Real Bride with Pure Silk Veil & Dazzling Jenny Packham Gown

Just a quick post to show you some gorgeous images we were sent recently from Jaye at Tux & Tales Photography of KS real bride Michelle wearing her custom made Pure Crisp Silk Katerini Veil.

Michelle came to see us for a veil consultation and decided upon a 100% crisp silk veil with a fine pewter/beige coloured pencil edge to match the fabric of her stunning Jenny Packham Joy gown.

Michelle wanted to be able to see as much of her gorgeous dress details through the veil as possible so Kelly advised her to have a flat veil to maximise the transparency of the diaphanous silk.

Gorgeous bride & gorgeous wedding, I am sure you will agree!

{Images} courtesy of Tux & Tales Photography

Polka Dot Veil

So, I'm sorry to say I've neglected the blog for a while. Been busy making pretty pieces for all my beautiful summer brides!

..and so I thought I would resume with some pics of those brides wearing their KS designs, starting with the lovely Lucy.

Lucy chose a super cute polka dot veil to fit with her fun and fresh dotty/apple themed wedding. I love how Lucy chose just a few accents to create her theme without going ott with dots. A perfect lesson in keeping your wedding stylish by being subtle.

Over to Lucy for more on how she chose her veil..

"I met Kelly Spence at The Designer Wedding Show (such a great wedding fair, such a shame it’s no more) shortly after I got engaged. I originally thought I wanted a bouffant 1950s veil – I knew I didn’t want it to go over my face, but that I wanted to wear one as you only get to once! But when I saw her shoulder length French tulle veil with flocked polka dot and tried it on at the show I was sold, as a small polka dot theme had begun to emerge with our wedding. Once I’d chosen my dress it confirmed that it would be perfect so I got in touch with Kelly and ordered my custom made veil. She was so helpful and friendly to deal with, the perfect wedding supplier."

I just love seeing pictures of my brides on their wedding day and how their KS accessory fitted into it! Maybe Lucy has inspired you to go a little dotty on your big day! ;)

Head on over to the fab Cotton Candy Photography or Want That Wedding to see more from this inspirational wedding.

{IMAGES} courtesy of Cotton Candy Photography
Venue: Eastclose Country House Hotel
Dress: Ian Stuart

London Wedding Emporium

Sneaky peeks from the fab inaugural London Wedding Emporium this weekend

Our little corner

Our vintage style veils proved very popular

…as did our Deco inspired beaded combs & headbands

Sabina Motasem 2013 Collection

We were delighted recently to be asked by Sabina Motasem to supply some pieces to accessorise her new 2013 collection of vintage inspired dresses.

Here are some of the stunning pictures from the photoshoot:

{IMAGE 1} Sabina Motasem Josephine Dress with Kelly Spence Fern Band

{IMAGE 2} Sabina Motasem Emilienne Dress with Kelly Spence 90" Single Tier Soft Silk Veil

{IMAGE 3} Sabina Motasem Belle Dress with Kelly Spence Baroness Birdcage Veil and Pia Freshwater Pearl Hairpin

{IMAGE 4} Sabina Motasem Gabrielle Dress with Kelly Spence Thea Comb and Whisper Back Necklace

{IMAGE 5} Sabina Motasem Isadora Dress with Kelly Spence Vintage Side Tiara

{IMAGE 6} Sabina Motasem Elsa Dress with Kelly Spence Pia Freshwater Pearl Hairpin

{IMAGE 7} Sabina Motasem Yvette Dress with Kelly Spence Baroness Birdcage Veil, Octavia Swarovski Crystal Comb and Vintage Necklace.

Head on over to the Sabina Motasem website to see the rest of her fabulous vintage inspired collection!

{IMAGES} Oliver Prout Photography
Dresses - Sabina Motasem
Accessories - Kelly Spence

Happy Anniversary! Oxfam celebrates the Royal anniversary with an all star wedding auction!

This time last year……

…..for a start we had gloriously sunny weather! I can't help thinking that William and Kate must be thinking how glad they are that they chose 2011 for their wedding!

What were you doing this time last year? Were you celebrating with a street party or did you brave the crowds to see the happy couple in the flesh?

To celebrate the anniversary of the Royal Wedding and their own 70th Anniversary, Oxfam are launching a very special online wedding auction, in conjunction with the new Oxfam Weddings Ambassador Annabel Beeforth of Love My Dress and are offering future brides and grooms the chance to bid on some incredible items for a fraction of the normal retail price. The cream of the UK wedding industry have donated some amazing items including some very exclusive items that money normally cannot buy!

For example, how would you like to choose your own Charlotte Balbier dress after an in-depth one-to-one consultation with Charlotte Balbier herself where you'll get to work with Charlotte to decide which of her dresses is "the one"! You'll also be treated to cupcakes and tea all day, a make-up lesson from a celebrity make-up artist, accessories to match your gown, a luxury goody bag and a vintage-style afternoon tea to finish the day off in style!

or

What about a private consultation with leading designer, Ian Stuart, in his London showroom. He will help you choose the perfect style for your big day and you will then be able to pick from ANY dress from his Killer Queen collection!

There are also dresses from Jenny Packham, Claire Pettibone (via Blackburn Bridal), Sassi Holford & Sabina Motasem to name but a few.

Bridesmaids dresses from Maids to Measure, Two Birds and Royal flower girl dress designer herself Nicki MacFarlane. Shoes from Emmy, Aruna Seth, Rachel Simpson and Harriet Wilde….and the list goes on…and on….and on!In fact you could get pretty much everything you need for your big day from groom wear to honeymoon with everything in-between!There is even an engagement shoot with styling from KS favourite photographer the amazing Kat Hill who shot our Bright Young Things Collection photoshoot.

We were also delighted to be able to donate two pieces from the BYT collection to this amazing cause. You could be the lucky winner of our Darcy freshwater and Swarovski crystal comb or our Fifi silk face veil.

Head on over to the Oxfam Wedding Auction page or Love My Dress to see all of the amazing items on offer.

Happy bidding!..and don't forget all proceeds go to charity so please bid generously!

{IMAGES} 1. Oxfam Weddings
2. Charlotte Balbier - Ava 3. Ian Stuart - Basilica
4. (clockwise) Sassi Holford - Anya, Sabina Motasem - Alaya, Claire Pettibone - Sparrow, Jenny Packham - Carmen,
5. Kelly Spence - Fifi silk face veil (shown with Lucinda Comb) and Darcy freshwater pearl & Swarovski crystal comb (photos Kat Hill)

Sample & Sale Veils

We're running out of veil space here at Kelly Spence Bridal Accessories so some have to go!

Be quick and grab yourself a diaphanous bargain!

We have one of each of the following for sale so be sure to give us a call or drop us a line if any of these have your name on…..

SAMPLE VEILS - 50% off

Genoa (edgeless) - 126” - Ivory - was £81, now £40 (sample veil)

Ronda (scalloped edge with crystal droplets) - 72” - Antique White - was £128, now £64 (sample veil)

Genoa flat (edgeless) 108” Ivory was £70, now £35 (sample veil)

Katerini full (small oversewn edge) 126” Ivory was £94, now £47 (sample veil)


SALE VEILS – 30% off

Denver (small edge with small crystal scatter) 72” Antique White was £110, now £77 (new veil)

Fiji (1cm satin edge) 54” Antique White was £53, now £37 (new veil)

Katerini 54” small oversewn edge) White was £38, now £26 (new veil)

Fiji (1cm satin edge) 54" Ivory was £53, now £37 (new veil)

Click on over to the website for more details on the particular designs

Vintage Bride Designer Sale

We're very excited to be exhibiting at (and helping organise!) the inaugural Vintage Bride Designer Sale at One Marylebone on Sunday! There are going to be lots of amazing suppliers offering generous discounts, sample dresses for sale, a cocktail bar and even a spa area!

The sale is on from 12-6pm, entrance is free (that makes a nice change doesn't it!) but pre-registration is required. There are also some fab goody bags with treats from Aveda & OPI for the first 200 through the door!

Now that is something to be excited about don't you think! Hope to see you there!

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 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 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 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).

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

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 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)