12 Days of Christmas Discounts - Day 12

15% off any order. Order must be placed & paid for today (24/12/11). 'Like' us on Facebook & quote 'DRUMMERS' when placing your order.

12 Days of Christmas Discounts - Day 11

10% off all shrugs & capes . Orders must be placed & paid for today (23/12/11). 'Like' us on Facebook & quote 'PIPERS' when placing your order.

12 Days of Christmas Discounts - Day 10

15% off all tiaras (excl. side tiaras) . Orders must be placed & paid for today (22/12/11). 'Like' us on Facebook & quote 'LORDS' when placing your order.

12 Days of Christmas Discounts - Day 9

15% off all birdcage veils. Orders must be placed & paid for today (21/12/11). 'Like' us on Facebook & quote 'LADIES' when placing your order.

12 Days of Christmas Discounts - Day 8

15% off all vintage hair accessories. Orders must be placed & paid for today (20/12/11). 'Like' us on Facebook & quote 'MAIDS' when placing your order.

12 Days of Christmas Discounts - Day 7

15% off all non-vintage jewellery. Orders must be placed & paid for today (19/12/11). 'Like' us on Facebook & quote 'SWANS' when placing your order.

12 Days of Christmas Discounts - Day 6

Free UK & worldwide shipping. Orders must be placed & paid for today (17/12/11). 'Like' us on Facebook & quote 'GEESE' when placing your order.

12 Days of Christmas Discounts - Day 5

15% off all non-vintage side tiaras/bands. Orders must be placed & paid for today (16/12/11). 'Like' us on Facebook & quote 'GOLDRINGS' when placing your order.

12 Days of Christmas Discounts - Day 4

15% off all non-vintage combs. Orders must be placed & paid for today (15/12/11). 'Like' us on Facebook & quote 'CALLINGBIRDS' when placing your order.

12 Days of Christmas Discounts - Day 3

15% off all vintage jewellery. Orders must be placed & paid for today (14/12/11). 'Like' us on Facebook & quote 'FRENCHHENS' when placing your order.

12 Days of Christmas Discounts - Day 2

15% off all hairpins. Orders must be placed & paid for today (13/12/11). 'Like' us on Facebook & quote 'TURTELDOVES' when placing your order.

12 Days of Christmas Discounts - Day 1

15% off all veils (excl. birdcage veils). Orders must be placed & paid for today (12/12/11). 'Like' us on Facebook & quote 'PARTRIDGE' when placing your order.

12 Days of Christmas Discounts!

Are you feeling Christmassy yet? If not, how about 12 days of Christmas discounts to get you feeling festive!

'Like' us on Facebook to get a different discount code each day, starting 12th December, to be used against a purchase from Kelly Spence (each code is valid for one day only).

Lauren Lauren?

Can't stop looking at this amazing wedding portrait of Lauren Bush & David Lauren! I thought it was an old vintage picture at first glance.

Every time I look at it I see more detail on that incredible hand-embellished dress (designed by the bride's new father-in-law of course!).

{photo} Normal Jean Roy for Vogue

Kelly Spence & Benjamin Adams

I just received a copy of the new Benjamin Adams by Paradox brochure, packed with gorgeous pictures of their glamourous new shoe collection and perfectly paired with Kelly Spence vintage combs and jewellery!

{IMAGES} Paradox
1. Charlize shoes with KS vintage comb VINCO69, necklace VINNE03 & bracelet VINBL4
2. Fox shoes with KS vintage comb VINC039
3. Lamour shoes with KS vintage earrings VINEA5
4. Salma shoes with KS vintage earrings VINEA7, necklace VINNE06 & bracelet VINBL4
5. KS Vintage Comb VINC039

Luxury Brides

The studio is finally back together after the busy weekend at The Luxury Weekend Show! Looking forward to catching up on missed episodes of Downton Abbey tonight! In the meantime here are some pictures of a few of the lovely brides who dropped by our stand to try some of our new pieces. Thanks to the wonderful ladies at Elle au Naturel for the amazing hairstyles!

...and don't forget to 'Like & Share' our new Facebook page by the end of the month to receive a 10% discount voucher.

{Images} - 1. Bea Hairpins & Gloria Flat Veil, 2. Honoria Crystal Side Band & Romilly Lace Veil, 3. Baroness Veil, 4. Octavia Crystal Comb, 5. Original 50s Vintage Hat

You like?

We have finally set up a Facebook page! 'Like' us before the 31st October and receive a *10% discount voucher! Click here to go to our page.
*voucher valid for one transaction. Cannot be used with any other discount. Valid until 31/12/11

Luxury Wedding Show

We are delighted to be among a hand-picked selection of experts invited to take part at the ultimate in luxury wedding shows, the aptly named Luxury Wedding Show London.

This brand new show takes place on the 22-23rd October at the prestigious Saatchi Gallery on the Kings Road, Chelsea.

This very exciting and über luxurious show boasts the finest hand-picked selection of wedding experts, where planning the big day is a luxury in itself. All visitors receive; a premium goody bag worth £30, a glass of Pommery champagne to enjoy during the catwalk show, reserved seating at the catwalk show and access to over 100 hand-picked experts.

Come and visit us at Stand 804 and receive a free mini hair trial with top hair & beauty stylist Antonia Krieger from Elle au Naturel. Quote KSWEBLUXE to receive a 10% discount on any order placed with us at the show.

Click here to book tickets

Veil Sale!!

Beat the price rise!* 10% off all veil orders placed by Friday 23rd September!! Quote VEILSALE2011 to get your discount!

*Price increase on synthetic veils from 24th Sep

{IMAGE} © Alakija.com - KS customer Irene wearing cathedral length Aspen veil

Royal Wedding - The Bridesmaids

Pippa Middleton may have become an internet sensation due to a certain 'asset' but surely part of the credit for her meteoric rise to fame must surely go to Sarah Burton for creating such a beautiful maid of honour dress that showcased her fantastic figure. Her dress was made of a heavy ivory satin-based crepe with a perfectly draped cowl front and with the same ace trim and gazar and organza covered buttons as the bride's dress.

He hair was beautifully styled by a hairdresser from the Richard Ward salon in Sloane Square into a half up style and perfectly finished off at the back by a cascade of lily-of-the-valley to match the bride's bouquet.

If you are looking for the same delicate look but with a hair adornment that can be treasured for years to come and not thrown away, try our freshwater pearl Lucinda comb.

Pippa, like her sister, wore some specially designed drop diamond earrings made by Robinson Pelham.

The Duchess of Cambridge's smaller bridesmaids were dressed in beautiful satin gazar ballerina length dresses created by Nicki MacFarlane. Nicki is a fellow exhibitor at the Designer Wedding Show and so we have known her exquisite designs for many years. Nicki and her daughter made the dresses to echo the bride's dress by using the same fabrics and lace but with crisp box pleat skirts, generous petticoats and wild silk gold sashes.

The two page boys were impeccably turned out in scarlet & gold uniforms in the style of that worn by a Foot Guards officer at the time of the Regency (the 1820s) with insignia from the Irish Guards, whose Colonel is Prince William.

Royal Wedding - The Tiara & Jewellery

Catherine Middleton's "Something Borrowed" was HM The Queen's Halo Scroll Tiara.

This tiara is one of the lightest of Her Majesty's tiaras and has somewhat of a reputation as a starter tiara within the royal family and so was a perfect introductory piece to be lent by the Queen to the newest royal.

The Cartier-made Scroll Tiara was purchased in 1936 by The Duke of York (later King George VI) for his Duchess (later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother), three weeks before he ascended to the throne following his brother's famous abdication. The tiara was presented to Princess Elizabeth (now The Queen) by her mother on the occasion of her 18th birthday in 1944.

The Queen has never worn the tiara in public but has loaned it to her sister Princess Margaret and her daughter Princess Anne who both wore it as young princesses.

Kate's wedding earrings were a gift from her parents who commissioned them from Robinson Pelham. They are diamond-set stylised oak leaves with a pear shaped diamond set drop and a pavé set diamond acorn suspended in the centre. Inspiration for the design came from the Middleton family's new coat of arms, which includes acorns and oak leaves. The earrings were also made to echo the tiara.

(next...bridesmaids)

Royal Wedding - The Veil

Although Catherine Middleton's wedding dress has already entered iconic status, one of the most exciting parts of Kate's outfit for us here at Kelly Spence was THE VEIL.

And it seems we are in good company! Karl Lagerfeld, broadcasting live on France 2 television said, " She is very elegant...The lace is very pretty. I like the veil a lot!" (via WWD)

So what was so special about the veil? It was no surprise that Kate's veil was made of pure silk but what set it apart from past royal veils was that she and Sarah Burton firstly chose not to use the traditional voluminous crisp silk tulle but in line with her own pared down elegant style opted for one of our particular favourite veil fabrics, a very soft fluid silk tulle. To show this exquisite fabric off to its diaphenous best the veil was also made in a completely flat style with no gather. We have long been an exponent of flat combed veils and Kate showed off the wonderfully ethereal quality that such a style creates beautifully, especially when combined with this most delicate of silk fabrics.

Kate is of course a history of art graduate and may have even drawn inspiration from the famous veiled statues of the 19th century Italian sculptors Strazza & Monti when choosing the fabric and style of her veil.

The blusher was extended to elbow level to again accentuate her tiny waist and the edge was trimmed with the same hand embroidered lace flowers as on her dress.

The veil was firmly anchored in her hair just behind her tiara, possibly with an extra wide comb and/or hairpins at the sides to ensure that when lifted back by her father after the long walk down the aisle, it did not fall in a narrow column as is the tendency of this fabric but fell delicately over her shoulders to reveal her sparkling, princess-worthy 'something borrowed'.

{We are one of the only veil specialists in the UK to offer a full range of veils made to order in this most exquisite of luxury fabrics, at last given the royal seal of approval by the elegant Duchess of Cambridge}

(next...tiara, jewellery & bridesmaids)

Royal Wedding - The Dress

When Catherine Middleton married HRH Prince William on Friday, months of speculation about her dress finally ended as she stepped out of the Phantom Rolls Royce VI onto the red carpet of Westminster Abbey in a breathtakingly elegant gown designed, as hotly tipped, by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen.

The Official Royal Wedding Website tells us "Miss Middleton chose British brand Alexander McQueen for the beauty of its craftsmanship and its respect for traditional workmanship and the technical construction of clothing. Miss Middleton wished for her dress to combine tradition and modernity with the artistic vision that characterises Alexander McQueen’s work. Miss Middleton worked closely with Sarah Burton in formulating the design of her dress."

It is surely no accident that the dress bore more than a passing resemblance to that of another fairytale princess in waiting, Grace Kelly.

Who can blame Kate for using as her inspiration one of the most famously elegant and certainly the most timeless of wedding dresses? Even her bouquet echoed Grace Kelly's modestly sized posy, also of lily of the valley.

The lace for her dress was worked by the Royal School of Needlework at Hampton Court Palace incorporating symbolic Rose, Thistle, Daffodil & Shamrock motifs. Hands were washed every 30 minutes to keep the lace and threads pristine; needles were renewed every 3 hours and only short lengths of thread were used, each no longer than 30 cm. Also, to maintain an even appearance, no securing knots were used as it was important that the back of the work looked as neat as the front.

Sarah Burton added subtle signature McQueen touches to the design of the dress such as victorian style corsetry with padded hips to emphasise Kate's tiny waist and a beautiful folded bustle detail along with a modern v neckline, pleated skirt and 2.7m train to perfectly blend the traditional and the contemporary and so create an iconic and inspirational gown that will undoubtedly stand the test of time as much as that worn by her muse 55 years earlier.

(next...veil, tiara & jewellery)

Princess style at charity shop prices

Dream of finding a stunning wedding dress from one of the country's top designers at a charity shop? This week your dreams could come true!

Head down to one of 6 specially selected Save the Children shops, including Mary Portas' Living and Giving London shop in Westbourne Grove and snap up one of the gorgeous dresses donated by designers such as royal favourite Stewart Parvin, Matthew Williamson, Jasper Conran & Jenny Packham for a fraction of their original price.

{IMAGES} 1 - Stewart Parvin, 2 - Charlotte Balbier, 3 - (Mary Portas) Save the Children

Edible Works of Art

After my last 2 posts I have become a little obsessed with the thought of making lots of scrumptious and pretty royal wedding themed cakes, cookies & sweet things for our street party.

I bought one of these delightful crown cookie cutters from Accessorize...

and while doing a bit of research on how to decorate them I came across these absolutely incredible cookies from SweetAmbs

and these ones...

and these ones...

Amazing!! Such perfection in something gone in a single bite. I don't think I could bear to eat something so beautiful!