1950s & 1960s wedding dresses - Vintage gets a Pop vibe!

Dear Reader,
After so much slinky glamour, I thought it'd be fun to try a very different look for your vintage wedding dress. Today, let's go POP!

1950s and 1960s wedding dresses can be so flirty and pretty, with a great pop feel. You can play this down, and keep it chic and simple. Or dress them up and really go to town...

And don't just think pastel. 1950s and 1960s wedding dresses are bold enough to carry off a more individual colour palette...

And - like this fun photoshoot for You and Your Wedding - you can be really playful with the accessories...

The dresses featured here are a mix of original 1950s and 1960s vintage, and Stella from my Heavenly Collection of vintage-inspired wedding dresses. If you'd like to see similar dresses, do contact me.

Cute! See you later this week when I'll be sharing pics from a lovely Real Vintage Bride.
Love
Helena
Heavenly Vintage Brides

If you like this post, try
My Guide to 1950s Vintage Wedding Dresses


With thanks to:
Venue: London Docklands Museum
Photography by Modern Vintage Weddings
Flowers by Euphoric Flowers
Hair & make-up by Gemma Sutton
Stationery by Hip Hip Hooray
Cake by SK Cakes
Groomswear by Tweedmans Vintage and Laird London
Hair accessories & jewellery by Olivier Laudus
Shoes by Irregular Choice and Benjamin Adams
Bags by Clementine Weddings
Tableware & furniture by Coordination Hire, LSA International, Northfields
Props by Preppy Owl Boutique, Vowed & Amazed, Planet Sputnik, Bubblegum Balloons

Divine inspiration: the Italian nun making wedding dreams comes true.

Dear Reader,
I first saw this uplifting story in the New York Times a little while ago. Do read on, I think you'll be charmed...

High in the hills of Umbria sits a beautiful medieval monastery, St Rita's. It's named after the patron saint of weddings and for 600 years it has been a place of pilgrimage for Italian women, praying to the saint to protect their marriage. And often leaving their wedding dress as a gift of thanks...

And it is here that the wonderful Sister Maria Laura has a completely unique atelier - providing disadvantaged brides-to-be with the dress of their dreams, all completely free. 

Before taking her vows twenty years ago at the age of 28, Sister Maria was a seamstress and designer. Now she applies her skills to re-fitting and re-styling dresses for any bride who could not otherwise afford one!

In return, the brides often make a donation, or simply return their dress after the wedding so that someone else can enjoy it. Sister Maria never leaves the convent, and now has so many brides visiting that this has become a full-time occupation. In her own words...

"It gives me great joy to see a young woman who can fulfil her dream of love with a dress appropriate for the happiest day of her life."

 

What a darling! Sister Maria, we salute you.

Enjoy your weekends, Heavenly friends, and see you again next week.

Love
Helena 
Heavenly Vintage Brides

If you liked this story, try more Inspire Me features


If you'd like to read more about Sister Maria, 
there is also a feature in Stella Magazine.
Photos c. Nadia Shira Cohen

Real Vintage Bride Harry, in 1930s-style vintage wedding dress.

Dear Reader,

I couldn't wait to give you a preview of this stunning bride... 

Harry is a fashion PR, so she really knows what looks good! For her vintage wedding dress, she chose 1930s-style Angel. I know you'll agree she looks fabulous in it.

Harry - her full name is Angharad - has just married Joe, drummer with super-cool indie rockers, The Horrors. And you, dear readers, are the first to see this gorgeous little teaser from their wedding video.  (I don't even think their wedding guests have seen it yet...!)

I promise to show you the pictures as soon as they're in... Meanwhile, huge congratulations from us all to fabulous Harry and lucky Joe!

Love
Helena
Heavenly Vintage Brides

If you like this post, please see more 
Real Vintage Brides

It's all about 1940s glamour! With two lovely new vintage brides.

Dear Reader
Thanks for all your gorgeous comments on the new Dorothy dress, the latest 1940s style from my Heavenly Collection. I'm so pleased you like her...

Today I have two beautiful new brides to share. Both wear original 1940s vintage lace wedding dresses. And both look so stunning - so elegant and glamorous. First Rhiannon...

And now Annie, in a lovely tea-length lace dress. Annie is a professional dancer and really knows how to twirl...!

I'm definitely seeing a renewed popularity for 1940s glamour, so I though I'd do a little recap today of the all fabulous 1940s things we've been thinking about... Just scroll down to see what takes your fancy, and click through the links to see the full posts...

First, some lovely real vintage brides. Here is Lucie, in stunning original 1940s lace...

And Lisa, in sophisticated 1940s-inspired Bette dress, from my Heavenly Collection...

Next some fabulous 1940s style icons. First the sultry and sophisticated Lauren Bacall. What a woman!

And the fabulous Bette Davis... She is of course my inspiration for the Bette dress...

And here's the actual Bette 1940s-style dress she inspired...

On the subject of dresses, don't miss this wonderful original 1940s vintage lace wedding dress and jacket...

And lastly, some ideas for starlet-style hair to complement your 1940s wedding dress...

Phew, I think that's quite enough for now! I hope you'll make time to bring a little 1940s movie star style to your day today... 

See you next week

Love

Helena

Heavenly Vintage Brides

Introducing new DOROTHY, 1940s wedding dress in fine Chantilly lace.

Dear Reader,
Ah, September, and back to school for us all... I hope you enjoyed a delightful Summer. I've saved up something rather special to show you for the new season: My new 1940s-inspired lace wedding dress. Ta-dah, here she is..!

...As you may remember, I'm loving all things 1940s at the moment. (I'll be doing a little round-up later this week, just to remind you!) And so, I've updated my Dorothy wedding dress with some gorgeous 1940s-inspired details...

The original Dorothy is so so pretty, with its fitted bodice, A-line skirt and lace overlay. It's a very flattering and elongating combination, and always a popular style with my girls...

This classic, flattering silhouette lends itself very well to more sophisticated and glamorous 1940s styling. For the new dress, we've added long elegant sleeves and a chic V-neck - giving a very different feel... 

Perhaps you've already noticed the gorgeous Chantilly lace we've used for the new dress? It's wonderful quality - very fine. And it has a beautiful border, which makes a stunning feature on the sleeves and the base of the skirt... 

The V-neckline is finished with a delicate French lace trim too. And the full-length skirt dips slightly at the back, giving just a whisper of a train.

For the lining, we've chosen a pale apricot/champagne silk. This colour gives the dress a warm and flattering glow, perfect for pale English Rose complexions. And it looks equally beautiful in the classical ivory silk option.

We're delighted with our new movie-star-glamorous dress. I hope you love her too. Dorothy is available now, priced £1595 with apricot silk lining, or £1495 with ivory silk. 

If you like Dorothy and would like to see more vintage-style wedding dresses, do check here. And I always have many fabulous original vintage 1940s and 1950s dresses here. 

And of course, I'd love to see you in person just contact me to discuss your needs!

Meanwhile, thanks for looking - and see you later this week.

Love

Helena

Heavenly Vintage Brides

If you like this post, please also try...

1940s Lace Wedding Dresses