Lilygrace Originals

For beautiful, original jewellery with a vintage twist, look no further than Lilygrace Originals.

Owner and designer Hazel Mathiot describes her pieces as handmade wearable art and these 30s and 40s inspired creations are one-off collectible pieces you’ll want to treasure.

  

Inspired by American designer Miriam Haskell, Hazel hand makes each piece with love and care. With her new website up and running, you can take a tour of her current collection which includes a gorgeous range of earrings, pendants, chokers, cuffs and necklaces, each sumptuously made from a beautiful array of corals, glass beads, embroidery, vintage silks, lace, organza, freshwater pearls and rhinestones. 

What’s so lovely about each item is that they come with a little story.  Click on any of her designs and you get a detailed description of how its been made and what precious stones she’s used. Each pair of earrings, each necklace, each choker has a whimsical name and once bought, they’re sent to you packed in a complimentary organza gift bag. 

  

Halfway between fine and costume jewellery, Lilygrace designs are playful, romantic, lustrous, delicate and dainty; think Belle Époque and Showgirl; think roses and teardrop pearls. 

We’re delighted to welcome back Hazel to this year’s Fair. It’s great news for visitors too as you get to chat to her – Hazel specialises in commissions!  She can design a unique piece for you to go with your dress or for the bridesmaids, perhaps in your favourite colours and stones or incorporating a family heirloom.  She’ll also be bringing along some gorgeous handmade items for you to coo over. We’ll see you there!

Shear Madness

The talent behind Shear Madness is Esme, a hair stylist extraordinaire who’s passionate about vintage hairstyles.  By day she’s a Stylist at Harry Blades on Christmas Steps in Bristol, but by night [or weekend] she can transform your hair into a fantastic vintage up do. 

Whether you’re after that special look from the 40s, 50s or 60s for your wedding [or indeed any special occasion], Esme can get it just right.  A casual flick through her website will inspire you if you haven’t yet realised just how chic a vintage style can be.  There’s plenty of photoshoots to admire and coifs to die for.

Esme’s joining us at the Fair this Sunday.  You’ll find her on the first floor landing of the Clifton Pavilion where she’ll be attending to the models and demonstrating her incredible skills on their hair.  She’ll have a delightful screen decorated with pictures of her work and you can chat to her and ask her questions whilst she shows you the gorgeous styles she can create.

Find her online or contact her by email at esme@shearmadness.co.uk but do come and see her in action.  These vintage up dos are not to be missed!

Shellac Sound

Gramophone DJs?  Yes please!  Matt Jones and Kate Wright are Bristol based gramophone enthusiasts Shellac Sound, playing music from the 1920's, 30's and 40's on original wind-up gramophones.  They’ve played at art galleries, art deco hotels, music concerts, cinemas, birthday parties in church halls and tea parties in the park as well as some fabulous wedding receptions.  Drawing on their large collection of 78rpm records, they play a varied mixture of dance bands, popular vocal, jazz, chanson and latin, but are happy to tailor a set to completely suit your tastes.  

Using two 1930's His Masters Voice 102 gramophones [widely regarded as one of the best sounding portable gramophones] and one horn gramophone, these are surprisingly loud and clear, but can easily be amplified using microphones if necessary.  With a daytime guide rate of is £150 for the first hour and £50 per additional hour, there are additional charges for travelling further afield and for evening events, so best to talk through your event with them in detail.  

They've been gramophoning since 2003 and are passionate about bringing the machines and the music to gatherings and celebrations.  Their website is delightfully retro and you can be inspired by samples of the fantastic music with their ‘listen’ section.  At the fair, Matt will be playing records in between the live music and doing his very best to have a chat with you all whilst changing gramophone needles every three minutes!  Catch him while you can and let yourself be lost in the magic of the music.

Heavenly Vintage Brides

These gorgeous dresses range from the 40's to the 60's but Helena of Heavenly Vintage sells original vintage pieces from the 30s, which she adores, through to the lovely tailoring of the 40s, the fabulous nipped in waists and hourglass shapes of the 50s, long A line lace dresses and cute short shifts of the 60s and even a few lovely 70s boho dresses.  Each decade has so much to offer and is so different to any other and Helena feels one of the very best things about vintage wedding dresses is that there is such a wide choice - so many shapes and styles.

         

Heavenly Vintage’s prices range from about £350 or £400 to around £1350, with a good range in between and all the dresses for sale are in great condition.  So if you’re looking for that perfect vintage wedding dress, take some time to browse their gorgeous, Heavenly collection online. Each dress is carefully chosen and sourced and vintage gowns have been adapted to make them perfect for the modern bride, whilst retaining their unique charms and remember, there’s only ever one of each!  Helena also stocks headdresses made from vintage silk flowers to complement the dresses.



Choosing a Wedding dress requires a personal service, so Heavenly Vintage work on an appointment system where you can discuss your individual requirements.  Each takes 1.5 hours in their West London home, but we’re lucky enough to have Helena at this year’s fair in Bristol.  She’s currently working on a collection of 'vintage-inspired' dresses, spending a lot of time trying to get the detail right with fabrics that look authentic. Unfortunately it won't be ready in time for the fair, but by the end of the Spring she’ll have even more dresses on the website to offer and in a full range of modern sizes.  Helena loved being part of the Bristol Vintage Fair last year and is really looking forward to being there again in February.  We’re thrilled she’s coming down from London and urge you to catch her while you can.

Beehive Brides

Experience star wedding treatment from professional hair and make up artist Fiona Maynard.  Beehive Brides offers you vintage bridal hair and make-up, by a professional, freelance make-up artist; based in Bristol and covering the South West area. 

Fiona’s a fully qualified hairdresser with over 20 year’s experience, including work published in many British and continental hair magazines.  A specialist in colouring and dressing long hair, Fiona decided to boost her training ten years ago to become a fully qualified make-up artist.  She’s since worked across a wide range of film and television projects, including the Magdelene Sisters, BBC drama Monarch of the Glen, Messiah and Cranford and Archangel with James Bond himself, Daniel Craig.  Since 2007, Fiona’s specialised in wedding hair and beauty – with a focus on vintage and retro looks to really reflect her passion and experience in this area. 

She’s picked up lots of industry insider tips over her years in TV and film, all of which she uses to bring out your natural beauty and glow on your wedding day.

Fiona believes that practice makes perfect and so recommends a trial around four weeks before your wedding day.  She offers a detailed consultation where you can both look at favourite pictures and styles, details of your wedding dress, any matching veil and hair decorations as well as the colour and type of flowers you’re planning.  She’ll work with you to try out various options with hair and make-up until you’re both happy with the chosen look.  With her relaxed professional approach, there’s no need to be nervous about looking dramatically different on your wedding day and if you’re keen on a more natural look, this is exactly what she’ll provide and you can simply relax and enjoy the pampering. 

Thoroughly experienced at calming the nerves, Fiona and Beehive Brides will help your wedding day get off to a beautiful start, arriving in plenty of time so you can enjoy the luxury of a professional beauty service in your own home and using a make-up kit that includes ranges from MAC, Clinique, Laura Mercier and Clarins.

From timeless, classic glamour to full on retro styling, Fiona and her team will give you the full-on star treatment and, if you’d like a little taste of vintage, she’s offering half hour sessions on the day of the Fair!  Come and meet her in person and for only £15, you can try a little 40s, 50s make up or perhaps a classic hairstyle you’ve always thought would suit you but haven’t dared try.  

She’s full of tips, wonderfully artistic and can advise you on styles to suit you. Spaces will go fast, so make sure you book in advance by calling Fiona direct on 07710 415365 or through Facebook.  You can also get hold of her through her website but I warn you, you’ll be spoilt for choice if you stop by the gallery section.