Vintage Vogue

Vintage is very much back in fashion and influences can be seen in many bridal collections this season. What I like most about this fashion era is the structured tailoring. Clothes were designed to show off all of our lovely curves! You almost get the feeling that the garments give you better posture.

Over the coming weeks I will be sharing some of the bridal trends for 2009 with you. I will also post some personal favourites from this season. I get lots of inspiration from my clients who share scrapbooks filled with style ideas and fabric swatches.

These great images are from www.myvintagevogue.com

You are what you eat!

It's Friday so I feel like it's time for a little decadence. I found this picture of a unusually stocked fridge. Open the door and all you can see are an array of colourful, (and very high) shoes, pretty cakes and vintage jewellery.

You may never leave the house though :-)

Holly Stalder

I came across Holly Stalder's designs on Etsy - Holly is an independent designer from Portland, Oregan. All of her designs are either one of a kind or of a limited run.

Holly is intrigued by the fragility of fabrics and how they age and wear over time. She draws inspiration from faded velvet ribbons, Edwardian lace, the beaded applique of 1920's dress or aurora borealis rhinestone buttons. She works these elements into her modern designs.

You can view Holly's website or visit her Etsy store

Pearl spiral spray

This is a new Rangoli hair accessory. The delicate sculptural spray looks wonderful in Cathy's curly hair and can be positioned in lots of different hairstyles. The vintage drop earrings were a commission for a recent bride and have now become part of my collection. You can read more about this earring commission here.

Visit my website to see more hair accessories from the Rangoli range ~

Sandra Crosbie - freelance hairstylist

I have known Sandra for a number of years and love her creative styling for weddings and special occasions. In fact my first experience of Sandra was when she did my hair for my own wedding!

Sandra has a flair for creating elegant and feminine hairstyles that make her clients feel really beautiful. She spends lots of time during her initial consultations discussing everything from the style of the dress to the wedding venue. I can also guarantee that you will have fun with Sandra on the morning of your wedding!

These elegant styles were featured in the Spring 2009 issue of Confetti magazine.

For more information about Sandra, visit www.sandracrosbie.com

Photographs by Tiberiu Coroliuc

Moet and Chandon Midnight Gold Case

Wow - as if Moet champagne is not delicious enough, someone has designed this amazing limited edition case to chill the bottles of bubbly!

The midnight gold case was designed by a french designer Camille Toupet and features hand sewn swarovski crystal and gold beads which are inspired by champagne bubbles. The case is made of lambskin covered with 14 carrat gold.

Unfortunately there are only 100 midnight gold case in the edition!

Romantic lighting

Some of my clients are opting to marry abroad so that they can benefit from some sunshine. Outdoor venues suggest a relaxed style of celebration. Given the weather we had last summer, it's not surprising that we crave a little sunshine on this special day!

This picture of a vineyard lit up with fairy-lights shows how it's possible to decorate outdoor venues and bring the inside out! I'm hoping that one of my friends chooses to get married in the Tuscan hills!

Wonderful pastel shades

I'm a big fan of colour - it cheers me up and definitely inspires me to be creative! The palette of colour you choose for your wedding should have special significance to you.

I love the idea behind the colours chosen for this beautiful wedding - The colour scheme was based loosely on a Santa Fe sunset with lots of purples and pinks. The groom also wore a pink shirt to tie in with the soft summery tones. This wedding was photographed by Gia Canali.

Rangoli shoe commission

I recently undertook an unusual commission to embellish a pair of bridal shoes. Bronwyn was finding it impossible to source shoes to match her champagne lace gown. You can read my original blog post where I describe the project in more detail.

Bronwyn sent me the picture above of her wearing her shoes. It's lovely for me to see how my designs looked on the day and I really appreciate when clients share their wedding pictures with me!

Bridesmaids and wedding guests

You've got the dress, the gorgeous shoes and handbag but something is missing! Wouldn't it be nice to complete the look with an unusual hair accessory? Many people consider headpieces to be large and dramatic pieces and yet the neatest of accessories can really finish off your outfit.

Bridesmaids or wedding guests can have a bespoke Rangoli hair accessory made to order. It's fun to be involved in the design process from concept to finished piece. I have a huge selection of semi-precious beads, stones and pearls and love the challenge of designing to a creative brief.

These beautiful hairstyles are by Sandra Crosbie