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STOP PRESS! Today’s fabulous Featured Supplier, Nicola from Silver Sixpence In Her Shoe, is running a Vintage Fascinator making course at The Dish Ran Away with the Spoon on Burton Road, West Didsbury next Tuesday.
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The gorgeous course costs just £40 for two sessions starting 9.30 -11.30am on Tuesday 5th July and concluding Tuesday 12th July at the same time. Tea and cake and all Nicola’s stunning vintage materials that make up your finished piece are included in the price.
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Contact Nicola: nicolacarroll@hotmail.co.uk for more details.
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Today, Brides Up North chats to the lady herself about her beautiful wedding accessories business, Silver Sixpence In Her Shoe. These bespoke bridal bits are simply to die for amazing. I think this wedding blogger has a bit of a style crush…
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How did Silver Sixpence In Her Shoe begin?
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I started the brand when I couldn’t find what I wanted for my own wedding in terms of accessories – everything seemed so blingy and jewellery based. I wanted a soft vintage floral look that had a modern edge. The Nicola headpiece was where it all began. I then made my garter as I could only seem to find tacky novelty garters… and a ring pillow and so it just snowballed from there. I had been working as fashion buyer for 10 years and wanted a new career path so it all felt very serendipitous! Friends started asking me to make things for them and as gifts for their family members, telling me I should do it full time. I started thinking, hey I could do this… I really love doing this! It is such a nice industry to work in. After a few months I decided to really go for it and quit my job. You could say I jumped in with both feet but I have never looked back. Wedding fairs and collaborative photo shoots started happening and having a positive effect on my orders so it seems I made the right decision!
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The Nicola Headdress
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What bridal accessories are available to buy from Silver Sixpence In Her Shoe?
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The core of my business are headpieces and garters for brides. I also do very well with shoe clips as I think so many people want to buy plainer high street shoes these days and personalise them a little. Ring pillows and heart charms that hang from brides’ bouquets are a great way to incorporate your colour themes. I have also just added vintage style decorated lucky horseshoes to the collection. I also do bridesmaid hair accessories and mother of the bride too – I can source to match outfits. Guests sometimes come to me for a one off piece to match an outfit.
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Do you design and make all of the bridal accessories on your site? What materials do you use?
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Yes I do. The ethos of the brand is that it is all self designed and handmade. I would never want to have my pieces made in a factory overseas, I love that they are made in the UK. I use a lot of one off pieces of vintage lace and trimmings that I find at fairs and markets and naturally most pieces are in silk. Often brides come to me asking how to match their dress fabric and I ask them to keep any fabric they have from their alterations and we might use it to craft something wonderful for their hair. They may want me to use an heirloom piece of jewellery that is important to them. That is the beauty of the bespoke service, it is so personal.
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Which product is your favourite and why?
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I guess my heart lies with the Nicola headpiece as it is where it all started for me. It was recently chosen by the Secret Wedding Bride in Didsbury too – gaining lots of coverage in the press – and is still my most popular piece in terms of headwear. I do love the Coco garter too as it is so 1920s and decadent.
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Secret Wedding Bride – Didsbury
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Where do you find your inspiration?
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If I am doing a bespoke piece my inspiration comes mainly from the bride’s dress and themes. Listening to her is very important to get a feeling of her vision of the day.
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Materials play a huge part in inspiring me too – especially when it comes to developing my collection. I am such a magpie – always finding interesting trims and buttons to use and these are what really inspire me day to day. Different eras are so important too. I am a big fan of the 40s and 50s birdcage veil look. I have just done a great 60s photo shoot (soon to feature as an exclusive on this very wedding blog!) that was really fun as I just got so inspired by the look book sent over to me and went mad with it!.
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Pearl wedding garter & Lydia lace shoe clips
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What celebrity would you like to see in a Silver Sixpence In Her Shoe product and why?.
Oooh is so hard to choose. I really would love to say Audrey Hepburn but I guess she won’t get married again! In terms of celebrities alive and available now….probably Alexa Chung – I think she is super super stylish and I would love to look like her..
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Which product is your best seller?
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Headpiece wise it is a close call between the Nicola headdress and the Daisy flower comb. The Helena headdress – a lovely 40s style teardrop shaped piece is popular too. The style of the Coco garter- a flat band with a large embellishment on it is very popular at the moment. Bespoke is still my most popular option for brides though..
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Daisy flower comb & Coco garter
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Can you buy all your products online or do you do appointments?
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You can buy online – it is made to order and laces and vintage trimmings can vary if they are one offs. I also work on a bespoke consultation basis. My garters are stocked in West Didsbury’s White Closet and I am currently having meetings with a few online retailers and other gorgeous vintage style wedding boutiques about stocking some pieces too. It’s exciting times!.
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The Helena Headdress – hand sewn pearls on vintage lace
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We hear you organise hen party events too? Can you tell us a bit about them?.
Yes I do. I started by running a class locally on how to make vintage style headdresses (see top of this post). I got asked to do a private event and it went from there. I set up all the materials in vintage style crystal dishes and tea cups to suit the mood of the party. We get inspired by my samples, mood boards I put together and have a good old rummage through all the jars, bowls and piles of fabrics, lace and trimmings to come up with a design and I guide the guests through it. It is all hand sewing so everyone can do it. Normally the class is accompanied by a few glasses of bubbly if it is a hen party! My open classes in Didsbury are at two lovely cupcake shops and we get to eat cake and drink tea. There is such a trend for crafting and hand making your own unique pieces now. The girls love to be able to wear their pieces to the wedding for a great photo! I can provide an afternoon tea service to go with the craft event too though a local cupcake shop I work with – it makes a lovely afternoon activity..
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What pieces would you recommend as bridesmaid’s gifts?
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The heart bouquet charms are lovely as gifts. I have had people bring their bridesmaids to my classes too so that they can make their own hair accessories for the big day...
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Can you give Brides Up North an idea on price?.
My opening price on headdresses is £50 for something like a small comb going up to £150. Bespoke headdresses start at £100. My horseshoes are £25 and the bouquet charms and ring pillows £15. Shoe clips are around £25.
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I don’t like to inflate prices just because it is bridal – it is too easy these days to do this and I hated it when I was getting married. However it is all handmade and that is really where the cost is..
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How can Brides Up North get in touch with you/ find out more?
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Via my website
By email: nicolacarroll@hotmail.co.uk
On Twitter @Silversixpence1
On Facebook
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Vintage heart bouquet charm
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Anything else that Brides Up North should know?
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Silver Sixpence In Her Shoe will be at a few wedding fairs this Autumn. The Vintage Wedding Fair in Harrogate on September 18th 2011 and Chester on October 16th 2011. I am also part of the West Didsbury wedding event run locally and it will be on Saturday 15th October this year..
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Why do you read and like Brides Up North?.
I moved from London to Manchester just over a year ago and I feel that a lot of the wedding industry is perceived to be concentrated in the South so it is great to see a useful and easy to use website concentrating on the North.
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Hear hear Nicola!
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Brides Up North UK Wedding Blog – Images © 2011 Silver Sixpence In Her Shoe
Silver Sixpence In Her Shoe is a Brides Up North Featured Supplier
Contact Brides Up North to submit your business as a Featured Supplier
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