RUBY & THE WOLF - THE FAIRYTALE COMES ALIVE!

The first thing you notice about Ruby & The Wolf is the name - for me it evokes a dark wood with flashes of crimson - there's something of the fairytale about it ... and then you see the flowers and the fairytale comes true!  The flowers wowed me the first time I saw them - so different from anything else out there.  

Kirstie Deane, the brilliant florist and stylist behind the brand, has a natural, elegant and timeless style and an amazing stylist's eye.  With a background in design and animation production, she takes her inspiration from all things design-related including fashion, interiors and film.  I can personally blame Kirstie for my addiction to Pinterest and Instagram!

Her work covers everything from simple, colour co-ordinated posies to match the bridesmaids dresses, through a single stunning button-hole, to glorious, blousey, exotic blooms in a vintage style vase.  Whatever she does, your eye can't help being drawn to it. 

Not only can Kirstie provide all the flowers for your special day but she can help you with all the visual and styling elements, including choosing a colour palette, creating a mood board or even choosing table linen.  

She adores helping you bring your ideas to life and you'll love having her on board.  Her friendly relaxed manner means working with her is a real pleasure but don't be fooled ... she's taking in everything you say and translating it into her vision of you and your style.  And, believe me, you won't be disappointed!

Come and meet Kirstie at the fair and have a chat with her about what magic she can weave for you!

THE LITTLE WEDDING HELPER - TAKING THE STRESS OUT OF STYLING!

Most brides have an image of how they want their wedding day to look.  Some spend months sourcing and hand making items for their big day but struggle to put it all together at the last minute, when they're so busy dealing with dresses, bridesmaids, catering and guests.  Others love the ideas but don't know how to pull it all together or might just not have that creative bent.  Or maybe you just need a bit of help but want to do the majority yourselves?  Whichever type of bride you are, Kirsten Butler, aka The Little Wedding Helper, can make your event truly magical.

First things first - what is the Little Wedding Helper?  Well, Kirsten is an award winning stylist - she's an incredibly talented lady who transforms venues from pretty into magical!  She's full of ideas to make your day personal to you and give your venue that WOW factor!  

Every couple want their own personalities to shine through on their big day - whether it's mismatched coloured glass bottles filled with country flowers, cute vintage knick knacks for your tables, a selection of family photos in beautiful frames, scrabble letters spelling out the Bride & Groom's names or a suitcase for the table plan, Kirsten can do it beautifully.  What I love is that she can bring all your ideas to life, but she's always ahead of the game, spending hours researching new directions and coming up with her own quirky take on things.  

Kirsten is a long term 'car boot' partner of mine and I'm always amazed when she picks something up that I bypassed and then explains to me what she's going to do with it - her imagination knows no bounds and she's always thinking outside the box!  She has a garage full or props and a head full of creative ideas! 

And yes, I'm a little bit jealous!  But I love working with Kirsten and can promise you that you will too.  She's collaborative by nature and brings out all your own creativity.  Added to which she's lovely, positive lady who adores weddings and the couples she works for and really does put 110% into every job she does - her enthusiasm knows no bounds. And if you need proof, just take a look at her testimonials - you don't have to take my word.

So, if you're the kind of bride that spends hours on Pinterest, collecting images of how they want their wedding to look, but you either don't have the manpower, the time or the creativity to make those pictures come to life, then why don't you get The Little Wedding Helper and just take that weight off your mind!

Vintage Baker Finds - The Styling Lounge

Every so often I find a vintage supplier who's so good I have to share. So while they might not always strictly be 'Bristol' based, they certainly get the Bristol Vintage & Vintage Baker Finds seal of approval.

This week is all about The Styling Lounge.

The Styling Lounge is home to Creative Director and super stylist, Amelia Shorter.

With Amelia, it's vintage-chic VIP treatment all the way. She gives every style her own creative twist whether it's on-trend braiding and plaits, the classy low chignon, half-updos, retro pin curls or soft, romantic waves with real flower accessories.

For Amelia, it's all about getting to know you. From the moment you sit down and share your wedding theme, dress design and vision, you'll have a completely personal service. Once you've talked over your ideas and gone through pictures, it's on to trying out some of the styles to see which suits you best.

On the day, Amelia stays with you until you're dressed and ready to go, just in case there are any last minute hair issues or finishing touches required. 

So for vintage-chic VIP treatment, book your consultation at The Styling Lounge. You can check out more styles on the website, on Facebook or follow Amelia on Twitter for hair tips and special offers.

See you soon for more Vintage Baker Finds!

When Sarah Baker isn't writing children's books she writes features for Vintage Life Magazine and Pretty Nostalgic. You can find her on Twitter @bysarahbaker or follow her on Pinterest.

Beehive Brides

Bristol Vintage loves… Beehive Brides.

How about some bespoke bridal beauty? With Beehive Brides you can experience the full star treatment from professional hair and make up artist, Fiona Maynard.

If you're not sure how to achieve vintage glamour then look no further. Fiona's been making women look like movie starlets for the past 20 years.

And with those years of experience working in Film and TV she's got plenty of insider tips from the industry. Fiona's also an expert at calming nerves so your wedding day will get off to a beautiful start as she brings out your natural beauty and glow with that all important vintage glam twist.

From timeless, classic glamour to full on retro styling, Fiona and her team will treat you like a star.

And n you've got the chance to meet the Beehive Brides team at our next wedding fair in 2014. Fiona will be styling our models throughout the day with beautiful vintage-style hair and make up. 

She'll be on hand with hints, tips and plenty of advice on what styles will suit you.

But if you can't wait till March 16th, check out her website and most recent work on the Beehive Brides Facebook page for inspiration. Oh and Let us know what style you'll be wearing for your 2014 wedding!

Thrifty Style by Janine Chisholm

If you visited our Bristol Vintage Wedding Fair earlier this year, you might have met Janine Chisholm of Custard House Clothing.  Janine was at the top of the stairs of our gorgeous Clifton Pavilion venue, along with some beautiful vintage clothes she'd designed herself and some she'd upscaled or accessorised. 

Janine's long been a friend of Bristol Vintage.  She used to have a shop in St Nick's Market and she's been demonstrating and selling her gorgeous vintage clothes at Tobacco Factory Market for some time. She runs sewing workshops, gives talks and demos and is now an Eco Designer, vintage Stylist and Personal Shopper.  Janine's passion is about transforming your wardrobe to make it work for you and, to add another string to her accomplished bow, she's written a book to help you do it yourself!

Thrifty Style by Janine Chisholm is a gorgeous book both for the novice or experienced seamstress.  It'll teach you how to sew and offers 35 sample projects with full and easy to understand instructions on how to rework your wardrobe.  With three patterns included in the back sleeve, you'll be inspired to tackle those clothes that have been sitting in the back of the wardrobe.  You know... those ones you haven't worn for over a year!

With an eye on style and fashion, you'll find plenty of inspiration in the book.  A fully fledged member of the Ethical Fashion Forum and passionate about sustainability, Janine wants to encourage everyone to recycle and rework their clothes.  The book comes out next week (2nd October) and we've got our copy! Congratulations Janine and here's to the next one.

The Little Wedding Helper

How about an Award Winning stylist for your wedding?  The Little Wedding Helper specialises in bespoke venue and marquee styling, helping couples across Bristol and the South West to stop worrying about ‘how it should be done’ and instead creating and styling a wedding that’s uniquely theirs, from start to finish.

Founder Kirsten Butler loves detail.  Voted regional winner in the ‘Special Touches’ category for the South West [Wedding Industry Awards 2012], she really does have that special touch.  Kirsten knows that making your wedding magical isn’t always about spending lavish amounts of money.  She believes it’s the small details and personal touches that make the day truly special.

Weddings can seem complicated and overwhelming amongst all the budgeting and planning required and decisions to be made, but The Little Wedding Helper can guide you through all of this, keeping you focused and giving you peace of mind that your reception will be completely taken care of.  She's not a wedding planner, but that extra pair of hands to focus on all styling elements of your big day.  She works alongside hotel staff and wedding coordinators and will ensure the venue is transformed while you’re getting ready.  Specialising in marquee decoration, her on-the-day styling service means you can enjoy the build up of your wedding day whilst the inside and outside of the marquee are being decorated with love and exquisite attention to detail.

Kirsten loves talking weddings, so get in touch via Facebook, Twitter or the website and make an appointment to describe your vision over the tea and delicious cupcakes she always has at the ready.  Initial consultations are free and fees are tailored to suit your needs.  She even hosts inspiration sessions in Bristol and she's a fab listener, letting you know just how she can compliment your ideas and sprinkle a little creative inspiration on top.  Best of all you can come and meet Kirsten in person and have a chat on the day of the fair.  Trust me, she’s got some brilliant ideas and all you have to do is ask!