Rock n Roll Bride - The ultimate guide for alternative brides

Custom Made

Under the Spotlight – ErinLeighHeart & Bridal Bliss Designs

Kat

January 12, 2010

I have two amazing Etsy stores to share with you today. They are run by sisters Erin & Jane and both have some seriously great things to offer us Rock n Roll Brides. Erin Leigh Heart's speciality is the Convertible Satin Jersey Wrap Dresses - one dress that can be worn in a variety of different ways! It is perfect for everyday casual wear but can be dressed up as an awesome night-out outfit and could certainly be used as a bridesmaid's dress. How great would your bridesmaids look in the same dress but all different colours? Or in the same colour but each dress set up in a different style? "I try to keep the dresses affordable and I also offer wholesale discounts for 4 or more dresses purchased of the same colour...for bridesmaid dresses and retail shops" Erin told me. "The dresses are made from HEAVY MicroFiber Jersey Satin and the fabric has a slight sheen. 94% Polyester 6% Spandex for the perfect fit" You may recognise some of Bridal Bliss Designs' dresses from weddings I've previously featured on Rock n Roll Bride! "I specialize in custom design reproduction" Jane tells me "My goal is to help the bride get her dream designer dress with custom changes at a much lower price tag than retail stores provide. The bridal shop I worked at for the past 6 years recently went out of business for lack of work so I opened up my own Etsy store to continue my passion on my own terms."
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Red Rockers

Kat

January 6, 2010

After running a free photography contest on her blog (hint: enter mine!) photographer Laura Ryan was lucky enough to find Rebeca & Martin - two rockers from Boston who wanted her to shoot their red-themed wedding. Rebeca’s dress and Martin’s coat were handmade by her friend who created it for her from a 1950’s pattern and Rebeca even made her own hairpiece. The whole wedding had a old English teatime theme so everyone wore stylish hats, ate finger foods and drank tea to their heart's content in the beautiful historic building of Boston College Club, complete with cascading staircases and baroque style wall paper. Thanks to Laura (a real life rocker who actually has even visited my home town of Reading for the world famous Reading Festival) for sharing this wonderful wedding with us
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Skin Graft, L.A.M.B & Dreadlocks

Kat

December 31, 2009

Kati & Hilal's wedding made me squeal with delight. It may have primarily been her custom made Skin Graft gown, her L.A.M.B shoes and her dreads that made me so excited, but alongside this inital visual feast, the whole laid back ambiance, feel and ethos of the day really makes me happy. Kati explained her choice of dress: Basically, it came about like this: I had seen and bought a few individual pieces of Skin Graft attire during the past few years, and then I noticed that they had a few weddings (within their "gallery".) I started an email conversation with them about a year before the wedding. (Skin Graft consists of 3 core designers and at least one wedding/custom gown assistant. I envisioned the outfit with Cassidey (one of the core 3) and then he passed me off to Amanda (wedding attire assistant) who finished the project off. We discussed different types of dresses they had already made, and different things I liked/didn't like. They sent photos of previous work, and drawings of my potential gown back and forth via email. I was measured in San Antonio, and sent the measurements to LA. When I received the dress I had to have it altered a little, but Skin Graft reimbursed me for the alteration fees.
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A Halloween-esque Steam Train of Epicness

Kat

December 21, 2009

Kim & Alex's wedding hit me like a steam train of epicness when I laid eyes on it. I'm pretty sure my insessent ramblings can't bring it justice so I think it's only fair I hand over to Kim with all the fantastic details. As usual, I'll be back with the eye candy. "Originally our theme was “Halloween Town” from Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas”, but as time went on, our theme evolved beyond Tim Burton to include other geeky things we love as a couple such as zombies, toys, film and... well... Halloween! We were mostly inspired by films (predominantly Tim Burton and Zombie flicks) and our own Halloween experiences. We just looked at the little things we loved most and used that to make our wedding our own. I’m in love with Burlesque-wear and wanted to incorporate that whimsical, glam-yet-sexy look to my outfit. Instead of bridal magazines, my fashion designer friend and I looked through many burlesque photos and lingerie books to gather inspiration for my dress. For my shoes, I found the most awesome bright green zombie shoes designed by Iron Fist. They were out of stock in Toronto, so Alex and I sent out all our online Twitter friends on a mad hunt for them. We ended up getting them shipped from Ohio. A few months later, a friend of mine from Chicago found the flat versions of the same zombie shoes, which I was really thankful for. I cannot walk in heels! The groom’s suit was inspired by Jack Skellington. He didn’t want to take the blatant replica route by getting a pin stripe suit. Instead, his plain black suit had black skeleton appliques all throughout. He even had a hoodie that had the skull on the hood! Since he almost always only exclusively wear Chuck Taylors, he wore black on black Chucks to the wedding. To add a sense of “badass” to his outfit, as well as his groomsmen/groomsgirl, our good friend, We Kill You made us custom pimp sticks for them to walk around with. We were really lenient with our wedding party when it came to what to wear
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Custom Made Class

Kat

December 14, 2009

Anna & AJ's wedding certainly rocked pretty damn hard. They had a kick ass party at San Chez Bistro in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Although the day looked really classic and gorgeous, it certainly was edgy and unique in a lot of ways, which was a perfect reflection of who they are. Photographer Jill described Anna as a free spirit and who just kind of did things her own way, while still putting together a really classy celebration. The bride and her bridesmaids wore custom made dresses by Laurie Morrison and Anna had her birdcage veil made by the same designer. All the stunning and funky jewellery was by J Crew and the guys' look hot in their grey suits & pocket squares from Banana Republic. The whole wedding has a really great, laid back vibe to it and the end result is totally gorgeous. The best feature? Well Anna, her sister, and her Mum all have coordinating tattoos of their "family tree!" Fabulous Thanks to Jill for sharing this wedding and all the great info
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Two Sides to the Story

Kat

December 2, 2009

Allison & Gabe's wedding day started like every other - excitable, elegant, stylish and full of lurrrrve - then night fell and the chaos and fun of rock star proportions ensued! I love how the couple's attire matches their mood - beginning of the day - excited, demure and classy (I adore Allison's simple dress), end of the night - ruffled and rocking the hell out (and again I adore Allison's dress!) In fact it wasn't just the bride who changed - the whole wedding party got changed (the women into ruffles, the men into dinner suits) for the massive party at the end of the night! Photographer Inbal me all about the madness, Allison and Gabe had a ceremony on a boat in the east river, incorporated marriage rituals from basically every religion they could think of (and made up a few of their own), and later had their reception at the Princess Manor in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, who also catered. They had ice sculptures made in their likeness! Kenley from Project Runway crashed the wedding! The bride got so drunk she lost her shoes (I gave her mine and she still has them)! As you can see, they partied pretty hard and made their own rules. Thanks to Inbal for sharing and of course to Allison & Gabe for being too freakin' awesome for words!
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An Eco Friendly Family Wedding

Kat

November 17, 2009

Fern & Ben organised their eco wedding themselves with the help of their families. Fern's uncle even made the gorgeous cake. Everything from the invitations (recycled paper with hand-pressed flowers) to the ring bearer's pillow (Fern sewed it herself) was a DIY job. Ben even designed Fern's engagement ring from eco-friendly jewelers (rose gold with a single chocolate diamond.) They chose to get married on the land where Fern was born. The material for the gorgeous napkins were all different patterns and colours and every table had a sharpie at it so the napkins could act as a guestbook, each piece will now be turned into a quilt with which they will always remember their wedding day. A couple of other unique aspects from this wedding were the slideshow (they pinned old pictures of themselves on a clothesline in the trees) and the fact that Fern's oldest sister married them. The dress that Fern wore was a designer dress that she borrowed (she's a model). It was an original, one of a kind Melissa Sweet sample. The flowers were different assortments of wildflowers and no table or bridesmaid had the same arrangement. The ENTIRE bridal party even went barefoot! They had a bagpipe player before the ceremony which was very, very cool and beautiful. Their reception was super fun with a bluegrass band, good-luck sparkler dance and plenty of dancing.
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With Extra Sparkle

Kat

November 12, 2009

This little gift arrived into my inbox the other day from the ever delightful Brandi Thompson...I didn't realise it was Christmas already! You might remember Jayme from her engagement session with her (then) Hubby to be Matt and those shoes! Well from these it would appear that their wedding was just as Rock n Roll, gothic and pretty damn cool. Her dress was made especially for her by a local seamstress and the hat was from Leg Avenue to which she added her own extra sparkle! Thanks sooooo much for making my gothic fantasy's come true Brandi and Jayme! Credit: Brandi Thomspon Photography
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Under the Spotlight – Whirlingturban

Kat

October 30, 2009

Have you been dreaming about a gorgeous vintage style gown but have been afraid of the potentially massive price tag? Well Katherine Robinson of Whirlingturban has the answer! From a career in Hollywood making glamorous outfits for superstars, Katherine relocated to Bali (!) 8 years ago where she designs and makes vintage reproduction dresses. Her stunning ready made creations for example start at just $400 in her wedding boutique and for a completely custom dress you'd be looking at prices from only $800. As everything is done online she will even ship out a loaner dress to you to make sure the cut and fit are perfect before she makes your dress.
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Dressed to Impress – Part Deux!

Kat

October 26, 2009

Sandra & Duncan's 'Dressed to Impress' wedding made such a stir when I posted it in September that I have been eagerly waiting for more from photographers Chanelle & Craig. As you may remember, Sandra is a fashion designer so made her impressive dress and customised her own Casadei Couture shoes. Well the follow up is just as glorious - check out her inspiring reception dress, which she again designed and made herself. These are off-the-chart amazing - Carrie Bradshaw who? For all the juicy details on the outfits, the venue and the vendors head over to Segerius Bruce's blog...yummers! Credit: Segerius Bruce Photography
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Too Wonderful for Words

Kat

October 16, 2009

I know I say this a lot but eeek I am so excited to share Vince & Amanda's wedding. I have been lusting over it ever since Lisa of Ophelia Photography showed me a sneaky peak and the full wedding certainly lives up to my hype! The candy coloured wedding took place at Minoru Chapel and UBC Boathouse in Vancouver and Amanda's dress was handmade by her Mother - how rad is that!? Lisa you rock my flipping world girl. Thanks so much for sharing these with Rock n Roll Bride. I heart you!
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♥ WristieLove Custom Brooch Winner ♥

Kat

October 16, 2009

Here we go then my pretties, which one of you lovely ladies is the luck winner of the custom brooch by Sana of WristieLove - designed especially to fit your wedding theme? I thought long as hard about this, but my favourite entry, and the winner is.... Bowie Bride who said: Hands down fave: The Mini-Pearl Clockhand Brooch. We’re having a vintage-y, David Bowie-inspired, handmade decor, homemade beer, non-gender-specific bridal party, with my sister playing electric guitar as we float down the ol’ aisle, kinda wedding. We’re not really tied down to color – just a bunch of pastels mixed with black, red, peach, and off-white. We want it to look homemade and antique-y, so this brooch would be a fantastic addition. i would use it to pin on my bouquet – i am making my bouquet from scratch out of pins, brooches, handmade t-shirt flowers, newspaper, and whatever else ‘pretty’ i can find. This brooch is stunning and I would be honored to receive it. Congrats! Sana will be in touch to get all the details to make your prize perfect. I can't wait to see the result! Don't forget, the Love Me Do Photography contest is still very much open. Who wouldn't want free wedding photography!?
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Latin Lovers

Kat

October 9, 2009

Will & Aine had a Latin/ rock n roll wedding with gorgeous vintage touches in Santa Cruz. The term 'vintage' is thrown around a lot when it comes to weddings but looking at Aine's stunning...and I mean stunning...dress handmade by a friend and matching hairpiece, what other world could I use? The lace, the cameo, the cut...it's swoonworthy stuff! Will is a musician and plays in a Samba band so the day had a very Latin feel - from the bright colours (I adore orange and pink together!), the details and the music - it was a real eclectic mix of styles but it worked perfectly. Thanks so much to Gabrielle for sending me the exclusive first look at this stunning wedding. If you need more then go check out her blog and the slideshow! Credit: Gabrielle Fox Photography
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Quirky & Creative

Kat

October 1, 2009

Tyson & Courtney are a quirky and creative couple and so what else would be perfect for their wedding than what full of quirks and creating! The event took place at the house and yards of The Dana Powers House in Nipomo, where the couple made the day their own with all the personal touches. Thanks to the lovely Beth for sharing these with me and yes I am waiting to hear who made the dress right now! Fret not... Credit: Bath Armsheimer Photography
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Made To Measure

Kat

September 30, 2009

Evita & Micheal had a very uniquely styled wedding and 'day after shoot' (which actually took place 4 months after the wedding but who's counting?) The whole glorious wedding is featured in the Fall issue of Weddings Unveiled Magazine (and will be on their blog, Completely Unveiled, later this week) but I was over the moon when Evita asked if I would like to share their American Gothic style photo shoot too. I fell in love with the fashion. Her fabulous dress, made from a slightly altered vintage Vogue Pattern (8416) with silk from Clarence House even had a matching corset which she wore underneath! Her feather hat was from Frock of Ages and those amazing customised shoes by Andrew Geller, originally from Stefan's Vintage Clothing and quite frankly to die for. Evita explained: I had them resoled at Peter & Sons in South Windermere shopping center. Insoles and toe embellishments done by me. Sterling acorn brooches were purchased on eBay. Swarovski hot fix rhinestones are olivine Thanks to Evita & Michael for sharing their shoot and details with us. I can not wait to see the whole wedding in Weddings Unveiled Magazine soon! Credit: Stacey Bode Photography
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Childhood Sweethearts

Kat

September 20, 2009

I have been looking forward to seeing Hannah & Alex's wedding ever since I saw their school yard engagements and the bridal shoot to be used for their stag/hen/bachelor/ette parties invites. I first spoke to Hannah about 6 months ago when she forwarded me some of the work of her sister and photographer, Kelty and I have been nuts about it every since. I have been lucky enough to become good online friends with Kelty so I was over the moon when she sent me a sneak peek of the wedding photographs after the day.Credit: Steep Street Photography
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An Old Fashioned Love Affair

Kat

September 17, 2009

Anna & Ryan's wedding was marvelously simple, rustic, old-fashioned romantic affair. Think prairie flowers, wheat, fabric streamers, ball jars and parasols. The round barn that was host to the event belongs to Anna's family. Anna's dress was made by her Mum and was closely based on a design by an independent Italian designer named Mirit Weinstock who sends her clothes out to girls around the world to wear in self portraits to promote her clothing (check out the 'birthday' video on her homepage - it's fab). Her hairpiece was by the always fabulous Which Goose. After the ceremony (in which both Anna & Ryan only had one attendant each) there was a picnic lunch and after the picnic, everyone went to the couple's studio (they are also both photographers) to mingle. The reception was in a place called the Forum... an old theatre converted into a bar/event hall which was right across the street from their apartment/studio. Photographer Mysi described the reception vibe as being very much like a movie: amazing people... loud, happy and not a bit of drama. there was a moment during the last song of the night where about 30 of us danced while joined together in an enormous group hug (hard to breathe in there) and screamed the song ... when i realized i should be taking a photo of the spectacle, but i was too happy to watch from the outside. the best part of that was it wasn't forced or annoying or drunken or awkward. it was just joyous. Thanks so much to Mysi for all her hard work on this feature - she has also given me a sneak peek of her own wedding (they just got back from their honeymoon themselves) and it is beyond adorable so I hope I will be able to share those too soon! Credit: Soda Fountain Photography
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Orange.

Kat

August 31, 2009

Rachel & Geordie are a little bit too gorgeous to keep to myself and the orange motif that runs throughout the images - from her shoes and flowers to the Mini (bought by Rachel's Mother a week before the wedding!) and the JCB (!) - is just too damn awesome. The wedding took place in Rachel's parents' back yard and really had the stylish vintage vibe going on. Rachel's stunning 1920's inspired dress was custom made by her good friend (and clothing designer) Mireille Stettler and Geordie complimented her perfectly with his casual look. Thanks to the gorgeous and super talented Brittany for sending me these! Credit: Brittany Esther Photography
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