Wedding jewellery with a touch of luxury

A symbol of purity and love, white pearls hold a special place when choosing bridal accessories and wedding gifts. Celebrating the simplicity and elegance of pearls, the new 18 carat pearl jewellery range from Lustrous brings a contemporary edge. 

The new dazzling collection from this London-based boutique jeweller is sleek, stylish and forever fashionable. Each piece is crafted with the finest cultured Japanese Akoya and fresh water pearls, set in polished carat gold for an ultra-luxurious aesthetic. The boutique also offers pearls in a kaleidoscope of colours, including South Sea golden lusters, champagnes, ivories, pinks and peaches.

Lin Johnson, founder of Lustrous, explains: “Unlike other gemstones and accessory trends, pearls offer wearers timeless allure. While they’re reminiscent of old world glamour and antiquated affluence they’re also utterly on-trend”.

Across the global fashion scene, pearl jewellery is growing in popularity. From the refined style of the Duchess of Cambridge, the elegant ‘English rose’ aesthetic of Emma Watson, the edgy chic of Katy Perry,  to the  catwalk swagger of Candice Swanepoel and the powerful dress sense of Hillary Clinton, pearls are a versatile accessory choice for ladies of all walks of life. 

For more wedding accessories and jewellery inspiration, check out our previous feature on Amanda Wyatt's collection and Heirloom London's tips on choosing real diamonds. 

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Lustrous
W: www.lustrousjewellery.com

Fashion Friday: Graceful new gowns by Amanda Wyatt

Amanda Wyatt's new collection of wedding dresses ‘She Walks with Beauty’ is a celebration of the golden age of fashion drawing inspiration from the old Hollywood glamour. Here's why we can't stop swooning over them!

Oozing charm and grace, these statement gowns feature daring cut-away back details with bejewelled accents worthy of a red carpet entrance. Alongside these designs, you'll find a selection of romantic gowns in Amanda’s signature chiffon.  

For her 2017 collection of over 35 gowns, Amanda has used a wide colour palette including dove grey, blush pinks, champagne and rich ivory. Brides can choose from an array of beautiful styles and intricate details - illusion backs, sleeves, jewelled accents and beautiful buttons.  

Amanda’s personal favourite from the 'She Walks with Beauty' collection is Violette. Graceful in design, this is the ultimate wedding dress gown in every way. Over 14 yards of fabric in the skirt create movement and flow both magical and graceful in equal measures.

Violette, Amanda's favourite gown from this collection.

To view photos of Amanda's Promises of Love collection, visit our feature here. 

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Amanda Wyatt

W: www.amandawyatt.com 

Choose style and sophistication for your wedding

Could there be any bride in the whole of the UK who hasn't heard of the name Maggie Sottero? We can't imagine so! And today's news will have you reach for your diary, as this Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th April is the Maggie Sottero designer weekend at All About Eve, in Chepstow. In addition to this, the boutique will be holding a second Maggie Sottero curve event for sizes 18-28 on Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th April. 

Creating magic moments  

A well established name in international bridal design, Maggie Sottero offers brides-to-be the look and feel of luxury at affordable prices. With each collection, the designer house steals the catwalk shows with its gorgeous bridal gowns made from high quality fabrics and featuring delicate or statement embellishments. 

Re-defining tradition, the latest collection from Maggie Sottero has a rather whimsical and romantic feel. Sheer fabrics such as lightweight lace, organza and chiffon are adorned with opulent three dimensional details and Swarovski crystals for added depth and drama. 

If you'd like to attend this exciting designer event, simply call 01291 629338 to book an appointment. 

Details
All About Eve
W: http://allaboutevebridalwear.com
T: 01291 629338

Add some fairy dust to your hen party

A new workshop from Betty’s Birds, one of the UK’s growing hen parties and events companies, offers hens the chance to indulge into some self-love before the big day. The ‘My Fairy-Hen Mother’ workshop is great fun mixing creativity, craft skills and well-being - perfect for making the bride and her maids feel loved and pampered!

Boosting brides' confidence 

Betty's Birds was launched in 2015, by Bristol based artist, Beth Nicholas, who has a real passion and understanding of the modern bride. Her latest addition to the Betty’s Birds portfolio aims to boost brides' confidence: “As females we tend to air on the negative side when it comes to talking about ourselves, whether it be image, intellect, or achievements."

"The ‘My Fairy-Hen Mother’ workshop is designed to encourage some self-love and well-being, ensuring brides are filled with complete self-confidence before they start a new and exciting chapter of their lives. Like the other workshops we run, it maintains a  creative element, with wand making, glitter and candles included for starters", she adds.

DIY hen parties 

Indeed,  Betty's Birds really spoils brides with activities ranging from customising pieces such as French knickers, bras or corsets, making fascinators, headdresses or garters, as well as lessons in vintage hair and make-up, and even hula-hooping. 

There's no doubt that the demand for alternative and creative hen parties will soon match that of DIY weddings. “To date the Betty’s Birds brand has been extremely well received with bridal parties from across the UK looking for something alternative and creative to do in celebration of their hen do”, shares Beth.

In celebration of the launch of its new ‘My Fairy Hen Mother’ workshop, Betty’s Birds is offering an introductory discount of 15% per person, when booking for a minimum of seven people.

Details 

Betty’s Birds

W: www.bettysbirds.com

E: betty@bettysbirds.com 

Essense of Australia designer weekend at All About Eve

Brides, you're invited to the Essense of Australia designer weekend taking place this Satuday 19th and Sunday 20th March. Award winning bridal boutique All About Eve is holding an exclusive event at their Chepstow Store to showcase the new range of wedding dresses from the Australian label.

The signature Essence gowns
Combining a superb fit with couture finishing, the Essense of Australia designs bring an attention to detail that sets their wedding dresses apart from those of many other designer labels and makes your wedding truly memorable. Each gown is elegantly crafted using luxurious fabric and embellished with exquisite beading.

Jules and the team will welcome brides with goody bags and the first 10 brides who purchase their gown during the event will receive gifts All About Eve and other local businesses. You'll also get your hands on the spring issue of West weddings magazine to help you on your planning journey. 

Spaces fore the event are filling up fast, so make sure you call 01291 629338 to book an appointment. 

Details
All About Eve
W: http://allaboutevebridalwear.com
T: 01291 629338

Behind the scenes: Love is in the air at Ston Easton Park

For our spring photoshoot, we took our team of talented local suppliers to the magnificent Ston Easton Park, in Somerset. In the warm sunshine, our models Holly and Martin explored the luxurious Palladian Mansion and hidden spots within the ground. If you’re planning a spring wedding, we hope you feel inspired by these behind the scenes images captured by InterlacePhotography.

Winner of the Bristol and Somerset wedding photographer of the year award for 2015, Eleanor from Interlace Photography knew exactly how to work with the venue and zoom in on those pretty details like the bride’s dresses cake, flowers and stationery. 

Ston Easton's rich history and original features bring back to life bygone ears of wealth and opulence, when romance prevailed. Indeed, the venue has many hidden treasures, including a library with original mahogany bookcases, a beautiful stone staircase and six registered ceremony rooms. The river Norr runs through 36 acres of landscaped parkland where you can often spot the deer grazing. 

Holly's dresses came from the famous Spanish bridal label Pronovias, renowned for creating the classiest and most sophisticated wedding dresses. You can find all the three enchanting gowns at the local boutique LuxquisiteBridal Couture, in Bath, where Holly works. Amanda Davis-Harrison from Bridezillas was in charge of the accessories to finalise each look. 

                           

For Martin's outfits, we turned to Anne Harding, a leading name in menswear and suit hire for weddings. During the shoot, our groom switched between a charcoal grey, lightweight Mohair suit with matching trousers from the Claverley range and a silver grey lounge suit made from the same lightweight fabric. 

Getting our bride camera-ready was easy with the help of makeup artist Kathryn from Powder & Paint, and professional hair stylist Stacy from Stacy Jade Hair. The duo worked in unison to make Holly look and feel like a real bride.

The bride's spring garden bouquet, created by Becci Hobbs from Bijoux Floral Design, featured a selection of seasonal blooms, including Delphinium, Orange Ranunculus and Mimi Eden Spray Roses.

The pretty handmade wedding stationery from Topikki matched the colours of the top table flowers. Bright spring shades of orange and yellow stood against a soft pastel background, while blue ribbon and hand-die cut flowers added a nice twist to the design.

Making a focal point on the top table was a traditional tiered cake tower from Pretty Amazing Cakes, featuring petal ruffles and pink cherry blossoms. Anne Gliddon, winner of Wedding Cake Designer title at the Bristol & Somerset Wedding Awards 2015, took inspiration from blossoming cherry trees for the design of the three-tier creation and result was amazing!

A special day meant that the cars had to be extra special too, so we called on AJE Classics’ Jaguars in pale blue and green. 

 For even more wedding inspiration, check out our spring 2015 editorial shoot and summer 2015 photoshoot.

TV programme helps grooms with the wedding speech

An important wedding tradition that forms part of the reception, wedding speeches are an opportunity to share a touching story of the happy couple and create a great atmosphere. But how do you get it just right? It's not easy writing an a memorable speech that is lighthearted, fun and touching.

Well... we've got some very good news for you!  Whether you're a groom, best man, or even the bride's father, a new TV programmer from Channel 4 can help with writing your wedding speech. The way this works is very simple and with minimal time commitment. 

Farrah Jaufuraully, Producer and Director of the show explains the process: "I will shoot a very short interview on a handheld camera, where they can tell me that they need to write a speech but haven’t yet done it for whatever reason. A speech will then be written for that person and I will film their reaction. Once you receive the written speech, there is no obligation to use it if you don't like it and it doesn’t matter how far away the wedding is, either."

If this sounds like something you'd like to get involved with, contact Farrah Jaufuraully by email farrah.Jaufuraully@tellycopter.tv or phone 0203 618 5589. 

In the meantime, you can also check out our toasting tips feature and think about the message you want to get across. 

Would you like to say 'I Do' on the Côte d’Azur?

Getting married abroad is very much en vogue at the moment and the South of France and Monaco, can be two of the most romantic locations for tying the knot with that special je ne sais quoi! We spoke to Anne Ager, Director of Côte Weddings, about the appeal of the French Riviera and the things to consider when choosing to get married abroad. 

With a destination wedding date in the diary, many people are swept away in the heady romance and glamour of their dream day, without considering the essential do’s and don’ts. The glistening Mediterranean, eternal blue skies, endless balmy summer evenings, breathtaking venues, and the heady smell of lavender and pine, are an irresistible temptation to brides from around the world. However, on such an occasion, the wedding is not taking place in the home country of the bride-to-be or the groom: in fact it is a truly foreign affair!

Location, location, location

Weddings can be stressful enough, when they are happening ‘just around the corner’, but, when the location is several hundreds of miles away, the rules are slightly different - and suppliers usually speak a completely different language to you. This is when everything can easily become a wedding nightmare, unless you have a resident wedding planner - particularly one who speaks the local language - with feet on the ground to hold your hand and guide you. 

 "I would recommend allowing at least 1 year for planning a destination wedding," advises Anne Ager from Côte Weddings. "You will want to visit the chosen location at least two or three times before the wedding date, arrange visits to different possible venues, taste some menu dishes and wines, meet with the celebrant  for the ceremony, and allow your guests enough time to book flights and accommodation. A good wedding planner will arrange most of these things for you!"

Help with every detail

Côte Weddings looks after all of your arrangements, from your very first planning discussion (on the phone, by e-mail, or preferably face to face), right through to the celebration day itself and up until the last guest leaves the celebrations! Whether your wish list features a magical château, a converted abbey, a luxury seafront hotel, a private villa or even a superb yacht, the team puts all the essential pieces of the 'wedding puzzle' together, ensuring that everything is coordinated to perfection, in order to realise your individual dream.

The planning itself is enormous fun, and a very joint affair, when it comes to choosing colours, flowers, menus, setting the scene, the music and the cake! The region has some of the best florists in France (the choice of flowers is simply magical), superb patisseries (for the cake and edible table favours), candles of every shape, size and colour - even those that will float on the sea - every style of music you could wish for, and four of the most charismatic priests/celebrants to conduct the ceremony. A personal Pinterest board is set up for each wedding couple, which is a key part of the integrated planning. This is a great way for  Côte Weddings to add suggestions, and for the bride and groom to make their own changes!

               

Whatever the season and size of the wedding party, the South of France is quite definitely one of the most idyllic places to say “I Do”! 

For even more helpful advice, read our practical guide to getting married abroad and check out this eye-catching infographic with the three key factors to consider. 

Details

Côte Weddings

W: www.coteweddings.com

E: info@coteweddings.com