Fetcham Park, Banksy, Leia, Suzanne Neville and Geri Halliwell

Hands up who wants to look inside Fetcham Park?

Here are some sneaky peeks of the amazing staircase painted by the renowned artist Laguerre whose work graces Blenheim and Chatsworth. Indeed the Banksy of walls and ceilings of  his day! The Wedding Reporter can furnish you with the inside facts but we all know that classical art is simply bursting at the seams with political and sexual contraversy.

Leia walked into my shop, an engaged friend of my beloved ex-nanny Kirsty. I was blown away - she was simply perfect. Beautiful, flawless and a perfect size. I basically strong armed her into modelling in return for a staff discount on her wedding dress and then promptly got her roped in to the original Fetcham Park shoot. I am annoyed with myself for not blogging these photos immediately as the very next week Geri Halliwell borrowed this very dress to wear. In my opinion the lovely Leia rocked the frock better.

Geri Halliwell...

Leia looking amazing at @mrscaudery's house

Credits

Photography www.efc.photography.co.uk
Location www.fetchampark.co.uk
Dress Suzanne Neville at www.missbushbridalwear.co.uk
Headdress Polly Edwards 'Black Neroli' at www.missbushbridalwear.co.uk

Jenny Packham 'Damask' Fetcham Park, Tigerlily, Eddie Judd, Ellie and me

There is less than a week to go now when Fetcham Park stops being a rumour and starts being a wedding venue. I feel invested in the place  - not only did Laura chuck out the coolest  "Mi casa es su casa" invitation since Pulp Fiction. It is also the place of Miss Bush's first shoot. First pictures to go on Love My Dress, first meeting with 'the' Penny from Tigerlily, the first project for the Fetcham Foxes, first meeting with Emma Woodhouse - The Wedding Reporter, watching Eddie Judd and efcPhotography at work for the first time- the list does, indeed,  go on and on.

Another first for the day, and for the new kid of social media, is the rapidity of shoot to publication. The following dress, Damask, by Jenny Packham has yet to be seen ANYWHERE! Anywhere apart from Jenny Packham's own rather unlovely sepia tint images. I haven't even got the dress in the shop yet.

The most fantastic opportunities lay before us to bring new  ideas in front of our potential customers. There is scope to showcase new talent, get round the 'old boy's network' and treat the glass ceiling as if it were mere clingfilm. The only cautionary tale I would add to this is that I see a lot of rubbish too. Shoots with poor fitting dresses, substandard design and the unmistakable sound of a bandwagon rolling into town. So whilst it is possible to work collaboratively standards have to be met. I love the bonhomie and the friends I'm making. I love that a shoot that only had a collective will  and a skimpy budget brings in images like the following photos.

I thank my lucky stars I fell on my feet.  I also thank my genetically blessed friend Liz and her husband John for delivering me two superstars. Ellie, the model in these photos who was scouted by Storm on the shoot, and Gina, my fab Saturday girl, are their daughters.

Ellie will be gracing the catwalk on the 30th at Fetcham's launch and Gina will be on hand too in wardrobe as a rising star now on her degree course in Costume Design at Wimbledon.

Vintage Doll Credits:-
Dress, 'Damask' Jenny Packham at Miss Bush Bridal Wear
Head Dress  Hollywood corsage necklace + Earrings - Magpie Vintage
Rings platinum marquise Cut diamond ring Jon Dibben
Bracelet - Polly Edwards
Hand tied tailored bouquet of white stocks - Wild About Flowers
Shabby Chic boudoir dressing table + mirror + Boudoiur Garden Chair - Home & Pantry
Jasper the rabbit & silver bird - stylist's own
Vintage perfume bottles, Venetian hand mirror and vintage glass holder - stylist's own
Roses and vintage style rose garland - stylist's own
Ribbons - Simply Ribbons

Photography www.eddiejudd.co.uk
Styling. www.tigerlilyweddings.co.uk
Location www.fetchampark.co.uk

Rosanna Hendry - Jenny Packham Shukura

Jenny Packham - precisley what is not to love? I completely adore Jenny Packham dresses - I can't think of another designer that has done more to force fashion and outright style into an often conservative bridalwear industry. It is with clenched jaw and gritted teeth that I sometimes have to reply to shoppers that 'yes' it is 'wedding-y' and it doesn't 'look like something you'd wear to a black tie do!' Unless you happen to be the Duchess of Cambridge...

So behold Rosanna in Shukura ( recently discontinued) by Jenny Packham. How heavenly, how beautiful! How much do you not want to see any other kind of dress in this cool  countryside wedding? Me either...

Thanks to Rosanna and Sevi  for sharing their photos x

Laura Brace in Suzanne Neville Harmony

I was rather desperate to get some photos from Laura. There are some very amusing stories to be shared about Laura's route into this dress. I have asked for, and am hoping fervently she forwards me, a full disc of images. In addition to looking smoking she was lucky enough to be entitled to marry at St Paul's Cathedral and had a very cool London wedding. I would love to get the full set on here as a perfect portrait of a London wedding and a London made dress.

In the meantime, please enjoy the snaps of Suzanne Neville's Harmony. A perfect example of what Suzanne does better than anyone else - utter classicism with a fit so hot and perfect it elevates the dress to iconic status.

A few words from Laura

"I can pop a copy of the official photos in the post to you, I warn you though, there are a lot to choose from!! There are some great shots that really show off the dress. I felt incredible in it, it was as light as a feather and just so elegant.

It was fun going through London in an old 1920's taxi, I felt like Royalty and when I got out of the cab at St Paul's all these people where stood clapping, so surreal! We were very lucky."

 

Karen Wright in Cymbeline Emea - Beautiful Bride and Mentor

It is not really a secret that I love my job. Not in a weird Mills and Boon/chick lit sort of way. Nor in the obsessive manner of a recent-married bride turning out copies of her own wedding. I don't think very much about weddings - I'm out of the regular demographic of first time brides and my children are ten years off the entry level. I hope.

I do know dresses, dress deisgners, fashion editors - I know my job. It is performed with passion bordering obsession. Until recently I couldn't count any other wedding service provider as a friend - I simply didn't know any.

 My customers, brides and their families, have always been dealt with professionally  However, uppermost in my mind, until now, was simply to focus on the bride to be's wedding dress not her wedding. I have quipped that 'it is my job to be shallow!' Whilst the brides' sweat the bigger issues - the emotions and the politics of a wedding -  I do the dress up. Helping a bride choose her dress, ordering, chasing, checking, fitting, styling;  delivering on my promises has been my total remit.

Poor Miss Bush brides  - the dynamic has just changed radically. I now have an opinion on everything!

Enter bride to be Karen Wright.

Karen is a Miss Bush bride that has the dubious honour of being a first! My first bride-to-be that I communicated with on Twitter. The first bride-to-be who has become an unpaid social media PR Consultant. Poor Miss 'Newton2be's appointments were like a tutorial. For me.

Karen has, along with my new found 'friends' in other wedding services,  helped me take a giant stiletto clad step on the mysterious path of social media. This in turn has inspired me to look more intently at the work of key artisans on a wedding day - florists, photographers, stylists...

Karen and Craig got married at Cain Manor - I'd heard of it, I knew it was lovely - now I know their Twitter name is @BijouWeddings. Karen's florist was Steph form Fairynuff Flowers. Now I've met her, used her and am recommending her.

I could Tweet a good luck message on Karen's wedding day to her  when initailly it took me a few days to figure out who 'Newton2be' was!

No longer '2be' I am now delighted to share Mrs Newton's photos of her marrying her dashing groom in uniform, Craig.

So many thanks to Karen for so many reasons and bless her  - the British Army grabbed her husband back the day after the wedding! I hope you and Craig have an amazing honeymoon when you finally get away.

 A few words from Karen...

"Just a proper email to tell you my dress Rocked last Saturday and thanks to you and your mum I looked like a million dollars lol – everyone loved the dress and I even sent a future bride your way lol

Thank you so much for everything you and your team made the whole process work like clockwork and left me with the most dreamy gown and a really happy smile!

we really had a fantastic day and yes my face hurt afterwards lol I thought the guys looked amazing in their bearskins didn’t they all of them looked very smart it was a real honour to have them all there although the military crosses were a little intimidating lol

Craig really loved the dress he thought it was beautiful and believe me for a man who has his suits custom made this is a serious compliment.

Steph’s flowers were so beautiful – I just know you won’t be disappointed in anything she does for you!! "

Photography Warren James Palmer http://www.wjpphoto.co.uk/

 

Flowers bt Steph Turpin of http://www.fairynuffflowers.co.uk/

 

Venue http://www.cainmanor.co.uk/