Lorraine and Conor's Italian wedding

Lorraine came to me to discuss commissioning a bespoke headpiece for her wedding. She described her own style and her plans for a relaxed wedding celebration in Arezzo, Italy. I love hearing everyone's ideas about venues and personal touches!

Lorraine brought in the picture above of a headpiece that she had seen in a magazine. She loved its shape as well as the fact that it had delicate white feathers in it. This image was the starting point for Lorraine's bespoke Rangoli headpiece. We worked together to come up with a design that she loved. The piece was made from fine silver crochet and incorporated rhinestones and pearls. I then wove fine white feathers into it. I think you'll agree that she looked stunning on her wedding day. Here are a few words from Lorraine -

" Thanks you for the beautiful head-piece you made for me for my wedding on 25 June in Montebenichi, Arezzo, Italy. I just wanted to let you know that on the day it was perfect and everyone loved that I chose not to wear a veil and go with something that was so simple but yet at the same time elegant...it really was perfect in keeping in with the simple aspect of my wedding".

Lorraine and Conor's wedding was photographed by Lelia Scarfiotti and I was not surprised to read that she is a 'Style Me Pretty' Little Black Book supplier. Have a look at her website and if you'd like to see more of Lorraine and Conor's wedding album, visit this link and click 'Gallery' and then 'I do', followed by the heading 'Put a ring on it'.

Thanks Lorraine and Conor - your Italian wedding is spellbinding. I can almost smell the Italian countryside :-)

Phototography by Lelia Scarfiotti

Pure simplicity

This photo of a wedding menu really grabbed my attention - I just love its simplicity and it speaks volumes about the style of wedding that this couple hosted. When I dine out, I absolutely love reading imaginative descriptions of food - I admit there is a fine line between intriguing your diners and making them feel out of their depth but I often choose food based on how interesting the ingredient combinations sound, the crazier the better sometimes!

But I would love to be a guest at a wedding where I was simply told that I was going to be treated to a family style dinner! This is a Style Me Pretty wedding and you can read more about it here.

The second image is from one of my favourite food blogs - Sunday Suppers. I think this lavender lemonade would make a nice refreshing drink to wash it all down!

Here is the recipe if you have any lavender left in your garden...

Lavender Lemonade
* 2 cups sugar
* 5 sprigs lavender (stems and buds), plus additional for garnish
* 2 cups fresh lemon juice (from about 10 lemons)
* 1/2 cup fresh lime juice (from about 4 limes)
Directions:
In a large saucepan, bring one gallon of water and the sugar to a boil. Remove from heat; add 7 lavender sprigs and lemon and lime juices. Cool to room temperature, strain, and chill. Serve on ice, with additional lavender for garnish.

The Style Me Pretty wedding was photographed by Sarah Yates.

Glamour Gold

It's hard not to want to share everything I see on StyleMePretty! Today, I saw a pair of gorgeous shoes that were featured as part of a real wedding.

I think they are so pretty and were designed by Kate Spade. However, it's partly the way they are photographed that made me love them so much. The photographer is Jasmine Star - what a cool name :-)

And I love how shoes have become a featured element of the wedding album - treated with the respect normally reserved for pieces of fine sculpture!

With a bit of searching, I found the matching bag too...

Rangoli inspires Confetti.ie readers

I was delighted when Confetti magazine invited me to share some of my tips and advice with their online readers.

Over the month of November, I will be sharing some of the things that continue to inspire me to design jewellery and hair accessories for you! I will be covering bridal trends for 2010 as well as advice for budget-conscious brides.

Watch this space and as always, please let me know if there is anything that you would like me to discuss.

Above is a copy of the first feature. Read more of my Confetti-related articles.

The image in the article is courtesy of Gia Canali.

Divine blue...

I love the tradition of wearing something blue or including a blue element in your wedding theme. My friend Denise Assas, couturier, sews a blue ribbon into the lining of all her bridal gowns!

These flower images caught my eye - the top image is taken by Cheri Pearl and the bouquet of flowers are by Picotte Photography. Both were found via Style Me Pretty.

Style Me Pretty

I am really excited that Abby from the stylish wedding blog - Style Me Pretty, featured my designs on the homepage of her website!

SMP Loves…Rangoli

How beautiful is this picture? The hairpiece was made by the fabulously talented Aisling of Rangoli Jewelry in Dublin, Ireland. Every piece that she’s designed seems more beautiful than the next, crafted using very fine metallic threads so that they are actually a textile. Aisling’s work is absolutely stunning…from delicate tiaras to perfect bracelets. Definitely check out her site and her blog when you have some time!

Abby describes her job and what inspires her to write her blog...

'Admittedly, I have the best job in the world...Simply put, I write about all things beautiful. All things wedding. Everyday, I post my favorite finds, my latest loves…I try to create a place where creativity and ideas thrive, where you can find weddings that eliminate the walls of tradition and focus instead on the unique personalities of brides and grooms everywhere. And in the midst of all the beautiful pictures and the beautiful weddings, my only hope is that I will inspire you in some small way, to translate that perfect picture in your head into a day that will make you smile for years to come'.