There is little I love more than my step back into times past for a Chic Vintage Brides post, except maybe when it is a bride from a far off, exotic location, and a royal bride at that!

 (Image Source)

 This week’s Chic Vintage Bride Shigeko Higashikuni was the eldest daughter of Emperor Shōwa and the elder sister to the present Emperor of Japan, Emperor Akihito. Marrying Prince Morihiro Higashikuni in 1943, in the middle of World War II, the wedding was modest for a royal wedding, with ceremonies and expenses kept to a minimum. The bride wore an elegant long sleeved gown painted with chrysanthemums that belonged to her mother, and carried a fan…. I only wish I could find a picture of it open, I am sure it would have been exquisite.

Such a beautiful beginning in such uncertain times.

Amy

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Tagged: 1940s, Chic Vintage Bride

I have (often, I’m sure) mentioned on Chic Vintage Brides my dream of owning a wedding dress boutique and my love of losing myself in the latest wedding dress designs, and so I am sure it will come as little surprise that one of my favourite emails to receive is one from a designer asking me to share their new collection on my little blog. Long before I received today’s photos I had been a fan of designer Jessica Fontaine’s, so I couldn’t have been any more excited when the lovely lady herself asked me to help spread the word of her new designs and brand Rose & Delilah…..

 Daphne – Silk charmeuse with a French Alencon lace overlay and cap sleeves made from delicate hand stitched lace flowers.

Jessica says of her latest creations “Rose & Delilah is all about simple silhouette’s with a vintage modern feel.” Focusing on the finer details Rose & Delilah features delicate laces, sparkling crystals, handmade flowers and pretty bows. But I think I will give up trying to put their beauty into words and just let the photos do the talking. Originally from New Zealand Jessica returned home to capture the beauty of her new designs. Getting together with a team of local professionals and finding the perfect secluded forest on the outskirts of Nelson, to create this dreamy styled shoot……

Delilah – A flowing silk chiffon with delicate draping on the bodice and Chantilly lace sleeves and a keyhole back.

Grace – Layers of silk chiffon with a French Alencon lace bodice, sheer chiffon straps and a delicate shoulder bow.

 Luci – Draped liquid silk strapless gown with a matching Luci sash made of hand beaded Swarovski crystals.

Madeline – Luxurious liquid silk with French Lace cap sleeves and back detail; and a silk bow sash.

Ava – Silk crepe with French lace cap sleeve and waist detail has a detachable cowl back.

Such a dreamy shoot I can almost feel the warmth of the late summer sun on my skin. And those dresses….. wow! Especially Ava with its removable cowl back!

The dresses are designed and lovingly handcrafted in the USA and can be found in fine bridal boutiques there and around the world; as well as through Rose & Delilah’s e-boutique.

Or you can see the collection at a Trunk Show from the 28th to the 30th of June 2013 in Atlanta’s fabest bridal boutique The Sentamentalist.

Amy

x

Photographer -  Reflections Memorable Images

Hair -  Michelle Longman

Styling - Raindrops on Roses

Invitation - Lady Letterpress

Makeup - Becky Spence

Model - Holly Parkes

This is a Sponsor Post. If you would like to learn more about CVB’s readers and analytics or the various advertising and sponsorship options available, please do not hesitate to get in touch. Email me at amy@chicvintagebrides.com.

Tagged: 2013, Designer, Wedding Dress

It is all in the details, or so they say and it is often the details that make a wedding memorable. And that’s not to say that a wedding needs to be stuffed with expensive or elaborate details, but rather the little thoughtful and personal details are what will form your memories of your big day and those of your loved ones and guests. The traditional wedding cake is now another way in which you can infuse your wedding with a glimmer of your personalities, if not with an alternative wedding cake, then with a unique, quirky or customised wedding cake topper. Whether you are looking for something rustic, chic, customisable, vintage or even  DIY one of these toppers will I hope be the perfect choice for you!

Personalised Wooden Peg Wedding Cake Toppers

Grace the top of your wedding cake with hand painted miniatures versions of you and your beloved….

(Wooden Wedding Cake Toppers)

(Wooden Wedding Cake Toppers from Style Me Pretty - Left and Right)

Custom Hand Painted Wooden Wedding Cake Toppers – Lollipop Workshop on Etsy

I love Lollipop Workshops bright and beautiful customisable painted wooden pegs, particularly their pretty arched Balloons and Bunting cake topper.

Hand Painted Wooden Cake Topper – Lollipop Workshop on Etsy

Custom Wedding Cake Toppers – The Small Object

The Small Object also sell  pedestals and glass cloches in which to forever keep their super sweet wedding cake toppers.

Peg Doll Wedding Cake Toppers – Goose Grease on Etsy

Goose Grease offers fun Superhero designs as well as a DIY set for the artistic amongst you.

 DIY Wooden Peg Wedding Cake Topper – Goose Grease on Etsy

Crown Wedding Cake Toppers

Or channel your inner princess and top your wedding cake with a chic crown. I have loved this look since first I glimpsed it on  Elizabeth Messina‘s (the lady credited with starting the trend) fabulous blog Kiss The Groom.

 (Crown Wedding Cake Topper)

(Crown Wedding Cake Topper)

Crown Wedding Cake Topper on Etsy

Crown Wedding Cake Topper – Pretty Little Store on Ebay

Crown Wedding Cake Topper – Pretty Little Store on Ebay

Brooch Wedding Cake Toppers

Or add a spot of glitz and sparkle with a brooch cake topper to match your bouquet……

 Brooch Wedding Cake Topper from Brooch Bouquets

 Brooch Wedding Cake Topper from Noaki

The First Snowfall

Or for a less statement cake topper, The First Snowfall is a little Etsy shop filled with joy and wonder for your wedding (and home) including these hand painted floral banners which are equally pretty and easily customisable to your chosen wedding palette…..

The First Snowfall Wedding Cake Topper (Image Source Style Me Pretty)

Handpainted Banner

 Over the Moon

Bird Wedding Cake Toppers

Chic Vintage Brides oh so sweet Bird Cake Toppers post remains one of the most popular – and a favourite of mine. So I couldn’t resist a bit of an update with some of my latest finds and recap of some of the cutest…. they still make me smile!

Rustic Bird Wedding Cake Topper – Milo & Ben on Etsy

Felt Owl Wedding Cake Toppers

Felt Robin Cake Toppers on Etsy

 Love Birds Wedding Cake Toppers – Felt Me Up Designs on Etsy

Latte Wedding Cake Topper – Felt Me Up Designs on Etsy

Rustic Bird Cake Toppers on Etsy

Mr & Mrs Bird Wedding Cake Topper on Etsy

Knitted Bird Cake Topper – Cherry Time on Etsy

Papier Mache Bird Cake Toppers – Tuck & Bonte on Etsy

Papier Mache Bird Cake Toppers – Tuck & Bonte on Etsy

Ann Wood Bird Cake Toppers

BHLDN Bird Wedding Cake Topper

China Bird Wedding Cake Topper – Style Me Pretty

 Available to buy from Wedding Collectibles

DIY Wedding Cake Toppers

For the DIY brides here are some incredibly stunning, eye-catching and most importantly easy to re-create cake toppers to hopefully inspire you…..

DIY China Cup Wedding Cake Topper (image source Wedding Chicks)

Snow Globe Wedding Cake Topper (image source Ruffled)

DIY Edible Gold Dusted Fruit Cake Toppers – Style Me Pretty & Project Wedding

DIY Fresh Fruit Wedding Cake Topper (image source Style Me Pretty)

DIY Photo Wedding Cake Topper (image source Green Wedding Shoes)

DIY Glitter Heart Wedding Cake Topper

DIY Brooch & Bow Wedding Cake Topper (image source Style Me Pretty)

Other Wedding Cake Toppers

Or if none of the above have ticked your fancy, how about…..

Midsummer Cake Topper – BHLDN

I can almost smell the scent of the super pretty Midsummer Cake Topper from BHLDN…. Such a stunning bouquet of flowers, it is hard to believe they are created from delicate petals of clay.

Crystal Cloche Wedding Cake Topper – BHLDN

I also love this vintage inspired crystal cloche also from BHLDN – stylish and timeless I can see it becoming an heirloom of the future.

Silhouette Wedding Cake Topper – Silhouette Weddings on Etsy

Rustic Embroidered Cake Toppers on Etsy

Simple Wedding Cake Topper on Etsy

 Love Is Wedding Cake Topper – Figs & Ginger

 Vintage Wedding Cake Topper on Etsy

Gosh, there is so much choice….. it’s hard for me to pick a favourite! For my dream woodland wedding though it would have to be Rustic Bird Wedding Cake Topper  from Milo & Ben on Etsy….although I might have to put in a special request for some robins. Have you found your dream wedding cake topper?

Amy

x

Tagged: Wedding Cake, Wedding Cake Topper

I swear Snippets, Whispers & Ribbons comes around quicker each week! Not such a bad thing though as they signal the start of the weekend

1. For all brides newly engaged I want to start this week’s Snippets, Whispers & Ribbons with a beautiful inspiration board from Magnolia Rouge. Copper Blues mixes the softest and sweestest of blues with rich copper and warm browns…. it is so gorgeously romantic and rustic!

2. This gorgeous Spring Inspiration Shoot on Once Wed shows how to style a wedding around a gorgeous venue – I love the way they have infused the palette with the ironwork and the architecture into the design of the wedding decor; it is organic and subtle but incredibly refined and polished…..

3. I have long admired the fairytale designs of Spanish Bridal Fashion house Rosa Clara (featuring her dresses in my Berry Winter Inspiraiton Board post and the ever popular Long Sleeved Wedding Dresses post) and her 2014 Collection glimpsed this week on Roses and Lace has all the timeless elegance we have come to expect. As well as some rather fabulous Gatsby inspired dresses, this design with its cute bow belt caught my eye…..

4. There can be little more romantic than a precious elopement, a secret meeting of two people in love to make that all important life long commitment….except maybe an elopement in the most awesome natural setting like this Romantic Woodland Elopement from Green Wedding Shoes, it will literally take your breath away! (and the first look is a smasher)

4. If you’re lucky, you will just think of your wedding photos as capturing details of the day, only realising their true value years later. It is only those less fortunate that realise at the time the importance of capturing such memories. If you have thought about (for whatever reason) not having a professional photographer at your wedding, this thought provoking post may well change your mind……

Well I will be mostly spending this week packing as the place I call home will shortly be changing, not by much, but it is always exciting moving into your own home

Wishing you all a fun and fabulous weekend,

Amy

x

I have always loved vintage jewellery and confess to a hint of envy of those people lucky enough to have beautiful heirloom jewellery passed down through generations of their family. It’s not just the style I envy, it is the history, that draws me to vintage jewellery – the stories behind them, the love locked in them, there is nothing more beautiful.

So I couldn’t be more excited to be sharing a Wedding Wisdom post from Chic Vintage Bride favourite Trumpet & Horn today with some top tips for buying a Vintage Engagement Ring…..

Buying your engagement ring is one of the most exciting purchases that many couples will make in their lifetimes. Deciding what kind of engagement ring you want can be a daunting and time consuming process, considering ALL the different kinds of rings, jewelers, and options there are out there!

Buying a vintage engagement ring is NOT the same thing as buying a newly made ring from a national jeweler. Vintage and antique engagement rings that are truly one-of-a-kind are also previously owned and loved, and therefore have a much different process to becoming yours than purchasing or designing a new ring. So to help you successfully buy vintage, we’ve put together a list of key steps to find the perfect vintage engagement ring…..

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Tagged: Art Deco, Edwardian, Jewellery, Victorian, Wedding Wisdom

This week it was the 52nd wedding anniversary of today’s Chic Vintage Bride…..

On 8 June 1961, Katharine Worsley married Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, the eldest son of Prince George, Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina, at York Minster.

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Tagged: 1960s, Chic Vintage Bride, Royal Wedding