TOMORROW'S THE DAY - COME TO THE BRISTOL VINTAGE WEDDING FAIR!

We're all really looking forward to seeing you tomorrow at the Bristol Vintage Wedding Fair.  If you're new to the blog, take a look at the posts for all our amazing exhibitors - there's something for all brides and grooms to be and any vintage fans or anyone wanting a peek at our fabulous venue!  With entertainment and refreshments throughout the day, we can guarantee a great day out!

The doors open at 10.30 am and close at 4.00 pm but in between we're hoping to meet some wonderful couples, families, bridesmaids and anyone who loves beautiful vintage or vintage inspired pieces!

The address is: Clifton Pavilion, Bristol Zoo Gardens BS8 3HA.  There is a lot of on-street parking nearby, or on Clifton Down (about a 5 minute walk away).  The parking is for anyone on a Sunday and is also free.

Some of our exhibitors don't have credit card facilities so do bring your cheque book if you have one.  The closest cashpoint is in Clifton Village, a little walk away.

At the moment, the weather's looking promising so do come and enjoy the sunshine in this wonderful venue.  We can't wait to get excited about your big day!

Ali xx

P.S.  We've a couple more blog pieces to go up today, so do keep checking in! x

Oh - and just another chance to admire Moomie Swan's wonderful artwork!

BROWN IN TOWN - STYLE IS FOR LIFE, NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMAS!

Our favourite man about town will be charming us all again this year with his usual flair and panache!  If anyone is a great advert for their business, it's David Minns of Brown in Town, and the Groom can't go far wrong by taking some sartorial tips from this super stylish gent.  Over to David to tell you more: 

"What is it that makes the Bristol Vintage Wedding Fair one of the highlights of our calendar year?  You!  

Or course, the venue, the Clifton Pavilion, is beautiful.  With its art deco architecture and view out over the Bristol Zoo, it is a wonderful place to while away a morning or afternoon perusing the wares of the wedding fair stallholders and, perhaps, afterwards to take a stroll around the historical zoo gardens.

But it is, for the most part, your love and appreciation of all things vintage which makes it such a hit for us exhibitors you see.  We work ourselves into a frenzy preparing and fine tuning our displays for your delectation because, unlike so many other wedding fairs, the stallholders at the Bristol Vintage Wedding Fair enjoy exhibiting as much as you like attending.

In fact, I am still working on commissions I took following enquiries from last year's Bristol Vintage Wedding Fair.  So why do Brown in Town's grooms favour a vintage look for their wedding suits: is it because they have always hankered after a suit that reminds them of the suits which their grandfathers wore, most commonly a three piece suit of grey flannel, and in some instances, tweed?  Or is it because they want to do something a little bit different (or, at the very least, avoid hiring)?

And why not.  Our forefathers' suits were all tailor made for the individual using the best of British Materials - which explains why vintage garments have stood the test of time - and were cut to flatter the individual and make them appear more elegant. Which they always did.

Ergo, because they were tailor made, there is generally to be found inlay within the garment which can be adjusted, both by taking the seams in and also by letting them out - which is so often not the case with today's off-the-peg clothing as it is often trimmed out - you won't find as many of today's off-the-peg suits available in your favourite thrift store or charity shop in years to come, as we do vintage suits.

Undoubtedly, there will be the question of ensemble: three piece suits are often considered to have vintage appeal as, historically, we have worn waistcoats to keep us warm - waistcoats are also a great way for the groom to wear a fob watch, a popular family heirloom - but two piece double breasted suits were almost equally as popular, and are now enjoying something of a renaissance all their own in sartorial circles.  

Once it has been decided if the groom will be wearing a two piece suit, or three piece suit, the next question is invariably one of colour.  There are myriad cloths, and cloth colours, but those which strike a resounding chord with vintage lovers are tweeds for their autumnal shades i.e. brown or fawn. A herringbone pattern in the cloth is another popular choice.    

Which colour is correct, however, is a cloth colour that flatters the wearer, one that compliments either the wearer's skin tone, hair colour, eye colour or, here in Bristol at least, one's beard colour. Assuming the suit colour has not been chosen based on wedding dress colour or colour scheme, the reason that it is of the utmost importance that a groom look good in his wedding suit, is that those wedding photos will last for years to come, and wearing a suit colour which compliments the wearer, not just the event, is essential.             

This will be Brown in Town's second year exhibiting and we are honoured to be a part  of the Bristol Vintage Wedding Fair.  Moreover, we're looking forward to the opportunity to wax sartorial with the discerning groom, for it is our experience that brides and grooms that appreciate all things vintage appreciate the fine art of bespoke tailoring.

And with only a few weeks to go, both myself and Brown in Town mannequin, Douglas (who adorns the window of Zip Pin Alterations in Clifton Arcade), are busy preparing our suits for this year's event, wanting to be sure that we do not wear the same outfits that we wore to last year's event, naturally.  That's our excuse anyway!
See you there ..."                         

Enquiries

Email: david@brownintown.co.uk
Website: http://brownintown.co.uk

DETAILS FOR THE 21ST!

We're all really looking forward to meeting all you fabulous brides and grooms, bridesmaids and Mothers of the Brides!  Just to make sure you have what you need, here's a little bit of information for the day.

There's a small entry fee on the day of £2, half of which will go to Cheltenham's Open Door Charity (see the last post).  Anyone under 16 has free entry.

Doors open at 10.30 and close at 4.00 pm  There will be entertainment during the day until 3.00 pm and The Daffodil will be serving their Matinee Menu from 1.00 pm upstairs in the mezzanine bar.  

The address of The Daffodil is 18-20 Suffolk Parade, Cheltenham GL50 2AE.  There's on-street parking in the streets nearby, but if you're planning on spending the day in Cheltenham, the nearest car parks are: 

http://www.thedaffodil.com/PDF/Daffodil-Location-Map.pdf

http://prestbury.cheltenham.gov.uk/website/Google/car%20parks/car_parks_map.htm

The Daffodil have some goodie bags with info on the venue and we have some West Weddings magazines to give away.

Looking forward to seeing you all on the day! 

P.S.  Thanks to Adele of Tin Can Floral for the beautiful photos for this post! 

Brown in Town, Tailors and Atelier

Bristol Vintage is thrilled to introduce you to Brown in Town.

The Founder of Brown in Town Tailors and Atelier is the incredibly stylish David Minns.

Known as Bristol’s local tailor, David has been meeting the sartorial needs of the sartorially discerning for over 5 years in the West Country.

David provides a personal bespoke tailoring service from Hotel Du Vin's old cigar humidor, to gents with a discerning eye…

... grooms looking for something individual…

...and those for whom a suit is their modus operandi and who understand first impressions last.

You can contact David on 0117 3180 608 or 07864 087288 and connect with him on his blog, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and LinkedIn but come and meet him this Sunday (March 16th) at our Bristol Vintage Wedding Fair. David (along with Douglas) will be kitted-out by way of example and inspiration and David will be on hand to answer your questions.  Form an orderly queue! 

A Suit That Fits

For the bride it’s all about the dress and that perfect fit… but with a bespoke suit, the dapper grooms of Bristol can now feel just as special.

For the perfect fitting vintage-style suit, grooms are going to want to meet the guys from A Suit That Fits. Whether you’re after a Mad Men or Boardwalk Empire look, these talented Style Advisers will design you a suit from a host of different eras and still give it a modern fit.

             

When you book an appointment with A Suit That Fits Style Advisor, you start by selecting from their hand-picked cloths, and finish off with all the extra sartorial details like the colour of the stitching, the width of the lapel - they can even opt to get a picture printed into the lining - a lovely surprise!

You’ll be expertly measured by Bristol’s local A Suit That Fits tailor, David Minns, for your personal pattern to be drawn; the cloth will be cut, and then hand-stitched into their bespoke garment. 6-8 weeks later your wedding suit will be ready, and you’ll have a fitting appointment with David to finesse the fit.

You may already know what to go for. If not, here are some ideas to get started from the dapper gents at A Suit That Fits:

The lounge suit - the two or three-piece lounge suit is becoming a more popular option for the modern wedding – with a choice of cloths and linings, Bristol’s grooms can really flash their personality in this suit.

The traditional morning suit - some grooms opt for the traditional morning suit, which is just as dapper. However, there are a few extra tips to remember regarding the morning coat: the length of the back of the morning coat (tails) should be just above the back of the knee and the one button should sit comfortably in the middle.

                

If you’d like some more guidance, visit www.aSuitThatFits.com, or call 020 3553 560 to book an appointment with Bristol’s Local Tailor.  You can check out their wonderful style blog and find them on Facebook and Twitter, but do come along and meet tailor David at our Fair. He’ll be on hand to answer all your questions, you’ll be able to see plenty of sample fabrics and even try on a suit!