Siobhan and Eoin's wedding

I'm so excited to share this wedding with you! When I first met Siobhan, she told me about a special piece of jewellery that had belonged to her Nana. (You can read my earlier post about this). In fact this pearl necklace was an engagement gift from her grandfather and was worn on her wedding day. The necklace had got damaged over the years; the three strands were reduced to two and Siobhan loved the idea of somehow converting it into a bracelet and wearing it on her wedding day.

"...Being able to wear my Nanny's pearls feels like they'll be there in spirit and they'll never be forgotten, and means so, so much to me. I am so grateful to Aisling for making this a reality, when you strip away all the pomp and fluff from a wedding it's the people, present on the day and those we'll never forget, that really count."

Above you can see a picture of Siobhan's grandparents on their honeymoon along with some sketches and photos of the beautiful peach pearls in their treasured box. We decided to use the largest of the pearls and to make a feature of the striking rhinestone clasp as the centre piece. I also included a row of cream pearls, spaced with tiny rhinestone elements as a contrasting element to the design. It's been amazing for me to be involved in this project and to see these pearls being worn again on such a special occasion.

To complement Siobhan's delicate lace gown, she chose to wear a 'Diamond' design hairwire. I used soft gold beading in this piece along with some cream and peach pearls. I love how the pearl hairwire sits in her soft hairstyle. And to complete the look, I made a simple double pearl drop with tiny rhinestone setting. There is a single one of Nana's pearls in there too! Here's a few words from Siobhan -

"We have such wonderful memories from our wedding day, start to finish. Everything ran so smoothly, even down to the weather! The beautiful singing by the amazingly talented Naoise Stuart-Kelly, gorgeous flowers and our wonderful priest helped create a relaxed and special atmosphere in the church that continued throughout the day. Niall our photographer did and excellent job of capturing the atmosphere and the little touches we had wanted to include in our special day. Little touches, such as and in particular, the fabulous jewellery made for me by Aisling, re-modelled from my grandmother's own wedding pearls. It meant so much to me and my family that they were able to be restored.

Aisling did such a wonderful job. She was really creative with ideas on how we could redesign and update them. I'm delighted to say I've been wearing them regularly ever since after years of leaving them lying neglected in their box. Our reception in Ballyseede Castle surpassed our expectations, the setting was beautiful yet intimate, the food was delicious and the staff could not have been any more helpful or professional. It's easy to say we had our perfect day.

Thank you so much Aisling for all your help. It really was a pleasure to work with you, you took such care and interest in my project and created something really special and beautiful for me."

 

Doesn't Siobhan look gorgeous?! I'm sure you'll agree that they make a very stylish couple.

Siobhan - it was an absolute pleasure to be asked to design your accessories; in particular, your bracelet. I think your Nana would be so proud and delighted to know that you are continuing to get lots of wear out of it, while keeping her memory alive.

Thanks to both of yourself and Eoin for sharing these images and telling us the story of your wedding.

Credits
Photography - Niall McGann
Church singing and music - Naoise Stuart-Kelly at EncoreOccasions

Flowers -  Eleanor's Florist  

Reception - Ballyseede Castle

Bespoke Rangoli Hairwire

I just love sharing some of my client's weddings with you. It's really rewarding to receive photos along with kind words of appreciation - I am continually reminded of why I love my job so much! So thanks to each and every one of you who have shared your weddings with me.

Rachel came to me with an idea for a beaded hairwire. She wanted it to incorporate a variety of different sized pearls along with a little bit of sparkle. The classic hairstyle that she chose is so elegant and I think the hairwire complements it perfectly!

Rachel's family surprised her on the morning of her wedding with a gift of this Rangoli pearl and rhinestone necklace along with a matching bracelet, (which can be seen on my website).

I also designed a beaded headpiece for Rachel's Mum Rose, seen below, along with a delicate 9ct gold beaded pendant. Rachel's two sisters wore a bespoke comb and hairpins to match their gorgeous black and gold Monsoon dresses. Here are a few words from Rachel -

I just wanted to say a big thank you to Aisling in Rangoli Jewellery. I had heard of her work through WeddingsOnline. I purchased my hair vine and bridesmaids head pieces from Rangoli. Aisling is so easy to work with. It was a pleasure to visit her studio where she showed my sister and I various pieces she had made and allowed us to try them on. I showed her a picture of a hair vine that I liked and she made me exactly what I wanted.

On the morning of our wedding to my surprise I received a beautiful gift from my sister and mother of a pearl necklace and matching bracelet which Aisling made and complimented my dress beautifully. I will definitely be recommending Rangoli to as many people as possible as Aisling made the process very easy. I hope to buy some more products from her in the future.

Thanks so much Rachel - I really appreciate your kind words and wish you both all the best!

You can read more about my recent bespoke commissions or get in touch if you'd like to talk about a having jewellery or accessories designed for your wedding or special occasion. I also have a Rangoli Brides portfolio on my Facebook page which is great for inspiration!

Rachel's wedding was photographed by Paddy Burke.

'Three things' 3

The 'Three things' series is about things that inspire me to design. This is a visual diary of images I love... might be a colour, a form or simply something that triggers a happy emotion. Welcome to my world - I hope you enjoy leafing through my visual diary!

One of the things that inspires me most, (and is a favourite part of my job!) is looking at the selection of gorgeous gowns that clients have chosen for their weddings. Here are three dresses that I am currently designing accessories for - they each have distinctive features that inspire me to create...and drool over :-) As you can see - Lace is still popular in 2011 collections.

First up is a Cymbeline gown called Eleanor. It's from the 2011 collection. I love the neckline and the softly draped lace. This dress is so feminine and soft.

For this client, I am designing long delicate drop earrings and a fine pearl and rhinestone bracelet. As the hair will be worn up, the earrings will be the key decorative feature.

The second dress is called Satine by Johanna Johnson. Johanna is renowned for her Old Hollywood glamour styles and this sumptuous latte coloured gown features hand-beaded Parisian lace accents and plunging back.

For this client, I am designing a bespoke pale gold beaded comb. The beading will include topaz Swarovski crystal beading along with taupe and champagne pearls. The bride would like to wear the piece to the back of the head for the earlier part of the day and move it to the side for more of an evening look.

The final dress and commission that I am sharing is a Mon-Cheri dress called Emme. This sleeveless lace slim A-line gown features a hand-beaded lace bateau neckline and plunging V-back bodice with cowl draped chiffon straps. I love the back feature of this dress!

For this commission, I am making a delicate beaded hairwire with a vintage lace inspired side feature. The piece will combine both rhinestone and soft pearl detail, to pick up on the rhinestone belt detail.

Are you jealous of my job yet?! I love how varied these dresses and commissions are. I hope to share the finished designs when they are completed!

You can read more of my 'Three Things' inspiration posts or read about my latest Rangoli bridal commissions.

I'd love to design something for your wedding so please get in touch if you'd like to arrange an appointment to visit the Rangoli Showroom.

Rangoli Bridesmaid commission

Here's a recent commission that I loved working on. The wedding is not until the spring so it's nice to have images of floaty chiffon dresses to keep my mind off the chillyness!

The brief for this commission was for something soft and romantic. The client loved my hairwire styles and also wanted something with a side feature. I came up with the idea of incorporating a fine velvet ribbon to create a 'Jane Austin' inspired headpiece. I then sourced a selection of Swarovski crystals in lilac and opal pinks.

This piece ties at the back of the head. It also doubles up as a necklace or bracelet - probably one of my most versatile pieces! The beautiful dress is by J Crew - check out their website for the full collection.

I hope you enjoyed reading about this commission - check my archives for more Rangoli commissions and Rangoli wedding features or visit my website to view my collections.

Fun with colour

Colour plays a integral part in any wedding. Lots of thought goes into choosing a palette of colours that reflects your personal style. There are so many ways to bring colour into your day, from flowers and shoes to food and decorations.



I chose the two images above of Sandra's wedding. Sandra's bouquet was really unusual, combining fruits, ivy and roses. I often use a colour palette generator when I want to have fun with colour.

All you have to do is choose an image that has a range of colours that you love. Then you simply submit the picture to the generator and it will do the rest. Might be handy for the initial stages of planning!

Sandra wears a Rangoli beaded hairwire, pearl studs and a double strand pearl bracelet.

See my hairwire and bracelet catalogue on my Rangoli website.

Photos by Peter Nash Photography

Sonya and Graham's wedding

There's so much to love about Sonya and Graham's wedding. Where do I start....

Well how about Sonya's beautiful lace dress which is called Karin and was designed by Margaret from The Bridal Outlet in Baldoyle? It's just gorgeous and even though I don't know Sonya well, I would say it suits her perfectly! Sonya mentioned how impressed she was with the service and range of gowns that she saw in this dress shop.

The first thing I loved when I met Sonya was her hairstyle! And I especially loved the fact that she didn't feel the need to grow it longer for her wedding day. It's so chic and elegant. Even though we tried on lots of different hair accessories, I had immediately thought that this scalloped pearl comb would be perfect to complement both her hairstyle and dress. It is a dainty piece that still has lots of impact in Sonya's dark hair. It is inspired by lace patterns.

Above, we see Sonya with her flower girl. What a pretty bouquet - the shades remind me of Sweet Pea. Flowers were a strong element of this wedding. The beautiful floral arch makes a perfect backdrop for this photo. See Cliodhna's simpler and equally stunning floral arch in my recent feature on her wedding.


Here are a few words from Sonya -

''I just wanted to say a big thank you to Aisling in Rangoli Jewellery. I had previously heard of her work through a number of friends and colleagues who had got married over the recent years. I purchased my head piece and bracelet from Rangoli. Aisling is so easy to work with. It was a pleasure to visit her studio where she showed my sister and I various pieces she had made and allowed me to try them on. I showed her a swatch of my fabric from the dress and she made me exactly what I wanted. I will definitely be recommending Rangoli to as many people as possible as Aisling made the process very easy and affordable. I hope to buy some more products from her in the future.''

Above is the crochet and beaded bracelet that I designed for Sonya with pearl drops. The textile nature of the bracelet worked really well with the lace fabric of her gown.

It's great to see a couple really having fun with their photographer. Bye bye to those static serious poses :-) I love the black and white image below with Sonya's romantic cathedral length veil and new hubbie leading the way!

Below is one of my favourite shots as it is so relaxed. Lovely moments turned into ever-lasting memories!

And finally, a touch of movie-star glamour as the newly weds are greeted by their guests. They look like they're enjoying the moment!

A big huge thanks as always to Sonya and Graham for sharing your images. Thanks for your kind words Sonya. I'm sure my readers will join me in wishing you a very happy life together!

Photographs by Bernard Carolan at Mark Griffin Photo.

Cliodhna and Robert's Wedding

I know you're going to lurrrve this romantic Galway wedding. It's full of pretty details and happy emotions! Congratulations Cliodhna and Robert.

Cliodhna loves flowers, especially roses, which were a strong theme for her wedding. I just love the simplicity of these white hydrangeas which were tied with ribbons to the pew ends. And how about the flower arch at the church door which was decorated with wild roses? So pretty :-)

Here is Cliodhna and her sister Fainche. Cliodhna's dress is called 'Tea Rose' which is another reason why she fell in love with it! The dress is a blush pink colour with a lace overlay. Fainche's bridesmaid dress is from Dirty Fabulous and complements her sister's gown perfectly.

Above is a close-up of the beaded rose comb that I designed to go with the dress. Below you can see the matching double strand pearl bracelet with rhinestone detail as well as details of both girls combs.


And finally, here are the happy couple looking very happy indeed. You just can't beat that 'just married' smile :-)

Here's another pic of Cliodhna and her sister....

and finally...a quiet moment together! As always, I want to thank this couple for allowing me to share these pictures with you. I really enjoyed working with Cliodhna to design special accessories for her wedding. You can read more about the design process in my previous post.

Photography by Angelo Mercone.

A little peek...

I'm dying to show you some of Cliodhna and Robert's wedding photos...
Here is a quick peek! You can read more about Cliodhna's jewellery and hair accessories in my previous article below.

Photo by Angelo Mercone.

Cupcakes and Jewels

As some of you know, my sister Tara runs a cupcake business called Cupcake Me! We decided to collaborate on a sisterly project and were lucky enough to have our tasty designs photographed by Christina Brosnan.

Christina loves photographing lots of things from babies and curvy bumps to weddings and engagements! Her style is so modern and fresh. Thanks Christina - we had so much fun hanging out with you last week :-)

Tara and I came up with themes in the same way we would with real clients. We chose some classic and whimsical inspirations and let our imaginations carry us away. Cupcakes are like miniature pieces of art and Tara makes all of her floral decorations by hand. Yes, each of those flowers and butterflies are lovingly created from sugar paste to suit each design!

I love this Butterfly Garden cupcake with it's miniature flowers and delicate embossed flowers. *Almost* too pretty to eat...

Or how about this Black Flower cupcake with a very decorative wrapping?

For more inspiration visit Tara's website or Facebook page. Make sure to check out Christina's website and blog too.

Claire and Eddie's wedding

Ok, here we go...feast your eyes on this romantic, stylish and fun wedding.
Claire and Eddie - you look amazing. You also look incredibly relaxed and your photos capture such beautiful emotions.

This wedding was photographed by Christina Brosnan and when Claire showed me her pictures, I had difficulty narrowing down the ones I wanted to feature! Christina's style is really informal with lots of natural lighting and pretty feminine details.

When I first met Claire, I could tell that she wanted help and advice in creating the overall style of her wedding. She was well able to choose different elements that she liked but was a bit overwhelmed when it came to putting the whole look together. I found her attitude very refreshing. She was completely open to asking for advice from different experts and this resulted in her enjoying the planning of their wedding much more. Claire also attended a styling workshop with Julie Cobbe from StyleFish.

Claire found her dress in Eden Manor and was full of praise for both the owners of the shops as well as the great selection of dresses. This dress is a sculptural, yet so soft and floaty. Although there is no beading detail on the dress, I advised Claire against wearing anything around her neck. Instead she chose an elegant headpiece with simple drop earrings and a very delicate bracelet.

Choosing my dress was easier than expected - one bridal shop (Eden Manor in Enniscorthy) and 25 dresses later. But a dress doesn't create the look alone. A veil was never for me, so wearing something in my hair seemed logical. I also presumed I needed earrings, a necklace and bracelet. However, I didn't feel confident about what would look best - especially since I didn't have my dress to try on with anything. After looking for some advice, I found Julie Cobb and StyleFish. Not alone did Julie recommend Aisling and Rangoli, but I completed her 7 week style course and graduated a more stylish wife-to-be!!!

During my appointment with Aisling in her fabulous studio, she looked at images of my dress which i had brought, styled my hair as i planned on wearing it and chatted about the type of bride I was and the kind of day we were planning - I genuinely felt she was trying to get to know me. After trying a number of pieces in my hair and their matching accessories, I was totally confident making my decision. Although I confess i would never have chosen not to wear a necklace if Aisling hadn't pointed out that it was too much.

On our wedding day, I absolutely felt the most stylish i ever have and received more compliments than i could have hoped for. I would like to say a big hugable THANK YOU to Aisling for her creativity and encouragement and for giving my look the wow factor.

Claire

Claire and Eddie - Thanks for sharing your day with us. Claire - thanks for the hug too! You can read more about the wedding on Christina's blog -

What a lovely Friday post :-) Hope you all have a lovely holiday weekend for those living in Ireland!

Credits:
Photogrpahy by Christina Brosnan
Make-up by Aoife Callaghan
Styling course at StyleFish