The Diary of a Crafty Bride

This month we are getting super excited about weddings, after all who doesn't feel a little squeal of excitement every time they think of that gorgeous white dress, the beautiful array of bouquets and stunning country gardens. So far this year we've been lucky enough to collaborate with brides making their invites, creating bespoke jewellery and of course hosting Crafty Hen Do's. And, on top of that, a member of our own team is getting married too!

Harriet will be tying the knot with her other half this summer and she's been filling us all in with her wedding trifles and triumphs! Luckily for all you lovely people she's willing to share all with you too. This is the first instalment where she'll be filling us in with her latest wedding creations. Enjoy reading...

"So with my upcoming nuptials fast approaching, I thought I had better crack on and start some wedding prep!  I get married late July so now is the time I should be ticking off the last bits off my list but the list seems to be ever increasing…

My wedding has a relaxed, rustic feel to it and as a keen craftswoman I have decided to make most things from favours, jewellery and invites, to lanterns and hair-pieces myself. This did seem like a good idea two years ago when I got engaged, but as time is quickly ticking by, my deadlines are fast approaching.  I have of course also enlisted the help of Google and Pinterest to inspire my crafty wedding and the possibilities seem endless!

So this week I gathered an array of silk and dried flowers to turn into hair embellishments for myself and my bridesmaids and it was quite a task with my little two year old by my side ‘helping’ me at every step!  However, with my materials now collected and arranged I started to assemble them into some pretty hair pieces.  With my bridesmaids wearing greys, their flowers and accessories will provide the colour – cornflower blue, lavenders and plenty of natural greens which I hope will captured by my lovely photographer.

Using a mixture of sewing with wire and thread and with the help of some strong all-purpose glue I assembled my carefully selected bits of faux-foliage and pretty flowers. In the mix were lavender, love in the mist and forget-me-nots; I am trying to follow a garden flower theme for a nice relaxed feel… I just hope the glue dries in time to not stick the girl's scalps to the hair pieces! 

When I finished, I decided that they could do with a bit of sparkle (which I just can’t resist) so I decided to add some little crystals on wires, some which I made myself and others which I have bought ready-set.  Using some little tweezers and some fine craft pliers, I was just able to fiddle the little pieces into place and set them with my quick drying glue – a glue gun would have been ideal for this but as mine is somewhere in my jumble-sale of a loft I decide against trying to root it out.  I feel that aforementioned 2 year old would also have tried to have joined me up the rickety loft ladder which would definitely have ended in disaster!

Several days later with no loft-related disasters, but a cat that seems to have several little petals stuck to her fur, I have finished the hair ornaments. 

As I will not see my bridesmaids again until the day before my wedding, I am hoping they will look ok and actually stay in their hair!   I keep finding little leaves and beads on the floor from the hairpieces, and not being one to throw ANYTHING away, I have decided to use my leftover crafty bits to decorate some boxes which will contain my Bridesmaids’ thank you pressies – Which are also on my list to make…. I wonder if I can rope my craft-phobic fiancé in to help?  Hmmm, unless we are decorating the boxes in red and white Southampton FC stripes, I suspect not…

Well I had better get back to checking that ever growing list of mine as I suspect the time is fast approaching for me to start tackling my wedding jewellery!  Watch this space…"

Well we at BellaCrafts can not wait for the next instalment... Not sure about you ladies, but with hair pieces that pretty the whole team is queueing to be a bridesmaid!

If you are getting married soon why not pop into BellaCrafts this weekend where we'll be hosting our Wedding Open Days from 28th-30th of May. The event is totally free to attend and you'll be able to peruse  our full range of wedding stationary, commission bespoke jewellery, book a Hen do and enjoy a free make and take.

No need to book but do ring us on 023 8051 7054 for more information or
Visit our website: http://bellacrafts.co.uk/weddings/