For brides-to-be looking for a vintage inspired wedding, the era most favoured this season is the 1920′s.

It was the birth of Hollywood, the rise of the glamorous movie starlets and the beginning of an incredibly influential fashion generation.

I love the 20′s for its pearls, ostrich feathers and t-bar shoes and you love it too.  Your favourite piece by far has to be the St Tropez headpiece by Stephanie Browne and I don’t blame you.

St Tropez Headpiece £399

St Tropez headpiece, Art Deco earrings

St Tropez Comb, Vivienne Bracelet, Imperial Bracelet, Peacock Earrings

If you’re looking for real bride inspiration when planning your wedding accessories, then meet Eleanor and Phil Sotheran.

Ellie and Phil Sotheran

The gorgeous couple got married on July 2nd 2011 at Highcliffe castle in Dorset.  Eleanor chose the Manhattan necklace (from Ivory & Co) after looking through hundreds and hundreds online. “Originally I wanted something bigger and more extravagant but when I saw this necklace which looked so elegant and classy, I decided that it was the perfect one for me.” said Eleanor ” Then it just seemed right to have the matching earrings!”

Ellie wears Manhattan necklace & earrings - Ivory & Co

Manhattan Necklace £125

Manhattan Earrings £35

I couldn’t agree more!  Kate x

Style and movie icons like Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly and Elizabeth Taylor are the perfect inspiration for a 1950s wedding.

A ’50s wedding will always be elegant and stylish. Wedding dresses need to be full-skirted and for a true ’50s twist opt for a shorter length with a sash or buckle detail at the waist. It’s also the perfect excuse to show off amazing wedding shoes like Rachel Simpson’s aptly-named Marilyn heels, also available in ‘knock ‘em dead’ red!

Marilyn Ivory pair £160

Marilyn Mink pair £160

Marilyn Red Pair £160

Sparkles are definitely a girl’s best friend when it comes to choosing your bridal jewellery: either continue the Marilyn theme with sparkly jewels or go all Grace Kelly with something like a birdcage veil from Ivory & Co.

Pearl Birdcage Veil £70

Alternatively, you could even channel a bit of Liz Taylor with a Cleopatra-esque tiara like this ‘Emperor’ from Halo & Co!

Emperor Wedding Tiara £155

Here are a couple more ideas to carry on the ’50s theme…

Kelly Bracelet £199

Streisand Feather Bridal Stole £95

Kate x

I wanted to showcase another beautiful bride to you on the blog today, who chose her wedding jewellery from our treasure trove of vintage inspired delights.

Elizabeth and Gregory were married on the 6th August 2011 at a chapel in Oundle.  Dressed in a simple yet stunning bridal gown, Elizabeth chose the Kennedy tiara to add a little classic sparkle to her ensemble.  Halo & Co make each headpiece by hand, which also appealed to Elizabeth and I think it’s the perfect finishing touch, don’t you?

Libby wears the Kennedy headpiece from Halo & Co

Libby pictured right

Elizabeth and Greg

From headpieces and combs to necklaces and brooches, there’s a beautiful piece of vintage-inspired wedding jewellery for everyone.

For something floral but that will last you long after you have thrown your bouquet over your shoulder, I’ve pulled together just a few pieces of bridal jewellery to bring out the nature in you!  Say it with flowers!

Rosemary Comb £280 - Halo & Co

Lotus Comb £90 - Ivory & Co

Daisy Bridal Tiara £135 - Madeline Isaac James

Audrey Side Tiara £195 - Jo Barnes

Shannon Cuff £130 - Justine M Couture

Pearl Flower Wave Brooch £20 - Ivory & Co

Waterlilly Necklace £85 - Ivory & Co

Gardenia Ivory Wedding Shoes £374.99 - Harriet Wilde

I love nothing more than to hear back from a Queens and Bowl bride after her wedding day.  To see a photograph of your chosen piece of bridal jewellery or vintage inspired accessories, fills me with pride and joy!

Anna and Kevin

The beautiful Anna and her handsome new hubbie Kevin, were kind enough to send me these images captured on their day. Anna tied the knot  back in March in London’s Chelsea registry office followed by a glitzy party at the Ritz Hotel!

Anna chose the Minnelli shrug to complete her vintage bridal look and was absolutely thrilled with her purchase.

Here are some more photographs from the happy couple for you to enjoy…

Anna wears Minnelli Feather Shrug

Anna and Kevin

Anna wears the Minnelli Feather Shrug

Anna and Kevin

Thinking of a ’40s wedding? Then think full-on femme fatale glamour, with deep V-necks, rounded shoulders and nipped-in waists. Think fitted bodices with full skirts and pearl bridal accessories.

Tilly Ivory pair £145

Eva pair £150

Shoes can be peep-toe with perhaps a jewel embellishment like Tilly or Eva from Rachel Simpson Shoes and teamed with a fabulous feather stole by Sasso.

Streisand Feather Bridal Stole £95

Pick one piece of wedding jewellery to make the ultimate statement – I love this amazing crystal choker by Halo & Co.

Crystal Choker £175

Where do you go for inspiration when you’re planning your wedding day? Maybe you are influenced by celebrity weddings, perhaps you have inherited an heirloom that you want to base your whole theme around, or maybe you’ve been to a friend’s wedding and brought away ideas that you want to make your own with a bit of artistic licence!

There are so many places that will give you ideas on how to pull a look together, but sometimes it can be daunting just knowing where to start looking!  I hope you enjoy reading my blog ; the opportunity to delve into my treasure chest of beautiful vintage inspired wedding accessories….

To help you, I’ve listed just a few of my favourite blogs specifically for brides and all things wedding related. My advice is to subscribe to their RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed so you can be constantly updated on the latest trends and features…

Love My Dress

This wedding blog and style diary is full of vintage, glamorous and elegant wedding inspiration. Established by Annabel Beeforth who is bursting with advice from bridal wear through to planning and decor ideas.

Boho Weddings and Events

Kelly designs and puts together weddings and events and is inspired by anything a little quirky and offbeat. Her blog is dedicated to showing you how to be creative and a little ‘boho’ when it comes to organising your big day.

OMG I'm Getting Married

A wedding blog created by Alexis, who has recently tied the knot herself and set up this blog to help inspire other brides-to-be following in her footsteps. OMG loves weddings, loves photography, loves fashion – how many other reasons do you need to stop by and say hello?

Rock N Roll Bride

A blog that promotes individuality and general awesomeness. Rock n Roll Bride provides a little haven for kick-ass real wedding inspiration and a mecca for truly gorgeous photography.

Beyond Beyond

A collection of all the things wedding, but concentrating on incredible photography, unique wedding graphics and design, accessories and D.I.Y ideas.  It’s written by stationery and graphic designer Amma who has piled all her inspiration into one quirky and very amusing blog.

Fifties Wedding

A website dedicated to all things influenced by the fashion and styling of the 50′s. A real indulgence for lovers of the era and absolutely bursting with ideas on how to create the perfect 50′s themed wedding.

Whimsical Wonderland Weddings

As the name suggests, this little virtual world of wedding goodness is packed full of eclectic wedding inspiration and a tonne of real wedding ideas. Written by a self-confessed eccentric, indecisive bride-to-be whose blog entries take you on a real ramble through the world of weddings.

If there are blogs and websites that inspire you, I’d love to hear about them.  Hope this helps a little!

Kate x

Hopefully you enjoyed reading my 1920′s inspired wedding post recently, highlighting just a few ideas and suggestions if you are considering that particular era as a theme for your own bridal ensemble.

Next up is the 1930′s, a truly glamorous and sensuous time in the history of fashion. Think big bands, long satin gowns and a real influence by Hollywood starlets of the time like the incredibly stunning Joan Crawford.

Having a 1930′s wedding calls for some serious sophisticated glamour – brides can pull the look together with a sleek satin gown, sparkly heels (like Tess from Filippa Scott) and perhaps a contrasting Sasso feather shrug for full of Va Va Voom! For bridal jewellery focus on strong shapes and bold designs – the Art Deco movement was in full swing and was evident everywhere in the 1930′s including a brand new building in New York called the Empire State!  I LOVE this St Tropez Brooch from Stephanie Browne as a real statement piece.

Tess Shoes £100

Alaska Feather Bridal Jacket £250

Finally don’t forget to send me your wedding day photographs, especially if you have rocked a theme – you might see yourself on our real brides gallery!

Kate x

Choosing a theme for your bridal ensemble and your wedding accessories is a huge task undertaken by brides-to-be every day. Trying to be unique, picking something that brings out your character and personality and then tying it all together to fit inside your budget can often be a real headache.

I have put together some inspiration boards on the Queens and Bowl website that hopefully will help to give you your lightbulb moment and inspire you to choose the perfect weddings accessories for you.

Let’s start with the 1920′s…

F. Scott Fitzgerald once said “The parties were bigger, the pace was faster, the shows were broader, the buildings were higher, the morals were looser, and the liquor was cheaper…”

The 20′s came in with a ‘ROAR’! Think the Great Gatsby, flapper girls, stepping out of the restraints of a corset and into smooth flowing fabrics teamed with short, wavy bobs.

Let your imagination run wild for your 1920′s inspired wedding. For wedding shoes, choose a round-toe single-bar helled pump like the ‘Hettie‘ style from Rachel Simpson. Pile on the pearls for your bridal jewellery with our fantastic selection of necklaces and bracelets from designers like Stephanie Browne and finish your look with a splash of ostrich feathers from our choice of gorgeous, luxury wedding stoles, capes and shrugs. Voila! A Hollywood film starlet hitting the floor for your first dance Charleston-style!

Hettie Ivory pair £160

Kelly Necklace £330

Kelly Pearl Bracelet £240

Paris Champagne £229