We're back!

 

After unforeseen circumstances, the owner here at Vogue Bride had to step away from writing.

Back in good health - we're back to writing wedding posts, keeping you updated with the latest trends, bridal wear fashions and wedding tips!

We are so excited to be back!

Thank you to all of you who have followed us in the mean time,

 

Stay tuned for some of our next posts...

 

Autumn Weddings

Winter Wedding Styling

White vs. Ivory

Art Deco Themes

Muted tone bridesmaids

Bridal Designers of the Year

... and many, many more!

 

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Vintage Accessories: The Birdcage Veil

In previous blog posts, I have gone into detail about vintage wedding themes, and briefly mentioned birdcage veils. With the vintage wedding theme clearly becoming more and more popular, I've decided to dedicate a blog post to each individual aspect of a vintage wedding theme, in order to help you brides who as lusting after this fabulously fashionable theme.

 

So I've decided I'm going to do my first post which is solely dedicated to the vintage theme, about birdcage veils...

 

 

Veils are fabulous, as I'm sure you've read elsewhere on my blog, I'm a sucker for tradition. And nothing screams "traditional bride" to me, like a veil does. I've noticed too, when at work and dressing up brides-to-be, that conversations go a lot like this:

 

Me: Have you thought about a veil?

Bride-to-be: Erm, yes I have. I don't like them.

Me: Shall we just try one? You don't know unless you try!

Bride-to-be: OK then

*puts veil on bride-to-be*

Bride-to-be: Oh my God! I feel like a real bride! 

And it's true! It sounds pushy - but a bride doesn't know if she likes something unless she tries it. As I'm sure most of the brides reading this have found, you have to expect the unexpected when it comes to finding your outfit for the day. A dress style that you think you like might not be right for you, and those dress styles that you ruled out before trying them on might look absolutely drop-dead gorgeous.

 

So, you're a bride with her heart set on a vintage wedding for your big day. You've found your dress, you've got the men kitted out, you've got the venue, the transport, the bridesmaids sorted, the catering, the flowers, the seating plan... What about your accessories?

For me, nothing is as effective for a bride wanting to look retro and vintage, quite like a birdcage veil. I have to admit, when they're not being worn, and you are just looking at them on a display cabinet - they can look a little frightening. But don't let that put you off!

 

 

Birdcage veils are extremely easy to pull off, so long as you have the confidence to do so. They surprisingly suit a number of different style dresses - not just that stereotypical, lacy, vintage dress. These style of veils also look their best with an updo, just to stretch your theme even more, try a twisted updo with perhaps a little beehive bump, to make you look super retro!

 

One of the best places I've found to buy these fabulous accessories is the online store "Not on the High street". They've got a rather impressive collection of these veils, and they're also not too costly!

I personally love this full faced birdcage veil, by Faulkner & Carter London, for only £55...
 

Style: Silk Bow with Birdcage Veil

 

Click the link below to browse their collection of birdcage veils.

 http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&term=birdcage+veil

The best thing about this website is also that a lot of the vendors on it, ship worldwide!

 

What I also love about the birdcage veil - is that anybody can wear them. You don't have to be a certain age in order to pull them off. I've seen brides ranging from all ages, from 20 to 50+ who plan on wearing these veils - and each bride who wears one looks absolutely timeless.

 

 

Although I harp on about the tradition of veils, a birdcage veil is a great way to step away from tradition if you're wanting a different type of wedding style. Some brides just don't feel like they suit the typical tulle style of veil, and the birdcage veil gives a unique twist on that tradition and allows the bride to have fun with her outfit.

 

 

The birdcage veils also look absolutely incredible with tea-length dresses. Again, because they just heighten the vintage-ness that a tea-length dress brings. A splash of red lipstick - and before you know it you're a 50s bride, in the 21st century, turning heads for all the right reasons.

 

So go out there and try one! You don't know until you try

 

X

 

 

 

Wedding Hairstyles

After deciding on the dress, what's next? Well - (depending on the bride of course) the suits, the bridemaids, the rings, the decor and after the bride takes a step back from the planning and preparation, she realises she needs to decide on finalising the look on the day. This then includes finding the underwear, the accessories, the jewelry and most impotantly - the hairstyle!

 

Just like the bridal magazines, in any supermarket you will find shelf after shelf of hairstyle ideas mags, and a lot of these are in fact specialised for the bride herself. Infact, most of the actual bridal magazines tend to have sections on hairstyles, for example this months issue of Wedding Ideas Magazine...

 

"40 HAIR LOOKS THAT SUIT YOU"

 

But what is the most popular wedding hairstyle? Are you interested in going for a long and flowing, curled and bouncy style? ...Are you wanting a sophisticated and classy, glamourous and elegant updo? Or maybe you're indecisive and have your heart set on a half-up/half-down look? The choices are endless. However, the choice itself always tends to resort back to the dress itself (probably like a lot of the decisions that go into planning a wedding!). For example, if you were to wear a dress with a high collar, a silhoutte which has become very popular this year - especially in lacy fabric such as this Charlotte Balbier fishtail gown...

 

Style: Etta

 

Then you wouldn't want to have long, tousled hair as it would hide the detail around your neck and shoulders. An updo is much better suited to a dress with a high collar, as the model in the picture demonstrates. As I mentioned earlier - this lacy high collar neckline is becoming a very popular option on the market, especially for those brides who are indeed wanting that antique, vintage look. So why not set off the vintage lace detailing on the shoulders and neckline of a dress like this, with a striking updo?

 

Plaits, twists, buns, pins... an awful lot can be done to make not only the perfect hairstyle for your wedding, but a mini work of art! Check out this hairstyle from BrookeHackettBeauty, the hairstyle is so bonny and sweet, and could work for anyone from the bride herself to the bridesmaids.

 

Instagram: brookhackettbeauty

 

Curled, flowing locks are much better suited to a strapless dress with anything from a straight-cut to a sweetheart neckline, such as this Vera Wang wedding dress from the current Fall Collection 2012...

 

Style: Jasmine

 

The long hair is great for breaking up your decolletage area from your shoulders, as from experience I have known some brides to feel a little over-exposed with having too much flesh being bare.

That doesn't mean to say however that updos do not work with strapless dresses, and having your hair down with a dress that has detailing around the collar can't look "right". It depends solely on your comfort as a bride, the dress itself and the hairstyle you're wanting.

This is just a guideline!

 

 

Bridal Body Confidence

I have dealt with many different brides, all ranging from below a size 4 to way over a size 30, and I of course am not stereotyping all brides either side of this size margin, but from personal experience many of them feel uncomfortable trying on dresses and do not show half the excitement of that as a body confident bride.

From my point of view, regardless of the dress a bride finally chooses, she will always look a million dollars. Be it that she's chosen a sale gown, borrowed a dress from a friend, made the dress herself or even is she has splashed out thousands on "the one" - you stick a woman in piece of flowing white material with a splash of make up and a beaming smile, and they will look the part.

Very often we have brides-to-be come into our shop who sadly sometimes feel as though they will not make the picture-perfect bride. The hang-up that these brides have is the fact they feel their bodies are inadequate to pull off an expensive, beautiful gown. I have dealt with many of these brides and I have to admit it is heartbreaking to see women feel so self-conscious over something they feel will stop them from being jaw-droppingly stunning on their Big Day.

Unfortunately, once or twice I have struggled to find the beaming smile which completes a bride-to-be. A brides first experience in a bridal shop ought to be where that grin starts, and that dazzling smile should continue right up to the wedding day. I imagine ALL brides are apprehensive when headed to their first consultation in a bridal boutique, overthing about being stood infront of a total stranger who will be dressing them in thousands of pounds worth of material goods... in underwear! (...Not the consultant. If it is - get out.)

All us women, unfortunately, have some flaw we notice each day, or something we'd prefer to have altered or removed. Very rarely is there a woman who is 100% satisfied with herself (if there is, email me her details... I'd like tips!). And unfortunately this is just the harsh reality. However, no matter what this particular flaw may be, you should never, ever let it ruin your experience as a bride. Each woman deserves the chance to shine on their day, as we do everyday. (In reality though, nobody really has the energy to shine EVERY single day, it would take an awful lot of expense, dedication and time, and let's face it - we're all too busy!) Which is why a wedding day is classed as the bride's day. It is her day to look flawless and beautiful, and walk with confidence down the aisle in THE stunning, white dress.

As I said earlier, it breaks my heart to see women shying away from being confident in respect to finding the right dress. As bridal consultants, we do not notice these flaws that worry these women so. We notice the beaming smile, the excitement in their eyes and the beauty that is in every single bride-to-be. So if any future brides are infact reading this, listen to me when I say you will look gorgeous on your day, and enjoy every single minute that you spend in the boutiques you go to, it's the first big step on the way to being that picture-perfect bride.