The National Vintage Awards, presented by the Vintage Directory is coming soon and we are nominated in the Best Vintage Wedding Accessories category.
We would be all smiles and doing little leaps around the office if you could vote for us please.
It’s ever so easy peasy – simply click this link and cast your vote.
Did we ever tell you, how ace you are?
xx
We very excitedly rushed out to buy the last copy of Hello at our local shop this afternoon, to peruse over the gorgeous photos of Harry Judd (McFly) and Izzy Johnston’s winter wedding. The couple got married in December and we were very excited to provide shoes for the bridesmaids, after Izzy got in touch last year.
Nearly all six bridesmaids chose a different shoe- Chloe, Tilly, Amelia, Dolly and Katie- all on a wearable two inch heel and all of which perfectly complimented their elegant floorlength dresses, by Tantrums & Tiaras.
Izzy was absolutely lovely to deal with, and looks just stunning in the photos (as do her bridesmaids too of course!). We’d like to congratulate the happy couple on their marriage- it looks as though they had an absolutely amazing day and we wish them every happiness in the world.xx
All photos courtesy of Hello magazine, which is out now.
Afternoon! It’s been a little while since I sat down and wrote my blog, but today I have good reason to get typing! I’ve just received the results of our latest photoshoot from the lovely Emma Case. Oh, and did I mention, they’re amazing..
Last week we headed over to the stunning Hagley Hall with Emma, the talented Makeup by Jodie, and our beautiful model Lana. With gorgeous new collection shoes all packed up, together with some stunning accessories from Laurel Lime and Shaper Millinery, we set to taking some truly beautiful shots.
Don’t forget- all these beautiful accessories are currently a sparkling 20% off for the whole of December- visit our brand new accessories marketplace to view the full collection!
All the dresses were from The Wedding Club- simply stunning.
xx
Hope you like the pictures..xx
Looking out the window today it’s hard to believe that this time on Saturday the sun was out, shining on the yurt, the mini VW Beetle and the 1950s airstream to name but a few..! I’m talking of course about just some of the amazing exhibitors who made this weekend’s Designer Vintage Bridal Show such an incredible event!
(our stand- think every show should be in a stately home from now on, looks a bit lovely!)
After a busy set-up on Friday, the 2012 show finally opened it’s doors on Saturday morning. I say ‘it’s doors’ when what I should say is ‘the doors of the incredibly stunning/ magnificent/ elegant Hagley Hall’, who hosted this year’s event. A beautiful Georgian Palladian mansion, set in picturesque parkland, Hagley provided the perfect platform for the most elegant show of the year. For those of you unfamiliar, I’d recommend a visit- the venue alone is simply stunning.
As if that wasn’t enough, this year we filled it (and an incredible 30m marquee, complete with crystal chandeliers!) with 74 exhibitors, hand-picked for their creativity, talent and just damn gorgeous products & services. From vintage styling, to entertainment; from glorious couture cakes to the cutest stationery; from shiny headpieces & original vintage jewellery to comedy style photo booths this show had the lot.
The official photos tell the full story and are coming soon, but in the meantime here are a few snaps from the weekend. Highlights have to include chatting to our fellow shoe lovers who came to see us (and Mr Choo of course!), meeting all the gorgeous people who are the DVB exhibitors.. and of course having after show drinks in the grounds as the sun set on day one.
Massive and heartfelt thanks to everyone who made, and continues to make The Designer Vintage Bridal Show what it is. A unique, one in a million show, where people talk, swop notes, inspire and just enjoy being part of the a truly magical weekend. And of course with that goes all the visitors who became part of that magic the minute they walked up those ‘crying out for a costume drama’, sweeping steps..
Thank you one and all. See you next year..xxx
(could you find a more glorious setting?)
(the sun shines on just some of the vintage transport which attended the show)
(the 32ft wedding yurt- simply stunning, and so unique)
(Vintage Glamour Days’ country kitchen inspired display- just beautiful)
(Caroline’s Cakes /Design Your Own Cake’ workshops went down a storm)
(photo fun (& giggles a plenty) courtesy of the charismatic Photo Emporium)
(the elegant dress gallery was busy all weekend!)
(as were the catwalk shows, presented in different eras)
(a snapshot behind the scenes of the 40s/50s catwalk show)
(You & Your Wedding and Perfect Wedding magazines for the lovely goody bags..)
(and finally.. enjoying a well deserved glass of vino after the show- thanks team!xx)
Do you love shoes? Have you got a lovely pair lurking at the bottom of the wardrobe which you no longer wear, but feel guilty every time you look at them? Well feel guilty no longer..
Next weekend we’re hosting our first Great Shoe Trade Off with Oxfam Unwrapped at our sparkling new showroom in Birmingham. Simply bring along a pair of shoes you no longer want, and exchange them for a discount on a brand new pair of Rachel Simpson shoes. It’s win/ win- you get a brand new shoes at a discounted price, and Oxfam get a lovely pair of shoes to re-sell to a new home and make money for a hugely worthwhile cause= everybody’s happy! 
A lovely 25% of all sales made over the weekend will be going straight to Oxfam, as well as all donated shoes of course. To ensure we raise as much as possible, we’ll also be donating 25% of all sales made on our website too, so if you don’t live nearby you can still get involved in raising money for this fantastic cause.
We’ll be showcasing the fabulous new collection- even before it’s official launch at next month’s White Gallery (for trade only), so it’s an exclusive chance to see the new styles before anyone else (we think you’re going to like it 
).
And as if that wasn’t enough, we’re opening our OUTLET Shoe Corner- an amazing selection of discontinued styles, factory seconds and exclusive one off samples which never went into production! With shoes from only £20 it’s a fab opportunity to grab yourself a bargain. Not everything is bridal, so do bring friends along too (don’t keep it all to yourself!).
Doors open at 11am on Saturday 5th May until 4pm, and 11am- 3pm on Sunday 6th. Shoes are sold on a first come first served basis so come early for the best selection! We’ll have the bubbles in the fridge and the kettle on- look forward to seeing you there! xx
Hey hey shoe lovers It’s almost the weekend, and we’re in full swing getting ready for an even bigger one next week, when we hot-foot it down to London for The National Wedding Show!
Join us at London’s Olympia from Friday 24th until Sunday 26th February for a chance to view the full collection, as well as pick up some of our amazing sale bargains! We’re making way for the fabulous new collection, so it’s a great time to pay as a visit And if that wasn’t enough, this year we have an offer you can’t refuse.. Buy your shoes at the show, and we’ll refund the price of your ticket! Now you can’t say fairer than that- a fantastic day out for free and a pair of beautiful new shoes!
And we’re not the only reason to pop along- with over 250 exhibitors offering thousands of inspirational ideas for your big day, whatever you’re looking for the National Wedding Show has it covered. From wedding gowns to wedding cars, venues to menus, gifts to grooms wear, you’re guaranteed to find exactly what you’re looking for whatever your budget and style! The beauty of it is that you can see, touch, taste and try on before you buy making the planning of your big day simple.
So book your tickets now and come and say hi! We’re in between the catwalk and the exciting new Vintage area- we’ll be the ones with big mugs of coffee, sneaking a cupcake or three..;)
See you there! xx
Just back from the bridal industry’s biggest event, the British Bridal Exhibition Harrogate. At this prestigious event, hundreds of companies descend on the picture postcard town of Harrogate to launch (and buy) their new collections for 2012, which will hit boutiques across the UK and beyond early next year.
This year was our debut in the designer hall, and I was pleased to find myself opposite two fabulous designers, Claire Mischevani and Caroline Atelier. Claire’s signature style is so beautifully feminine and the soft blush and warm gold colours of the accessories are to die for. I particularly loved the evening dresses, which can be slipped on over your day dress to create a second look for the big day. Caroline’s Emmy dress had to be my favourite of the collection, showcasing her art of understatement perfectly. Although is was close between that and Sophia with it’s 20s Charleston look. As well as falling in love with their utterly delicious collections, Claire & Caroline also provided fantastic company during quieter moments, when we were able to sample the nearby champagne bar. Well all work and no play..! Just had to share a couple of pics with you.. gorgeous.
Also worth a look was The Designer Preview fashion show in the stunning theatre of Harrogate International Centre. An amazing preview showcasing 2012 collections from Lusan Mandongus, Charlotte Balbier, Augusta Jones and Madeleine Isaac James to name but a few. We have to say a hello to the lovely staff at Augusta Jones at this point, who were also very lovely (and very busy!) neighbours!
It was lovely to chat to lots of our stockists, as well as meeting a few new- coming soon to our stockist page! We also launched a few exciting new styles, especially for winter weddings and the forthcoming party season. These will be winging their way onto the website at the beginning of November, when you will also be able to pop into your local stockist for a peek. All we can say at the moment is that we think you’re gonna like them..;)
Thanks also to the fabulous Little A, who created the most beautiful floral display for our stand. We even managed to bring them home and enjoy the roses for a few more days!
Next on the list for show season is the National Wedding Show at Earls Court, 30th September- 2nd October. After that it’s the second Designer Vintage Bridal Show on the 8th & 9th October. We look forward to seeing you there..!
After an extremely hectic couple of months I thought I’d finally pull my socks up (were I wearing any) and get back to this lovely blog. With so many exciting things happening, there really is no excuse, so onwards and upwards..
And what better way to start than how we spent a gorgeous sunny afternoon in the Cotswolds yesterday. After a very picturesque drive through the countryside, we arrived in the chocolate-box-pretty Chipping Camden. Looking out for the boutique we suddenly saw an array of models and a stunning vintage car marking the spot!
What can we say about The White Rose? Stunning. A beautifully renovated boutique, stocking only British designers- Suzanne Neville, Stephanie Allin, Ritva Westenius, Joanna Hehir and Caroline Castigliano. Suzanne herself popped in yesterday, along with the lovely Hermione Harbutt (wearing one of her rather stunning pieces), and we all had to admire the work of The White Rose’s proprietor, Danielle McCabe.
After admiring the boutique we were shown to the beautiful Kings Hotel over the road for champagne, canapes and cupcakes whilst being serenaded by the very talented acoustic singer. As if that wasn’t enough we all left with a goody bag of treats from local suppliers- a lovely finishing touch to a superbly put together day.
We’d all like to thank Danielle for hosting such a fantastic afternoon, and wish her every success for The White Rose. But judging by the designers and the boutique itself we don’t think that’s going to be a struggle..x
Any plans for the weekend? Calling all brides to be who love a bargain!
This Sunday we’re in Coventry and we’re taking a load of bargains from our OUTLET stores and we’re not leaving til everything’s gone! Join us at the Ricoh Arena from 11am- 4pm where we’ll have a large selection of slight seconds from the current collection for less than £100!
So why not pop along, and choose from the lovely Mimi and Eva among a number of other best sellers. Shoes will be sold on a first come first served basis, so get there early to bag yourself a bargain!
If you can’t make it on Sunday, why not take a look at the website. We’re constantly updating it when shoes come back from photoshoots, or the naughty shoe elves make little flaws so if you’re on a chiconomy drive it’s the place for you!
We’re back after a slight lull in blog land due to a somewhat busy time! First we launched the new collection at London’s prestigious White Gallery, (via Bridal Rogue Gallery‘s fabulous accessories party) then we nipped across the Channel to Paris Bridal Fair- phew! Reports on the former coming soon, but we just had to tell you about Paris..
After a hideously early start, a trip on Eurotunnel (anyone else been on this, weird experience but very efficient?), and a seven hour drive we made it to the Porte De Versailles for our debut show at Paris Bridal Fair. Set up was pretty slick, despite the lack of sleep, and we soon had our display up and ready.
After a relaxed evening spent supping vino blanc and eating the best home cut pomme frites sat in the evening sun on the streets of Paris (who said you can’t enjoy work!), the show opened on Sunday 11th June.
It was a quiet show but we saw a number of interested companies on our stand who I’m pleased to say really loved the collection, for being so unique. Whilst there were a number of shoe companies at the Fair, our mix of understated and elegance did seem to be different from the current market so hopefully we have a place en Paris! We’re thrilled to be welcoming new stockists on board from Belgium which is very exciting- watch this space!
After twelve hours at the show (yes really, 9am- 9pm!), we were more than ready for the drinks reception and awards ceremony which had been arranged by the organisers. This was really relaxed and I have to say we were made to feel so welcome by exhibitors and organisers alike. We even got chatting to Gerard Bedouk, the president of Nicaro- the organisers of the show and generally uber important company in French bridal!
I have to also mention our fantastic neighbours we were lucky enough to spend the show with. Imagine our surprise to be situated next to one of the only other English companies at the show- it was an absolute pleasure to get to know Michael and Barry of Michael’s Bridal Fabrics, who were great company, kept us amused during quieter moments and generally put up with us for two days! Thanks also to our fabulous French neighbours, who corrected our mediocre attempts at French speaking and shared their champagne with us on more than one occasion! We felt truly welcome.
The show was a fantastic experience, both professionally and personally and we’re looking forward to returning at the very first opportunity! xx
