We found this video on FashionTV which takes you backstage at the Florinda Spring/Summer 2013 bridal photoshoot. There are some fabulous wedding dresses being modeled here, which are simple, elegant and incredibly glamorous.
Carlo Pignatelli had worked on his bridal collection for several months where young flawless models pose in gorgeous down-to-the-floor white gowns. “I think it will suit the tastes of young brides next year and will allow them to dream”, the designer explains. “The detail makes the difference, I take care of it a lot, in the accessories, in the proportions and everything.”
Models wore gowns made from mostly silk fabrics and lace, embellished pendants, sweetheart tops, strapless pieces and beautifully tied corset backs. The designer completes a job well done creating a luxury fairytale for every bride to be.
Vintage wedding dress designer Charlotte Casadéjus has recently announced the opening of her new online shop. We’ve had a browse through the beautiful dresses and particularly love the Margot and Maude designs pictured above. In the words of Charlotte’s website…
Margot (left)
“Perfect for making a real statement. sand-washed silk, 1950’s inspired corset under one shouldered silver flecked softest tulle with vintage diamante detail at the shoulder. the skirt is a sublime combination of ice white leather and feathers featuring a slight train to the back. margot truly is a dream wedding dress.”
Maude (right)
“A feminine and beautiful combination of off-white sand-washed silk 1950’s corset under draped ivory tulle with subtle gold flecks featuring vintage diamante detail at the shoulders. The a-line skirt is decorated with hundreds of divine tulle petals and subtly placed sequins. The slight train to the back adds to the dramatic effect of maude. A truly heavenly dress.”
Fentimans are a drinks brewery that was established in England in 1905, and their bottles of ginger beer, lemonade and other fizzy drinks are still sold in supermarkets to this day. As you can see in the photo above, they still come in old-fashioned bottles labelled in the vintage Victorian style that they used over 100 years ago.
So, if you’re planning a wedding and need some non-alcoholic drinks for the kids, but want to continue the vintage theme on your tables, then this might be the perfect answer. We think the Rose Lemonade, pictured above, with it’s pastel pink colour is particularly fitting. Oh it tastes great too!
Fentimans can be found in many farm shops, delicatessens, restaurants, cafes, bars, supermarkets, convenience stores and other retailers worldwide. For more information, visit www.fentimans.com.
Sarah Beeny’s ‘Restoration Nightmare’ Rise Hall is open for business as a wedding venue. The stately home was the subject of a recent Channel 4 documentary which charted Sarah’s challenge to rebuild the property and return it to its former glory.
The programme was an enthralling roller coaster of emotions so we’re pleased to see a happy ending to the story. We think Rise Hall looks like a fabulous location to host an elaborate wedding and would suit a vintage theme.
This is Dillington House in the heart of Somerset countryside. It was the venue for my wedding a few years ago and it was incredible. Situated at the end of a long drive through sprawling grounds, the stately home itself was an ideal location for our vintage theme. It’s a beautiful setting with historic charm and you can hire the whole house, so guests can stay the night as well.
We love bunting here at SlaterSparke. It’s such a simple little decoration that can be hung up at a wedding, birthday, party or simply at home, to give that sweet old fashioned English country garden look. Makes me think of quaint church fayres and village fetes. I found some beautiful ‘Happy Birthday’ bunting for my son’s first birthday recently and, it looked so pretty in our dining room, I really didn’t want to take it down afterwards! The bunting featured in the photo above is from Printed Wonders and there are loads of beautiful retro fabrics on eBay, so you could even make your own.
Accessories are usually one of the last things we buy for our wedding day, and I’d say it’s as important as the dress. It’s a statement piece and we must get it right. This stunning ‘Zara’ headband from Alan Hannah would suit hair up or down and could be just what you’re looking for. It’s available in white, ivory and pale pink, and has a hint of vintage style to top it off. Beautiful!
For many of us, buying a wedding dress is like buying a house – you just know it’s ‘the one’!
Magazines are full of such beautiful designs, but until you actually see for yourself, you’ll be surprised that what you thought you would love, you may actually prefer something completely different. I found these little beauties from Cymbeline, called Fatima (left) and Feria (right), and you can view more details on their website. Please take a look as they are so stunning, we wouldn’t want you to miss out!
Here’s a great idea for place settings for your wedding breakfast tables – crisp green apples with name tags tied to the stalks. Granny Smiths are probably the best bet for a brightest green and look lovely if you’re going for a white rustic or contemporary theme. Green is a natural striking colour which contrasts well with white and I must say, every time I browse the net and see a table with green & white, I instantly take a look. It’s particularly summery but could work for any season. I’ve seen this idea a few times before in the past, but cropped up recently on the tragic-but-entertaining ‘Don’t Tell The Bride’ on BBC3. I hate to admit it but on this occasion the hapless groom actually managed to create something quite tasteful! The image above was featured on Delightfully Engaged but you’ll find other examples on other sites and you can easily take this idea and make it your own.
After watching the Great British Bake off last night I
just couldn’t resist advertising these wonderful, tasty little delights. My mum
used to make them all the time, filled with either butter cream or ganache,
pink, purple or blue, either way they are delicious and a stylish touch to your
wedding. You could even pack them up as wedding favours or cake tower, it’s
endless!
A fingerprint tree is simply a picture of a tree where your guests can each leave their mark on your wedding. You can download tree images from various sites, but we found this one above from www.styleunreveiled.com. Its a fab way to remember all your guests in years to come. Choose colours you’ll be happy having on your wall at home, as it’s great to frame, display and treasure forever!
I personally can’t understand it, but some people would choose cheese over cake any day, which is why the idea of this cheese tiered wedding cake is so great and it can double up as supper for your evening reception, along with your crackers and pickles. You could of course have a cake as well, but most people would opt for either one or the other. It’s just a cheese cake after all!
The 50s style wedding is becoming more and more popular. I’ve been to a couple of weddings where I’ve been completely inspired by the wonderful 50s theme. I simply had to post this silk chiffon dress I found, shown with French corded lace by Naomi Neoh, isn’t it beautiful!
These fantastic drawstring bags will fit into your vintage wedding a treat! I personally find organza bags a bit predictable, so by using other options like this, you’ll avoid that cliché. Shop around online and you can pick these up for a reasonable price and they can be filled with, quite frankly, anything you like.
I am very proud to announce another SlaterSparke design launched this week, ’Beautiful Day’. As you can see the style is very vintage due to not only the lace but the pearl embellishment in the centre, this jaw-dropping card should get your guests talking. The SlaterSparke team think this will be one of our most popular designs.
A little SlaterSparke secret which I’ll share with you – all our designs are named after a famous song. So, if you can think of a song we haven’t already chosen that would suit our wedding stationery then please let us know.
I am very proud to annouce one of SlaterSparke’s new designs…I bring you ’Joy’!
‘Joy’ is made up of our favourite vintage style lace, satin ribbon and a fabulous large brooch – just stunning! It was a bespoke card I put together for one of our brides, which we were so pleased with, we had to launch it as soon as possible. Gill very kindly sent us some photos of ‘Joy’ in all its glory on her wedding day. Photography by Susan Renee.
I love these vintage style fruit crates, a really nice touch for your vintage themed wedding. This photo was taken at a friends wedding so her parents had them for years, however I picked one up for £12 from a local reclamation yard, unfortunately this was after our wedding so I turned it into a toy box for my little one. What I problably would of done is filled it with herbs, used it to store my favours and confetti cones or simply for stacking, either way, they look great!
We’re about to launch two beautiful new designs ‘Beautiful Day’ and ’Joy’ and literally their names say it all! They will be available to buy from next week. Like all my other designs, we can customise to suit your colours and theme. It would be great to get your feedback.
I always like to blog about local companies so when I found Bristol Vintage I just had to broadcast it. It has everything you need from crockery, bunting, jugs of wild flowers and even wind-up gramophones to make your day a day to remember. They cover the whole of the south west co-founded by Ali Cook & Katie Daniels. Between them they have over 10 years experience organising boutique events, weddings, parties and film premieres. A really beautiful website and look out for SlaterSparke Ltd on their blog!
…to your napkins or menus to double up as a favour, it looks really colourful and quite an exciting thing to receive. Let’s face it, most of us haven’t had a candy necklace for years, bring back the child in you and fling them at each other just like old times.
The principle designer and founder of the company is Hayley Slater-Sparke. Working at the BBC for almost 10 years, Hayley has been on the production team for various TV programmes, including The Antiques Roadshow, Bargain Hunt, British Style Genius and DIY SOS.
SlaterSparke is an independent company offering a variety of stylish hand-crafted invitations, cards and stationery. Mixing vintage style with sharp contemporary design, we strive to maintain the balance between a high-quality professional finish and the hands-on personal touch.
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The principle designer and founder of the company is Hayley Slater-Sparke. Working at the BBC for almost 10 years, Hayley has been on the production team for various TV programmes, including The Antiques Roadshow, Bargain Hunt, British Style Genius and DIY SOS.