Ramona Koonings, born entrepreneur
Ramona Koonings is a Brabant wedding dress designer, entrepreneur, TV personality, industry leader and a true family man. When Ramona started working as a coffee girl in Mr. and Mrs. Koonings’ bridal store at the age of 14, it was soon clear that she was brimming with ambition. She was naturally drawn into entrepreneurship and the bridal world. When Mr. and Mrs. Koonings decided to sell the business, they entrusted it to only one person: then 17-year-old Ramona. Together with her mother Ineke, she seized this opportunity with both hands.
If you can dream it, you can do it
In the years that followed, Ramona managed to grow her business more and more. She evolved from coffee girl to stylist to designer. One bridal collection after another was introduced and Koonings sprang up in multiple locations. Ramona’s ultimate dream? Putting down the ultimate wedding experience under one roof. Creating a unique place where reality stops for a moment and you may dream away as far as your imagination can take you. In masterful fashion, Ramona managed to turn her dream into reality. This reality is her gift to all brides, their families and their friends. With her credo, “If you can dream it, you can do it,” Ramona surprised the world in 2018 with a stunning 11,000-square-foot wedding palace that houses an immense, fairy-tale shopping experience. Ramona is proud to call herself the owner of the largest bridal store in the world. Every day, unknown and famous brides from home and abroad find their way to Koonings The Wedding Palace.
Ramona Koonings Couture
Koonings The Wedding Palace reflects Ramona’s unprecedented decisiveness and entrepreneurial spirit. To further express her passion for bridal fashion, she designs her own bridal collection every year ‘Ramona Koonings Couture‘ which is available exclusively at House of Bridal, a unique salon within Koonings The Wedding Palace. Ramona Koonings Couture is the result of Ramona’s years of knowledge and experience combined with the latest trends, brought together in one unique collection. Especially for the bride who wants to be seen and be the shining center of attention on her wedding day. Each dress is a unique design; a statement piece with a true couture look and feel, designed by Ramona herself. Thanks to her own collection, Ramona developed as the leading bridal fashion designer in the Netherlands. Besides all her activities as an entrepreneur and designer, Ramona Koonings is host of the popular TLC program Say Yes To The Dress Benelux.
The Real Housewives of the South
In addition to her role as the driving force behind Koonings, Ramona Koonings can also be seen since 2025 on the popular program The Real Housewives of the South. In it, she shows that style, entrepreneurship and personality go hand in hand. Her participation offers a unique insight into the life of a woman who creates magic every day – for her clients and herself.
Say Yes to the Dress
For seven seasons, Ramona Koonings has been the regular face of the popular TLC program Say Yes to the Dress which is taped at Koonings. And each season is bigger than ever before! We get an exclusive look at what it’s like in the world’s largest bridal store. Besides Ramona, the brides are also assisted by the experienced Koonings stylists and presenter Fred van Leer.
Married At First Sight
Several couples are going to be Married At First Sight experiment of a lifetime by marrying each other without ever having seen each other before. In doing so, they place the love-lot completely in the hands of science. The special journey begins for the brides with picking out the wedding dress and Koonings is thus the first stop of this greatest adventure. Ramona Koonings helps the brides find the dress in which they will appear at the altar.
Ramona continues to write the fairy tale
With this castle-like building, Ramona not only knows how to make her own dream come true, but also welcomes thousands of brides every year to also make their dreams come true in white.
But even years later, Ramona’s dream of having her own real wedding castle won’t let go. When Kasteel Oost in Valkenburg comes up for sale in 2023, she doesn’t hesitate for a second, but seizes her chance. With a lovingly developed and comprehensive overall concept that goes far beyond just the wedding dress search, she wins the tender and in 2024 becomes the owner of Kasteel Oost, the future Koonings The Wedding Castle. Once again she proves, “If you can dream it – you can do it.” – no matter how long it takes.