One of the things I love most about writing for Love My Dress is learning the fabulous stories that sit behind the wonderful work of our sponsors. What really makes my heart sing is when I discover that super talented people are following a childhood dream or have taken the leap to turn something they love into a thriving business. Today, I’m beyond happy to introduce you to someone who has done both and, because of this, I can share with you the charming bridal accessories from Blackbird’s Pearl.
Blackbird’s Pearl is the home of handcrafted headpieces, veils and silk flower accessories. The business was founded by designer Johanna, who personally hand crafts each piece from the finest silks and chiffons in her London studio. The designs themselves range from the intricate and ethereal hydrangea halos to pretty vintage inspired birdcage veils. Each item is unique, combining modern simplicity with intricate details inspired by the natural world.
“As a small girl, I loved making pretty, delicate things that required hours of patience and I loved to use things I found outside,” explains Johanna. “Much later, I trained as a costume designer and dressmaker and when I got married, my Mum found it very difficult to find accessories and I made her a headpiece. From this, my first collection grew and I’ve not looked back.”
Designs from Blackbird’s Pearl are often historically inspired or come with a vintage feel but there’s a strong emphasis on the modern too. Fresh and free from fuss, there’s very little sparkle and a very sparing use of crystals. Instead, the natural feel and the perfect simplicity combine to produce truly individual pieces.
“All of my silk flowers are made by hand from scratch,” says Johanna. “I cut every petal and dye or paint them in turn, shaping them and then assembling the flower. I especially love creating flowers to match a bride’s bouquet or floral decorations and, whilst I absolutely adore fresh flowers, silk flower headpieces are great to keep as an heirloom.”
Johanna welcomes brides to her studio for consultations or to try on samples of the various pieces in the collection. If you’re considering a bespoke design or if you would like custom changes made to an existing design, Johanna will spend plenty of time with you discussing your ideas and all of the options that are available to you.
“At the moment I’m working on a piece for a bride who was torn between wearing a Juliet cap veil and a Bohemian flower crown. We’ve carefully designed a piece that combines everything she loves. This is one of the joys of making everything to order – each piece can be customised to make it a perfect fit for you and your vision of your wedding day. There really is love behind every design.”
Blackbird’s Pearl can ship items worldwide from their London base and prices for small flower combs start at £60 whilst larger pieces that require a lot of work can be around £300. Custom and bespoke pieces are quoted individually and all pieces come in lovely white keepsake boxes.
Johanna will also provide fabric samples free of charge so materials and colours can be checked against your wedding gown.
For more information on Blackbird’s Pearl, do take a look at the website at blackbirdspearl.com – and you can also find Johanna on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook. If you’ve got a question or would like to discuss a bespoke commission, do please contact Johanna via e-mail and she’ll be more than happy to help – [email protected].
Love Tamryn x
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Tamryn Settle View all Tamryn's articles
Self-confessed wedding addict Tamryn spends her days in her Berkshire studio writing about all things beautiful and romantic with her black Labrador for company.
