Nicola contacted me while back telling me that they were planning a gothic shoot and could I recommend a good venue.  Danby Castle had recently joined the GBD directory and so were at the forefront of my mind, and so I mentioned them.  The rest is history and the resulting images can be seen below.

But before we get onto those, let me tell you a bit more about Fabric Theatre.

Fabric Theatre is not a business that caters solely for the goth market, so I asked Nicola what had inspired them to put together a gothic shoot.  “We set up  Fabric Theatre as a business that could bring people alternative wedding styles to their venues.  Goth weddings are one of these genres that we feel we can work well in.  We set about putting together a style that we thought would show off our ability to fulfil and requirements from a goth couple.”  I think the images below show that they achieved that by the bucket-load.

You don’t need to be able to go to the expense of hiring a beautiful castle as your venue for Fabric Theatre to bring a touch of glamour to your celebrations.  Nicola pointed out that one of the inspirations behind Fabric Theatre was to help people who had otherwise uninspiring venues, such as church/village halls etc, turn them into beautiful marquee-style spaces to enjoy with their guests.  This way you get a lot of glamour without the usual price tag.

Fabric Theatre can also transform outdoor spaces, such a ruins or woodlands, into indoor spaces by erecting canopies.  The possiblilities are endless and any idea is worth a discussion.

Fabric Theatre will be exhibiting at the Alternative Wedding Fayre in St Ives, Cambridgesire in October 2011.  I’m told they will be presenting their Hallowe’en style as it’s the season.  Nicola tells me that they plan to roll out a series of somewhat intense themes over the coming months to show people just how far they can go.  So if you want to find out more about Nicola and Jan at least click through to their website, or betterstill, head off to St Ives in October.

I’m sure that you will agree that these scenes are truly stunning.  I particularly like how the candelabra centrepieces add such an elegant height to the room.  “We got those from a company called Paula Blake Weddings and Events.”  Nicola told me when I asked about them, “They are a local business that we often team up with when event styling.” 

Just Wow!!!

Other mentions:
Photography: Luna Photography
Venue: Danby Castle

Having your make up professionally applied on your wedding day is a must.  Not only the obvious reason of ensuring that you look your best, but also because it’s the time in your ‘getting ready’ itinery that most closely resembles a pamper session and that sets you up for the rest of the day.  There are many brides out there who choose a helping hand with their bridal make up, but for those adopting a striking or dramatic look for their wedding day, you need to call in the experts.  This is where Alice comes in.

The variety of looks that Reverie Make Up could bring to your day are outstanding.  Alice can bring your alter ego out to play for your wedding day, whether you are looking to be darkly demure, frightfully fay, an ice princess, or full on horror fantasy.  In fact, if you are still pondering on a ’style’ the images below could well help you decide in themselves.

Alice has recently passed her degree in make up application at Manchester University.  Originally from Kent, Alice plans to remain in Manchester for the foreseeable future, but can easily accept bookings down in Kent too.

Now feast your eyes on these glorious examples of Alice’s work……………..

The shoot that the above image was taken from was inspired by Tim Burton movies.
Additional information:
Flowers by True Bud Floristry (can also be found in the directory)
Photography by Yukidoll

These images demonstrate that a beautifully rich and striking quality can be brought to a more traditional look.
More information:
Flowers by True Bud Floristry (all three images) (can also be fond in the directory)

Now here’s a fascinating style for a goth bride – I’m always very taken with the idea of a goth in white.  These ice maiden images bring a rebellious slant to a ‘traditional’ white wedding.
Additional information:
Flowers and headband (image left) by True Bud Floristry (can also be found in the directory)
Photography (image left) by Yukidoll
Photography (image right) by Mark Tattersall (can also be found in the directory)

Now, these two styles may be far more extreme than most would want for their wedding day, but they demonstrate just how far Alice can go.
More information:
Photography (both images) by Yukidoll

I trust you have been impressed by Reverie Make Up.  If you would like to find out more about Alice please take a look at her website, or you can find her on Facebook.

I would love to hear your comments below.

]]> http://gothicbydesign.co.uk/blog/hair-and-make-up/introducing-reverie-make-up/feed/ 0 http://gothicbydesign.co.uk/blog/how-to-get-the-best-out-of-a-commission-by-grin-grimace-and-squeak/ http://gothicbydesign.co.uk/blog/how-to-get-the-best-out-of-a-commission-by-grin-grimace-and-squeak/#comments Wed, 29 Jun 2011 21:39:57 +0000 debs http://gothicbydesign.co.uk/?p=1087 We often get asked to make something special for weddings and always jump at the chance.  For those of us who hand craft things it’s such a joy to be able to make a piece that is truly unique and perfectly matched to our customer, to be part of their special day.

People seem shy when it comes to asking about a custom order so we thought we’d put together some tips on how to work with your designers to make sure you get exactly what you want – and at a reasonable price

First up, money.  Unromantic as it may be, it’s the thing that makes this happen and both you and the maker have an interest in how much exactly is going to be involved.  Most designers will have a pretty good range of things to choose from and so the initial conversation often goes something along the lines of …

‘I love the vine mask in black but my dress is purple- can you make me one to match?’

Well, that’s easy enough – no design fee as we’re working off an existing pattern and we use purple anyway, so we’ll have the materials in stock.  We agree a date by which the mask needs to be sent out, send an invoice for payment or create a listing online- et voila!  One purple mask, custom made at no extra expense.

But what if you can’t find anything that’s just right or the colour has to be a perfect match?  This is where a little preparation on your part can save a lot of time, stress and money later.

Even if you’re doing most of your shopping online for the big day, you can e-mail photos you’ve taken yourself of pieces you’ve already bought or links to the product online rather than trying to describe the style you are going for.  If colour is a factor, our top tip is to nip into your local craft or sewing shop, buy a metre of ribbon in the right shade and for a few pence, you have lots of small, postable samples you can send out to dressmakers, shoe dyers and florists.  It’s a lot easier to judge colour from a physical object than from an image on screen.

Be clear from the beginning on what you want and when you want it by.  The more hours a designer has to spend on the phone or e-mailing questions, the more hours you’re going to get charged for and the longer the whole process takes.  Don’t be afraid to tell them your budget either- it can be a deciding factor in what is possible and allow the designers to make suggestions you may not have thought of.

When customers approach us armed with all this information, we are able to confidently give  a quote straight away and agree a payment schedule because we are clear from the start how much work we need to put in.  It’s almost invariably cheaper that way than if we have to estimate, which gives you more money to spend on honeymoon

Happy shopping !

This post was contributed by Grin, Grimace and Squeak! who can be found in the Gothic By Design directory in the Accessories Category.

If you have found this post helpful please let us know by leaving your comments.

]]> http://gothicbydesign.co.uk/blog/how-to-get-the-best-out-of-a-commission-by-grin-grimace-and-squeak/feed/ 1 http://gothicbydesign.co.uk/blog/alternative-wedding-fair-st-ives-cambridge/ http://gothicbydesign.co.uk/blog/alternative-wedding-fair-st-ives-cambridge/#comments Tue, 21 Jun 2011 21:59:46 +0000 debs http://gothicbydesign.co.uk/?p=1098 It’s probably no surprise to you to hear that on my journey sifting through all things media, my ears prick up, as it were, to all things ‘wedding’ and all things ‘alternative’, of which there are many.  I can only get truly excited when the two terms exist together.  So when Heidi Thompson, of An Affair to Remember Event Design and Production, contacted me last week about an Alternative Wedding Fair that she is organising later this year she had my full attention.

Now, as we know all know, definitions of ‘alternative’ can vary widely.  At first glance, many a gothic bride-to-be might be forgiven for assuming that this fair is not aimed at her.  It may not be a fair of the dark variety, however, I have taken the time to look more closely and I can assure you that it is well worth a closer look, not least for the following reasons:

• Anyone bringing an alternative option to the market, in a bid to move away from mainstream blandness, is to be applauded and supported;
• All suppliers at this fair will be expecting, nay hoping and praying, that all visitors to their stands will have a unique style and theme, that will get their creative juices flowing.  At present I don’t know of any other planned events where you can speak to so many suppliers in one place open to alternative and/or unusual requests.
• Some of the suppliers already signed up to the Fair are suppliers that feature in the Gothic By Design directory.  Others are suppliers that I may well be contacting myself in due course.

So I’ll leave you with Heidi’s invitation below.  If you are in the Cambridge region on 23 October and are planning a wedding with a difference, you may well find everything that you are looking for here…….

Grin, Grimace and Squeak is based on the tip of the UK in Cornwall.  Despite this remote location Karen and Rich have ensured that they have a very accessible online presence to show their wares.

The website has gorgeous galleries demonstrating the wide range of masks on offer, from dark gothic, to iridescent fancies, to faerie/woodland wonder.  What’s even more exciting is that many of the masks can also be hired (gasp!).
Grin, Grimace and Squeak! can also be found on Etsy making their creations instantly available to the Etsy savvy amongst us.  A quick browse through the current Etsy shop shows not only many varied masks for sale, but hair combs, fascinators and cuffs.

There is also a bespoke service available for those of you who may require something specific and personal to complemet your wedding outfit.  I asked Karen how this service worked considering the fact that they seem to be so far away from, well, most people.

“People seem to find us pretty well through the website and our Etsy shop,” responded Karen.  “in fact, most of our sales are to the USA.  Our latest bespoke order is for a woodland wedding this August.  People these days are becoming more familiar with approaching online businesses to discuss their requirements anyway, in a variety of ways.   I find that the key to fulfilling bespoke orders successfully is how we communicate once they have got in touch; communication needs to be clear and precise at every stage of the discussions.  Also we ensure that each stage is backed up by images illustrating descriptions, for example, pictures of/links to wedding dresses etc, or actual colour samples.  The long distance thing really isn’t such a barrier anymore.”

Another reason why I am particularly delighted to have made Karen and Rich’s acquaintance is that they will be contributing articles to the Gothic By Design blog, on subjects that they think will be of interest to our readership.  Early discussions with Karen have already highlighted some interesting subject matter, so stay tuned for news from our Cornish Correspondents.

Please leave your comments below.  Why not follow me on Twitter and/or Facebook?

These latest creations from Claire come in ravishing reds and deep jet black, all shown off  by stunning silver, and are featured in the True Romantics section of her website.

Claire says, “I have a necklace that I made for myself a good while ago; I tend to wear it at events and get a lot of comments.  I don’t want to part with it so I made  a similar piece in reds and silver to offer in my shop.”

Shown below are other pieces from the True Romantics range.

To view more of her work take a look at Claire’s blogsite

It would be great if you could leave your comments below.

This post has been part of the Black and Red Week on Sophistique Noir.

Very recently I have started to follow a new blog through Facebook called Sophistique Noir.  This week has been declared Red and Black Week, so here is, hopefully my first rather than my only, offering to celebrate this favourite colour combination of your discerning goth.

I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to remind readers of the fantastic range of flowers and bouquets are available through the Gothic By Design Wedding Directory.

Below is a selection of designs – the creators are noted beside the images.

If this array of dark delights has whet your appetite for more, then you can find out how to contact all of these vendors, and more, in the Gothic By Design wedding directory, on the Flowers and Bouquets page.  All are based within the UK.

You can follow Sophistique Noir here.
You can ‘LIKE’ me on Facebook here.

All comments are welcome.

]]> http://gothicbydesign.co.uk/blog/red-and-black-week-gothic-bouquets/feed/ 4 http://gothicbydesign.co.uk/blog/photography/introducing-lisa-fellows-wedding-photography/ http://gothicbydesign.co.uk/blog/photography/introducing-lisa-fellows-wedding-photography/#comments Mon, 18 Apr 2011 17:53:39 +0000 debs http://gothicbydesign.co.uk/?p=932 Now here’s a shoot with a twist.

I’ve been looking forward to writing an article for Lisa for some time.  When she contacted me to say she was about to go on a shoot which I might be interested in I eagerly awaited the results.  Lisa had gotten together with Janice from Uptight Clothing.  The main purpose of the shoot was to demonstrate how a high quality corset wedding dress can transform your figure.

Lisa confirmed, “The idea behind the shoot was to use models who would reflect the ethos that a well made gown and/or corset can suit any shape.  Both Janice and I were a little fed up with seeing bridal gowns displayed only on size 8 models.”

Now I’m well aware that many goth brides-to-be will be no stranger to the benefits of a well chosen piece of corsetry, indeed I dare say a fair percentage of you will not have left the house on a Saturday night for the past fumfty years without one, but for every reader in the know, there’ll be another for whom wearing a corset has never been the norm.  If you are a lady that falls into the latter category then Lisa’s images below could help you to realise just how gorgeous you could look on your wedding day with a made-to-measure corset wedding dress.

Lisa took a couple of her friends along to the shoot, Silva and Sharon, to be models for the day.  I think it’s fair to say that these two ladies are certainly representative of many of the ‘real’ women who are planning to get wed, and as delightful as it is to see images of gorgeously gothy sylphs around the place, it’s unlikely that those images are all that helpful when seriously trying to picture yourself in a similar style.  I am reliably informed that both Silva and Sharon were delighted with their new enhanced curves.

The results can be seen below.  The dresses look particularly vibrant against the industrial backdrop that is the surroundings of Uptight Clothing’s workshop.

Special Offer
Lisa is currently re-branding her business to reflect her desire to work with the goth/alternative community.  “Whilst on maternity leave I had the chance to think more about my target market, and as I was looking at my bookings for this year, realised that although I love shooting weddings, the ones I enjoy most are those for couples with whom I have common interests.”  To help grow her portfolio for this new look Lisa is offering a special offer to couples of a goth/alternative ilk for wedding, engagement or lifestyle shoots; for details of the savings to be had contact Lisa.

Silva
Silva was delighted with the waist and other feminine curves that her corset gave her.

Sharon
Sharon was thrilled with all of her new curves that she didn’t believe she had.

So hopefully, if you’ve been umming and ahhing about whether a corset wedding dress is right for you, then Lisa’s refreshing images have given you the confidence to, at least, speak to a dress designer about your ideas.  They are all waiting for your call.

Gowns and jewellery: Uptight Designs http://www.uptight-clothing.co.uk
Black fascinator: Violet Peacock: http://www.violetpeacock.com/
Assisted by Bryony Parkes: http://www.bryonyclairephotography.co.uk/
Photographer: Lisa Fellows www.lisafellows.com – Alternative Wedding Photographer

I’d love you to leave your comments below.

Tanya of S Moon S has contacted me with news of the latest irrestistable collections for 2011 available on the website, together with two raffles, yes, that’s two raffles, to be drawn later this year.   ….Intrigued?…..read on…..

Firstly, we’ll look at the new necklace designs – there’s sure to be one that will adorn your wedding outfit perfectly.  There’s 2 collections for your perusal: The Crystaline Collection, and The Hand Knitted Collection.

The Crystaline Collection
This is a beautifully demure and understated collection from S Moon S; the neat and stylish designs will bring a touch of glamour to any gothic garments.  The Gothic Mythical Flower design illustrated here is my own personal favourite – take a t look at the link here to find your favourite.

The Hand Knitted Collection
This collection brings us ten creations based on the choker necklace, exquisitely and ornately feminine.  Again I have taken the indulgence of showcasing my favourite one below – click here to take a look at the complete collection.

And now onto the raffles………………..how exciting!

Yes, Tanya tells me that they are running two give-aways this summer, both of which could help you keep down the cost of putting your wedding outfit together:

1st Raffle
Inspired by the success of S Moon S in the Vampire Contest of Team Twilight, Tanya has chosen to bring a raffle directly to her customers.  The winner of the raffle will receive a completely new design as part of the latest crystal jewellery line.  To enter the raffle all you need to do is email Tanya, there’s no purchase necessary.  You have until 2 June 2011 to enter – click here to find out more directly from the S Moon S website.

And the 2nd raffle -  this one is for everyone attending Wave-Gotik-Treffen in 2011.  It’s the 20th anniversary of WGT S Moon S want to commemorate this with a prize draw.  All visitors to their stand in Agra Halle who make a purchase get the chance to win a special gift, to the value of 150 Euros – click through to the S Moon S website to learn more.

Well, we can’t say that S Moon S haven’t brought us a whole range of goodies and treats there, can we?  Enjoy browsing the site, and if you have any comments to make please leave them below.

Kerrang!, yes, THAT Kerrang!, haved teamed up with Hobgoblin beer, The Unofficial Beer of Weddings, to offer a medieval wedding on 29th April 2011, worth £20,000.  I know that’s short notice but a day worth £20,000 in a beautiful setting is also worth pulling your finger out for.

You might have plans to watch someone else’s wedding on 29th April, but if you aren’t too bothered about that then attending your own wedding day would be far more enjoyable – at least you know all of your guests will be granted that day off work anyway.

For all the details go to:

Kerrang Radio website

Wychwood website – home of Hobgoblin

And to view the wedding venue, Old Swan and Minster Mill, click here

Couples have until midnight on 17th March 2011 to enter the competition.  Good Luck!!!