Monthly Archives: November 2011

Stars of Fetcham Amy superstar stylist

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Emma | Comments Off

Only Amy, genius stylist, all round Miss Bush legend can claim to have had no part in this!!!

Fairy nuff and Ayca

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Stars of Fetcham The Shell Room, Laura Caudery and Sandra Young

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Emma | Comments Off

Weddings in Surrey Tweet Up

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Bea Coleman in Jenny Packham Erin

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Emma | Comments Off

Is it weddingy enough?

I get asked this question all the time with regards to dress choices that step off the well trodden path of the Noughties classic – strapless ruched A line gown (with or without lace shrug!) I am delighted that Bea has shared a selection of her favourite photos of her magnificently sporting her Packham to her stunning English church wedding to provide me with more pictorial evidence to support my answer.

Yes it is weddingy. Empahatically. 100 % bona fide bridal. Do it – wear it ! Love it….

Now that is what I call a staircase…

I love this cool palette of colours – and a white/ivory bouquet that actually matches the dress! 10/10 for the florist…

Glamorous, beautiful, happy – how much more weddingy could Bea be?

Many thanks to Bea for sharing these images. Team Bush love them.

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Posted in Real Brides

Jenny Packham Saskia on Holly Donoghue nee Cooney

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Emma | Comments Off

My Jenny Packham passion is no secret. Jenny’s cutting genius simply tramples over any other designers. Bias cut silk chiffon is hard to do. Get it wrong and you get puckered seams. Use too little fabric and it becomes all about jutting hip bones and too much anatomical information! Leave it unembellished and one runs the risk of looking rather toga party…

This morning Ladies and Gentleman I have three incredible Miss Bush brides in just such miracle gowns.

First is Holly – as far as I am concerned just her being named Holly makes this post have plenty of seasonal relevance too. Holly is wearing Saskia for a destination wedding which of course means that the dresses are easy to travel with and the pure silk right down to the lining means breathable, cool fabric. I t also means you look like an utter goddess…

I am in dress heaven looking at this…

Billowing silk and scattered petals are so romantic

Back detail – always have something for your guests to marvel at

Perfect true waist fit and stunning shoulder line

Mr and Mrs Donoghue. Holly perfectly modelling Jenny Packham’s Art Deco inspired beading/

A huge thanks from us all at Bush HQ to Holly for sharing these stunning photos. Sitting a my desk with on a dark morning I can virtually hear the cicadas in this grove of cypress trees…

Photography Patrick at http://www.butlermaddenweddings.com/

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Rebecca Woodger in Maggie Sottero Mirabella in a peachy vintage style!

Posted on November 21, 2011 by Emma | Comments Off

Once again I have the absolute pleasure in sharing a beautiful Maggie Sottero dress modelled far better by Becky than the models on the Maggie Sottero website. The colouring of the dress – light gold is the rather unprosaic adjective used by Maggie Sottero website – is actually the colour of set honey. The dress is made from a jewelled lace that drapes over the pale honeyed tulle and perfectly suits Becky’s Pre Raphelite beauty. Again the beady eyed wedding obsessive will notice the continued rehabilitation of ‘peach’. Once shunned as being 80s – it is welcomed back as a colour choice bringing a retro feel to the styling.

Another fabulous touch for me is to have been sent a link to a short video clip by Shortfilm Company – note to my brides to be – I love this!!! You all know I am wedding obsessed nosey parker so indulge me…

http://vimeo.com/27395861

Peach comes in from the cold….

Amazing vintage car from Arrive in Style

Hello handsome couple Mr and Mrs Axcell

I think a parasol should be mandatory!

The pale gold and peach sits perfectly in the eau de nil and gilt room

Many thanks to Becky and Stuart for sharing their favourite photos – OK – with a heavy bias towards the dress for my benefit.

I would also like to share Becky’s words

“Firstly, I wanted to thank you all at Miss Bush for everything you did. I could not have asked for a more beautiful and perfect dress. I had so many compliments and just felt so special and amazing on the day. It is timeless and I would not change one thing about it.

I also wanted to thank you all for the wonderful experience. The service was second to none; all so friendly and helpful and so professional. I will definitely be recommending you to all my friends. My nephew has just got engaged so I will definitely be telling his fiancé about you and perhaps I’ll get to visit the shop again as I am a Bridesmaid :-)”

Lots of Love

Becky & Stuart Axcell

xxxxx

Credits
Church – Boxley, Kent
Photography Kevin Edwards www.kevinedwardsphotography.co.uk/
Vintage Car – Arrive in Style http://arriveinstylecars.co.uk/contact.aspx
Reception venue Bradbourne House Kent http://www.bradbournehousekent.co.uk/

Flowers Florian http://www.florianflowers.co.uk

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Tagged maggie sottero real bride

Sarah Hewson nee Hughes in Jesus Peiro

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Emma | 1 Comment

Part of me is considering just showing these incredible photos of Sarah in her Jesus Peiro gown with a straightforward list of credits and you can all simply marvel at her beauty, perfection and poise.

I can’t. Goodness knows why I have decided to become so confessional but there are so many moments in the lead up to these photos I need to share ‘with the group.’

On a Thursday, my occasional day off, I have from 9am until the end of the school day to do what I like. Oddly what I ‘like’ doing is trying to recover the house from it’s shabby state wearing, what can only be described as, dog-walking clothes (no dog though!) At the time of Sarah’s order my youngest son went to school near one of my favourite charity shops. The one where I picked up a 1950s dressing table in mint condition…

It was in this very shop where I got THE call from Bush HQ. Another feature of a day off is that I insist on being called if there is anything noteworthy.

A rather hysterical Gen, my mother and Edna Mode understudy, was making it plain I was needed at Bush HQ on the double. There was a bride in tears and it was all looking rather serious. A dress was too tight and the wedding date was looming. So grabbing my 11 year old son away from the once worn PlayStation 2 games and putting down some collectible Midwinter I hopped into the Zafira and arrived at the Bush.

Of course other women’s ‘boyfriend’ jeans/jumper/blazer look may be stylish and insouciant. Not mine. I just look like a tramp. With my ample bust a casual ‘borrowed’ hoody serves to make me look like I’m channelling Ann Widdecombe as a style icon.

Arriving at the shop some ten minutes later to a red faced and slightly lachrymose Sarah I imagine the sight of me – a woman smelling of thrift shops and wearing slightly stained sports casuals – didn’t necessarily lift her spirits.

The dress was indeed snug, not horrendous but not comfortable. Sarah is tiny, on paper she measures a Spanish 38 a small UK 8. The dress is delicate – made of fine sheer silk organza. There is nowhere to go on releasing any seams or giving any ease. Only one course of action in a case like this – with a little over 3 weeks to go to the wedding – a new dress was needed.

A call to my all time production heroine Monica at Jesus Peiro got me the result I was after. I was instructed to email Sarah’s revised details there and then and the dress would go top of Friday morning’s cutting list. It would be made over the weekend finished Monday and dispatched from Barcelona to the UK on Tuesday.

Despite what you may think – I do not thrive on drama like this. A word of frankness here to the trade, brides to be, current brides and casual readers. S**t happens. This was not planned or negligent. Jesus Peiro had delivered the dress as ordered, Miss Bush had ordered the size according to measurements and Sarah hadn’t changed shape. The very big plus of working with the labels that we do – whose provenance is absolutely clear and with our near 25 years of experience is Miss Bush can handle a crisis. The new dress arrives it’s perfect. So end of story – lovely photos, all’s well that ends well…

…except that Corinne who had been helped Sarah in her initial appointments said – “I think Sarah is on TV!”

Oh.

Here is her CV as supplied by Sky’s Press Office

“Sarah Hewson presents Boulton & Co, weekdays from 1pm – 2pm alongside Adam Boulton. She is also Sky News’ Royal Correspondent.
Sarah’s royal reports include the announcement of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s engagement and their subsequent wedding, an interview with Prince Andrew at 50 and, exclusively, his daughter Beatrice on her father’s landmark birthday. She also followed Prince William on his first official trip to New Zealand and Australia, interviewed Prince Charles during his and Camilla’s tour of South America and an assignment to follow Prince Harry on his first visit to the site of the World Trade Centre in New York.
For six months, Sarah led Sky’s coverage of the inquest into the death of Diana, Princess of Wales at the Royal Courts of Justice in London. She broke the long-awaited verdict live on Sky News and produced a half hour documentary charting the final hours of the Princess’ life.
Sarah covered Prince Harry’s deployment to Afghanistan and in July 2008 she travelled to the tiny African kingdom of Lesotho where she interviewed Prince Harry about his continued efforts to help the thousands of children orphaned by the country’s Aids epidemic.
She followed the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh on their tour of the United States in 2007 and their visit to Uganda later that year, where they were joined by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting.
Previously, Sarah was a general news reporter. She played a major role in Sky’s award-winning coverage of the July 7th bombings in London, broadcasting live from the Sky helicopter high above the city and sending back the first images of the scene.
She also reported live from the red carpet at the 2007 Oscars where she interviewed all the big names of the night including best actress winner Helen Mirren.”

http://skynews.skypressoffice.co.uk/biographies/news-presenters/sarah-hewson

Sarah, with absolute grace, didn’t mention this until the first fitting of dress number two. In conversation she mentioned that she had just covered the Royal Wedding for Sky News. Sarah has just reported on the wedding of the century so far and has access to the world’s media.

No pressure then.

Now here’s the all’s well part –

“Hi Emma

So glad you liked the photos – Sam and I are delighted with them and can’t stop looking at them.
Photographer was Damian Bailey, church was in Langton Green in Kent and reception at Buckhurst Park, Withyham, East Sussex. Flowers were by the amazing Nancy Ursell at Blooming Perfect.

Had so many compliments on the dress its untrue – couldn’t have been happier with it.

Thanks so much for everything you did to make it perfect!

Sarah x”

So end of story right? A beautiful dress, a happy bride and a pleased as punch groom. A chance to demonstrate that Miss Bush, on the rare occasion plans do not run smoothly, can, with the invaluable assistance of their wonderful suppliers, take everything in their stride….

…..almost the end of the story.

Forward wind to October and I am alerted to the Wedding Industry Awards

http://www.the-wedding-industry-awards.co.uk/

With my natural instinct for last minute-ness I decided to enter 10 days before the closing date. I emailed as many Miss Bush brides as I could! ( no database and no record of married name email addresses – and yes I know it is ridiculously inefficient.)

One reply was particularly enlightening –

“Hi Emma

…I’m actually on the judging panel and hosting the awards do – so I hope I will see you there.

Good luck – I’m afraid my judging position rules me out of voting…

S xxx”

So maybe the story is not over yet

Photography Damien Bailey www.damienbailey.com

Venue Buckhurst Park www.buckhurstparkweddings.co.uk

Flowers www.bloomingperfect.co.uk

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Wedding Planners Cherry Topped and Juliet Mckee Pop Up Shop 19th November at Miss Bush

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Emma | 3 Comments

Subtitle – Wedding Planners – they’re not all like Frank…

I put out some feelers the other day to find out if Wedding Planners shudder and cringe when potential clients act out Martin Short’s comedy creation of Frank in Father of the Bride, complete with foreign camp accent? The answer was a rather withering ‘yes’. Myself and fellow boutique owners, that blanch when we hear the word meringue used to describe any skirt beyond bias cut, can sympathise that these film references that have become ingrained in the public’s collective subconscious mind.

The two most glaring misgivings that the public, and by extension brides and grooms, have about Wedding Planners are that firstly the Planner will run up your budget and secondly, take over.

Frankly – it could be worse – they could think of you as J Lo in The Wedding Planner who can judge the length of the marriage from the choice of bridesmaids dress colour and then runs off with the groom!

Having come across few planners, let alone a stylist-planner (something I now know to be different from a stylist-blogger!) I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect when Stacey Marie from Cherry Topped got in touch with me to supply dresses for a shoot. Frank may have crossed my mind. Shamefully so did the thought that female planners were caught, in perpetuity, planing and replanning their own wedding for someone else. I am sending myself to the naughty step for that one, don’t worry…

What I found in Stacey Marie was a highly well organised, charming, quietly spoken woman who arrived with a perfectly well organised brief and a great team in place. I therefore could simply fall into line as dress supplier and wardrobe. My Production Manager Janet and I turned up and the shoot simply happened.

Having met so many brides who are overworked to a point of mental collapse, others that come back needing endless lists of supplier recommendation and if I’m brutally honest some that could have done with some expert help on the styling I now see the niche for planners and in the UK. obviously the UK market is nowhere near as great as the US but it becoming increasingly professional, regulated and a bit bloody fabulous

I asked Stacey Marie what her motivation was for the shoot and how she felt this demonstrated her art…

“Our ‘Good Day Sunshine’ shoot was all about doing something different, fun, vibrant, elegant and eye catching, yet attainable! As a wedding planner I quite often get asked the question “What should we have?”; it is your wedding day and you don’t have to follow a certain routine or style. By coordinating and styling a bridal photo shoot it gives me an opportunity to show that you can do something different, if you want to that is. With its vibrant sunshine yellow and lime green colours, it grabs your attention, but with the elegance of Audrey with a splash of summer of love fun too. I wanted to show that you can bring a style and design together through every aspect of your wedding by speaking to your bridal boutique about bespoke accessories, thinking about hiring in various items, showing inspiration boards to your florist, cake designer and stationery designer who will use their creativity to put your ideas into reality. This shoot shows that you can really make your wedding day unique to you with any number of special little touches. Why not have dyed shoes, an oversized bow, different cutlery, crockery and glassware, colourful linen to brighten up your tables, sweetie buffet to match, hair and makeup to suit your bridal style… Have fun, get creative (even if with the help of the professionals!) and enjoy making your wedding day about you as a couple! Working on this shoot was just great fun and when it all came together on the day it was just amazing for everyone involved!”

Parts of this shoot will be recreated at the Miss Bush shop on Saturday 19th November. Come and join us for a drink and a cup cake and marvel at Janet Mohapi Banks cake, gasp at the yellow bow that has been creating a bit of a stir – more importantly come and meet Stacey Marie and Juliet and see if they may be your girls to inject some zest to your wedding

Credits

Photography Juliet Mckee http://www.julietmckeephotography.co.uk/

Stacey Marie Chalk http://www.cherrytopped.co.uk/
Dresses(lou Lou, Jesus Peiro) and shoes(Pink) supplied by Miss Bush Bridal http://www.missbushbridalwear.co.uk/
Cake: http://janetmohapibanks.com/
Sweeties and jars: http://www.creativecandi.co.uk/
Flowers: Steph Turpin http://fairynuff-flowers.co.uk/
Table decor: http://www.joneshire.co.uk/
Additional glass wear, cloche etc: http://www.nest-home.com/
Venue: Pendell House, Surrey: http://www.countryhousebreaks.co.uk/description.html

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Katy Gower in Cymbeline Emea

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Emma | Comments Off

I got a swift reprimand from a photographer friend yesterday for not name checking and giving picture credits in a blog post. I am repentant obvs’ – and I shall add retrospectively should I discover who they were.

On the contrary Katy here has yelled her photographers name loud and clear and I’m not blimmin’ surprised.

“They are taken by Rosie Parsons so please can you make sure she is credited somewhere if you use any of them”

Err -‘ any of them?’ They are all going in and I believe there is a promise of more too. Only a bit excited about that prospect.

Feast your eyes on the work of Rosie Parsons and the in capturing the magic of Katy and James wedding day.

Katy gave Rosie masses of material, from an elegant Cymbeline dress, cornflower blue colour scheme and a Yurt as a venue. Oh – and Katy looks like a model…I wonder how I manage not to spend my whole life on a treadmill when I’m surrounded by such gorgeous brides

Check out Katy’s model tick list