Wedding Jewelry

Wedding Jewelry
Wedding Jewelry

Saturday, February 28, 2015

Meet the new Violette - my 1930s style wedding dress with lace features!


Dear Reader

As promised, I have something new to reveal today: I am very excited to introduce the new Violette.
This lovely dress is a new variation on my Violette 1930s-style dress, that you may know already from my Heavenly Collection... 
For the new Violette, I have added a delicate French lace cap sleeve - always so popular with my clients. The new dress also features an elegant lace panel at the back (cleverly positioned just above the bra-line), to perfectly complement the art deco feel and construction of this lovely gown, with its gorgeous seam details that sculpt the body. 

Violette was recreated from an original 1930s dress with a few style modifications. For me, the exciting thing about copying the vintage dresses is that it allows me to discreetly update a few features - like lowering a neckline slightly - without losing the feel of the original dress.
In this case, the original dress belonged to a young lady called Gladys Violette who was married in 1932. I love knowing the history of my dresses, and even have her original wedding invitation!
All the patterns for my vintage-inspired dressed have been created by carefully deconstructing original dresses which were absolutely beautiful, but too tired to be worn again. Each is then carefully recreated, with design modifications to suit the modern figures. It's a very difficult process, and each one takes many attempts to get it perfect Fortunately I have a wonderful team of highly-skilled pattern cutters who make it possible!

This lovely version of the Violette dress is available now, in a wide range of sizes, and priced at £1495. I do hope you love it, and thanks for sharing my news today! Do contact me if you'd like to see more.

Love
Helena
Heavenly Vintage Brides


Top photo c. Holly Booth, jewellery by  Judith Brown
All other photos c. Robert Lawler Photography

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Three Musicians

I made this enamel piece for the cover of James Olin Oden's upcoming album.  The concept behind the piece was three good friends playing music around a campfire in the evening.  There was some talk of a nice forest, and maybe some wagons, but in the end I choose to focus on the three figures.

Here's the sketch I came up with.  Although it looks like a lot of different colors, I tried to keep the palette pretty restrained (for me anyway).  It's mostly browns, oranges, and blues.  Originally, I was going to do a cobalt blue sky, but I felt that take the punch away from the browns and oranges, so I went with a clean opaque black for the sky.  That would allow the other colors to really pop.
 

Next, I made my wires.  I decided to use 24K gold wire for the fire and environmental elements and silver wire for the figures.


 Then I created the base using 20 gauge fine silver.  I cut out the top, then fused it to another sheet of silver:


Before any wires get fired into place, I counter enamel the reverse and put a nice coat of clear enamel on the front.


Then I fire the wires in place.  I do this in several stages.  I put down some 24K gold leaf where the fire was going to be.  Just for some added sparkle...


Finally time to add some color!  I did a couple of layers of the foreground and the figures before adding any of the opaque black.  I didn't want the black to seep in under the wires or contaminate the adjacent cells, so I waited until later to add it.  It's easier to clean up bits of black specs from the top layers of enamel.


After many layers of color, I did the first grind.  It's so easy to accidentally grind off all the enamel because you want it to all be smooth.  I could see that this was going to need some filling in with more enamel, so I resisted the urge to overdo it.


I actually did several coats of enamel to finish building it up to the edges.  You can see that I've added some more opaque black in the sky and clear enamel over the fire and the figures.  It always looks like a mess at this stage...


Ready for the final polish!


I had already soldered a loop on the back so it could be worn as a pendant, but I wanted to fabricate a setting for it so it could also be worn as a pin.  I used sterling silver and cut out some moon and stars.  Reminds me of a spaceship...


Then I just attached it to the back using the four prongs I created:


And here's the final piece.  I'm taking it to get photographed this week, so check back soon for the glamour shot!


Antique and vintage wedding dresses, coming soon to the V&A

Dear Reader

Today I wanted to feature the V&A's upcoming exhibition, Wedding Dresses 1775-2014. It promises two floors of fabulous dresses and amazing wedding fashions, spanning over 200 years! 
Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog, Wedding Dresses 1775-2014 at the V&A
1. Silk and leather 'tango' shoes, 1914
From Victorian to Vivienne Westwood, the exhibition includes over 80 romantic, glamorous and extravagant wedding fashions. I'm particularly excited to see their slinky 1930s dresses, like these gorgeous ones below...
Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog, Wedding Dresses 1775-2014 at the V&A
2. Silk satin wedding dress by Charles James, 1934
Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog, Wedding Dresses 1775-2014 at the V&A
3. Embroidered silk satin wedding dress by Norman Hartnell, 1933
As well as antique and vintage wedding dresses, the exhibition will feature many accessories including shoes, veils, jewellery, hats, corsetry and even garters! 
Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog, Wedding Dresses 1775-2014 at the V&A
4. Honiton lace wedding veil, c1850
Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog, Wedding Dresses 1775-2014 at the V&A
5. Silk brocade gown and petticoat with silk-covered straw hat, 1780
It promises to be a real treasure trove for anyone who loves vintage wedding style. Wedding Dresses 1775-2014 opens on 3 May and runs until March 2015. Tickets go on sale very soon - I'll keep you posted.

Meanwhile, thanks for stopping by today. Do pop back later this week... I shall have something new to unveil on Friday!
Love
Helena 
Heavenly Vintage Brides

Images:
1, 2 & 4, C. Victoria & Albert Museum, London
3, C Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans
5, Photograph by John Chase

Monday, February 23, 2015

Vintage Wedding Dress Trends 2015 - Number 6

Dear Reader
Back to my vintage wedding style forecasts today - with fabulous trend no 6...


6. ALL-OVER BEADED LACE

Beaded lace is suddenly trending again - just take a look at the best Oscar dresses from this weekend. And it's perfect with vintage-inspired gowns. 
Lupita Nyongo's vintage-inspired dress with all-over beading by Calvin Klein
On a fashion history note, contrary to popular belief, 1920s and 1930s vintage wedding dresses were very rarely beaded. Beading was more of an evening fashion among wealthy society girls. 
Emma Stone in chartreuse beaded lace dress by Elie Saab, Oscars 2015
To incorporate this lovely luxe trend, I've recreated my Butterfly dress in a sumptuous and glamorous all-over beaded lace. I'm looking forward to showing it to lots of lovely brides-to-be. 
Whatever I do with my vintage-inspired dresses, my number one aim is to keep their vintage old-fashioned charm and not make any statements which are too obvious, and I think this lovely lace has a subtle sparkle which just works.
Love
Helena
Heavenly Vintage Brides

If you like this post, please try…
Vintage Wedding Trends 2015, number 4

Saturday, February 21, 2015

Behind the Scenes at the Vintage Wedding Blog - Part 2!

Dear Reader
There's definitely a glimmer of Spring in the air today. So let's end the week with a picture post - a last few of my favourite images from the website of photographer Robert Lawler. (Also known as Mr Heavenly Vintage Brides!)
Robert Lawler Wedding Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog 2014
Robert Lawler Wedding Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog 2014
Robert Lawler Wedding Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog 2014
Robert Lawler Wedding Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog 2014
Robert Lawler Wedding Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog 2014
Robert Lawler Wedding Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog 2014
Robert Lawler Wedding Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog 2014
Robert Lawler Wedding Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog 2014
Robert Lawler Wedding Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog 2014
Robert Lawler Wedding Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog 2014
Robert Lawler Wedding Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog 2014
If you'd like to see more, you can contact Robert any time on 07947 172332. Have a wonderful weekend, and thanks for visiting! See you next week...

Love
Helena 
Heavenly Vintage Brides

All photos c Robert Lawler Photography
www.robertlawler.co.uk
Tel 07947 172332

Friday, February 20, 2015

The Dragon is finished!

Just in time for the American Craft Show in Baltimore!


Here's the Roman Wreath necklace.  It's very flattering to wear as well...

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Behind the scenes at the Vintage Wedding Blog!

Dear Reader

For a while now I’ve wanted to shine a light behind the scenes on the help I’ve had with all the lovely photographs on my site. 
c. Robert Lawler Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog
c. Robert Lawler Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog
Firstly from my daughter and her beautiful friends who have been kind enough to model my dresses, but also from my photographer husband Robert Lawler
c. Robert Lawler Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog
c. Robert Lawler Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog
c. Robert Lawler Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog
I am very proud of Robert's work and as he’s launching his new website, now is a good moment to tell you more about him. 
c. Robert Lawler Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog
c. Robert Lawler Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog
c. Robert Lawler Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog
Robert is a really talented and experienced wedding and fashion photographer and has shot all the beautiful photographs on my site. Some of these I'll showcase today, along with a few other examples of his work.
c. Robert Lawler Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog
c. Robert Lawler Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog
c. Robert Lawler Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog
c. Robert Lawler Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog
It was probably seeing Robert's gorgeous wedding photography that first got me involved with vintage wedding dresses. I always loved to nosey around Vintage shops in search of something special, but when I saw so many of Robert’s clients looking wonderful on their wedding day it really made me want to get involved in the wedding business! 
c. Robert Lawler Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog
c. Robert Lawler Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog
c. Robert Lawler Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog
What I love about Robert’s work, is he always manages to catch the real moments that give you an authentic sense of the couple and their guests. Much of his work is just taken as the day unfolds, rather than being formally posed, so it has that lovely sense of truthfulness. 
c. Robert Lawler Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog
c. Robert Lawler Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog
c. Robert Lawler Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog
c. Robert Lawler Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog
c. Robert Lawler Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog
Robert took the time to learn his craft thoroughly, studying at college for four years, so he’s as comfortable in the studio controlling lights as he is working with natural light. 
c. Robert Lawler Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog
c. Robert Lawler Photography, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog
Do have a look at his new website and get in touch with him if you would like to discuss your wedding photography. (And of course, you can always contact him through me or my own website!) Many of my lovely clients have booked him as their wedding photographer, and tell me they're thrilled with the results.

Thanks for looking today!
Love
Helena 
Heavenly Vintage Brides
Butterfly logo, Heavenly Vintage Wedding Blog




All photos Robert Lawler Photography