Hi Everyone, sorry I have not kept my vow to blog often!! However now the lovely Rosie is my guest blogger for me it should be easier to keep you all up to date!! I hyave been a busy bee. I had a fabulous client who had an all Hallows Eve Wedding. She came to me ( having met me when I altered her Mum's wedding dress last year) as she had bought a lovely Alfred Angelo dress but had not lost quite as much weight as she had planned- having a baby does that!!! So as the dress was about 8 inches too long and also six inches to narrow she was panicking!!
I decided in order to keep all the gorgeous embroidery and beeding on the skirt which went right down to the hem and to add a corset back, the best way was to - wait for it....... chop her £1000 dress in half!!! ever seen that magic trick? well this was the same idea! talk about stressfull- I sent her a text saying the dress has come through surgery and is now in recovery!!
Anyway it looked amazing and her bridesmaids were in red Debut dresses to which i added lots of hotfix crystals in the outline of Bats!! yes Bats!! and with the tiny top hats with birdcage veils I supplied they looked awesome!! Must dash now as got my physio - I had my knee reapired two weeks ago and off to get the stitches out too!! Whoop!!- I do admit I have removed one myself !!
Friday 18 November 2011
Saturday 12 November 2011
Rosie's first blog
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| Louise in a Rebecca Jane Original Shrug |
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| Me getting my hair done for the show |
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| Rowan gives Auntie Rosie a cuddle |
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| Model Behaviour from Rhianna |
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| Claire in a Rebecca Jane Original - "Marilyn" |
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| Beth in "Burlesque" |
For local brides/lovers of sparkly things - Bex is setting up a stall on Wednesday 16th November 2011 at the St George's School Christmas Fayre in Middleton St George. If you've got time to pop by you might pick up a cheeky Christmas Bargain.
Enjoy the GASP Photos, and I'll update you soon!
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| The Kids being dutiful assistants |
Monday 17 October 2011
Hmmmnn after my post yesterday I am now eating my hat!!!!................
LOL!! After yesterdays essay regarding blogs what do I see today ??? one of my brides on a Blog !!! However and it is a big however she is wearing a totally non traditional wedding dress!! In fact it was sugar pink fabulous dress by Mori Lee. So maybe my principles are still intact.....
Check it out as it is on a blog by a lady I admire and the photos are by the superb Gasp Photography- working with them this week on a shoot- that will be fun. Watch this space. WEll done to Julia Braime of Brides up North for featuring a Bride who in no way confirmed to the norm!!http://bridesupnorth.com/2011/10/17/catch-of-the-day-danielle-rocks-her-dress/
Check it out as it is on a blog by a lady I admire and the photos are by the superb Gasp Photography- working with them this week on a shoot- that will be fun. Watch this space. WEll done to Julia Braime of Brides up North for featuring a Bride who in no way confirmed to the norm!!http://bridesupnorth.com/2011/10/17/catch-of-the-day-danielle-rocks-her-dress/
Sunday 16 October 2011
Wedding Bloggers- Inspiration or Intimidation???
Today I came accross a very interesting response to an article entitled "Wedding bloggers- you suck!"
The original piece is an open letter to http://hindsightbride.com/2011/10/10/open-letter-wedding-bloggers/#axzz1aZoniYIL
by a Wedding Photographer. It is an excellently well written piece. There are oodles of comments both for and against the point he/she is making.
Annabel from one of my favourite blogs "Love my dress" has written an excellent reply.
http://www.lovemydress.net/blog/2011/10/dear-wedding-photographers.html
Now this really got me thinking as I , being in the Wedding Industry and earning my living from it, have to unfortunately advertise ( until I become so famous it is no longer neccesary lol) In order to advertise at a reasonable cost you need to have editorial peices and photo shoots published. In order for a peice about you, or shoot to make it's way through the zillions of submissions piling up in editors email in boxes you have to have either an amzing angle or fit perfectlu into what is considered trendy. I go twice a year to The national Bridal Exhibition at Harrogate to do my buying of jewellery and accesories and to seek inspiration. To be honest I both LOVE the show and also despair. You see racks and racks of the same dress!! Of course this season there were copies of kate Middletons dress. Now it is a difficult one this- as a designer do I design what is popular ( and already exists by the railfull) or do I go for something a little different?? I myself tend not to shop in high street stores i buy from charity shops. I may buy something that is a current trend- but because i like it not because it is trendy. ( My current passion is scarves lol!!- lots and lots of them) My clients come to me for several reasons, a lot come to use my "Save the Day" service in order to salvage their ebay disaster dress, or just to have their gown they have bought elsewhere altered at a reasonable cost. They may indeed just come to me to hire a hoop or have the dress cleaned before or after the wedding. Customers who come to me to have a dress made come for two reasons - well three actually. One- they can not find what they want on the high street in the right size and know that custom made will work out more cost effective in the long run.. Two they can not find what they want at all. Three thay can find it but way out of their budget.
Many of my clients are sent via previous clients reccomendation. Some find an image of my work in the media and track me down- two of this weeks clients travvelled in excess of three hours to see me.
I absolutely love my job- it is my passion. My children and husband love to see the way it makes me feel. I always build a strong rapport with every client , I often get invited to their weddings and in many cases remain freinds long after the dressmaking process is over. All my clients are different, some have small weddings some huge. some have spent over £1000 on a dress they bring me to alter, some have spent £89 on ebay. AND let me tell you the dress budget in no way reflects the rest of the budget- I have a current £89 ebay dress client ( whose dress now i have altered it to fit!!- added accesories, shoes and a matching coat- now looks amazing!!) her wedding is huge at a top priced venue- the dress was just not as important to her as having an extra 50 guests there.Anyway as i was saying all my clients are different and every wedding in their eyes is perfect. I myself am so happy to have been a part of that day wether i designed the entire theme or just ensured the dress had the correct hoop under it! Strangely even though I have done full on medieval weddings, burlesque ( avec fishnets and tiny top hats) vintage 1930's , 1950's . Lime green brides, red brides etc non of my work is featured in any blogs ( apart from each photographers own) Non of my brides have been in any national magazines or any of the mainstream wedding blogs. Now after reading The Love my dress response and the original piece, it set me thinking........??? Why is this??? Is it because my dresses were not exceptional?? ( if I say so myself no!) was the photography underpar???- NO!! were the venues boring?? No were the details too few or uninteresting?? No!! So why????? I tell you why cos non of my brides to my knowledge have ever submitted their big day to a blog. Some of them did not even follow blogs!! or belong to a forum of other brides to be- shock horror!! Why is this- do they think they are a different??- answer yes- many say I just do not want to be the same as all the stuff in magazines etc. Some think that they must be diffrent and that maybe there wedding would not be the type of thing that would be featured. Now a lot of editors and bloggers tell me that if they featured normal weddings no one would be interested. However are we now getting to the stage where a wedding with - what was it the poster hated-
I think it is more about the type of person who submits a wedding to a blog in order to submit, you must want to be on it and in order to want to be on it you must like it and in that case by default you will probably have had the kind of wedding already popular on that type of blog. Maybe I should start my own blog for all those Medieval, Victorian, Burlesque etc clients out there. The question is how many are there?? Enough for me to earn a living and surely they do not all find me there must be more out there. But as they either are not submitting their blogs or they are being turned away, we will never know. ......Dare to be different!!! ( and call me lol!!! www.bexbrides.co.uk)
The original piece is an open letter to http://hindsightbride.com/2011/10/10/open-letter-wedding-bloggers/#axzz1aZoniYIL
by a Wedding Photographer. It is an excellently well written piece. There are oodles of comments both for and against the point he/she is making.
Annabel from one of my favourite blogs "Love my dress" has written an excellent reply.
http://www.lovemydress.net/blog/2011/10/dear-wedding-photographers.html
Now this really got me thinking as I , being in the Wedding Industry and earning my living from it, have to unfortunately advertise ( until I become so famous it is no longer neccesary lol) In order to advertise at a reasonable cost you need to have editorial peices and photo shoots published. In order for a peice about you, or shoot to make it's way through the zillions of submissions piling up in editors email in boxes you have to have either an amzing angle or fit perfectlu into what is considered trendy. I go twice a year to The national Bridal Exhibition at Harrogate to do my buying of jewellery and accesories and to seek inspiration. To be honest I both LOVE the show and also despair. You see racks and racks of the same dress!! Of course this season there were copies of kate Middletons dress. Now it is a difficult one this- as a designer do I design what is popular ( and already exists by the railfull) or do I go for something a little different?? I myself tend not to shop in high street stores i buy from charity shops. I may buy something that is a current trend- but because i like it not because it is trendy. ( My current passion is scarves lol!!- lots and lots of them) My clients come to me for several reasons, a lot come to use my "Save the Day" service in order to salvage their ebay disaster dress, or just to have their gown they have bought elsewhere altered at a reasonable cost. They may indeed just come to me to hire a hoop or have the dress cleaned before or after the wedding. Customers who come to me to have a dress made come for two reasons - well three actually. One- they can not find what they want on the high street in the right size and know that custom made will work out more cost effective in the long run.. Two they can not find what they want at all. Three thay can find it but way out of their budget.
Many of my clients are sent via previous clients reccomendation. Some find an image of my work in the media and track me down- two of this weeks clients travvelled in excess of three hours to see me.
I absolutely love my job- it is my passion. My children and husband love to see the way it makes me feel. I always build a strong rapport with every client , I often get invited to their weddings and in many cases remain freinds long after the dressmaking process is over. All my clients are different, some have small weddings some huge. some have spent over £1000 on a dress they bring me to alter, some have spent £89 on ebay. AND let me tell you the dress budget in no way reflects the rest of the budget- I have a current £89 ebay dress client ( whose dress now i have altered it to fit!!- added accesories, shoes and a matching coat- now looks amazing!!) her wedding is huge at a top priced venue- the dress was just not as important to her as having an extra 50 guests there.Anyway as i was saying all my clients are different and every wedding in their eyes is perfect. I myself am so happy to have been a part of that day wether i designed the entire theme or just ensured the dress had the correct hoop under it! Strangely even though I have done full on medieval weddings, burlesque ( avec fishnets and tiny top hats) vintage 1930's , 1950's . Lime green brides, red brides etc non of my work is featured in any blogs ( apart from each photographers own) Non of my brides have been in any national magazines or any of the mainstream wedding blogs. Now after reading The Love my dress response and the original piece, it set me thinking........??? Why is this??? Is it because my dresses were not exceptional?? ( if I say so myself no!) was the photography underpar???- NO!! were the venues boring?? No were the details too few or uninteresting?? No!! So why????? I tell you why cos non of my brides to my knowledge have ever submitted their big day to a blog. Some of them did not even follow blogs!! or belong to a forum of other brides to be- shock horror!! Why is this- do they think they are a different??- answer yes- many say I just do not want to be the same as all the stuff in magazines etc. Some think that they must be diffrent and that maybe there wedding would not be the type of thing that would be featured. Now a lot of editors and bloggers tell me that if they featured normal weddings no one would be interested. However are we now getting to the stage where a wedding with - what was it the poster hated-
- mason jars
- burlap
- wild flowers
- vintage suitcases
- stuffed initials
- feathers
- distant mountains
- tea-length dresses
- hand-made signs
- and fields
I think it is more about the type of person who submits a wedding to a blog in order to submit, you must want to be on it and in order to want to be on it you must like it and in that case by default you will probably have had the kind of wedding already popular on that type of blog. Maybe I should start my own blog for all those Medieval, Victorian, Burlesque etc clients out there. The question is how many are there?? Enough for me to earn a living and surely they do not all find me there must be more out there. But as they either are not submitting their blogs or they are being turned away, we will never know. ......Dare to be different!!! ( and call me lol!!! www.bexbrides.co.uk)
Sunday 9 October 2011
Yeay I am back in blogland!!
Well sorry peeps that it has been 3 weeks since my last post.....- so much for my resolution!!
I do have a valid excuse though I have been really busy with clients and also did my first catwalk show which was fabulous ( and terrifying!!) It was really well received and great to see my designs on the catwalk. Check out some of the pics on my facebook page. Gasp photography took some ace pics.
Then less than a week after that I stepped in at the last minute to provide models and dresses for a ethereal magical woodland themed bridal shoot. !! This was a combined supplier shoot and was amazing to work with some of my amazingly talented peers in the business. Samantha Whitehead Young Wedding Design, Serendipity Flowers, Make up by Jo ,favours and stationary by The Wedding Fairy, hair by Helens Hair and photos by Ideal Photos. I promise to post some pics soon!!!
Today I was networking at edworth hall and caught up with some loevly people I normally only get to speak to on the phone- especially Karen Bell of Belle Bridal Magazine.
Spent the evening discussing some fabulous exciting new plans with Samantha Whitehead Young- watch this space for a really cool , fun and fabulous new venture............
I do have a valid excuse though I have been really busy with clients and also did my first catwalk show which was fabulous ( and terrifying!!) It was really well received and great to see my designs on the catwalk. Check out some of the pics on my facebook page. Gasp photography took some ace pics.
Then less than a week after that I stepped in at the last minute to provide models and dresses for a ethereal magical woodland themed bridal shoot. !! This was a combined supplier shoot and was amazing to work with some of my amazingly talented peers in the business. Samantha Whitehead Young Wedding Design, Serendipity Flowers, Make up by Jo ,favours and stationary by The Wedding Fairy, hair by Helens Hair and photos by Ideal Photos. I promise to post some pics soon!!!
Today I was networking at edworth hall and caught up with some loevly people I normally only get to speak to on the phone- especially Karen Bell of Belle Bridal Magazine.
Spent the evening discussing some fabulous exciting new plans with Samantha Whitehead Young- watch this space for a really cool , fun and fabulous new venture............
Monday 19 September 2011
Monday 19th September- as promised my vow to blog more often!!
Hello everyone. Do you like mondays?? I do apart from the mad scramble to find school uniforms, packlunch boxes and homework.....
I love that feeling of the whole week stretching ahead of me with lots of exciting stuff to do. Today I am meeting with the final model for the catwalk show at Hallgarth Hotel this sunday at The Darlington weddings Fayre. Pop along and see me there. Bit nerve racking as I have never attempted to do a catwalk before, I usually just stand by and admire everyone else!! However after lots of pestering from others and folks saying that I should do it I thought what the heck!! ( or words to that affect!!) So I will be doing two sets I think one showcasing my "To order" lines both bespoke and off the peg. The other will be a fabulous chance to show some of my amazing preloved and vintage gowns. I am really excited. Wish me luck- and anyone who has seen the amazing shows put on at the international bridal exhibition- do not expect it to be as slick as that lol!!! I took mey seven year old with me this time and she kept saying "Mummy why are thay sticking their boobies out and walking funny??? AND they are wearing waaaaaaay too uch make up their faces are all shiny !!" When they started doing dance routines she was a little thrown and when the guys starting digging all the moves she wispered "Mummy they are just embarrassing them selves now" So no I will not be attempting any of that- a couple of good tunes and my lovely models some semi proffesional and some just beautiful friends or colleagues- even some ex clients, and if they can make it up and down the catwalk without crowd diving I will be happy!! The gowns and accesories I hope will be stunning enough to speak for themselves.
So a busy week ahead, a 50's dress to complete plus a flower girls dress. In addition to all my regular "Save the Day" appointments and so on. Off now to sew up something lovely- you will see it on sunday.
Bex x
ps has anyone seen the squirrel that was having a look around my studio yesterday- word must have got around cos he/she came for a peek lol
I love that feeling of the whole week stretching ahead of me with lots of exciting stuff to do. Today I am meeting with the final model for the catwalk show at Hallgarth Hotel this sunday at The Darlington weddings Fayre. Pop along and see me there. Bit nerve racking as I have never attempted to do a catwalk before, I usually just stand by and admire everyone else!! However after lots of pestering from others and folks saying that I should do it I thought what the heck!! ( or words to that affect!!) So I will be doing two sets I think one showcasing my "To order" lines both bespoke and off the peg. The other will be a fabulous chance to show some of my amazing preloved and vintage gowns. I am really excited. Wish me luck- and anyone who has seen the amazing shows put on at the international bridal exhibition- do not expect it to be as slick as that lol!!! I took mey seven year old with me this time and she kept saying "Mummy why are thay sticking their boobies out and walking funny??? AND they are wearing waaaaaaay too uch make up their faces are all shiny !!" When they started doing dance routines she was a little thrown and when the guys starting digging all the moves she wispered "Mummy they are just embarrassing them selves now" So no I will not be attempting any of that- a couple of good tunes and my lovely models some semi proffesional and some just beautiful friends or colleagues- even some ex clients, and if they can make it up and down the catwalk without crowd diving I will be happy!! The gowns and accesories I hope will be stunning enough to speak for themselves.
So a busy week ahead, a 50's dress to complete plus a flower girls dress. In addition to all my regular "Save the Day" appointments and so on. Off now to sew up something lovely- you will see it on sunday.
Bex x
ps has anyone seen the squirrel that was having a look around my studio yesterday- word must have got around cos he/she came for a peek lol
Sunday 18 September 2011
Why am I so bad at blogging??????????
Well hello again everyone!!! I know I really need to join this blogging revolution. I have signed on and was horrified to find it is 10 months since my last post eek!!
What have I been up to??? Well I have had the most amazing year. This time last year I had just opened my preloved and vintage studio in the space vacated my my colleague who I used to share premises with. It has gone so well I have just relocated to fabulous new location, in the same grounds but a different building. I am now in the attic of The Old stables. So my nickname for old studio at the top of the manor house which was Rebecca Jane's Secret Attic has now become a reality!!! With a real life sign on the wall etc etc!!.
All the clients who have visited over the last 3 weeks have been blown away and all so complimentary. Yesterday there was a huge country fair at the venue and so I had a lot of people come and have a nosey. They all loved it and I had a lot of firm interest for future commisions. I had a couple of other jewellery and accesory shops who were very impressed and admitted they were going to steal some of my mercandising ideas. We also exchanged suppiler details so I now have some more fabulous suppliers to check out. I love networking and I know I need to do it more. I recently attended the Brides up North Tweet up and that was really good fun and made a lot of ace contacts.
So what else this year, I had a loevely bride whoa wanted a full medieval wedding including all the guests dressed in costume. I made her dress and the bridesmaids- that was featured in the regional papers.
I have had about thirty brides this year a mixture of made to measure from scratch to just providing my "Save the Day" service to add to, alter or repair their dresses. I have made mother of the bride, maids, pages flower girls. Headdresses necklaces button holes- you name it!!
Oh how can I forget my Burlesque Wedding Commision!! All the maids in full on burlesque- from the rear they looked like demure victorian ladies complete with bustle and roses and all in burgandy and black taffata. From the front- woowzer! They were all cleavage and legs- and amazingly it worked amazingly well and even though I say so myself they all looked great. The photographers said it was there best wedding of the year- which at the end of the wedding season i felt was a nice compliment. To come I have several more intersting comissions- including adding lace and bats- yes bats to some dresses! I have a victorian themed wedding after xmas and many more exciting commisions next year.
I now also have another seamstress who makes up all my soft furnishing and interior design work. I also have a lovely lady who not only is going to update my website for me but also is a very talented jewellery and headpeice designer. I have sold several of her peices already and only had tthem in my cabinets for 2 weeks!
So watch this space!!! Hopefully it will not be a space for 10 months this time!! I will try and blog every day- well er maybe once a week...................
Love Bex
What have I been up to??? Well I have had the most amazing year. This time last year I had just opened my preloved and vintage studio in the space vacated my my colleague who I used to share premises with. It has gone so well I have just relocated to fabulous new location, in the same grounds but a different building. I am now in the attic of The Old stables. So my nickname for old studio at the top of the manor house which was Rebecca Jane's Secret Attic has now become a reality!!! With a real life sign on the wall etc etc!!.
All the clients who have visited over the last 3 weeks have been blown away and all so complimentary. Yesterday there was a huge country fair at the venue and so I had a lot of people come and have a nosey. They all loved it and I had a lot of firm interest for future commisions. I had a couple of other jewellery and accesory shops who were very impressed and admitted they were going to steal some of my mercandising ideas. We also exchanged suppiler details so I now have some more fabulous suppliers to check out. I love networking and I know I need to do it more. I recently attended the Brides up North Tweet up and that was really good fun and made a lot of ace contacts.
So what else this year, I had a loevely bride whoa wanted a full medieval wedding including all the guests dressed in costume. I made her dress and the bridesmaids- that was featured in the regional papers.
I have had about thirty brides this year a mixture of made to measure from scratch to just providing my "Save the Day" service to add to, alter or repair their dresses. I have made mother of the bride, maids, pages flower girls. Headdresses necklaces button holes- you name it!!
Oh how can I forget my Burlesque Wedding Commision!! All the maids in full on burlesque- from the rear they looked like demure victorian ladies complete with bustle and roses and all in burgandy and black taffata. From the front- woowzer! They were all cleavage and legs- and amazingly it worked amazingly well and even though I say so myself they all looked great. The photographers said it was there best wedding of the year- which at the end of the wedding season i felt was a nice compliment. To come I have several more intersting comissions- including adding lace and bats- yes bats to some dresses! I have a victorian themed wedding after xmas and many more exciting commisions next year.
I now also have another seamstress who makes up all my soft furnishing and interior design work. I also have a lovely lady who not only is going to update my website for me but also is a very talented jewellery and headpeice designer. I have sold several of her peices already and only had tthem in my cabinets for 2 weeks!
So watch this space!!! Hopefully it will not be a space for 10 months this time!! I will try and blog every day- well er maybe once a week...................
Love Bex
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