Real Bride Inspiration: Expanding An Idea With Leah
Leah’s hair accessories. Photo of Leah by Beverley Harrison | Calligraphy: Charlotte at Mirabelle Makery
Instagram has connected me with some wonderful women, many of whom I would now call friends.
One of those wonderful women is Leah, a down-to-earth bride who I instantly felt a connection with. I had put some hair pins in to a giveaway run by another bride and Leah got in touch to say they were perfect for her wedding theme and would be interested in chatting about a hair vine or tiara for herself.
Leah’s bridesmaid pins, inspired by the ones I created for a giveaway.
Leah was planning on wearing her hair half up half down, with a plait around the back, so she was looking for something to compliment her hair style but not overwhelm it or take away from the detail.
I sent across a couple of designs, with the flowers from the pins in various formations - spaced along the vine, clustered together or just a single flower. Leah chose a design that had the flowers running through it, complimented by pearls in different sizes, champagne crystals and sparkling opal rhinestones, that have a slight blue hue, tying in with her wedding colours.
Leah’s hair vine
Image credit: Beverley Harrison | HMUA: Rosie Kefford
Image credit: Beverley Harrison | HMUA: Rosie Kefford
“The piece will be filled with joy!”
It can be hard to visualise a piece based on a sketch, so I sent Leah some pictures of the details together so she could get a better idea.
We were torn between champagne gold and blush crystals for the centres of the flowers and the colour chart I’d sent Leah didn’t make things much clearer about how the colours would work together, so I made the decision to use the champagne gold.
“I 100% trust and go with what you think would look best,” Leah messaged me. When people say things like this, it reminds me how important these working relationships are. Having complete faith in someone to create something for your wedding takes a lot of trust, and I’m so happy that I helped Leah feel safe leaving her accessories in my capable hands!
Leah also asked if I could make a comb for her mum too, and I was delighted!
I adapted one of the original sketches for Leah’s vine to create a compact comb that would be perfect for a mother of the bride. There’s something really special about adapting someone’s headpiece in to something for their mum…I’m not sure why but it makes me really happy to imagine them standing side by side on the wedding day, holding on to a little piece of each other.
Leah’s mum’s hair comb, adapted from Leah’s hair vine | Calligraphy: Mirabelle Makery
Leah’s mum | Photographer: Beverley Harrison | HMUA: Rosie Kefford
A couple of video updates and nice photos later and Leah’s hair accessories were carefully packaged up to go to their new home, ready to wear on the big day!
It’s one thing seeing your accessory in a photo or video, but you can’t really appreciate it until you see it in real life. Here was Leah’s reaction, when she saw everything for the first time in between visiting her wedding venue and looking at houses:
“I could not have asked for anything more! My mum absolutely loves hers and I was crying that I loved mine so much.”
I’m so happy to have been able to help Leah with these pieces, and I wish her and Kieran lots of love for the future as Mr and Mrs Oliver.
If you’d like to get some ideas for your bridal accessories, I’d love to help! You can get in touch here!
Leah’s bridal accessories | Calligraphy by Charlotte at Mirabelle Makery