OUTSTANDING for Bridal Wear in Shropshire...it's official!!

My little Wedding Shop RECEIVES OUTSTANDING AT REGIONAL WEDDING AWARD

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 We have been recognised as ‘Outstanding’ at The Wedding Emporium – Wedding Industry Awards in Shropshire in the Bridal Wear category, how lovely is that?!

 The ‘Outstanding’ recognition was presented to My little Wedding Shop by The Wedding Emporium – Wedding Industry Awards for Dress Supplier category within Shropshire who celebrate the outstanding recognition along with 4 other businesses within this category.

The Wedding Emporium – Wedding Industry Awards brings together businesses within the wedding industry across the UK. Wedding industry business owners have suffered this year with the pandemic and The Wedding Emporium – Wedding Industry Awards wanted to honour key players and recognise the contribution of business owners within the wedding industry.

“My little Wedding Shop has continually marked itself by the quality of the bridal wear offered along with their exceptional service. Their bespoke bridal design has significantly contributed to improving the wedding industry in the UK and offering that exceptional service to customers has opened up the options for brides in a significantly positive way.”

So just thought I would mention this here as this is a lovely way to re-open the boutique after the latest lockdown.

A huge thank you to all our brides for choosing My little Wedding Shop and to the Wedding Industry Awards for recognising us!

MY LITTLE WEDDING SHOP 2020 Round-up!

I am just finishing off the last few little jobs before I take some time off for the festive period and I could not end the year without my annual festive round-up!

2020 has been a year of adaptability and although it means that I have not seen as many of our brilliant brides walk down the aisle as planned, I have been inspired by the positive approaches our brides-to-be have taken, either through rescheduling or by updating their wedding plans to fit within unexpected guidelines.

So I wanted to take a moment to focus on some of the positive moments throughout the year both at my little boutique and at home, which will hopefully make you smile and give you a hopeful look for 2021.


We have started painting dresses!

Yes, really!

It all started with a visit from our bride Hayley and I have to say, I never thought I would be wrapping my workshop in protective sheeting and grabbing a paint brush while standing next to a brides gown, but I did and the results were just brilliant. (You can read all about the creation of Hayleys dress in more detail on our blog).

I found this experience so stimulating and inspiring that it is now an option for any of our brides who want to push the creative boundaries and truly transform their dress into a work of art…which is exactly what Lauren decided to do!

Inspired by the possibilities that seeing Hayley’s dress opened up for her, Lauren wanted a gown that combined her love of Japanese design and Origami. So taking this idea one step further, Lauren’s dress combined painting and the use of embroidered patches to create a textured, 3D design that added such depth and detail to her gown, I truly fell in love with it! I will be putting a more detailed blog together about this in the new year, but for now I can give you some fun peeks at her work of art in progress!

PHOTOSHOOT COLLABORATIONS

This year has been a year of photoshoot collaborations which has been a wonderful way to spend time with fantastic wedding suppliers from across the region.

2020 has meant that I have got to work with old friends once again as well as with new friends and every time I am blown away with the results of these styled shoots. So although I was unable to host my own new collection photoshoot, which is my normal Summer commitment, I have been challenged to respond to different bridal themes and created new designs especially for these shoots!

To make this all the more fantastic, some of these shoots have already been featured in West Midlands Wedding Magazine, on Unconventional Wedding Blog and we even made the FRONT COVER of Bouquet & Bells Magazine in the Autumn, which is brilliant! You can see each of these shoots in detail along with details of all of the different suppliers involved on our PRESS page.



I NOW HAVE A VEGETABLE GARDEN!

One thing that 2020 has given me is a little more time at home to work my way through the huge lists of jobs that updating an old cottage brings. Some of you may have heard me ramble on about my lovely little cottage and the fact that my husband and I are (very) slowly renovating it ourselves. So although I have gone another year without a ceiling in my bedroom, the weather lured us outside and I have completely re-designed my lower garden and now have a vegetable patch! This has been something I have wanted for some time and although we were a little late planting some things (my Brussel sprouts are still too small to be part of my Christmas dinner!) I very proudly had a mini harvest of sweetcorn, runner beans and leeks, which has been brilliant! Next year, I hope to manage even more!

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GEORGINA’S NEW DIRECTION

Some of you may already have seen that Georgina decided to have a change of career back in the Summer and is now working for an interior design company. This has been one of the biggest changes of the year and it has been sad to not see her every day but I could not be more proud of how well she is doing (promoted already!) and we still see each other out of work hours when allowed!

Georgina has been a big part of the boutique for the last few years and it was fantastic to see her develop from a work experience placement - to an apprentice - then to a qualified dressmaker. We share a love of film and many things ‘nerdy’ so it is strange not to have random discussions around ‘Why didn’t the Eagles just carry the Hobbits to Mount Doom?’ and ‘If you could have a superpower, what would it be?” , but I am sure you will all join me in my congratulations to Georgina as she embarks on this new journey.

What was lovely is that the last dress Georgina worked on was for her sister who was married in October, so there was no better way for Georgina to finish her time with My little Wedding Shop!

WE GOT THE BUILDERS IN!

During the first lockdown back in April, we made the most of being closed by stripping out the shop and letting the builders come in and make our little boutique, even more beautiful! Some major renovations were made to the front of the shop, while I made the most of the time to re-paint, replace carpets and lighting…no more knocking the chandelier in the fitting room…hoorah I hear you say!

I am so pleased with the results that it was a joy to re-open and if you are one of our brides who has not had a chance to see the re-vamped space yet, just you wait. The boutique feels so much lighter and brighter and may I say, just a little bigger?! (or as Georgina would put it…a lot less cluttered! Let’s hope I can keep it that way!)

TIME IN THE WORKSHOP

During the time over the year that I have had to close My little Wedding Shop due to lockdown restrictions, I have been fortunate enough to carry on creating beautiful bridal gowns (as well as a few personal projects) in my Bridgnorth workshop. It has actually been quite inspiring to spend the time experimenting with some fresh ideas and exploring new cuts and materials, which I will be revealing in 2021.

The workshop is full of all the beautiful dresses that I am creating for all you brides-to-be who have had to postpone your weddings or had planned for a 2021 wedding anyway. It has been difficult not being able to share some of these new creations in progress, as they are all so unique and beautiful but I am excited as the year progresses, that each of our brides will see their dress completed and the wait will be worthwhile! This year I have been working with 3D laces, pearl embellished tulle and some of the sparkliest fabrics you have ever seen….so make sure you are following us on Instagram to see sneak peeks and big reveals once we are allowed to share…no spoilers for our brides-to-be of course!

I would also like to take a moment to thank all our brides this year for being so understanding when we have had to close and for working with me on the new safety procedures I have put in place during fittings. You have all coped with this so brilliantly and with big smiles, so thank you!

Making music

18 months ago I was inspired to take up the double Bass, due to some incredible performances at the Upton Blues Festival by Ma Polaines Great Decline, Jenny Wren and her Broken Wing and Swampcandy. (3 wonderful bands that are worth investigating if you like blues, Jazz and a little Americana!) 2020 has given me the chance to get a lot of practice in and I have dedicated some time (nearly) every day to practicing the basics and pushing myself forward. I am loving every minute I get to play my outsized instrument (which barely fits in my low ceiling-ed cottage….but who thinks of the practicalities?!)

I am fortunate that my husband Westley is very musical and is there to push me forward and play along with, which makes it even more enjoyable. so this Christmas we will be playing a range of Michael Bublé and Motown Christmas tunes to pass the evenings away…because It is Beginning to Look A-lot Like Christmas!



Merry Christmas everyone and I look forward to seeing all of you brides-to-be in 2021!







5 Reasons for having your Wedding Dress made by us!

We know that picking THE dress is super exciting but can seem a little bit daunting. We have tried to put together some helpful tips that will hopefully make your decision a little easier. If you need anymore advice then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us, we are super friendly (I promise).

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1.We stock our own collection for you to use as inspiration!

You don’t need to have any ideas about your Wedding outfit before your first appointment, that’s why we’re here! We have our own exclusive bridal wear collections for you to try on in in your appointment. Some of our brides find the perfect dress straight away and some brides like to combine ideas. It is completely up to you and we are happy to help throughout the process.



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2. You get to pick your own fabric and lace!

With our expertise and our wide selection of fabrics in our boutique, you get to pick the exact colour and texture you are looking for. We have a range of synthetic and silk fabrics to fit within your budget in every shade you can think of.

We can tell you how well your chosen fabric(s) will work with your design and show examples where we have used your silk and lace before. New laces are being designed every day to keep up with new trends and modern designs. New fabrics make us slightly excited, we apologise in advance.

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3. You receive a design of your dress as a keepsake!

We can draw you up an annotated design of how your dress will look including swatches of your chosen fabric(s) and a full quote with details on the ordering process. The perfect reminder of your unique dress to refer to through your wedding planning. I think it’s the perfect keepsake and some of our brides have even framed theirs. Read our previous blog post to find out exactly what a design pack entails.

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4. You get to make changes along the way!

We rarely make a dress that is exactly how it was initially designed. I mean that in the best way possible! Whether that means we shorten a long sleeve to a cap sleeve, add an embellished belt or add some sparkles so your bodice catches the light. You get to watch your dress evolve and be part of the process.

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5. You dress us made right here in Bridgnorth!

Whether you order 2 years in advance or 2 months in advance, your dress is handmade by designer Jennifer Bone and her team in their dedicated Bridgnorth studio. Laces are laid out and pattern pieces carefully positioned to ensure the design of the lace is used to its best effect. All materials and embellishments have been carefully selected from British suppliers to ensure the best quality close to home.

The laces and embellishments are hand appliquéd onto each gown, the buttons and loops are created to match each individual gown and then hand sewn on to ensure they are strong and secure.

By ordering a dress from us, you are funding local craftsmanship and British design. Thank you for your support!

If you wish to book an appointment then call us on 01746768968 or send an email to jenny@mylittleweddingshop.co.uk.

What exactly is a design pack?

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If you have visited the boutique before, you may have heard us mention a design pack which we usually create for all of our brides-to-be. In every appointment we have, we like to go through your ideas of the kind of wedding dress you are looking for and usually sketch up designs there and then which incorporate the silhouettes and bespoke details that you like. These consultations are really important for us as we get a feel for your Wedding Day and can understand what kind of styles that will suit your day.

So what exactly can you expect to receive in your design pack?

  • A selection of bespoke designs that we sketch out on the computer and annotate with aspects of your design that we discussed in your appointment

  • A description of your dress design(s) and how it will be made including a quote for each design we have sketched

  • Swatches of the fabrics that we would use to make your dress. We usually include a synthetic and a silk option depending on your design

We love getting nice post and what post is better than seeing your dress design come to life on paper? A design pack usually takes us a week to put together as we may have to order in new fabric swatches before we can package the envelope up for you. Once you have received it, you can take all the time you need to take a look at the design(s), the quote(s) and to have a look at the fabric swatches in different light. If you decide to change the design, the fabrics or you aren’t happy with the quote that we have provided then you can just get back in touch with us and we can come up with a solution!

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We charge £20 for swatch packs which you can pay for by card, cash or bank transfer. This covers the time it takes to create the design, cost of the fabric swatches that we have to order in from our suppliers and the postage and packaging.

So what are the benefits of a design pack?

  • To be able to see your design on paper and to decide if its ‘the one’ in the comfort of your own home

  • You can use the design as a keepsake, some of our brides have even framed their design as a memento!

  • Ask your friends and families opinion who couldn’t make it to the appointment at the boutique

  • You can check the fabric swatches in different lights to see how your dress would look in daylight, low light etc

  • To compare different aspects of the design that you may not be sure about e.g. V neckline or sweetheart neckline, sleeve length etc

  • If you decide to go ahead with the order, you can use the fabric swatches when buying shoes and accessories so that you can colour match

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I know this isn’t one of our most fun ‘reads’ as a blog post but design packs are actually one of the most important parts of what we do. The moment a bride gets in touch with us saying that they would like to order the dress we designed for them, it means we have got it right and we want nothing more than to create dresses that our brides dream about!

Jenny would hate me for saying it but I think that each design she does is like a little work of art (that’s coming from someone who can’t draw at all). Every lace we use, Jenny patiently traces out the lace design so each and every flower, tendril and leaf is put there on purpose so that you can see exactly what your lace sleeve, neckline and belt etc would look like.

I love seeing the designs start out as a rough sharpie scribble and turn into a realistic drawing of what a dress will be. So in conclusion, design packs are brilliant and I definitely need to learn how to draw…

Why a bespoke dress is the best way to start the new year...

Happy New Year everyone! We wanted to start 2020 with some fresh ideas and new inspiration for all our new brides-to-be. Buying a Wedding Dress can seem like a daunting prospect for some brides and it can be the one aspect of planning for the big day that is left to the last minute. Here in the boutique, we think it should be seen as an exciting, inspiring experience leading up to your big day that you can look back on in years to come.

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We also think that you shouldn’t have to compromise on your wedding outfit. I find there is nothing more infuriating than if you have an idea in your head of a dress that you are looking for but can’t find exactly the right dress. This is where bespoke bridal wear saves the day!

Our bespoke consultations usually start with a cup of tea and talking through your ideas for your big day. Some brides have Pinterest boards with multiple dress styles that they want combining, some brides have dresses already that they feel comfortable in and we use that as a starting point and some brides have no idea what to go for- all are great starting points! Usually even just talking through your ideas for your wedding day can help us narrow down ideas of dress shapes and styles because we think it’s important for your dress to fit in with your plans for the day as much as it fits you.

We have a bespoke gallery of our brides on our website that we (try) to keep up-to-date for you to get an idea of what bespoke really means. Every single one of our brides-to-be are so different and unique and one of our favourite things is looking back on all the pictures and remembering all of the little bespoke features on dresses that were unique to our brides.

You can visit our bespoke gallery here.

I read an article last year in Times Magazine that is stuck with me called ‘The Glory of Beautiful Bespoke Clothes’. It says

“The world of couture is extraordinary; it’s an art form for designers, the chance to show their skills in the same way athletes hone their bodies to set records at the Olympics”.

This statement is why we get so excited at the boutique when a bride asks us to hand bead a lace motif, craft a bespoke belt, add a splash of colour into a design or manipulate lace in such a way that it changes its design completely. Every little detail is what makes your dress unique and special to you.

The article concludes:

“the pieces are made by highly trained craftspeople- they are one-off bespoke creations, treasured by their owners for generations”.

We couldn’t agree with this more! If there is one piece in your wardrobe that is passed down through generations and adored for decades to come, it is the outfit you choose to wear on your wedding day. As you can probably tell, we are huge advocates of bespoke design and we can honestly say that, even with our collection dresses, we have never made the exact same dress twice.

If you are feeling inspired then please don’t hesitate to give us a call and book an appointment! No idea is too eccentric, no design is too outlandish and no colour is too bold for us! So if you can’t find the perfect dress, we’re here to help!

Jenny & George x




Merry Christmas! It's been another wonderful year!

We have just finished our Christmas window display and have spent the morning reflecting on another eventful year at My little Wedding Shop. We have been lucky enough to work with more amazing Brides, Mother of the Brides, Mother of the Grooms and Bridesmaids and it’s been a pleasure to create such wonderful outfits. So, without further ado, make yourselves comfortable as we present our annual sum-up!

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JANUARY

We decided to start the year with a spot of decorating and remodel the boutique. We love how quaint our shop is but we struggle a little with space in the boutique so we tried to make the most of the space we already have! We now have 2 dress rails full of our Jane&Edward Couture Collection designs plus a wall display especially made for our Harriet Wilde shoes. I think you’ll agree that the shop feels transformed and really spacious!

Thank you for all the compliments!

FEBRUARY

Some of you may have met Shirley who helps out at the big shows we do (and who I also refer to as ‘Mum’). Shirley is the reason I started sewing in the first place and she was thrilled to receive a sewing machine for her birthday last year so she could get back into her sewing hobby.

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‘Sew’ we have started a new tradition of sewing days (sorry for the pun)! The first project needed to have a deadline and fortunately for me, my mum loves to dress up just as much as I do. So we decided to create costumes for a magical night out at The Hogs Head in Ludlow…can you guess the theme?!

The Harry Potter evening was put on by Ludlow Assembly Rooms, Ludlow Library and the Blue Boar and they had all really gone to town with the details!

We had such a great time and mums costume went down wonderfully on the night, there was quite a lot of posing for photos going on too, so well worth the effort.

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MARCH

As many of you know, we had an unfortunate start to our year. Our boutique was broken into and a few of our collection dresses were stolen. As upsetting as it was, we don’t want to dwell on it. It made us realise how supportive our brides and community are when we need it most. We received numerous cards, flowers and well wishes from our customers and some from people who have never even been into the boutique but wanted to show their support and solidarity.

We can’t thank everyone enough for showing their support in our time of need. Thankfully wonderful businesses such as Bridgnorth Cliff Railway, SM Carpentry & Crafts, Shropshire Architectural Salvage and Chippie Chap Carpentry Partners came to our aid to help us put our little boutique back together.

We have taken it as an opportunity to take another look at our previous designs that were taken and as always, it’s been a pleasure remaking the designs that we know and love. Making the best out of a bad situation!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

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MAY

We exhibited at the Unconventional Wedding Festival at Stanford Hall in May where we decided to showcase our new Jane&Edward Stardust&Silver Collection. We enjoyed a wonderful weekend meeting new brides and hearing unconventional design ideas.

We also received some wonderful compliments about our new collection as we designed them to fit with the ‘unconventional’ theme with some new splashes of colour and adaptable dresses that change in the evening to create multiple looks.

Photography: Nick Brightman

We exhibited in the Vintage section of the festival and we had a double decker bar bus as the main feature of the section. Such a fun weekend and we feel privileged to have met some amazing and creative wedding suppliers too.

Photography: Lumiere Photography

JULY

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In July we had our annual Jane&Edward collection photoshoot and we were thrilled to be welcomed back to the wonderful wedding venue Davenport House. As there were so many picturesque locations around the venue, it didn’t take long for us to plan each scene with a little help from our photographer Stephanie Butt, who knew the exact feel that we wanted from the shoot.

It was one of our highlights from the year, as it is every year, collaborating with such a creative group of women who are always inspiring. There was no question that Omie Megan was the perfect Make Up Artist for the occasion once again and Jennifer from Ferinnje Hair and Beauty who we met this year created the most amazing styles for our model Jennifer’s gorgeous hair!

Thank goodness the rains stayed away and we had a day of glorious sunshine, the perfect backdrop to any occasion. This has been one of our favourite shoots and the images are simply brilliant! We are always made to feel so welcome at Davenport House, the team there are just fab and we are thrilled that we will see our dresses there on more than one occasion in 2020!

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AUGUST

I am very excited to say that I am in a book!

Local photographer Kathy O’Connor teamed up with Shropshire Archives to document working people in Bridgnorth and I was one of 100 people chosen to be a part of this little slice of history! The chosen photo was in an exhibition over the Summer and we made the cut into the book too!

All of the images have been added to the Shropshire Archives for future generations to peruse. It was a fun project to be a part of and it is great to see so many other faces from our fab town included.

The project and book are:

A Slice of Working Lives in Our Times

100 Faces & Workplaces 2019-2020

NOVEMBER

In November we celebrated our 8th Birthday! We still can’t believe how quickly the last 8 years has gone and how many wonderful brides-to- be we have met! To celebrate our Birthday, we designed a celebratory dress to, well, celebrate the occasion. We have named the dress ‘Champagne Moments’ and we bet that you can’t guess the colour…

We wanted the dress to be quite simple and full of movement so we designed it to have a full circle chiffon skirt with an overlap at the front to create even more movement. The bodice is made of champagne crepe backed satin with lace straps that overlap onto the neckline and centre back. With an added addition of glass beads on the lace and a bespoke matching belt, it’s the perfect dress for those champagne moments…

You can find out more about this on our special birthday blog and we even put together a little film of the dress in the making!

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I know we are starting to sound like a broken record but the main highlights of our year are meeting our brides-to-be and hearing all of your amazing dress ideas. All the wedding plans we hear of are so innovative and personal and we love designing each and every outfit to match each wedding day.

Here’s to another year of meeting new brides-to-be, non-stop inspiration and lots of sparkle (obviously).

From George and I, we wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We hope you all have enjoyed 2019 as much as we have and here’s to an even more fun-filled 2020.

2020?! Can you believe it…

STARDUST & SILVER - The Collaborators

Here at My little Wedding Shop we are honoured to have the opportunity to collaborate with fantastically talented people. We recently blogged about our Stardust & Silver photoshoot that we had last month for our new Jane&Edward Couture dress collection and now that the images are in, we thought we would take the time to showcase these amazing people and say thank you for working with us again!

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OMIE MEGAN

Make-Up Artist Extraordinaire!

I’m Omie, a make-up artist from the West Midlands. It is always lovely to work in a creative environment. I think what makes me special and unique as a bridal makeup artist is my ability to connect with people and understand what they want from their bridal makeup. I have had bridal clients tell me that I have a calming presence which is always lovely to hear. I want my makeup work to communicate a natural and elegant image to prospective brides. I believe that makeup should enhance, not conceal, beautiful features that make each person unique. 

Whats your best / favourite memory of being in your job?
I feel very lucky and privileged to be chosen to do bridal makeup for every bride I work with. A wedding day is such a special occasion; I get to witness all the excitement, nerves and emotions. Seeing family and friends come together making and sharing special moments that will last a lifetime is such a pleasure. Aside from my bridal make-up work I have previously volunteered for the Charity Look Good Feel Better who provide skincare and makeup sessions for individuals undergoing treatment for cancer. I really love and support the ethos of this charity.

Jane&Edward Couture is named after Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. Whats your favourite love story / romantic film? As a hopeless romantic at heart there are so many romantic films I love but I would have to say Breakfast at Tiffany's is one of my favourites. The scene in the rain with the cat gets me every time and Audrey looks divine! 

What is your favourite tip / piece of advice you have given a bride you have worked with? Enjoy YOUR special day, don't worry too much about the small stuff and make time for you and your partner on the day. Enjoy every moment!

Your role on the day

My role in the collaborative photoshoot was to provide makeup. I have previously worked with My Little Wedding Shop and love the creative and relaxed energy they bring to each photoshoot. Before the shoot we shared ideas so I could get an insight in to the collection and think about how the makeup looks could compliment their ideas. I also worked closely with the hair stylist on the day sharing ideas.

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STEPHANIE BUTT

Photographer - Capturing the moment!

I’m Steph, a little Brummie photographer. I specialise in fun & relaxed wedding photography for the creative and rebellious couples out there! 

I love photographing couples who don't follow tradition and have their wedding, their way! Gone are the days of spending hours posing everyone in group shots, with me you'll get candid, fun storytelling of the best day of your lives!


We know the first dance at a wedding has special memories for the bride&groom, so what is the first ever record you bought? Fugees - Ready or not on TAPE!!!

If you could have any dish of your choice at a wedding, what would you choose? I love Street food (Digbeth dining club is amazing) so it would have to be something from here, either dirty veggie burger or Halloumi Gyros!

A wedding often involves time at the bar so what’s your favourite tipple? Depends on the time of day! (I do like a tipple, can you tell???) Daytime - an ale or Gin & Tonic. Evening - Espresso Martini or Old Fashioned

What is your favourite tip / piece of advice you have given a bride you have worked with? Don't sweat the little things! Table decor that hasn't arrived or wedding favours that are wrong. Don't worry, remember the most important thing is you get to marry your love and celebrate with all your nearest and dearest!

Your role on the day

My role on the day was to photograph all of Jenny and George’s fab dresses! I worked with My little Wedding Shop last year on the Davenport Collection but felt like this photoshoot had a very different feel to it and we had the benefit of a bit of sunshine (thank goodness)! It was great to collaborate with everyone again, with the addition of some new faces! 

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FERINNJE

Hair stylist with flair!

Ferinnje is a premium hair salon in Wolverhampton run by Jennifer (can you spot the anagram?) who has an incredible flair for har design. Jennifer worked tirelessly throughout the shoot to transform our model Jennifer’s hair to fit the look & feel of each gown. We were so lucky to have Jennifer on board for the shoot and as you can see in final images, her work is incredible!

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Hello, I’m Jennifer and here we go!

We know the first dance at a wedding has special memories for the bride&groom, so what is the first ever record you bought? Not so much relevant to romance “ Steve Wonder’s Happy Birthday” was the first single I bought for my dads birthday. However Bebe and Cece Winnans’ album “Heaven” had a big in on me in my teens.

Whats your best / favourite memory of being in your job? In 1990 I had the opportunity to travel to one of the worlds largest hair and beauty exhibitions in Atlanta. It was inspirational. It gave me a wider perspective on my industry on a whole and fuelled a greater respect for it. I came back fired up for business and shortly became promoted to artistic director for the salon I worked in at the time. The following year we had five nominations for prestigious awards and I became the first to represent and win a national award for the north of England.

If you could have any dish of your choice at a wedding, what would you choose? Minted Lamb Shank with creamy mash, topped with caramelised vegetables.

What is your favourite tip / piece of advice you have given a bride you have worked with? Plan ahead but be flexible, have a reliable assistant so thing so to plan. Most importantly even if things don’t on the day exude joy and happiness as you are on day one of the rest of your life with the one you love.

Jane&Edward Couture is named after Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. Whats your favourite love story / romantic film? One of my favourite movies is Pretty Woman. The classic Cinderella-type story of Vivian who is in an unfortunate situation trying her best at life who is then by fate paired up with Edward a wealth business man. Opposites attract and fall in Love but equally each becomes a better human being -in terms of morals - in the process. (Also Richard Gere is quite cute back then :-)

So, to see the final results of this shoot, pop across and take a look at our Jane&Edward Couture Stardust & Silver Collection in full.

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STARDUST & SILVER

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE BRAND NEW COLLECTION!

All images in this blog are by Stephanie Butt Photography


Dresses and hair accessories: Jane&Edward Couture Model: Jennifer Aima Hair: Ferinnje Make-Up: Omie Megan Photographer: Stephanie Butt Photography Bouquet: Blooms of Bridgnorth Jewellery: Julieann Bird Venue: Davenport House



Behind the scenes- Stardust & Silver Collection Photoshoot!

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Once again, we come to the crazy part of the year for us where we choose to design and make a new collection of dresses in the midst of wedding season. It’s true what they say, we really do thrive under pressure! We have no complaints though as our new Stardust&Silver collection has gone together like a dream. Once again, we have used a mixture of literature and historical designs as inspiration but this year we have taken it a little further and made a slightly more ‘unconventional’ collection which we thought fitted perfectly when we unveiled it at the Unconventional Wedding Festival at Stanford Hall in May.

One of our favourite parts about making a new collection has to be the photoshoot where we get to collaborate with amazing wedding suppliers/artists to create a little fairytale of our own. After choosing Davenport House as the venue last year, we couldn’t think of a better setting for this years Stardust&Silver shoot!

The bouquet was made by Will at Blooms of Bridgnorth that is a stones throw away from our boutique. Will always understands our vague descriptions of what kind of flowers and colours we want. Always adding in splashes of colour that fit perfectly with our dresses, he is a mind reader!

Jenny had found this lovely book called Stardust and Silver full of children’s poetry that gave us the inspiration for the collection. As you know, we usually try to include a book in one or two photographs in the collection because, well, why not?

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We couldn’t have picked a better day for a photoshoot! It was the perfect summer day and the dresses looked amazing glistening in the sunshine. Our photographer, Stephanie, guided us on the best locations for different shots and we soon realised that Davenport House has so many picturesque settings that it was a hard decision to make! We fell in love with Steph’s bridal photography last year when we asked her to collaborate with us on the Davenport collection. She understood that we wanted to have a fun feel about the shoot and I think she managed to capture that perfectly with our stunning model Jennifer Aima.

FYI there are 3 Jennifer’s that were part of our photoshoot so stay with me here!

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We love the picture below of Jennifer our model and Jennifer from Ferinnje Hair and Beauty smiling and enjoying the day. We met our hair stylist Jennifer this year and we’re so glad we did. She produced 3 styles on our models hair that were all so different and paired so well with our dress styles. She made the most of the handmade lace combs that we make in the boutique and the stems that our florist, Will, kindly supplied.

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We’ve used Omie for almost all our collection photoshoots and she never fails to disappoint! Omie’s make-up style is so natural and luminous and just accentuated Jennifer’s natural beauty while still adding a touch of glamour. We had discussed having a slight shimmer on Jennifer’s eyes to highlight the Stardust & Silver theme and Omie worked her magic.

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We just wanted to say a massive thank you to all of our collaborators and everyone that helped in making the photoshoot a success. We cannot recommend these wedding suppliers enough so please go and check them out and see their amazing talent for yourselves! Stay tuned for the photographs that will be available next week on our Jane&Edward website. I have plans to post them everywhere and anywhere so you won’t be able to miss them. Lastly, thank you to all of our brides who fuel us with inspiration every day in the boutique, we couldn’t produce our collections without you!

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Dresses and hair accessories: Jane&Edward Couture Model: Jennifer Aima Hair: Ferinnje Make-Up: Omie Megan Photographer: Stephanie Butt Photography Bouquet: Blooms of Bridgnorth Jewellery: Julieann Bird Venue: Davenport House

Danielle and her dreamy lace train!

We usually say that the best starting point to designing your bespoke Wedding Dress is to come to an appointment with either some pictures of dresses you like, a dress that they have worn before that you like the shape of or to just come with and open mind and try on our Jane &Edward Couture Collection dresses to get a starting point. Danielle came with images of a dress that she had tried on but wasn’t 100% sure on and that gave us a great basis for a design.

Danielle knew she wanted the corsetry to be included in the dress and the basic shape of the design. We then played around with different fabrics and laces and how if we put a warmer colour behind ivory lace, it really made the lace design stand out. Another design idea that Danielle wanted to include was a long train that would be overlaid and edged in lace. This was on the original image that she showed to us and it looked so lovely in the picture that we definitely needed to include it!

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After the design was finalised, it was time to develop a pattern and cut the dress! We soon realised how beautiful the drape was to this fabric and cutting the dress in long panels really showed off the fabric to it’s full potential! We cut the crepe first to check the fit and then proceeded to cut the lace.

The design really focused on a subtle mermaid silhouette that was fitted over the hips and flared out past the thigh. When it came to fabrics, Danielle chose a warm shade of polyester crepe to keep the dress light and this highlighted the powdered ivory lace that it was going to be overlaid with. The crepe was corsetted with a sweetheart neckline while the lace extended to the collarbone with little hand cut lace cap sleeves. For the finishing touches, Danielle wanted matching buttons extending down to the hips and a tulle insert at the hem, edged in matching lace.

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Not to sound like a broken record here but as I have said 100 times before, one of the amazing things about having your dress made for you is that you can make small changes and tweak design features along the way. In the first fitting, the fit of the dress was perfect but we weren’t sure about how the skirt looked compared to the original dress that Danielle had shown us so we decided to really make a feature of the mermaid silhouette and cut the lace off at the knee and replace it with layers of tulle.

The plan would then be to hand cut lace motifs and pin them on to the tulle skirt for the second fitting to create this cascading effect. It worked beautifully and it definitely enhanced the extended train!

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I love love love manipulating lace into a bespoke design and the new design of the skirt was all about the lace creating certain shapes and trailing up/down the tulle. The pattern of the lace was slightly challenging as the shapes weren’t as obvious to cut compared to other laces but I think the end result looks stunning! We pinned an array of shaped motifs to cover the seam at the knee so as to make the transition more natural.

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A touch of sparkle was then added to the bodice which shimmered whenever Danielle moved. We then finished the neckline with matching lace edging that created a lovely shape that really showed off Danielle’s décolletage.

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Having repeated fittings up until the wedding day comes in really handy for us and hopefully for our brides too! It means that right up until the week of the wedding we can alter the fit of their dress so that our brides feel secure and comfortable on the day. Danielle’s dress was cut using long panels of material and had no waist seam. Not only did this create a very sleek and elegant silhouette, it also meant for us that it was quite simple to take in as we could just manipulate the darts and make the most of the side seams.

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Our favourite part of Danielle’s dress was definitely the buttons detailing. We usually hand make our buttons to match the fabric of our brides dress but as Danielle chose a ‘mink’ coloured crepe, we decided to keep it traditional and stick to ivory crepe buttons. Buttons are always the last thing we sew on and we think it really shows off the contoured look of the dress!

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Last but not least, we handmade our Posy veil to a bespoke length which just finished off Danielle’s bridal look! I think you can agree with us when we say the end result was incredible! Every fitting our brides have reminds us how lucky we are to be a part of the lead up to their big day and it was so lovely to meet Danielle’s family and bridesmaids who we also worked with on the run up to the wedding. Thank you so much for letting us design and make your dress Danielle, you looked beautiful!

Zoe and her rainbow Inspired creation!

I don’t mean to make anyone jealous but we really do have the best job in the world here. We get to meet amazing brides with such adventurous and ‘off-the-wall’ ideas and get to bring them to life. As you can probably tell from the pictures below, Zoe’s dress was no exception to this.

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We met Zoe last autumn and talked through some ideas where rainbow colours were definitely key! After Zoe tried on a few of our collection dresses to decide on shapes and silhouettes, we went ahead with designing a few ideas for Zoe to choose from.

After some deliberating, Zoe decided on a corseted bodice with skater skirt that finished just below the knee. We had a few ideas on how we were going to create the rainbow-inspired skirt but didn’t want to lose the volume by using heavy fabrics. Using some inspiration from Zoe’s impressive research, we found that gathering layers of multicoloured tulle would be the easiest way to create the shape Zoe wanted. We also added in an underskirt that we kept separate so that Zoe could reuse it again under other dresses.

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The great thing about having a bespoke wedding dress is that you can decide on and change little design features along the way. Zoe understood this completely and saw the benefits of designing your own dress. When it came to Zoe’s first fitting, we decided to change the shape of the straps as Zoe wanted more coverage without changing the shape of the sweetheart neckline.

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It took us a little while to source all the tulle colours that we needed in the pastel shades that Zoe wanted but we were really pleased with the end result. Turns out when gathering layers and layers of rainbow tulle, pins become your new best friend.

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We love it when brides add personal touches to their dress, which is why we loved Zoe’s idea of adding these embroidered patches to the skirt to look like rolling dice. Zoe and Jason’s theme of their wedding was board games, even to the point of their first dance was replaced by their first game (what a fab idea)!! So when Zoe said to us about including Meeples on her sash and rainbow polyhedra dice we thought it was a brilliant idea! After some minor tweaks, we decided that to make the most of the patches that Zoe had ordered, it was best to have the Meeples on the sash and the dice cascading down the skirt to symbolise her and Jason rolling the dice themselves. Zoe loved the idea! We always jump at the chance to add something personal to our brides dresses, whether it is something borrowed or an embroidered keepsake, as it makes every dress more and more unique.

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Ta-Da! I love this photo! We had just pinned on the last few embroidered patches and that was the last thing to do before the important pressing and packing. After a bit of deliberation, Zoe opted for a wide black satin sash as it contrasted against the range of colours perfectly. For the final touch, buttons to match each of the tulle colours and hand sewn in order to match the nursery rhyme.

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Thank you so much to Andy Li Photography for sending through these amazing photographs from the wonderful day. We are extremely jealous that you got to spend the day at Zoe and Jason’s fun-filled wedding. I think you will agree with us when we say that Zoe looks absolutely amazing in her dress. The additional wild flower bouquet and halo and the iridescent Irregular Choice shoes really bring out, well, EVERY colour in the dress. Thank you so much Zoe for choosing us to make such a wonderfully unique dress and for letting us be a part of your wedding journey. It goes without saying that we are always here if you are in need of a cuppa and a mooch around Bridgnorth. We want to hear all about your day!!

Clair and her wonderfully unique Wedding Dress!

As our bride Clair is now happily married, we are so excited to be able to share with you some pictures of the making process and the final creation!

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We met Clair in our boutique last summer and having a clear idea of what she wanted, we set to work discussing the fabrics and details of the design she had in her head. We absolutely love making a garment that is completely unique and totally different to anything we have made before and we new from the word ‘go’ that Clair’s idea was definitely going to tick all of those boxes!

The concept was quite candid with the emphasis being on the structure and silhouette. The design involved a corseted silk bodice with a straight neckline, wide silk band that pulled in over the hips and matching silk skirt with deliberate pleating either side, hidden pockets and a pleat in the front to create a tailored look.

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As you can probably tell from our previous posts, we work in array of colours as well as ivory. Clair chose this amazing handwoven silk dupion in champagne that created a warmth to the dress and really highlighted the unique design features.

After a little planning and preparation, we started to cut all of the pattern pieces, form the structured bodice and devise the pleats on the skirt. As Clair wanted an illusion of weight to the skirt to create an amazing drape, we backed each silk piece onto calico which worked really well and kept the shape that we wanted for the front pleat.

With a design like this, we tend to work on all the components separately and then bring them together just before the fitting. This makes it easier to make changes as we go and let us keep an eye of the fit over the bust, waist and hips.

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Clair stipulated some additional design features which were quite unique. We created an illusion neckline out of a warm cream silk chiffon which we double layered to create a perfect line around the neck while also giving Clair freedom to move and not feel restricted. We then created a ruffle at the centre front and collar which curved around the neck and travelled down from nape to bodice. It was made from a mixture of ivory tulle and champagne silk and gathered/twisted to add texture.

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One of my favourite design features was these bold silk ties that we added into the waist seam and hand tied which created a rustic look. These bows emphasised the hourglass shape we created with the corseted bodice and added to the bespoke design. On the original image that Clair shared with us, that inspired this design feature, the ties were integral to the look and we agreed that they had to be included in the dress.

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Through Clair’s fittings, we discussed different fastening options/colours and we ended up deciding on an oversized gold zip on white tape which really stood out as a feature on the back of the dress. As you can tell in the picture below, it also made the back of the silk bodice sit really smooth which was an added bonus.

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As with all of our brides, it was an absolute pleasure to work with Clair from the initial sketches all the way to collecting the finished garment. It was a joy to watch Clair fall in love with her dress more and more in every appointment and to make design changes right up until the day, so that she was 100% happy with the end result. In this case we opted for a high-lo hemline during the fittings to show off Clairs’ elegant shoes!

Both George and I love what we do and its a pleasure that our brides trust us to create their visions, like Clair did with her beautiful dress. i think you’ll agree that the only acceptable response after seeing the end result is obviously ‘wow’.

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Thank you Clair, feel free to pop in for a cup of tea any time soon! We would love to hear all about your special day!

Lorna and her hint of blue!

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It’s always very exciting to see our brides leave our boutique with their wedding dress in hand, we get to know our brides so well and we love talking about their build up to the big day and hearing all of the exciting plans! We do get a little bit sad too as we know that this is the end to their visits into our boutique and Lorna’s was no exception.

We met Lorna and her mum at the National Wedding Show back in 2016 and after having a quick discussion about the kind of dress that Lorna was looking for, she then booked in to come and talk to us about some ideas back at the boutique in Bridgnorth (where it was a little less chaotic). Throughout the appointment, we discussed a few different options but it was clear that Lorna was looking for a timeless style, with a slight bohemian twist, which is how we ended up with this design where the traditional ivory lace top and corseted bodice met a gathered tulle skirt with a hint of blue showing through.

We absolutely loved the idea of the hint of blue showing through the tulle skirt. After having a bit of a play around with fabrics, the way that we decided to create this subtle colour was to overlay blue tulle with layers of ivory. We do love it when a plan comes together!

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Lorna’s bodice was made in an ivory crepe with ivory floral, corded lace overlay. The bodice was fitted to the waist and corseted internally to highlight Lorna’s waist. The lace extended onto the top hip and we hand sewed on the lace edging so it sat perfectly over the layers of gathered tulle. The skirt was made of ivory crepe, to match the bodice, overlaid with 1 layer of blue tulle and multiple layers of ivory tulle. to soften the hint of blue.

Every appointment with Lorna, as with all of our brides, was an absolute pleasure. Hearing all about our brides plans for their big day is just as important to us as getting the perfect fit on your dress as it helps us ensure the dress fits in with the wider theme of the day….and that we have thought through the practicalities of the dance floor and that fabulous wedding breakfast we have heard so much about!

With most of the dress that we design, the end result usually changes in some way in the fitting process. This is what makes having your dress made that little bit special, as you can change your mind on sleeve lengths, necklines, train lengths etc, right up until the day.

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On Lorna’s we decided it was missing one final touch, which after a few different options were discussed and mocked up, Lorna decided on a delicate and slightly rustic blue velvet bow with long tails at the front of her dress. This drew the eye to her waist, gently pulled through the blue on the skirt and also elongated the look of the dress. Ticking all the right boxes!

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Lorna was getting married at West Mill in Derbyshire, this old converted mill building has a rustic romance and Lorna wanted her dress to have a similar feel to work with the old brick walls and beautiful, light filled windows.

I think you will agree that we achieved Lorna’s vision thanks to this stunning image by Magda K Photography which captures Lorna on her wedding day!

Congratulations Lorna, we were so honoured to be a part of your wedding journey .