Morning lovely people :) Hoping this finds you well. 'Something old' may be traditionally associated with one of four objects a bride traditionally has with, or on her during her big day, but recently, it has transcended in to a much sought after theme. With vintage shops and styling becoming ever more popular, it is no wonder that more people want to create their own image of old fashioned romance with vintage décor. But the question now is can you hire or should you buy? I was keen to explore this questions and so hooked up with Kerry Smith, founder of London vintage china hire company, Vintage Simplicity...
"The biggest positive for buying is that you feel that you have more control over the designs, colours and patterns. However, it is very time consuming collecting high quality vintage china. I once sent my husband into a skip to pull out a teapot – it turned out it was damaged, but it was worth it to see him going in!"
Though it is argued that sourcing your own china can often, in the long run be cheaper, the rise and demand for this styling means it is becoming harder to collect a complete set with little damage....
"I have always had an interest in anything 'old fashioned' and in particular the lives and style of people throughout the 20th Century. Ten years ago, I was offered a gift by my late Grandmother of two boxes of 1940's china - it's beauty and fragility truly inspired me.”
Love My Dress Wedding Blog - Photography Copyright (c) 2011, Lily & Frank
While this has been a fabulously enjoyable and fed Kerry's passions, Kerry has as times found it to be a very time consuming task....
"It is easy to pick up a job lot of china through either Ebay or at a charity shop but from experience this comes either cracked, chipped or crazed. Considering that a high quality English pottery trio (cup, saucer and tea plate) would cost anything from £6 to £20 then I think that hiring for £2 is most definitely the most economical way of using vintage china at your event."
Styling is one of the first considerations when planning the perfect wedding. Many hire companies now offer consultations on colour schemes and patterns well before any event to give you a complete feel of the china and accessories that will be supplied on the day."
“For anyone that loves vintage (and I most certainly do) it is so important to get the 'feel' of the event right to reflect your own interest in a particular bygone era. The term 'vintage' can so often be used 'loosely' when all it really means is shabby chic, eclectic or English Country. Piecing together a truly 'vintage' event should definitely be high on the agenda as it can take many months to style a truly authentic event".
With Kerry being a firm believer of putting together events that would have been typical of your chosen era she aims to give a bride and groom full focus on the celebration rather than the details.
And while Kerry has aimed for authenticity in every aspect of her business, she has applied one modern aspect to the experience. She will actually do all your washing up! hehehe :)
Thanks so much to all those who contributed towards this photoshoot...
Vintage China Hire: Vintage Simplicity
Photography: Lily and Frank
Models: Nina Boldt, Hayley Griffiths, Nicolina De Lauro
Flowers: Fairy Nuff Flowers
Dresses: Joanne Fleming Design
Hair and Make-up: The Trend Hair Salon
Cakes: Cake by Sugar
Accessories: Gillian Million
Venue: Turks Launches
The fabulous Vintage Simplicity can provide a bespoke styling service to ensure that your wedding or event has a truly vintage look. With an eye for 1920’s to 1950’s era detailing, Kerry will set up your event and is dedicated to providing the finishing touches so that it looks simply chic and elegant. Drop Kerry a line on kerry@vintagesimplicity.co.uk or visit the Vintage Simplicity website.
Do you plan on hiring or buying? Share your thoughts in the comments box below... :)
Much love,
Annabel :)
♥
