“I’ve been a long term donor to Oxfam’s successful network of bridal shops, so I am thrilled to be able to donate a dress for this exciting online auction, in collaboration with Love My Dress. There are some truly amazing items that have been donated…”
Sassi Holford
www.sassiholford.com
So hopefully by now you will have seen the Oxfam Weddings photoshoot. And I’m hoping you’re keen to learn a little more about the Oxfam Weddings Auction campaign.
As explained here, the photoshoot I curated was a project designed to raise attention to the fact that Oxfam will be holding their first ever wedding auction at the end of this month, to coincide with the first anniversary of the Royal Wedding.
This post here explains a little more about what the funds raised through the auction will be used for, as well as listing all the items that have been donated so far, and is visually aided by these pretty info-graphics that were created by the talented Alexis Cuddyre, the blogger behind OMG I’m Getting Married!
Love My Dress Wedding Blog, Photography Copyright © 2012, Alexis Cuddyre, OMG I’m Getting Married!
We actually now have well over 100 products donated and some big names are getting involved. I hear Jenny Packham has dropped Oxfam a line since hearing about the photoshoot. Watch this space for what will no doubt be an amazing giveaway from one of my favourite wedding dress designers ever.
The auction itself will take place online, here on Ebay, between 29th April and 9th May.
Oxfam have received donations of all kind, size and value – all brand new and/or especially created items. This is the perfect opportunity for couples to get their hands on items that may normally be out of reach and help raise vital funds to help support Oxfam’s work with people living poverty around the world…
How will the money raised through the auction be used?
Since launching a weddings range Oxfam have raised over £1 million to help change the lives of vulnerable people living in poverty around the world. The online wedding shop, which launched last year, offers a huge range of items needed for the big day including Oxfam Unwrapped wedding lists and favours. Brides can visit one of our 11 bridal boutiques to buy dream designer and vintage dresses all for bargain prices. The online shop also includes a special ethical 100% silver jewellery line, including elegant bracelets, necklaces and earrings.
All monies raised via this special auction will go to Oxfam Unwrapped’s emergency work in poor countries around the world.
I feel grateful that my involvement in this projects has helped me take a stop off this crazy wedding train and consider those who are much, much less fortunate than me. I am immensely proud of how every single person and company who have donated to this shoot, and the creative team behind the photoshoot, as well as all those who bid at auction, will be helping to make a difference to the lives of these people who are much less privileged than we are.
This project has been a huge one to plan, not just for Oxfam, but for the team involved in the shoot too. Knowing we are so close now to raising real money to help people who are suffering is such a huge reward at this stage.
How far can £70,000 go?
£70,000 could feed 10,000 families when an emergency hits, with valuable commodities like grain, beans and oil – straightforward ingredients that are not only nutritious but will keep in the most testing conditions. You can read more about this via this case study…
£70,000 could restore safe water after an emergency for over seven thousand people.
And £70,000 could provide hygiene kits for five thousand people, with simple life-saving stuff like soap, a bucket and cotton wool, but it’s amazingly effective in saving lives in an emergency. Keeping clean not only does wonders for someone’s dignity, but in crowded refugee camps, these items can help keep deadly diseases like cholera at bay.
All stuff we take for granted.
All stuff that can mean the difference, literally, between life and death for others…
Immediately after the massive earthquake in Haiti in January 2010, Oxfam’s emergency programme swung into action, helping thousands of people like 60-year-old Joseph Dessources and his family.
Two years on from the devastating earthquake that shattered Port-au-Prince, Oxfam continues to help Haiti’s people rebuild…
In 2011, Oxfam reached 532,000 people as we moved our focus from emergency response to reconstruction.Currently in West Africa there are 13 million people are at risk of serious food shortages across the Sahel region. Oxfam aims to reach 1 million of them.
The money raised through the Oxfam Weddings Auction could be used to reach these people….
What’s up for auction?
Where to even start?! Let’s start with wedding dresses and wedding day attire shall we?
♥ A private consultation with dress designer Ian Stuart designer (very rare, he only sees around 3 clients a year you know!) and any dress from his Killer Queen collection worth £5,000
…you read that right! And as if that isn’t wonderful enough, we’ve got more…
♥ Charlotte Balbier wedding dress package – The bride can visit Charlotte’s showroom in Manchester and pick litearlly any dress from the full suite of Charlotte Balbier collections, have a private consultation with Charlotte herself, so that she can help guide the bride into the ‘one’. The day will be packed with treats, over 50 Charlotte Balbier gowns to try from, make up trial from one of the UK’s leading celebrity make up artists, and a luxury filled goody bag and some free Charlotte Balbier accessories to match her gown. Cupcakes and tea will be served through the day followed by a vintage style afternoon tea to finish of the day in style! All worth over £3,500
♥ Sassi Holford Anya dress, Size 12, worth £1,760
♥ Tory dress by Minna, worth £220
♥ Sally Lacock wedding dress, valued at £1000
♥ House of Tammam – a couture fairtrade dress made just for the auction and worth £5,000
♥ Claire Pettibone’s ‘Sparrow’ wedding dress, via Blackburn Bridal Couture. Value £3,800
♥ Suzannah Baby Love dress, worth £650
♥ Joanne Flemming design Cecile dress, worth £1230…
♥ Sabina Motasem Cecaelia dress (available in sizes 10, 12, 14), worth £400
♥ Sabina Motasem – Alaya dress with puddle train, size 12 (it is a Sample dress), worth £400
♥ Sabina Motasem – Alaya dress without puddle train, size 14, worth £400
♥ Three short straight dresses from twobirds Classic Collection in a choice of 12 colours, worth £645
♥ Any bridesmaids dress from the ButtonBelle range up to £300, via Luellas Boudoir
♥ A bespoke bridesmaid dress that will be designed and then named after the bride, champagne afternoon tea with her bridesmaids at our studio (max 6 because of space!), make up trial and some professional photos from the day as a momento, plus goodie bags. Via Maids to Measure, and worth £800
♥ A My Tuxedo ‘Dress a Groom’ package: Look sharp in a 2-piece Morning suit, Dress Shirt, Waistcoat and Cravat/Tie, with this exclusive package.
♥ 1960s Brown vintage suit, with shirt, slim tie, braces and straw hat. There is also a vintage silk scarf which can be worn with the suit. Via Tweedmans and worth £175
♥ A Doris Desigms Petticoat – 21″ skirt in purple, pink or fuchsia, worth £63
♥ A Size 8 knee length tea dress with fluted sleeves in hand printed silk with contrast black silk waist sash, via Belle and Bunty, at £295
♥ Any Dress from the Original Vintage Collection or Decades Collection via The Vintage Wedding Dress Company, value £1500
….. you can add Jenny Packham to this list above! 😉
All manner of items have been donated too. Take a look…
Click below to expand this feature and view the full list of donated items for yourself.
There is still time to donate products and services to this auction, and if you are a supplier who is interested in doing so, please contact Kate Kellaway Moore at Oxfam via email in the first instance…
The Big Day…
♥ A wedding photography package with John Nassari, which includes a hair styling service from celebrity hair stylist Errol Douglass {free bridal hair consultation and a six month hair plan including cut, colour and conditioning treatments that would get a bride’s hair in perfect condition for her wedding day}. Combined value a huge £15,000
♥ Engagement shoot including a pre-shoot make up session with Ciara Hatton, a 2-hour photoshoot in and around London, styling from Mel Tabner, DVD of images + 1 print (more could be ordered) Kat Hill Photography £350 1
♥ All day photography cover + added extras with Fiona Kelly Photography, valued at £1,475
♥ A 6 hour photography package with Kat Forysth Photography. Value £1200
♥ Phillip White ‘Save the Date’ wedding film, valued at £700
♥ A full ‘edited package’ wedding video via Shoot it Yourself, value £750
♥ Pick of the season’ wedding bouquet thanks to Green & gorgeous, value £90
♥ 4 x pick your own flower buckets, via Bloomin’ Green flowers, worth £200
♥ Bouquet worth £100, delivered anywhere in UK, via By Appointment Only Design
♥ Bouquet worth £120, via Hayford & Rhodes
♥ £150 worth of best-selling greetings cards from the Pearl Lowe Collection, sold in Selfridges and other stores, via Pearl’s stationery designer, Sugalily
♥ 20 wedding Cake Pops via Pop Bakery, value £50
♥ Up to 60 Save the Date tea bags and bespoke wedding invitations, via Vintage Love Stationery, worth £198
♥ £350 worth of free wedding stationary from Mandalay Wedding Invitations
♥ The use of a structure that holds around 120 guests with a value of around £5,000 via The Stunning Tents Company
♥ Free reception venue and reception hire at Senate House
♥ Save the date cards – a bespoke design just for you, via Kate Gale Stationery and worth £160
♥ Octavia Plum Stationary – bespoke design + personalisation, via Octavia Plum
♥ 2 x Gift Sweet Trees from Sweet Creations worth £50
♥ Treasure chest of signs, stationery and button holes via The Vintage Drawer
♥ Bespoke cake by Cake Maison, with up to 4 tiers and to feed 120 guests! Worth £750
♥ Marry a Millionaire Lingerie set via Gilda & Pearl, value £100
♥ Style and design service + 10 hours planning time, thanks to Helen Carter Weddings – worth £850
♥ 5 litres of delphinium and wildflower petals- in organza bags plus a litre of rose buds for the table, via Shropshire confetti petals worth £73
♥ 50 x Customised Postcard Maps from Cute Maps, worth £200
♥ Sarah Haywood Luxury Wedding Planner – full details to be confirmed. Watch this space.
♥ Tiered wedding cake + matching cupcakes from Elizabeth’s Cake Emporium, worth £600
♥ Cheese ‘Cake’ via the House of Cheese, worth £325
♥ A pop-up wedding styling and design consultation including a leather-bound planner. From Quintessentially Weddings and valued at £450
♥ Philippa Craddock is offering a bouquet up to the value of £150, two hand tied bridesmaids’ bouquets and up to five buttonholes, to the combined value of £384
♥ Amanda Austin Flowers consultation & bouquet, worth more than £100
♥ Hire of beautiful vintage cups and saucers for your vintage wedding reception, via The Utterly Sexy Cafe
♥ Half day personal stylist experience for mother of the bride, thanks to Thread Styling
♥ Vintage pink table, via Vintage Style Hire
♥ 100 medium size cookies for wedding favours by Maki’s Cakes, including postage within the UK, value £350
♥ 100 Bea’s of Bloomsbury cupcakes worth £250
Accessories/jewellery…
♥ 1940s inspired coronet created from vintage jewellery dating from the 1940s-60s sourced predominantly from Oxfam shops, by Cherished Vintage
♥ Silk face veil and our freshwater pearl & Swarovski crystal Lucinda comb thanks to Kelly Spence, value £350
♥ 18 Carat Gold wedding ring valued at £595.00 from Chocolate Couture
♥ Various Flo & Percy headpieces valued over £200
♥ Various Chez Bec headpieces, valued over £300
♥ Various Jo Barnes Vintage headpieces valued at over £400
♥ Headdress from Glass Oyster worth £165
♥ Vintage comb donated by Connie & Dolly and valued at £60
♥ Headdress from Hermoine Harbutt valued at £450
♥ 3 ear-rings gifts for bridesmaids thanks to Hermoine Harbutt, value £120
♥ Various veils and headpieces from Vivien Sheriff
♥ Sakuru shoes in any size thanks to Harriet Wilde, value £450
♥ Aruna Seth Butterfly shoes, value over £600
♥ Any hair accessory up to £200 thanks to Emmy
♥ Emmy Martha Shoes, valued at £405 – any size
♥ Ginger Ostrich Feather Fan & Evie Purse set via Britten Wedding Accessories valued at £646
♥ Rose Blush Garter – silk, satin and English lace thanks to Saumarez Lingerie
♥ Any single pair of Rachel Simpson shoes, valued at £165
♥ Various headpieces from HT Headwear, valued over £300
♥ Bespoke earrings, necklace and braclet for a Bride worth £500, by Susie Warner
Hair & Beauty…
♥ Spa day for 2, including lunch and dinner – and a treatment from TItanic Spa, worth £350
♥ One-to-one make-up tutorial + 3 boujois gift sets, from Lina Cameron & Bourjois, value £300
♥ Make-up Lesson with celeb make-up artist, Maggie Hunt, worth £300
♥ Champagne Spa Day at The Sanctuary in Covent Garden, worth £120
Travel…
♥ A decadent hen party afternoon tea at Fetcham Park, with Idyllic Days crockery and Cakes by Krishanthi cakes, worth £1500
♥ Lovedub weddings transport (campervans) hire
♥ A week’s self-catering for two people at Ann’s Hill in Cumbria with the following extras: Champagne and chocolates on arrival, Breakfast basket for 2 delivered each morning, 1 afternoon tea for 2 with home-made cake during their stay, 1 restaurant-standard chef meal for 2 delivered to their cottage one evening, 2 x spa treatments at Ann’s Hill – various massages, facial, manicure, pedicure (to be booked with the owner before arrival). All via Sawday’s and worth £850
♥ A vintage tea party hen do with amazing vintage make over by Flamingo Amy, make up by Milk and Honey and pics to keep of the event by awesome wedding photographer Joanna Millington. The tea party will includes sandwiches and cute cakes from Cupcakes by Jess and some bubbly! All via A Most Curious Party
♥ Vintage Photoshoot Hen Party via Charleston Dance, worth £100
♥ Posh & Swanky Cupcake Hen Party Class, via Posh & Swanky Cupcakes
♥ Hen Party Dance Experience, via Seen On Screen Fitness
♥ 2 x Champagne experience tickets from The London Eye, worth £70
♥ Dance tuition & Champagne reception at Karen Hardy Studios, worth £85
♥ ♥ ♥
‘Thank you’ doesn’t really cover it. But I’d like to extend thanks anyway to every single donator above. You are all truly amazing and your kindness and generosity is going to make a BIG difference to this great cause.
You will be able to bid for any of the items listed above at auction between 29th April and 9th May. More donated products and services are being added to ALL the time and as new suppliers donate any new products, I will also add details to the lists above.
Will you be bidding?
I’d also welcome any comments on this post in general. It’s been a huge amount of hard-work this project and it’s wonderful to guage a response from readers via their feedback 🙂
Any press enquiries should be directed to Claire Wilkinson at Oxfam Press Office +44 (0)1865 473648 | +44 (0)7825 196769 or via email on [email protected].
And if you missed it earlier, take a look at our beautiful behind-the-scenes film from the photoshoot…
Love My Dress Wedding Blog, Photography Copyright © 2012, Mintyslippers
Signing off with a huge sigh of relief that I finally got to blog all our hard work 🙂
BIG big charity love all,
Annabel
♥
Creative Team Credits {see full photoshoot here}
Photography Copyright © 2012, Eliza Claire + Annamarie Stepney
Beauty & Fashion Retouching by Chanelle Segerius-Bruce at Retouch Me
Film Production – Mintyslippers
Stylist – Tiffany Grant Riley
Photoshoot Curator – Moi, supported by my Intern, Franky
Venue – Drapers Hall, London
Models – First Model Management
Male Model – Jack Rooney
Hair Stylist – Severin Hubert, Hepburn Collection
Makeup Artist – Lucy Baker
Make-up (for 70’s look) Frontcover Cosmetics, via PR agency Gloss Communications
Nails – Gemma Timms
