With our Wedding Accessory Evening on Thursday, 20th October approaching fast we thought it would be lovely to introduce four of our fabulous and beautifully creative wedding accessory designers to you.
Debbie Carlisle, Harriet Wilde Wedding Shoes, Marie Canning and Florence Wedding Shoes will all be showcasing their gorgeous collections at the event so how nice to know a little bit more about their brand ethos and why they do what they do:
Debbie Carlisle
Debbie Carlisle’s love of bridal design was born from her wedding in 2009 when she made her own wedding accessories – a stunning teardrop brooch bouquet and crystal and pearl beaded hair vine – and just couldn’t stop designing! After returning from her honeymoon Debbie built up a collection of accessories and she launched her bridal design business just months later. Her unique modern vintage designs proved so popular that after just 18 months Debbie left her day job to run her bridal accessories business full time.
Working from her studio in Sheffield, Debbie’s handmade designs include beautiful wedding hair accessories which range from simple, classic bridal combs to ethereal floral hair vines, vintage feather headpieces, sparkling side tiaras, ribbon-tie forehead bands and statement jewel-encrusted wedding headbands.
Debbie’s collections are stocked in boutiques all over the world. Her beautifully handmade accessories are featured on the leading wedding blogs and are highly sought after for editorial features in wedding magazines.
“Ever since making my first bridal accessories for my own wedding I have been literally unable to stop coming up with new designs! I’m passionate about what I do and am always looking around me and being inspired to create new pieces. I’m inspired by everything from interior design, fashion, television, film, plays, books, the natural world – I don’t think I could stop designing if I tried!”
Her passion is not only for the design process and creating her beautiful collections, it is for each and every bride that she designs for.
“My amazing brides really inspire me to keep creating. motivates me is the reaction I get from my brides – from the excitement when they have chosen their accessory to the pictures they send after their big day showing their finished look, I find it such an incredible honour to make something so special for their wedding.”
Marie Canning
Marie trained at Manchester School of Art in 2012 in ceramics and silversmithing and it wasn’t long when she started ‘Marie Canning Accessories’, crafting jewellery and accessories for her growing family of stockists in the UK, Europe and the USA.
Marie spends time walking in the Yorkshire hills, soaking in the abundance of inspiration all around her. Her pieces she creates are all inspired by nature and are handmade from porcelain with intricate floral details, handcrafted and decorated with pastel sweeps and drops of gold.
At the heart of Marie’s values is the desire for quality craftsmanship and a respect for nature. Each piece is handcrafted using traditional techniques, the making process is lengthy and intricate. She follows a strict eco-policy in her studio and at home, using recycled materials, local suppliers and reducing energy use wherever possible. She prefers a personal approach with her brides and is always happy to discuss your piece in detail and to add bespoke elements in order for it to be perfect. Marie aims to provide bridal accessories for the bride wanting something more understated, natural and handmade and these themes run through her work.
Having always been creative it has become a part of her life to design and make. It feels like the most natural thing in the world to be creating pieces for people especially when they are for such an important and special day.
Marie loves being part of a bride’s special day, having just got married 2 years ago herself. Receiving emails and photos from brides are particularly special moments for her. Recently she received a lovely email from a Cicily bride Clare,
“I just wanted to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for the beautiful hair vine you made for me, it is absolutely stunning and I loved wearing it on the day. Alex and I had the most wonderful day – sunshine, laughter, a few happy tears…and lots of prosecco.”
Florence Wedding Shoes
Wendy Flynn, the creative genius behind Florence wedding shoes, created this wonderful brand to give brides another option and get away from traditional styling and vintage details. Florence was named after Wendy’s grandmother who was a feisty lady so it seemed the perfect name for a collection that is full of bold designs and fashion forward styling. The collection showcases the marriage between contemporary details using traditional bridal materials. This juxtaposition sets Florence apart from other bridal shoe brands.
Wendy designed fashion footwear for the UK high street for over a decade but when it came to buying her own wedding shoes she really struggled. Although she ended up paying a small fortune for a pair of designer shoes her search allowed her to notice a gap in the market. No one was bridging the gap between bridal and fashion. So taking on the challenge Florence was born!
Wendy and her small team, based in the East Midlands, are determined that Florence will echo high fashion trends, with contemporary styles perfectly balanced with bridal chic. Designed and made to the highest quality, this exclusive bridal shoe brand embodies individuality and elegance, whilst still being on trend and fresh. The Florence collection has something for every bride, from the bride who lives in heels to the who can’t live without her trainers!
Harriet Wilde Wedding Shoes
Established in 2008 by designer Ruth Shaw and named after her grandmother, the Harriet Wilde brand is synonymous with unique signature designs, luxurious embellishments, comfort and a high levels of craftsmanship.
This exquisitely designed and beautifully crafted collection of wedding shoes combine romance, modern style and comfort, helping the bride to feel special and comfortable on her wedding day. From ivory satin peep-toes with bespoke embellishments to laser cut leather block heels, Ruth and her team’s ethos is to always offer stylish bridal shoes made to the highest quality in Europe. Teamed with impeccable and personal customer service, the Harriet Wilde brand provides each and every bride with a luxury wedding experience.
