned into shopping at Topshop. I still listened to Slipknot, Marilyn Manson and Korn through earphones on my Discman on the quiet. I danced on the tables with my mates in the local pub, and after Beyonce had been on, I would request Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park. I even had blonde hair on top and black underneath, so I was "socially acceptable", but I was still wearing Moto jeans and a "nice top" instead of just being me.
I had my daughter Liv when I was 19, and I was absolutely determined not to be a statistic. I worked full time, but I lost my identity even more because I was terrified of being judged. Not only for being a teenage mum, but for being fundamentally different too.
The Black Dress Rebellion
The spark for all this madness started with my own wedding. I wanted a black dress that felt like the real me. I wanted something bold, different and a little wild. But every bridal boutique I visited told the exact same boring story of an endless sea of ivory. When I finally found a black dress, it was literally the only one in the entire shop. it was two sizes too small and bought off the peg.
That moment lit a proper fire in me. Now to be clear, ivory is the minority here, but it is certainly not excluded. Ivory and white dresses look amazing if that is what you want, but there are countless bridal boutiques that already offer that experience. No one offers what we do. Our rails are different. They range from gothic dresses (featuring a UK exclusive collaboration with Bête Noire) right through to simple and elegant Vera Wang, and we even have a couture collection, Pen Liv. People who want to celebrate love on their own terms deserve true choice, creativity and freedom.
Building through the wreckage
Getting to this point nearly broke me. This boutique is not just a retail space; it is a resurrection. In the last five years alone, I have walked away from a 15-year career, watched relationships shatter as I lost friends and family (not to death, but to the brutal reality of life moving on) and helped my dad navigate through lymphoma.
I have fought through crippling mental health struggles, intense rounds of EMDR therapy alongside complex PTSD and the devastating reality of birth trauma. Add to that the nightmare of cauda equina syndrome, enduring three spinal surgeries, the agonising recoveries and now navigating life with a permanent spinal cord injury. Throw in the absolute joy of being perimenopausal, and let me tell you, I have completely lost my filter. Honestly, I probably could have done with a hug, but I started a business instead.
Surviving all of that fundamentally alters your DNA. It strips away your tolerance for anything fake. That is exactly why my vision for this space is unapologetically rooted in dark romance, a moody speakeasy aesthetic and it looks mega.
If all that history was not enough chaos, we are charging forward right now. This month my toddler Teddy is starting nursery, Liv is beginning her Master's degree and I am diving into an evening pattern cutting course to master the architecture behind the bespoke style we offer. It is going to be brill.
A Sanctuary for Every Love
I needed to create the kind of genuinely safe, judgement-free space that I craved when I was at my absolute lowest. My husband Will and I have built this business together, and it is incredibly important to us both that Coven & Court is an absolute safe space and an environment that loudly and proudly welcomes the LGBTQ+ community. We operate strictly on an appointment only basis. When you are here, the doors are closed, the noise of the world is shut out, and you have my unfiltered, undivided attention.
Whether you are searching for curated, unconventional bridal wear or you just want a place where you can finally exhale and be your true, authentic self, you belong here.
Welcome to the Coven.
Pam xxx
4th September 2026
