Our Story

In the summer of 2024, I moved abroad to the UK and then one day, completely spontaneously, I decided to pick up my first fantasy book. That day changed my life forever. Not only was I consuming books at a rate I had never done before, my entire mindset shifted. It was like I suddenly felt a sense of magic and passion to be my own person and not worry about what others thought of me (chronic people pleaser here!) My wardrobe took a trip to Narnia and I was wearing out in public what many would consider a Renaissance faire costume. For the first time in my life, I felt like myself. So, naturally, I started seeking out events in the community. Luckily, being based in the UK, there were plenty to choose from. I attended events from fantasy balls to bookshop crawls to Renfaires. Every single event made me feel like I had stepped into another world. Returning back to NZ, I realised how much the fantasy community lacks the opportunity to gather in our true form. I wanted to create that space and bring my vision to life.

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And so Once Upon Your Time was born...

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Laura x