Gorgeous Vintage Style Tiaras .. Perfect For Royal Wedding Day!!

Its the day of the Royal Wedding! So what better to look at on our Friday Supplier Spotlight than some gorgeous Vintage Tiaras by Julia Beazley! And remember to check back on Monday for our brand new range of Vintage Union Jack themed Wedding Stationery!
Anyway back to the tiaras ....
Julia Beazley has designed a stunning collection of unique vintage accessories for your special day. Each hand-made design reflects the beauty and elegance of a by-gone era.

Using original vintage pieces from the 20's through to the 70's, Julia's tiaras and headpieces will compliment the style of your dress and will give you a piece of wedding jewellery that will be forever yours to cherish and hand down through your family.

Every piece is made using only the finest components – from the hand-selected pieces of jewellery from the last century, through to the high quality Swarovski crystals and pearls and non-tarnishing rhodium-plated bands and silver wire.

A beautiful, hand-made tiara or headband will inspire special poise, elegance and sophistication – and captivate your guests!

Contact :
http://www.vintagetiarasbyjuliabeazley.com/
julia@vintagetiarasbyjuliabeazley.com

Tel: 01268 289076

A Gorgeous Bridal Boudoir Shoot Featuring My Wedding Stationery!

I'm really happy to share with you today some gorgeous inspiring photos from the lovely guys at Butterworth Photography and Chloe Adlington, who put together this fantastic shoot recently and asked to use some of my Antique Rose range of Wedding Stationery for the photos!
The Antique Rose range in dusky pink really works with the gorgeous vintage boudoir styling, and the photos give you some great ideas for styling your own vintage style wedding. I'm sure you'll agree they are really beautiful.

Photography : www.butterworthphotography.co.uk
Styling : www.adorebychloe.co.uk
Model : Georgina Stokes at www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Georgina-Stokes/45247813215
Hair : Simon from www.sutherlandbarnett.co.uk
Make up : Sarah Gamble of SJG Proffessional Make Up Artistry
Flowers : www.tinekefloraldesigns.co.uk
Venue : www.vicarageboutiquehotel.co.uk
Bridal wear : www.jackiethompsoncouture.co.uk
Underwear and fluffy wrap : www.gracecouture.co.uk
Headpieces : Rachel from www.tatteredrose.co.uk
Stationery : By Me! www.knotsandkisses.co.uk

A Stylish Vintage Style Wedding On A Budget?

I wanted to do something a little different on this weeks styling blog ... inspired by conversations with friends over whether its possible to have a really stylish wedding on a budget!
My answer of course was yes! Just look at this handmade vintage style bunting ....

photo courtesy of www.carelliarose.co.uk

And a vintage style wedding is the perfect way to go if you're on a budget as having a mix of the old and the new really works. Money can be saved with your choice of venue, buying a gorgeous vintage dress rather than brand new, and of course making some of the decorations yourself. My advice to Brides is always to save money where you can and spend money on the things that really do need to be done by a professional ... particularly your photography, the cake, the Brides bouquet and your stationery. I know, I know! I would say that you call! But honestly do you really want to be spending the last few days before your wedding making a 100 place cards?

Here's a few ideas I've found for you to make your wedding look gorgeous without spending a fortune...

Firstly of course there's the venue. Money can often be saved here by not using the usual suspects ... manor houses, hotels etc ... and having gorgeous small marquees or barns on local farms, a friends or neighbours garden or a beautiful country or town pub, such as the one below which can be dressed beautifully for very little money and will often be more accommodating to what you want to do.

The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London

Old trestle tables or long wooden pub tables can often be dressed quite simply and effectively with plain white table linen, beautiful vintage china .. which can be found easily and cheaply on ebay or in charity shops ... and old glass bottles filled with single stem inexpensive flowers.

photo courtesy of www.serendipitystreet.co.uk

Great favours can be made by creating homemade pots of jam and chutney with printed vintage style labels, or making your own shortbread biscuits and packaging up in little brown paper parcels. These chutney jars below are ones I made for friends this year as Christmas presents but could easily be adapted as favour ideas.

I also love the idea of a old vintage suitcase ( again these can be picked up quite cheaply on ebay ) with postcards or an old typewriter and beautiful paper for your guests to write their messages on for you, rather than a traditional guest book.  I've created these gorgeous postcards for one of the new ranges I'll be launching later this year on www.knotsandkisses.co.uk which would be perfect for this. If you are interested in these before its launched please don't hesitate to get in touch!

stationery design www.knotsandkisses.co.uk

photo courtesy of  http://www.i-do-it-yourself.com/

Finally of course there is the dress! So many people think they have to spend over a £1000 on a dress for their wedding in order to look beautiful ... but honestly a good value vintage or high street dress can look stunning with the right flowers and some vintage jewellery and hair accessories! Monsoon are great for vintage style high street versions but why not try www.hummingbirdvintage.co.uk for fantastic dresses like the one below sourced for under £100!



Unusual & Beautiful Jewellery for Your Vintage Style Wedding!

The arty ladies at the Kate Hamilton-Hunter Studio create unique jewellery from reclaimed modern and vintage biscuit, sweet and toffee tins and 100% recycled silver, decorated with Swarovski crystals and pearls, all handmade on the beautiful North Wales coast.

There are 14 collections to choose from ranging from earthy organic shapes to sophisticated sterling silver designs but their most popular pieces feature hearts, flowers and stars, the timeless symbols of love and friendship and each handcrafted piece is beautifully packaged in a pretty gift box made from recycled card.

If you want a green twist to your celebrations, then the Wedding collection in 100% recycled British silver can be combined with coloured sweetie tins to match colour schemes, perfect for both brides and bridesmaids. You can even commission bespoke pieces created from vintage family tins to add a very personal touch to wedding day jewellery.

Kate began her working life as a seamstress, specialising in bespoke bridal gowns. After four years in college and 5 years teaching Art & Design, a career change was brought about by a discovery of metal. Starting with aluminium, copper and brass, Kate soon discovered a new material to make jewellery from – recycled and reclaimed biscuit tins. Now officially a biscuit tin expert, Kate designs most of the jewellery on this site and is developing a gallery range of one-off pieces.

Conservation of the past and consideration for the future is at the heart of Kate's work. Recycled materials are used in the creation and packaging of all of the jewellery.

Kate has been producing her distinctive jewellery since 2000 with the Kate Hamilton-Hunter Studio’ being the new trading name and brand since May 2009.
The company has an eco-policy and in addition to breathing new life into prospective landfill fodder, do all they can to keep their carbon footprint low. Check it out for yourself on the website – click on eco-information.

Stocked Nationwide in over 350 boutiques, shops and galleries a full stockist list is available online.

www.katehh.co.uk 01745 826500

A Perfect Way Of Remembering Your Wedding Day!

While I was searching for lovely union jack wedding products last week to share with you on Monday's 'Very British Wedding' styling post , I got sent the image below by the lovely Charlotte Thomson-Morley.
Whilst it wasn't quite right for Mondays blog I just had to share with you her amazing work!
As someone who trained in Fashion Illustration myself I was blown away by the beautiful bespoke bridal portraits Charlotte produces for her clients and just had to share with you as they have a fabulous vintage feel!

I asked Charlotte to tell us a little bit more about what she does ....

"My speciality is Portraiture for couples, whether it’s a beautiful memento of a Wedding Day or something saucy for the boudoir! My passion is vintage and retro styles and my illustrations reflect this with a emphasis on cute 50s pin ups and sultry femme fatales, with plenty of attention to period detailing and fashions. I believe that portraiture isn’t just about creating a likeness, it’s all about capturing peoples style and personality, everything that makes them unique as a person and as a couple. All of my portraits are hand-painted in my studio in Nottingham & are fully bespoke. I work one on one with clients at every step to make their ideas reality in pencil, paint & ink! It's a truly old fashioned, personal service that I offer and I work from photos, not sittings, so I can paint portraits for Brides from all over the world.

I start by creating pencil sketches from a clients photos and ideas, which together we refine and develop until they are completely happy with the look and style of the portrait. I then get out my paints, inks, or in some cases, wacom tablet for digital artwork, and start on the final artwork. Even at this stage the client has input, we discuss the picture and can make additions or 'tweaks' until they're completely happy. Then it's over to the postman to deliver the artwork, ready to be framed or given as a gift. Quite often people will want digital copies of their portrait to use on facebook or their blog. Being a graphic designer aswell as an illustrator, I make the artwork web and print ready for them, so they're good to go!"

You can reach Charlotte on :-
http://www.charlottethomson.co.uk/
enquiries@charlottethomson.co.uk
07825 090 304
twitter/charlotteart
facebook/charlottethomsonart

An Alternative Royal Wedding Styling Blog!

I'm so excited about today's blog. I've been working on it for a while now and its finally time to share!
I love doing my styling blogs on a Monday to share my ideas and inspirations as to how you can style your wedding to match my stationery. With the royal wedding looming I was initially against doing a royal wedding themed blog post ... there are so many out there and I really didn't want to just feature a load of Kate & Wills themed products. Plus I always want my styling blogs to be inspirational ideas you can take forward to help style your wedding ... and unless your a total royal groupie your not going to want a wedding themed around our favourite royal couple!

So I started thinking about a more vintage union jack theme ... bringing in ideas from the 30s and 40s eras, ideas that you could easily use to style your own wedding.
My starting point was to design this postcard style invite below, which would be a fabulous starting to point to your wedding styling ....

for full details of our bespoke service visit www.knotsandkisses.co.uk



So for styling inspiration to match this invitation I wanted to create a real 1930's street party feel, which is something you could easily transfer through to your own wedding. Great big trestle tables would look fantastic with homemade fabric runners. Of course this theme wouldn't be anything without a bit of bunting, and you could use old 1930's suitcases for your guests to drop in postcards with their messages to you.
Use old lace linen for napkins and remember to have cake stands full of goodies for your guests and plenty of strawberries & cream! If you've got an outside area you can use deckchairs with vintage union jack cushions provide fantastic occasional seating.

 hanging hearts from A Little Bit Of Annie on http://www.etsy.com/ ; Royal Cushions from Velvet Ribbon on http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/ ; Corsage headwear from http://www.twigsandhoney.com/

 Jewelled comb from Bunny Loves Evie at http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/ ; Royal Wedding Biscuits from The Biscuiteers at http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/ ; Crown Napkin Decorations from Posh Totty Designs at http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/

Barn venue and trestle tables http://www.brickhousefarm.com/ ; Deckchairs picture courtesy of http://www.mywedding.com/

 union jack bunting from Zigzag Bunting at http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/ ; Dress http://www.etsy.com/ ; gingham and royal motif napkin http://www.velvetwedding.co.uk/

Wooden Union Jack bunting from http://www.vintageamethyst.co.uk/ ; Roses picture courtesy of http://www.mcavoyweddings.co.uk/ ; cake stand by http://www.swaggerunique.co.uk/

And last but by no means least what British themed, street party style wedding would not be complete without a red, white and blue dessert buffet. The gorgeous ones below are from the lovely Hannah at http://www.sweetdreamevents.co.uk/



Friday Supplier Spotlight - Bridal Jewellery from Lou Lou Belle Designs

Loving today's supplier spotlight as it has a real vintage feel! I'm introducing the new Spring 'First Dance' Collection from the lovely Lou Lou Belle Designs who I found through twitter. They are such pretty designs and work perfectly with all sorts of vintage inspired wedding dresses. I absolutely love the new 'Mambo' design headband below...

Here's a little bit more about the collection ...

"Inspired by the decadence of Hollywood glamour and romantic vintage designs of yesteryear, ‘The First Dance Collection’ focuses on transforming statement focal pieces into beautiful bridal hair accessories that will be treasured for years to come.


A bride and groom’s First Dance symbolises the union of the newlyweds and this dynamic collection unites stunning diamante embellishments with classic pearls. Each piece has a unique signature style, taking its name from renowned dances such as the timeless Waltz or the quirky Fandango.

Using diamante embellishments and exquisite Swarovski pearls, the “First Dance” is a collection of distinctive and luxurious hair accessories including on-trend side tiaras and classic hair combs.

Designer, Lisa Longhurst, explains “My aim with this collection was to create a beautiful range of striking yet wearable vintage-inspired pieces that create a real wow factor for any bride on her special day”.

All pieces have the option of co-ordinating necklaces, bracelets and earrings that will complete a bridal look. These original designs are all handmade to order and adaptations are always welcome.

With an ever-growing fan base on Facebook and Twitter, Lou Lou Belle Designs recently caused a stir with brides-to-be after releasing a sneak preview of key pieces from this collection which were quickly snapped up before they’d even hit the website.

Lou Lou Belle Designs was launched in 2007 and specialises in handmade bridal and special occasion jewellery, dress brooches and hair accessories. All items are created by the designer, Lisa Longhurst, who takes pride in handcrafting each individual piece and providing a service with a personal touch."

Website: http://www.louloubelle.co.uk/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/louloubelledesigns
Twitter: www.twitter.com/louloubelle_uk

Hair and make up: www.thepamperpartyexperience.co.uk

Photography: www.fotocreate.com and www.shotbylucy.com

An Alternative To Wedding Flowers .... Fab Button Bouquets!

There's a fantastic trend at the moment amongst modern brides for button or brooch bouquets. Not everyone likes fresh flowers ... so I'm delighted to introduce to you today the lovely Emma from 'Cute As A Button' !

I first started talking to Emma on twitter as she is also a bride-to-be! So I was thrilled to find out that she had started making these gorgeous button bouquets. I love them and they would look fabulous with a quirky vintage wedding! I asked Emma to tell us a little bit about why she set up the business....

"Cute as a Button was set up a few months ago. It all started with me looking into ideas for my own wedding. I came across many alternative wedding blogs and found some beautiful button bouquets. I fell in love with them and was convinced I wanted button bouquets for our wedding. After doing a little more research into them, I found that they were just too expensive for us. (Our wedding is being put together on a very tight budget!)


After this and a long conversation with hubby 2 be, I decided that I would give making them a go myself.

Now since getting engaged, I have become obsessed with the world that is Twitter! And I must say, since doing this, I have been talking to and become friendly with other bride's to be and wedding industry people. It's a great place for finding fantastic suppliers, advice and general tips and wedding conversation!

So getting back to my point! I had been sharing my progress of making a button bouquet by posting pictures on my Twitter account and got some amazing feedback. Then I was approached by another bride to be about the possibility of making her a button bouquet and would I be interested! I jumped at the chance! And from that point Cute as a Button was born!

The name Cute as a Button was a suggestion from a Twitter friend and once we had a name, we set up a Facebook page.
Cute as a Button now also has its own website!

Since doing this, I have been asked if one of my bouquets can be used in a bridal show at "A Most Curious Wedding Fair" in Norwich on the 16th April. Of course I said yes!
Cute as a Button will also have its own stall at "Truly Vintage Wedding Fair" at Glemham Hall on the 5th June.

There are pictures of bouquets on the website. Some are available to buy, but some are just examples. Each bouquet is a one off. Although I can use the same colour scheme's if you see colours you like, no two bouquets will be exactly the same.
Each bouquet can be made to your requirements. Colour, size, how the handle is finished! It's all down to you!
If you have any items that you would like worked into the bouquet, we can do this for you too. I'm working my Nana's brooch into my own bouquet!

I've also been making hanging button hearts and I'm working on an idea for button hair accessories. All of these can been seen at our website and Facebook page.
The best thing to do is contact me in regards to any enquiries you may have."


Website: http://www.cuteasabuttonuk.co.uk/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cute-as-a-Button/139730356094820
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/vintagebride2b
Email: cuteasabutton30@hotmail.co.uk