Ryan Tubridy's fiancée visits wedding section of Irish charity shop amid upcoming nuptials

A Laois charity shop's wedding department has gotten the celebrity seal of approval by a former Rose of Tralee who is now engaged to Ryan Tubridy.

Clinical psychologist Dr Clare Kambamettu paid an exclusive visit to the bridal floor of Vincent's shop in Portlaoise this week, to try on wedding gowns for her big day.

She told the Leinster Express / Laois Live how she got on.

"I've bought second hand clothes for years - my pal Sarah Kate Byrne from Tullow (now living in London and working as a very successful stylist using mostly vintage fashion) helped me to put together my wardrobe for Tralee in 2010 using our local charity shops in London and ever since I've continued the habit.

"I try to reduce my environmental footprint where I can and buying a wedding dress definitely feels like a good opportunity to do that, there's tonnes of second hand wedding dresses out there that are just gorgeous and I'm only going to wear it once.

"I think now more than ever the charities around Ireland, particularly SvP are doing so much to support vulnerable people, buying second hand is a wonderful way to give something back.

"I didn't find my wedding dress in VdP Portlaoise but I did find a couple of fab dresses which I'll be wearing in Tralee this year," Clare said.

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Dr Kambamettu is a judge at the Rose of Tralee this August. 

"The set up in the shop is fabulous, the two Mary's couldn't have been more helpful and their selection of stock is great. They've a huge dressing room and you have the place to yourself to try things on," she added.

She even gets her preloved items altered in Portlaoise, bringing them to Diana in the Dressmakers Wardrobe on Main Street.

"I bring any second hand pieces that I get in charity shops into her and she makes me feel like they've been made just for me, she's a wonder," she recommends.

Mary Ryan, manager at Vincent's, spearheaded their recently opened luxurious bridal department. 

Vincent's Portlaoise manager Mary Ryan with one of the gowns on sale in their wedding department, from as little as €100.

"Clare is a regular customer to our shop. She booked an appointment to try on wedding dresses, I didn't recognise her at first, we were just chatting away. One of the girls who volunteers with us copped her because she is a big fan of the Rose of Tralee.

"She was lovely, so down to earth. We were all so excited, we're still buzzing," Mary said.

Ryan Tubridy and Dr Clare Kambamettu announced their engagement in June of this year.