Love My Dress Wedding Blog - A UK Wedding Blog

Absolutely Beautiful Weddings Report ~ Claridges, London, Sunday 28 March 2010

On Sunday 28 March 2010, I was lucky enough to be in attendance at Claridges, for 'Absolutely Beautiful Weddings', a brand new, designer-led event to hit the UK wedding exhibition scene.

Targeting the bigger-budget bride, Absolutely Beautiful Weddings is the result of a collaboration of some of the most creative minds, and, I have to say, nicest people working in the wedding industry. 

Claridges was an excellent choice of venue for this event; it’s stunning and original art-deco interior beautifully reflected the vintage focus of many of the designers exhibiting on the day.  The Ball Room had been set up in the style of a formal wedding reception to offer visitors a flavour of how Claridges could look on their wedding day (I hear several wedding venue bookings were made on the day from visiting Brides-to-be). 

All Photographs Copyright (c) 2010, Love My Dress UK Wedding Blog
The image on top left, is, (from left to right) Rachel Attwell of Luella's Boudoir, Lisa Harris of Magpie Vintage & Emmy Scarterfield being interviewed by Wedding TV.
Click to enlarge images...

The Utterly Sexy Cafe ~ Dramatically Gorgeous Sugary Delights!

I'm feeling very privileged of late.  I've gotten to meet some amazing people through writing for Love My Dress, and more recently, through attending the Absolutely Beautiful Weddings event.  So many wonderful people in one place, including the most brilliant of all cake makers, Amanda Baird.

Amanda is a Designer, Artist, Stylist, Caterer and founder of The Utterly Sexy Café.  Ive you've never heard of them, let us be the first to tell you that The Utterly Sexy Café offer a dramatically gorgeous and individual style for the discerning bride via a highly original, full service catering and event Company.

From drinks and canapés, starters, mains and puddings or even a Marie Antoinette style pudding station to a fabulously elegant afternoon tea, all edible produce is lovingly and beautifully prepared, creatively decorated and elegantly served with a certain vintage look.  Amanda and her team of charming waiting staff (all dressed in retro outfits) will plan, organise and style your event to give you a breathtakingly sensational wedding reception with a unique, elegant vintage look that your guests will talk about for years to come for all the right reasons.  Even the atmospheric settings are taking into account, from the lighting to the music from a live band or a DJ, to ensure that all your senses are totally indulged.

I was lucky enough to speak with Amanda recently and get to know more about her fabulous company...  

"The Utterly Sexy Café was formed in 1996 at Glastonbury festival where we were catering in style from our beautiful marquee adorned and bedecked with artificial flowers and twinkly lights. Jamie Theakston said it was the best café at the festival. We cooked mostly vegetarian dishes and home baked cakes each day to the sound of kicking choones from our in house DJ. “Everybody Loves The Sunshine” by Roy Ayres became an anthem for us that Summer."

Photography Copyright (c) 2010, Love My Dress, unless watermarked with 'Utterly Sexy Cafe'

Absolutely Beautiful Weddings ~ A Sneaky Peek Report Preview...

Hi Everyone!

We're back from London and catching up on Blogging duties! Apologies for a couple of quiet days, we're been writing up new posts and will be back to normal shortly.

We're in the process of writing up a report from the Absolutely Beautiful Weddings Show, that was held at Claridges on Sunday 28 March 2010, but in the meantime, we thought we'd share a few sneaky-peek photographs with  you.

The whole event was an absolute delight and real success - reflective of it's sell-out status. I met so many wonderful people, including of course, all those that exhibited, as well as Charley Beard, the writer behind the blog London Bride and the talented writer behind the Blog 'Anna and the Ring' (whose full name I know of course, but that shall remain anonymous!), Photographer Emily Quinton, Californian based Wedding Planner Paige Galla of Paige One Events, and Love Bakery UK visited the venue just to drop off 2 boxes of the MOST delicious cup cakes for me! What a treat! :)

I took this snap of (from left to right), Luella's Boudoir owner Rachel Attwell, with Lisa Harris of Magpie Vintage and Emmy Scarterfield of Emmy Shoes, whilst they were being interviewed by Wedding TV.  

Click to enlarge all images.

All Photography Copyright (c) 2010, Love My Dress

Nicky Macfarlane Bespoke Bridesmaids Dresses

Love My Dress is delighted to have had the opportunity to chat with Nicki Macfarlane, of Nicky Macfarlane Bespoke Bridesmaids.  Nicki, who is exhibiting this Sunday at Claridges for the Absolutely Beautiful Weddings event, is one of the UK's leading designer of exceptional dresses and outfits for bridesmaids, flower girls and pageboys. 

Nicki's award winning designs feature regularly in leading UK bridal publications and her clients have included many celebrity and society brides.  Detail and presentation are our her trademark (each outfit  has the bridesmaid or pageboy’s name hand embroidered inside and comes with a pretty bag containing their accessories) and many of her dresses include delicate hand applied detail such as beading, crystals and embroidery.  A bespoke service is available as well as a ready to wear collection and Nicki is clearly commited to providing only the very best of services to her clients;

"Our clients can expect a completely personal service, which is fun and inspirational.    We aim to inject a sense of romance and drama into every special occasion, from pretty country weddings to elegant London ceremonies."

Photography Copyright (c) 2010, Nicki Macfarlane

Sassi Holford ~ Couture Bridal Wear Designer speaks to Love My Dress

Welcome to our latest of interviews with those exhibiting at the Absolutely Beautiful Weddings event.   Today, Love My Dress talks to Couture Bridal Wear Designer, Sassi Holford. 

Sassi has been designing wedding gowns now for almost 30 years and is, remarkably, completely self-taught at her profession.  Consider that when you take into account that in 2008, Sassi was commissioned by Canadian Autumn Kelly to design the wedding gown for her marriage to Princess Anne’s son, Peter Phillips - the first of the Queen's grandchildren to tie the knot.  The wedding took place at Windsor Castle and Sassi personally oversaw the dressing of the bride.  All very impressive for someone who has never attended design school!  Hello Magazine fans out there may recall the wedding gracing the magazines pages, and you can read more about Sassi's experience designing for a Royal Wedding in her interview with the Telegraph's Hilary Alexander.

"Both Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn have always been great influences in my work -they are true icons. However, it’s working directly with my brides that provide me with a constant source of inspiration –they share their ideas and offer their honest opinions; their enthusiasm is really motivating ~ I love enhancing the female form and it’s a real joy to work with brides to create the perfect dress for their big day –it fulfils me."

All Imagery Copyright (c) 2010, Sassi Holford

Edwina Ibbotson Couture Millinery ~ An Interview...

I have taken great pleasure in interviewing those involved in the Absolutely Beautiful Weddings event and I am particularly excited about featuring today's interview, not least because the designer I'm profiling rarely gives interviews - and doesn't, yet, have a web presence, so unless you are lucky enough to have visited her Battersea based boutique or meet her at one of the UK's more exclusive wedding and bridal exhibitions, then obtaining information can sometimes prove tricky. 

Edwina Ibbotson is one of the UK's most talented Milliners designing today.  She has been creating hats and head dresses for 23 years and has had her own business for almost 19 years with an established boutique in the heart of Battersea, London. I fell in love with her work when I saw it at the Designer Wedding Show in February this year -  exquisitely beautiful, couture millinery really doesn't come much better than this.  I also recall my friend Lisa, one of the two amazing designers behind the Magpie Vintage brand of jewellery, first telling me about her; "you have to see her work, it's unbelievably delicate and exquisite ~ and the hand-stitching is so fine you can't even see it."

"My bridal designs are feminine and fresh, perfect for the stylish modern Bride who loves beautiful things.  My work is very detailed using silks, laces, beaded fabrics, feathers and hand made flowers (which I/we make by hand).  Many of my pieces have a slight vintage feel to them, but comfort is the upper most important; you need to put on your headdress or hat and forget its there, so you can enjoy the day!"

Edwina Ibbotson Couture Millinery - All Imagery kindly provided by Edwina Ibbotson

Julia Boggio Captures Art-Deco Elegance at Claridges...

I have been excited for weeks about this photoshoot and am so pleased it's finally ready to share with you.  Last month, the truly fabulous Photographer that is Julia Boggio emailed me to ask if I could put her in touch with the equally fabulous wedding dress designers, Lindsay Fleming, regarding a photoshoot she had planned, where the gorgeous 'art-deco jewel' hotel that is Claridges would play backdrop. 

Scottish based designers Lindsay Fleming create some of the most beautiful vintage inspired bridal wear I have ever seen.  You simply must see their 1920's 'All That Jazz' collection if you haven't done so yet. 

I am sure you can imagine how I was more than a little bit lost in excitement when Julia asked if I'd like to feature the photographs on Love My Dress (eeek! ....almost fainted!).  And I think you'll agree, that aside from the stunning photography, the styling on this shoot is unbelievably beautiful ~ thanks to a team effort, many of whom will be exhibiting at the Absolutely Beautiful Weddings event (see credit list below).

The full suite of photographs will be on show at the Absolutely Beautiful Weddings event on Sunday 28 March.  In the mean time, enjoy...

All Photography Copyright (c) 2010, Julia Boggio

Emmy Scarterfield of Emmy Custom Made Wedding Shoes ~ An Interview with the Designer...

It has to be said; I am a HUUUUUGE fan of Emmy Custom Made Wedding Shoes.  Huge.

Last month, I got to meet my shoe designing idol, Emmy Scarterfield, at the Designer Wedding Show, where we talked 5 inch heels (5 inches!), hair accessories, and children.  Today, I'm thrilled to bits to be featuring an interview with Emmy, as part of my 'Absolutely Beautiful Weddings' series of interviews (click here to visit the full section relating to this event).  I have been keen for a long time to learn more about Emmy, what inspires her, and

"I’ve been designing since I was a child! I used to put wooden blocks into my socks to make high heels.  I have always wanted to be a shoe designer, I love them. I lived near the Mulberry Factory and as I got older I would get my friends to hold my ankles as I dangled over the wall to get scraps of leather out of the bins.

However, I started designing accessories when I was at Cordwainers College in London where I studied 'Footwear and Accessories Design, marketing and product development’ and from there went onto designing accessories for luxury fashion brands Bottega Veneta and Armani in Italy where I lived for five years."

Me in my beloved Emmy 'Crystal Pearl' wedding shoes, on my wedding day in March last year {the first day of Spring, and gorgeous it was too}...

Photographs below Copyright (c) 2009-2010, karen McGowran Photography