It seems like everyone I know is having babies, spring has truly sprung! Of course I have trendy baby present buying on the brain and have been snooping around the web this week. There are some really cool things out there for kids now, things I wouldn’t mind wearing. Anyways this Sunday I wanted to share my favourite flower girl fashion finds, to ensure your little helpers are walking down the aisle in style.
1. The designer collaboration – DVF for Gap Kids, big hearts for this one. The collection is awash with bright colours and and funky prints with my favourite pieces being the mini wrap dresses and leggings. If you want to dress your girls in something more funky than a pouffy white dress then I think you’ll love this collaboration, especially suitable for festival and destination weddings.
If you’re looking for flower girl fashion finds then take a look here - www.gap.co.uk
2. Crowning glory – yes I know we’re still digging hair down with flower crowns and chains but whats wrong with a pretty ponytail? Particularly when worn with a super cute hair band like this Lily of the Valley Butterfly one by Noro.
3. Ready for a twirl – some of my favourite wedding shots are of flower girls spinning around merrily. This Topshop Mini tiered ruffle skirt would be perfect for some twirling.
Shop the entire adorable Topshop Mini collection at - www.topshop.com
4. Dancing feet – comfort will be key for very small flower girls and Inch Blue’s handmade shoes promise maximum comfort in the softest leather. Plus they have some adorable designs to choose from.
Take a closer look at these Buttermilk & Red Shoes at - www.inch-blue.com
5. Alternative Bouquet idea – Wands for your flower girls. Give your flower girls something different and more entertaining than a bouquet of flowers to carry. I’m loving these flower wands with ribbon streamers for summer weddings.
Don’t be mistaken, this is couture, this is Corrie Nielsen.
If you are a bride looking to make a statement, who worships designers such as Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood then you are going to be smitten with Corrie Nielsen. I met Corrie at A Most Curious Wedding Fair where she was rightly crowned bridalNEXT! dress champion, a small title compared to her wealth of fashion industry accolades. Meeting with such a talented fashion designer, I was blown away by the amount of research that goes into each collection and piece from the discreet corsetry to the specific choice of tartan. Here is a shot from A Most Curious Wedding Fair, I know you’re going to go crazy for that veil too.
My Love Story Photography
Let me tell you more about Corrie Nielsen the London-based fashion designer, whose talents first came to light when chosen by John Galliano as the winner of the Fashion Fringe award in 2010. This is the moment that catapulted her into the fashion limelight and seen her collections premiered at London Fashion Week ever since.
I’m always intrigued as to where someone gets their talents, mainly because I had no patience with a sewing machine. Corrie’s innate artistry could quite well have been inherited from her father, a distinguished American sculptor. Having playfully experimented with dressmaking as a youngster, Corrie began her education at London College of Fashion before building upon her talents at that most famous fashion institution Central Saint Martins. Quickly picked up by Vivienne Westwood, Corrie spent six years perfecting the art of tailoring before setting up her own label.
I’m nuts about the structure and high drama of Corrie’s pieces which is why they would be perfectly suited to a fashion savvy bride looking for a bespoke wedding dress.
This dress from the Autumn/Winter 2013 collection demonstrates a true designer at play – constantly experimenting with fabric use and texture. As you know I simply adore an adaptable dress, here the top sequin layer can be worn as a veil before falling onto the train.
“We’ve called her a one-to-watch, and we’re not taking our eyes off her yet!” so said Grazia and I’m sure we’ll continue to be bowled over by Corrie Nielsen for many seasons to come.
Be wowed by all Corrie Nielsen’s collections and discuss your high fashion wedding dress dreams at:
If you are getting wed next year or just love to swoon over fashion forward wedding dresses then this post is for you. A Bijou Bridal fashion 2014 trend report following the two biggest markets New York and Barcelona, there is a lot to love.
MONOCHROME
The bridal designer everyone looks to and replicates a few seasons later (as proven by the addition of black and red wedding dresses on the bridal week catwalks), Vera Wang presented a collection of monochrome gowns. It seems even the bridal trendsetting Wang couldn’t ignore the current high street love affair with all things black and white.
Vera Wang
If the overall monochrome look at Wang was too much, than Jesus Peiro had a more subtle take with black ribbons scattered throughout their 2014 collection. It has to be said that the Jesus Peiro collection was my personal favourite of the season so far, you can expect a more detailed Thursday Threads feature soon.
Jesus Peiro
OLD FAVOURITES
A few of season’s past bridal trends will be lingering a bit longer, in particular the dipped hem wedding dress. Yolan Cris updated the look with a fresh take on creating the dip, a clever front bustle.
Yolan Cris
Short & Sweet
There’s no doubt that I adore a short wedding dress and they will continue to feature in bridal fashion. Marchesa kept their collection firmly set to the youthful bride with stunning short wedding dresses for 2014 including this lacy one shoulder number.
Marchesa
Taking the term ‘spring chicken’ somewhat literally was Carla Ruiz with this feathered wonder.
Carla Ruiz
Back to what’s new and we’re looking forward to…
Clean Lines
If frou frou skirts, bows and lace bring you out in a rash than this next bridal fashion 2014 trend is for you. Monique Lhuillier designed a more grown up vision of the 21st century bride compared to previous collections with minimalist details and clean cuts.
Monique Lhuillier
Plain fabrics and elegant lines ruled the runway at Rosa Clara, Victorio & Lucchino and Carolina Herrera too as designers sought a stark contrast to the overly embellished and lacy gowns of the previous few years.
Rosa Clara
Victorio & Lucchino
Carolina Herrera
Gatsby
As the much talked about film was delayed, dropped waist gowns, deco twists and a love of all things 1920′s will continue to rise in popularity well into next year.
Finally one for the balloon lovers, a step on from use as a bouquet alternative the next trend for 2014 is balloon headdresses. Spied at Raimon Bundo the versatile balloon was decorated with pretty lace ribbons and bohemian twigs and fashioned into quirky headdresses.
Raimon Bundo
Image Credits
New York Bridal Week – Photographer Fernanda Calfat
It’s a bank holiday weekend which means more time for Wedding planning and some sunbathing of course! Smart brides will be heading to the 2014 Unveiled event in Ripley, Surrey on Sunday where Emma Meek of Miss Bush Bridalwear & Deborah Holden of Nest Home & Cafe will be sharing their black book of suppliers and showcasing fashions for 2014.
The lovely Miss Bush Bridalwear team will be debuting wedding and bridesmaids dresses from their leading designers. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting this gem of a bridal boutique so know you’ll have fun amongst the designer tulle and sparkles.
Image Credit – Juliet McKee Photography
Nest will showcase ‘Nesting’ – their unique gift registry, alongside complimentary Champagne and cake… the essential items to fuel any wedding planning. And there will also be a wealth of experts available to talk flowers, hair, make up, dresses, menswear, stationery, photography, ceramics, cakes, sweets and special touches – oh my! Some of my favourite suppliers that you’ll be able to meet include Golden Apple Designs for exquisite stationery designs, The Wedding Reporter for a unique literary summary of your big day, Wonderful Wedding Hair for unrivalled bridal coiffuring and Restoration Cake for scrumptious sweet treats.
Interesting story with this week’s NKOTWB (New Kid On The Wedding Block) Örjan Jakobsson, hairdresser turned wedding hair accessory designer with his label Parant Parant. Having worked as a hair stylist with many a bride over the past 20 years his knowledge of what will accentuate a bride’s look for the big day, sit well in her chosen hairstyle and be comfortable throughout the duration of the day is second to none. The latest Parant Parant collection is titled Spring Flowers for 2013 and features a beautiful mix of origami style fabric flower pieces.
Forget-Me-Not
There are a number of pieces designed to curve around and frame the face. This beautiful Daisy headpiece would work beautifully with a side swept hairstyle.
Daisy
You can see the full effect in this front facing shot, wonderfully whimsical.
Daisy
The collection also features delicate birdcage veil options.
Waterlily
All the pieces are handmade and if you have something a little different in mind Örjan also offers a bespoke service. My favourite piece from the Spring Flowers 2013 Collection is this Grace headpiece crafted from luxurious lace, pearls and rhinestones.
Grace
View all the Spring Flowers 2013 creations and find your nearest stockist at the Parant Parant website:
Pop quiz – what’s my middle name? That’s right Titania, William Shakespeare’s Queen of the Fairies in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. So of course I love that the 2014 Temperley bridal collection spied at New York bridal week shares a name with me. There’ll be more on the 2014 wedding dress trends spotted at New York Bridal week later but this Temperley Bridal Titania Collection warrants a dedicated moment in the Bijou spotlight.
Crystal Mirage Dress
A Titania ethereal air is present throughout the collection with flowing skirts, scattered crystals and mini flower details.
Peony
My personal fave from the Temperley Bridal Titania Collection is this Japonic dress. Super romantic, it conjures up images of Titania waking from her dream adorned with meadow flowers and sprinklings of fairy dust.
Japonic
The rest of the collection plays upon that royal quality of it’s name, crafted in silks and chantilly lace and adorned with intricate embellishments.
Fern
Temperley have also designed luxurious veils to compliment the collection.
Dorothy with Dorothy Veil
As well as belts and sashs to change up the look for different brides.
Orchid with Butterfly Belt
To find out more about this to die for collection visit the Temperley London website:
Jenny Packham continues to be one of the most sought after bridal designers, top of the list for stylish brides across the World and today we’re privy to a sneak peek at the 2014 collection.
Amour
The Jenny Packham Bridal 2014 collection has taken inspiration from the Belle Époque era of the early 20th Century - encapsulating the spirit of Edwardian style and the Art Nouveau movement which defined it.
Tilly
Like a soft focus lens the collection is a statement of romantically light and feminine design. The Belle Epoque or ‘beautiful era’ transformed fashion, moving away from restrictive corsetry and creating the flowing silhouette. It is a flattering, free flowing dress style that has become synonymous with the Jenny Packham label therefore this latest Belle Epoque inspiration fits perfectly.
Taylor
But the much loved designer’s penchant for intricate beading and delicate embellishments are still present in the Jenny Packham Bridal 2014 collection.
Florence
Claudia
And there is a splash of champagne hues amongst the understated silhouettes.
Belle Magnolia
As well as delicate silk flowers and twinkling crystals in a spectrum of antique metallic silvers.
Kitty
Utopia
Will you be wearing Jenny Packham? You’ll be able to view the entire collection soon at:
As you will have read in previous posts I’m going to be one of the Judges at this year’s Bridal Next! (I’ve been watching X Factor for training). The innovative finalists selected by the Curious team, are all businesses that are less than 2 years old and will be showcased this weekend at A Most Curious Wedding Fair (Truman Brewery, London). To be straight with you, I’m nervous. As you will see below they are all amazingly talented, how on earth am I going to pick the coveted One’s To Watch 2013? Luckily I’m not the only Judge, my fellow panel include Victoria Joy of You and Your Wedding (the wedding mag with the highest circulation in the UK) and Ruby + Diva, the online eclectic bridal boutique that will stock the winner’s designs. The categories are: The Dress, The Accessories, The Cake and The Stationery, what do you think of the finalists? There will be one winner in each category and I’d love to hear your thoughts on all the designers listed below.
THE DRESS
1. Corrie Nielsen
Corrie Nielsen is the London-based fashion designer, who launched her own fashion label in 2011 and debuted at London Fashion Week AW11. Having playfully experimented with dressmaking as a youngster, Corrie began her education at London College of Fashion studying towards an Art and Design foundation diploma, which inspired her to build upon her talents at Central Saint Martins. At the heart of the Corrie Nielsen philosophy, is the distinct use of structure, perhaps partly influenced by her American sculptor father’s work. Her appreciation of form is evident in her creations, which display three- dimensional shape through the use of box pleating and sculpted volume and has already got a celebrity following having been seen on Florence Welch and Kelly Rowland! Fashion forward brides are you ready to have your boundaries pushed!
2. Olivia Tarpey
Olivia Tarpey is an emerging talent on the London fashion scene, dividing her time between her homes in London and Cali, Colombia her womenswear designs bring a touch of sensuous Latin romanticism to English shores. Officially launched, into bridal in late 2011, Olivia Tarpey’s Spring/Summer 2012 Prêt-à-Porter collection features hand-painted designs on silk, ruffles and ruching and she is becomign known for her work in couture backless gowns that include intricate beaded edging and handmade fabric flowers.
3. Lizzie O
Lizzie O makes one-off pieces of vintage kimono fabric sourced from fabrics made between 1930 and 1970. The inspiration for her label is her lifelong fascination for Japan and, in particular, an enduring love of Japanese kimonos and the world of the Geisha. After finding some vintage kimono fabrics, she found her calling, was inspired and wanted to make something from them for women of today to get the opportunity to enjoy them and get a sense of the history of the women who wore them. She named her label, Lizzie O, in memory of her much-missed grandmother, Lizzie Onions. Her surname was Onions but she insisted on pronouncing it ‘O’Nions’. Cute! Subtle and beautiful, she has also designed a small collection with a 1930s look with a modern twist to complement her oneoff pieces.
1. Rouge Pony
Rouge Pony is a small accessory company in England, shaped on the idea of its clients being able to find solace in unique and individual forms of expression. By crafting each piece from rare discoveries, antique findings and unique trinkets. With inspirations and materials found from our great mother earth, no two pieces are alike. They say ‘The natural exquisiteness of this world grants us with the ability to create from the most raw and natural platforms available.‘ Started in 2011, Rouge Pony is a reminder of the simplistic things in life with the tag line, ‘I design for dreamers’.
2. La Dame au Beret
After training as a milliner for 3 years, Myriam Lengline graduated from Kensington & Chelsea College in June 2012 and launched La Dame au Beret. It is millinery that focuses on bespoke handmade hats, headpieces, headbands and haircombs, made following traditional couture techniques and using antique/vintage fabrics, ornaments and intricate trimmings. Highly influenced by the bygone eras of style and elegance (1880s-1950s, with an emphasis on ’Art Nouveau’ and ’La Belle Epoque’) she also has a keen interest in folk/ethnic costumes and alternative subcultures from the 70s and 80s. These styles infuse her work with original features, creating a mix of the classic theme “something old, something new”, “Fairytale Drama” and ’Dark Fantasy’.
3.. Ellsewhere
Inspired by the simple beauty of nature, Ellsewhere’s headwear and accessories are designed to imbue every bride with a feeling of serenity and elegance and enchantment. And a little bit of ethereal mystery. Ellsewhere’s most exciting accolade has been creating ’vintage’ inspired headwear for the actress Kate Winslet to complement outfits designed by McQueen and Stella McCartney. The pieces are intricately designed and woven with pearlescent beading, antique jewellery, delicate flowers and silicone sculpture.
1. Lucy Says I Do
Through a mixture of carefully chosen typography, pretty illustrations, hand lettering and pattern, Lucy Clark designs and makes beautiful: cards, eclectic personalised stationery, paper goods and prints that are perfect for an original wedding, thoughtful gift or special celebration. She also offers event design and ‘on the day’ styling services to inspire and enthuse, believing your day should be beautiful, relaxed and a representation of you. She works with a serious passion for design and paper in a loft with her sister and her cat.
2. Love Illustrated
London-based, Love Illustrated is run by Dave and Sian, who got married in 2010. They got fed-up trying to find a unique and affordable wedding invites, so created their own. Their wedding was featured on numerous blogs and magazines and people began asking whether Dave could draw their invites too, so they set up shop in 2011.
3.Curious Me Design
Pinar Djemil is a designer and maker in South London, creating hand drawn wedding stationery inspired by woodlands, mountains, oceans and the air of love! Each piece is bespoke based on the ideas of the specific wedding. She previously had a full time career as a freelance 3D Product Designer and Model Maker but after getting married in the summer of 2012 and she got hooked onto weddings and started her own hand drawn illustration and wedding stationery company a few months ago.
1. Dolce Dolce
Dolce Dolce are a bespoke Cake & Confections Boutique who are just 8 months old. They like to think out side the box and draw great inspiration from the baroque era as well as other objects that have been portrayed as beautiful over time such as oil painting, silks, jewelled eggs, exotic birds, golden apples, gilded leaves and butterflies. They have already been featured in Harpers Bazaar and Vogue and top I can definitely see why.
2. Kaleidescope Bakery
Kaleidoscope Bakery offers custom designed iced cookies, cupcakes, macaroons, and of course wedding cakes with an edge. From Mexican Day of the Dead biscuits to a box of cigarette cookies made for Shane McGowan, these guys definitely put the cool into cake design.
3. Emily Harmston Cakes
P-J’s approach is to provide every couple with quality design and a high level of craftsmanship, believing every wedding is as individual as each couple, and during consultation she sketches ideas that may use skills in delicate piped lace, handcrafted sugar flowers, hand-painting and applique patterns. She find herself drawn to vintage costume or contemporary fabrics for inspiration, but whether she is using a spectrum of delicate tones , or a more dramatic look, she always strives to make a elegant cake. Her business is not named after her, but her grandmother, now 92, who she still blames entirely for her sweet tooth!
an adjective: ‘desirable, fashionable, stylish, chic, sought-after, to die for’.
Inspirational Wedding fashion & beauty blog to ensure you strut down the aisle in style. Curated by Stylist Alexandra Merri who offers unique planning & styling services for the creation of unforgettable Weddings. Style tells the world who you are so…
