This month our contributors share their insider tips to help you create the perfect spring wedding...

Exclusive new pics from del Aqua

The team at del Aqua have just released new shots showcasing the hottest trends in hair and make up styles for brides this season!

Karen Willis Holmes on Bridal Gowns for Spring

Finally, winter is over and spring is in the air!

This year, we embrace all things floral (again!) and, after a very long winter, I also encourage lots of colour!

Colour is hard to do in a bridal gown, I always try to create some excitement in the texture by choosing the right type of fabrics, laces and trims, with delicate little fabric flowers to complement. You can put fabric flowers in your hair as well – that way you won’t have to worry about them wilting or getting squashed during the day. We have some great ones in store of roses as well as some sweet corsages. We also have a stunning new gown called ‘Adele’ that has a beautiful shoulder corsage with some extra little flowers on the hip as well.

Stick with pretty and simple designs in spring – you do not want to overdo it with anything too heavy.

And, what better way to celebrate spring than with one of our very own gowns, appropriately named ‘Rose’? With its soft empire line and lace detail, it is perfect for spring.

Roses not your thing? Then, why not ‘Poppy’? It is an extremely flattering figure hugging shape and with its tiers of ruffles, it’s sure to sit pretty on a beautiful spring day!

Delta Dawn Orig on Spring Weddings

Spring represents new beginnings - a perfect time to start a new life with the one you love in marriage.

The Colours

Spring gives an avenue to be adventurous with colours. Diane Von Furstenberg and Jason Wu’s collection at New York Fashion Week included bold primary colours such as Orange, Blue, Yellow, Green and Violet. If you want to avoid the 80’s curse opt for matte materials such as chiffon instead of choosing silky fabrics although this can still look very hot.

Floral was also one of Paris Fashion Week’s big stories although it does not necessarily mean having a patterned dress. A friend who married in an Elie Saab gown had little cherry blossom appliques.

Traditional brides can still go for pretty pastels.

The Flowers
I found a very useful site - http://www.bridesdiary.com.au/ - which lists available flowers this season according to colour. Always remember that on very hot days, delicate blooms such as tulips just don’t last.

The Colour Guide to Spring Blooms

All White:

• Tulip, Hyacinth, daisy, daffodil, camellia, azalea, sweet pea, rhododendron, jasmine, flannel flower, magnolia, lilac, lily-of-the-valley.

Yellow & White:

• Daffodil, azalea, daisy, iris, tulip, primrose, rhododendron, mimosa, jasmine, buttercup.

Orange & White:

• Tulip, daffodil, lily, azalea, marigold.

Mauve & White:

• Sweet pea, rhododendron, lavender, azalea, lilac, magnolia, tulip, hyacinth.

Blue & White:

• Cornflower, forget-me-not, bluebell, hyacinth.

Pink & White:

• Hyacinth, delphinium, azalea, gladiolus, waterlily, cornflower, rhododendron, English daisy, jasmine, sweet pea, iris.

Source(s):
www.bridesdiary.com.au

The Food

Many green leafy vegetables start to become available in Spring. Petit pois, crisp asparagus spears and spinach add colour to a dish while keeping it light and make a great accompaniment to any meat. Your caterer will be able to advise you on what vegetables are in season in spring.

The Weather

Don’t be fooled by the sunshine. Have a plan B when planning an outdoor wedding.

Invest in a beautiful cashmere wrap to cover those shoulders, cheap acrylics look bad and don’t keep you warm.

del Aqua's Hair and Beauty Tips for Spring Brides

‘Soft, flowing and timeless’. At Del Aqua this is what we believe is essential to perfect bridal hair. Our well trained team of hair experts are committed to making your hair experience one to remember. For the bride and bridesmaid who want to wear their hair out, our stylists at Del Aqua would suggest loose flowing curls with plenty of movement and body to create a beautiful ,natural effect for a spring bride. This look can be further enhanced with a soft sweeping fringe and tied off low and to one side to create a cascade of beautiful curls over one shoulder. Alternatively the curls could be pulled back from the face and pinned. This will open up the face and create a feature of a backless dress, which are so popular with any spring bride or her bridesmaids. Hair out options are almost infinite, so your qualified stylist will take through all of these options on your trial day to come up with elegant solutions to match your personal style and taste.

For the bride or bridesmaids, who want to wear their hair up we recommend that the hair should be smooth , sleek and soft with no harsh lines. This is a must for the modern bride or bridesmaid who wish to have a classic and timeless look on the day. This spring soft French rolls and sleek chignons are making a come back. These two styles complete the look for the modern spring bride who wants a more formal look.

For any enquires don’t hesitate to contact one of our friendly stylists at Del Aqua to organise a consultation.

Del Aqua Hair & Beauty
www.delaquahairandbeauty.com
Client line 02 9247 9677Shop 1, Shore 6 & 7 / 17 Hickson Rd

Sparkle Cupcakery

Sparkle Cupcakery offers a uniquely Sydney twist on the traditional cupcake. Every aspect of the Sparkle experience is stylish and exquisite - from the classic and exotic cupcake flavors, the presentation of each of cupcake through to the highly customized attention for weddings.

Kathryn Sutton has returned to Australia after 10 years away, living and working in Singapore then New York. Her background is strongly focused on creating great brands with a great focus on the customer, having spent 15 years in the upscale hotel market in areas from sales and marketing through to product development and communications. She is thrilled to be back in her home town of Sydney and establish a business, bringing together ideas and inspiration from her time offshore.

Welcome to the brand new Percy Marks Bridal Blog!

For over a century Percy Marks has shared their passion for precious gemstones with couples from Australia and around the world.

As bridal jewellery experts, the team at Percy Marks are always giving advice and recommendations to their clients on how to make their big day perfect.

With so many success stories the Percy Marks brand has become synonymous with magnificent weddings and romance. A few weeks ago we even had a proposal in the Percy Marks show room!
Over the years we have formed alliances with other companies and individuals who also strive to deliver luxury and prestige to brides and grooms. And so we have created a one-stop-shop for the latest in wedding trends, tips and advice on creating the ultimate luxury wedding.

Below we would like to introduce you to just some of the contributors to the site. – keep an eye out for new additions coming soon!

The whole team at Percy Marks is looking forward to the exciting opportunities this new online space will present. Please feel free to post any comments or suggestions that you may have.

Thank you.

Cameron Marks - Percy Marks

Cameron Marks officially had three days off between finishing high school and entering the family business but his ‘apprenticeship’ started long before that.

From a young age, Cameron would spend his school holidays helping out in his Dad’s shop. “I would do the cleaning, deliveries and work in the storeroom. As I got to know more about the business, I learned how to do repairs and eventually moved out to the shop floor,” says Cameron. “I was on Schoolies at the Central Coast when I got a call from my Dad to come back for a photo shoot. That was 28 years ago,” he laughs.

“I always had a feel for this industry,” says Cameron. “I am not only interested in the business side of things but am also fascinated by the family history. My great grandfather – the eponymous Percy Marks - started the business 109 years ago when immigrated to Australia from Germany, via New Zealand. At the tender age of 21, he became one of the pioneers of the opal trade in Australia, showing Australian stones at the Grand Prix World Expo in San Francisco in 1903.”

Despite the generational differences, Cameron’s ‘reign’ has been just as innovative and exciting. When he is not onsite at his Elizabeth St showroom, he can be found travelling the world attending jewellery trade fairs and diamond conferences. Most recently he travelled to Hong Kong for a diamond and coloured stone trade fair and visited the Argyle diamond mine in Kununurra, WA, as part of the Diamond Guild of Australia’s annual educational.

On free weekends, Cameron and his family head down to their Southern Highlands sheep stud which provides a respite to their busy city lives.

http://www.percymarks.com.au/

Delta Dawn Orig - Events

Events management was a large part of Delta Dawn Orig's role as a Marketing and PR Manager for a luxury French cosmetics house and it soon became apparent that it was the part of her job that she really loved.

Luxury gave her access to the best suppliers and experts in the industry. As a result, she now posses an enviable little book of secrets. From finding unique venues, to beautiful stationery, to the best manicures, to the best cocktail maker, to holding your hand at your dress fitting, to simply telling the truth.

Her goal is to translate your vision into an experience people will never forget. Delta ensures that modernity, tradition and audacity are blended together with an emphasis on quality and expertise that are second to none.

Her clients include Penguin Australia, Network Seven Pty Ltd and Pacific Publications Pty Ltd including Marie Claire and of course, Percy Marks.

Belinda Franks - Catering

An enduring passion for wonderful food informs the heart and soul of Belinda Franks Catering.

Since launching 25 years ago, Belinda Franks Catering has established a reputation as a market leader, delivering unique, contemporary, and stylish cuisine to Sydney’s premier special events.

This reputation, combined with a long standing association with Vogue Magazine has attracted an enviable list of clients in the elite luxury brand lifestyle category. The likes of Tiffany & Co, Chanel, Burberry, Giorgio Armani, and Percy Marks call on Belinda to design special menus for their season launches and client entertaining.

However this ability to personalise each and every detail is best realised through Belinda’s work with brides to be – her true passion. Belinda and her specialised team of wedding consultants ensure that each wedding is truly unique and ultimately memorable - no stone is left unturned in the pursuit of perfection for their big day. From lavish ceremonies (such as the Packer –Meares Wedding in 1999) through to intimate family gatherings, BFC will bring any vision to life.

A natural extension of Belinda’s flair for food is her ability to custom design all other aspects – from sumptuous floral arrangements to exquisite décor. Belinda Franks will take the Bridal Party from proposal through to the last kiss goodbye, providing an exceptional level of personal service, exceeding all expectations and turning any request into a reality.

http://www.belindafranks.com.au/

Phoebe Gazal - Papier D'Amour

Papier d’Amour – Paper of love – is a family owned and managed business that provides simple, elegant and beautiful quality stationery for all occasions and specializes in weddings. Superior quality is simply more than choosing the right paper.

Head designer and owner, Phoebe Gazal, has been in the wedding invitations and stationery industry for over 10 years. Producing some of the most beautiful wedding invitations and stationery ever seen in Australia, she frequently travels overseas soucring beautiful and unique products. Gazal prides herself on spending time with every client, providing superb taste and thoughtful suggestions all to do with etiquette and style.

The Papier d’Amour flagship store in Double Bay opened in 2006 and moved only a year later to a bigger premises two doors down.

At the unique store you will find everything from bespoke stationery, journals, luxury leather items to photo albums, desk and office accessories, grosgrain and French ticking ribbon to classic pens, pencils and erasers.

Papier d'Amour provides the ultimate Pret-A-Porter and Couture wedding invitation services, aswell as social and bespoke stationery which is ever expanding.

Also available are a wide variety of fill in invitations and wedding accessories.

http://www.papierdamour.com.au/

Jonathan Howard - Hat Maker

Jonathan Howard of Hatmaker Boutique is a designer of exquisite millinery.

Jonathan started his own label Hatmaker in 2006 after spending the previous ten years designing and making millinery pieces for leading labels and department stores in Sydney and London.

Since the inception of Hatmaker, he has steadily built the brand with a loyal following by consistently delivering his design philosophy comprising of timeless styles and individuality with an edge, superior customer service and personal attention.

Working carefully with the finest raw materials sourced from around the globe, and meticulous attention to detail pushing techniques and materials beyond their usual plane, it’s this deliberate directed process that characterises Hatmaker.

http://www.hatmaker.com.au/

Karen Willis Holmes - Bridal Gowns

Karen Willis Holmes couture bridal wear has met with great success following the opening of her Sydney atelier just eight years ago.

Karen’s designs reflect her life long love of fashion influenced by the 18th century and 40s and celebrate historic romance, sensuality and the spirit of the modern young woman - all with a twist.

Originally, from England and following her studies in Australia Karen travelled back to London where she worked for a high profile label in the UK. Karen soon found her calling in bridal couture, its demands for unfaltering attention to detail and exceptional skills held great appeal.

Following the success of the couture label, in 2004 Karen was inspired to create a ready to wear collection, making her gowns more accessible to clients that require a more innovative couture like quality and a higher level of customer service, but with the ease and price of a ready to wear gown.

The Karen Willis Holmes collection provides a stylish modern alternative to the traditional bride.
The Paddington store in Sydney was opened in September 2004 and has proved so successful Karen then opened her Melbourne store in Armadale on 14th February 2006.

All of the gowns are manufactured in Australia, providing that hands on personal approach and commitment to detail, using only the highest of quality imported fabrics laces and beading from around the world.

Store listing:
KAREN WILLIS HOLMES – Couture in Sydney
KAREN WILLIS HOLMES – Ready to wear Melbourne & Sydney.
Select Stockist’s in Australia and New Zealand
Going to UK to trade fair in Harrogate and to look for stockist in UK & Hong Kong
http://www.karenwillisholmes.com.au/