Millinery Fun, the Bridal Headpiece is DONE!

I accomplished one of the larger, looming tasks at hand for the wedding last night - a very important piece of my bridal ensemble, my headpiece. Inspired by the gorgeous hats and veils worn by brides in glamorous 1930s Hollywood films, I ordered a box full of pleated horsehair crinoline and russian veiling from Judith M Millinery Supply and set to work. I was fortunate to find a nice stryofoam hat form/head at Hobby Lobby, which really helped me flesh out my ideas for the piece. I am extremely pleased with how well this turned out.


Here's a quick shot of me modeling the piece, this is the side that our guests will see when we're standing up at the altar. The piece is so full that it completely hides my face when viewed from the other side - so delicious! I feel very flirty peeking out from underneath the brim!



I decided to use a vintage piece of jewelry to finish off the center of the hat, so I scoured my favorite antique shops here in town until I came across this sparkly stunner - I actually spoke with the woman who was selling this piece, as I was examining a few others in her case. She's a costume/rhinestone jewelry collector, and says that this brooch is early 50s vintage - not quite the 40s piece that I had in mind, but I like the look and quality of this particular brooch so much. The rhinestones are in PERFECT condition, as is the metal and the setting. It was a pretty little bargain too, at around $10.



All told, this hat cost me around $30 for materials, and only 3-4 hours of labor. The individuality and uniqueness - priceless! The piece is completely stitched using waxed thread to a small circle of ultra-stiff buckram (double-layered), and will be attached to my hair using several bobbypins instead of a comb or duckbill clip as I had originally planned. Using bobbypins makes the position of the hat much more secure... which in turn makes me feel much more secure as I'm waltzing around.

Jewelry --or-- These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

We FINALLY got around to purchasing Ryan's wedding band. A very handsome ring for a very handsome man. Gotta love the iPhone - I was able to buy the band on our way to another couple's wedding! Multitasking is what separates us from the beasts of the field my friends.

Anywho, we bought the ring from an amazing shop on Etsy - robandlean.etsy.com. The shop is run by a husband and wife jewelry making dream team, creating beautiful handmade baubles perfect for bearded manly men like Ryan.

His ring is aerospace grade titanium (wee!) with manzanita wood inlays. I can't wait for it to get here!




In other wedding ring news, we also managed to get my engagement/wedding ring cleaned and sized this past week (after 11 months - yeah, I'm lazy). It's so beautiful - I need to get some nice photos taken to show it off. It's a beautiful vintage Art Deco piece, purchased at auction, shipped from Israel. No appraisal yet, but we got a really good deal on it so hopefully it's worth more than we paid!

I think vintage rings are a great option for brides seeking an alternative to the boring offerings at the mall jewelry stores. Etsy is also another wonderful source for bits and baubles, either vintage or handmade. Custom jewelers like the shop who resized my ring are also another great source for one of a kind pieces.