Rangoli Jewellery and Hair Accessories by Aisling Nelson

It's time to say 'thank you' and farewell

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 14:49:00 +0000

I've spent the last few weeks thinking about writing this post and what words I'm going to use. So many emotions have been tumbling around in my head. I've made the difficult decision to close Rangoli so that I can focus on my new business, Three Thought Bubbles.

It's hard to sum up how much I've loved running this business. It's been such a huge part of my life for the last fifteen years. And it all began after a six month trip around India in 1994. This seems like the best place to dig up some favourite memories and thank everyone who has helped me along the way.

Aisling, River Ganges, Varanassi, 1994.

Here I am gliding along the river Ganges at dawn! I look a bit serious, because a: I'm never been a morning person and b: we were passing lots of funeral pyres along the waters edge. But this photo reminds me of the magical and crazy adventure that we had and how the trip inspired me to return to college to study jewellery design.

'Princess and the pea' necklace and hand-beaded bridal shoe commission.

When people ask me what the best part of my job is, I always say, it's the people I design for. You ladies have made my job so worthwhile and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. When I first set up Rangoli, I supplied jewellery to shops. I never met my customers. It felt totally soulless to me and that was the huge turning point. Designing for 'real people', meant that I could chat and get to know the people who wore my designs. Listening and offering advice became a favourite part of my job! That, combined with the hilarious conversations and stories we've shared. Ciara and Deirdre, I still remember your visits to the studio...

Left: Rangoli 'lace' headpiece, top: painting by William Larkin, Bottom: Valintino dress

The story of Rangoli is also about my passion for pattern. India showed me how beautiful it is to decorate the body from head to toe in dazzling jewels. Ornamenting the body just makes me feel happy! And lace has been a constant inspiration because of the intricate, natural patterns. The pics above show how timeless this fabric is, from the 17th C Painting by William Larkin to a Valentino dress in 2012.

Watercolour sketches for Rangoli crochet headpiece

Although I design jewellery too, it's the hair accessories that I've enjoyed creating most. I've always thought of them as hair jewellery. My favourite designs are my beaded hairwires and crochet head-wraps. The best part has been seeing how each person chooses to wear them. And there are some amazing hairdressers out there that I've been lucky enough to collaborate with. This is also a great place to thank each of you who have shared their gorgeous photos with me!

Rangoli beaded hairwires and crochet forehead headpieces

There are so many people who have supported me along the way. A big shout goes out to my family, along with the best bunch of creative friends a girl could ask for! I'd also like to say an extra special thank you to Mary Shiels, who taught me crochet and tapestry, many moons ago, and lead to me experimenting with fine metallic threads and wires. And finally, I'd like to publicly thank my husband Ben, who has been my biggest support through all of the ups and downs of running my business. We took that trip together to India and haven't stopped exploring and being travel adventurers since!

I have a limited number of designs which are available to purchase. So if you know of anyone who is looking for bridal accessories, please share my website, blog or Facebook page.

My new adventure (and business) is called Three Thought Bubbles. I now help businesses to be human on the web - something that I discovered how to do at Rangoli. I believe that the passion behind a business is something worth sharing. I hope you agree!

Thanks to everyone for your support, business and friendship.

x Aisling

Rangoli bridal hair chain

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 02 Sep 2013 19:29:00 +0000

Rangoli headpiece sketch

I always think of my headpieces as jewellery that you wear in your hair. Why should a necklace only be worn around your neck? Here's a peek at a recent commission that's got me really excited! I know it's going to inspire a whole new collection.

Thanks Tara, for letting me share your bespoke headpiece! It was designed to go with the Lita dress by Catherine Deane, (seen below).

After lots of chatting and sketching, we came up with a design that can be woven into Tara's soft up-style. The idea for the beaded chain came from the petal shapes in the skirt. They're so delicate and are trimmed with tiny pearls and antique silver beading. The beaded chain moves in the same way as the fabric. Little details like that, really matter to me! And the beaded flowers pick up on the lace embroidery.

I know that Tara's hairdresser will create an amazing style around her headpiece. I can't wait to see the pics!

Rangoli, beaded bridal chain.

Lita dress by Catherine Deane

It might also surprise you to hear that I design very few bridal necklaces. Have you ever considered not wearing a necklace for your wedding? Here's my personal thoughts about necklaces and wedding dresses.

Most dresses are absolutely stunning by themselves. This goes for the most minimal of dresses to ones that are embellished with thousands of sequins and pearls. By not wearing a necklace, people get a chance to really see you in your beautiful dress, without being distracted by a neck-piece.

Your dress may have a beaded belt or striking, decorative detail. Think of these details as your jewellery, but worn on a different part of the body. Sometimes, adding a necklace to the look is just too much.

The best piece of advice I can give is to just be you - wear what makes you feel happy. I spend lots of time with clients, just listening to how they talk about their own style and what makes them feel comfortable. At the end of the day, I believe that's the most important thing.

Most people who visit me don't have a clear idea of what they're looking for. That's one of my favourite parts of what I do; to offer you lots of advice and show you styles you may never have thought of! I'm always up for a chat about bridal accessories - you can get in touch by email or phone. Or if you're at the early research stage, check out some of my recent commissions here on the blog.

Credits:
Rangoli website
Rangoli sketch by Aisling Nelson
Photos of Lita dress taken from the Catherine Deane Website.

A stylish, alternative hen party, in Dublin

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 19 Aug 2013 18:31:00 +0000

One thing that I notice from chatting with you ladies, is that the old style hen party is well and truly dead. Maybe it's the new DIY trend, that makes us want to learn something new, while still having fun! A good friend of mine is now offering creative hen parties, from her Dublin studio. Would you like to learn how to decorate your very own vintage style tea-cup?

This is an amazing opportunity to be invited into an artists working studio for an afternoon. Ayelet Lalor creates bold sculptures in ceramic and bronze. She is probably best known for her colourful Divas. The idea for the parties came from her life-long love and collection of unusual tea-cups!

Ayelet Lalor sculptures

"There is something about the act of drinking out of a teacup that is so inherently pleasant; it brings out the Lady in all of us modern, busy, clumpy, contemporary women. I have been collecting teacups for many years, and each teacup reminds me of a different time and place, like a mini set of memories."

Do you know someone who would love to get creative for her hen? Ayelet has great ideas for customising these parties. Her own wedding had a Midsummer Night's theme. Every guest received one of her handmade teacups too! I can personally recommend these parties as I went to one with some friends recently. We sipped Cava and laughed (and learned) a lot. I might look a bit serious in the picture above, right. That's because I was deep in concentration, decorating my masterpiece!

After the party, all pieces will be dried, fired and clear-glazed, and can be collected one week later. The set of vintage cups could make a gorgeous gift for the bride to be! They could even be used as centre-pieces on the wedding day.

To find out more, have a look at the Creative Parties website. You can also keep up to date on the Facebook page. And spread the word if you know someone who is looking for something different to do!

More information:
Contact Ayelet: +353 87 648 5856
Website: AyeletLalor.com

Sunny wedding waves to Siobhan

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 15:54:00 +0000

It's a spectacularly sunny August 8th and one of 'my' brides, Siobhan, is getting married today! I wish herself and Eoin a brilliant day.

These pretty hairpins are dotted through Siobhan's hair as I type. After much chatting and sketching, I designed individual pins to go with her Denise Assas gown. The feature of the dress are hand-beaded cap sleeves. Did you know that I have a bit of a sleeve obsession?

Flicking through my V&A book 'Tiaras; A History of Splendour', reminded me of why I love to design jewels for the head. These ladies look like they regularly dress up for dinner. I've a friend who dresses like this on a daily basis! Caroline owns Dirty Fabulous with her sister Kathy. Every day is an 'Opera Day' for her. If you like bejewelled vintage dresses, handbags and headpieces, this is the store for you.

So, how will you wear your wedding accessories again? Here's my advice; make sure you take them out and wear them lots. Vintage style jewels are gorgeous with all sorts of outfits. I recently heard a lovely story from Elaine; she has now loaned her Rangoli comb to three of her close friends for their weddings. That makes me feel so happy! I suppose the other option is to throw a tiara dinner party and invite the girls around?

Image credits:
Taken from Tiaras - A history of splendour by Geoffrey C. Munn

Rangoli fantasies

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 22 Jul 2013 16:50:00 +0000

I'm almost speechless; I have another tab open with the Autumn/Winter collection of Alexander McQueen, on pause. If outrageous wishes were to come true, I would be working for this company; producing the most elaborately decorative body jewels and fashions {happily quaffing espressos to get me through my eighteen hour work days!} Alexander may be dead but his vision sears on.

This is a world of half fantasy, where feminine frills collide with Gothic armour. Listen to the words used to describe the collection; Sharp pressing, multiple folds, quintuple and dégradé pleats, soutache embroidery, triple bulleting, silk and metal thread embroideries, enamelled flowers and more.

This show was only seen by 150 invited guests; three showings with 50 people at each. Imagine receiving a golden ticket to this event?

If you have 5 minutes and 56 seconds to spare, sit back and enter the world of Alexander Mc Queen. Watch how the models glide in and out of the ornate, gilded rooms of the Opéra Comique. The soundtrack is magical too.

And if you're a total fan, you might like to check out my other Alexander McQueen posts! Hot or not? What do you think?

The Open Door Supper Club

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 08 Jul 2013 12:59:00 +0000

This post is absolutely nothing to do with weddings but everything to do with taking time out for you! If you're planning a wedding, you deserve some relaxing treats.

We all need more adventure in our lives don't we? When is the last time you dined with ten people you didn't know in a mystery house in the centre of Dublin? Recently, Ben and myself went to Aoife's 'Open Door Supper Club'. We had so much fun!

Over on Twitter, Aoife describes herself as a retired archaeologist, turned actor and supper club host. I want a CV like that! This creative lady has a true passion for cooking and combining unusual ingredients. Aoife hosts a monthly supper and tantalises readers of her blog with her upcoming menus.

"Once again the event will happen in my home, a Victorian era house, where you will sit alongside others - some friends, some strangers...strangers who will most likely be your friends by dessert! You will all be connected by the shared experience of going on a 7 course edible adventure ...and generally having a bit of craic."

This menu won me over straight away...

Apéritif

Rhubarb Schnapps on the Rocks

Amouse-Bouches

Sea Salt & Black Sesame Crackers with Dips

Le Start

Char Grilled Flat Breads

with Aspargus & Cratloe Hill Sheeps Cheese

Palate Cleanser

Lemon Thyme Sorbet

Le Main

Slow Cooked Commeragh Mountain Lamb Tagine

Le Sweet

Iles Flottantes -Poached Meringue

with Foraged Elder Flower Custard
Goosegog Coulis & Praline

Le Fin

Herb Teas / Espresso

with Surprise Petits Fours

My favourite flavour memories included the rhubarb schnapps, (numero uno!), saffron yoghurt, lemon and thyme sorbet and guacamole with pomegranate jewels.

We got to meet a bunch of friendly and interesting new people. And it was by no means all couples. New courses kept appearing before us! All we had to do was pour ourselves some wine from the ice bucket. Once we got to the coffee and petit fours, Aoife and Shane joined us and we just chatted away like we knew them forever.

Aoife also caters for small private groups. It got me thinking about how great this would be for a mellow hen soiree. From talking to my clients, most would do anything to escape the typical hen antics.

Aoife's next supper club is on 27th July. If you hurry, you might be able to book a place. If not, make sure to follow her blog for details of her next tasty adventure. Aoife also caters for small private groups - imagine getting ten of your besties together for a no particular reason other than catching up and eating delicious food. No washing up either! I highly recommend it.

Thanks for a great night, Aoife and Shane.

Find out more about The Open Door Supper Club on;
Aoife's Blog
Facebook
Twitter

Bridal cap sleeves

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 22:21:00 +0000

I think that shoulders are a gorgeous part of the female body! And I adore sleeves. Delicate or sculptural, transparent or solid. I'm designing for a client who will have ornately beaded sleeves on her dress. Looking through my Pinterest boards, I'm reminded of my ongoing obsession...

I made this Instagram video as an ode to the wondrous sleeve!

Here are three recent pins - The first is the Clio dress by Rosa Clara. The fringed sleeves must look beautiful when they move. The second dress is by Amanda Garrett, from her 2012 collection. The last dress is by Christos Bridal and is called Meadow.

What do you think? Are you a sleeve girl? I use Pinterest to save my inspiration - you can see more of my favourites in my 'Gown Love' album.

Are you looking for hair accessories or jewellery? I'm based in The Design Tower in the Dublin Docklands and I'd love to hear your ideas. For more inspiration, check out some of my recent commissions on my blog or website.

Image credits:
Rosa Clara Clio dress via Wedding Inspirasi
Amanda Garrett dress: via Pinterest
Christos Bridal dress, via Pinterest

Video credits:
Image 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.

Aberystwyth to Vegas via Tipperary!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 22:41:00 +0000

Annemarie and Paul were married on 12th July 2012. But this love story began 14 years ago in Aberystwyth! I'm thrilled that both Annemarie and Paul are here to tell us more about their beautiful day. Let's begin with how they met.

We met... We lived in the same hall of residence (Ceredigion Hall) in University of Wales Aberystwyth. It was an old rickety building on the seafront but it was full of character, fun and love.

Paul's proposal... Well after 14 years together, you could say we rushed into it! I had planned a Romantic Christmas Day proposal, but we were snowed in so I had to delay it until New Years Eve and had to simplify it somewhat by pretending I was too ill to go out and celebrate NYE with our friends. I did it the old fashioned way on bended knee at the stroke of midnight in front of the Fireworks on TV! The good old Moet came in handy. After leaving me on one knee for about ten minutes thinking I was joking, Annie finally stopped laughing and said “Yes” Happy days!

We were married in St.Helena’s Church in The Nire Valley. The church is up in the mountains and is surrounded by amazing scenery, which gave us the opportunity to have spectacular scenic photos taken. The church is not an easy find and there is no phone reception there but luckily all our guests made it there in one piece!

We also had a 2nd wedding ceremony in Las Vegas, which was conducted by Elvis. Pól’s other best man Jamie and his partner Mel who couldn’t attend our first wedding, attended this one and made it all the more memorable!

Wedding photographer: The very talented Shane O’Neill- Aspect Photography. The minute we saw Shane’s work we knew that we had to have him as our photographer. He has an eye for the absolute unimaginable. Shane was a joy to work with and was also a superb wedding organiser! Shane recommended the very artistic Rodolphe from Best Day Productions; we absolutely loved his quirky video style and his use of the old super 8."

For my wedding day Marie Hiickey created the most amazing hairstyle that I or anyone else had ever seen. How Marie managed to intertwine my beautiful hair piece through the plaits is mystifying and only serves to demonstrate how talented herself and Aisling are. Even nearly a year later people are still talking about how fantastic my hair and hair piece were. Aisling and Marie are exceptionally talented and their creations are works of art.

Our ceremony was emotional and enhanced by the wonderful music from the Scarlet String Quartet. The reception was amazing and great fun. The Opera Singing Waiters provided If you'd like to find out more about Annmarie's hairstyle and 'Cascade' headpiece, you can read the interview with Marie Hickey. As always, I'd love to discuss any jewellery or headpiece ideas you might have! great entertainment for everyone after the meal. They put on such a great act that one of my uncles to this day still thinks that the Raheen House waiters are extremely talented opera singers!

We chose our venue, Raheen House Clonmel, because it was near home and had a lovely country feel. This old country house has fabulous grounds, quirky rooms and the most accommodating managers and staff, We loved the country house theme and always wanted to have sunflowers as our wedding flowers.

Bridesmaids and groomsmen....The amazingly gorgeous Dervla Mulcahy (with baby Chloe in tow!), Mollie Hughes and Deirdre Coyne. Steve Hudson and Fintan Lawlor. We couldn’t have asked for better bridesmaids and grooms-men - they were amazingly brilliant, helpful and so much fun.

The contraversial Allstars provided the jazz band when people arrived at the venue and they were the main band that got everyone dancing the night away. Dave the lead singer even dedicated his own song Sunburst from his other band Picturehouse to us!It was an amazing day and night and one neither of us will ever forget.

And what better way to end this story than to have a look at Annmarie and Paul's vintage Super 8mm wedding video by Rodolphe from Best Day Productions. Featuring converse runners, kaleidoscope trees and much laughing and kisses. Shane and Rodolphe have each captured their own unique take of the day.

A huge thanks to Paul and Annmarie for telling us their memories from the day. Thanks for all the kind words too; I know I say this a lot but this makes my job so rewarding!

We can go dancing from best day productions on Vimeo.

If you'd like to find out more about Annmarie's hairstyle and 'Cascade' headpiece, you can read the interview with Marie Hickey. As always, I'd love to discuss any jewellery or headpiece ideas you might have!

Credits:
Wedding reception: Raheen House Clonmel, Co.Tipperary.
Make-up: Kate-Rose Crean
Hair: Bridal Hair by Marie Hickey
Bridal Accessories: Jewellery and hair accessories by Aisling Nelson at Rangoli Photographer: Shane O’Neill from Aspect Photography
Cinematographer: Rodolphe from Best Day Productions

Bridal hair-stylist Marie Hickey

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 26 May 2013 23:14:00 +0000

I have so much lined up to share with you from Annemarie' wedding. Magical photos by Shane O'Neil + a cool video by Best Day Productions. But before Annemarie tells us her memories from the day, I wanted to chat with Marie Hickey who created this hairstyle for her.

When headpiece designers and hairdressers work together, amazing things happen. Honestly; that's worth saying twice! It's a crazy form of collaboration because we work separately. I always ask to see photos of hair trials and the style really influences the designs I create. Other times, my design will be the starting point for the hairdresser. I like to think that we inspire each other.

I've called this new design 'Cascade' and I can't think of a better word to describe Marie's hairstyle; asymmetric side braids and interlocking looping locks!

This is the first in a series of interviews with my favourite hairdressers; let's meet Marie Hickey -

Marie, I love your gorgeous boho hairstlyes. And it's fun when the two of us work together with women to create a look that they love. Tell us a bit about how you got into hairstyling for weddings and what you love about it.

I absolutely love weddings! It is such an honour to be part of someone’s wedding day, a day that they will never forget (for better or worse!!) . I have always loved tying hair up and weddings were the perfect opportunity to do what I love best. A bride generally always goes more glamorous on their wedding day and it is great to be part of this makeover.

When Ann-Marie came to visit you, did she have a clear idea of how she's like to wear her hair? What sort of things did you talk to her about when you first met up for her hair trial?

When Anne-Marie came to see me for her hair trial we had a look at her dress and discussed the ideas that she liked. Once I saw her dress and got a feel for her look I knew she had to get in touch with you! I had styled another bride with a similar look and I knew Anne Marie would love the look and we personalised it to suit her. When I showed her a photo of your head piece she loved it straight away and we knew the look was perfect for her.

What I love about this hairstyle is that it looks so natural. I'm guessing it takes a lot of work to make it look so unstructured?!

When a bride goes for a natural look I think you always have to make it a little different so no other guest will have her look. While the look is natural it has to be creative and unique. I do spend the full morning with the bride so I have plenty of time to work on each style.

Another thing I love about your hairstyles is the asymmetry. I think it adds a little drama when the style is not perfectly centered! It probably means that every time you create a style like this, that it'll be slightly different?

I love that every style is different. Everybody has different hair types and textures and head shapes so it has to be a hairstyle that compliments the brides overall look. No two brides are the same so no two hairstyles should be the same.

Do you have one good tip for women choosing a hairstyle for their wedding day?

"Always bring a photo of your dress with you for your trial as this does dictate certain styles. Also be open to other options rather than veils as you can create such an individual look with head pieces as with Ann –Marie’s. Go with a look that you are comfortable with but do go that extra bit different to make the overall look amazing."

Thanks Marie - I hope we'll continue to collaborate from Dublin to Tipperary!

Check back to read Annemarie and Paul's wedding story, coming soon. If this hairstyle is 'talking to you', make sure you get in touch with Marie. You'll find all of her details on her website; Bridal hair by Marie. Marie was also the 2013 Weddings Online Hairstylist of the Year.

Photo credit:
Detail of photo by Shane O'Neil from Aspect Photogrpahy

Joanne (the twirling bride) marries Mark!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 15 May 2013 13:33:00 +0000

How cool is this image? I saw this photo on Dave Mc Clelland's Facebook page and commented on it... that was before I discovered that this was Joanne; one of my lovely brides. I raced over to Dave's blog to read his epic description of the day. It's quite a feat to create words that are as good as the images. This guy can tell a story in more than one way.

OK girls, how many of you would like to have a twirly whirly pic of you in your dress? I think this should be the new standard. We need a 360° of our dress surely?

So, spinning for our pleasure today is Joanne! As her photographer Dave says "If I had to sum up Joanne in one word it would be Happy". Joanne, I had so much fun when you visited my studio with your friend AnnMarie (who is also seen twirling below!) And I'm thrilled that you're here to tell us about your brilliant wedding day. Congratulations to yourself and Mark.

"Mark proposed to me the night we moved into our new house as I was sitting on the couch watching Coronation Street! Not many people might think that's romantic but for me it was the perfect proposal as it was just the two of us, I would have been mortified with a big public proposal in a restaurant so he knows me well!

When the wedding planning started, we didn't have to take too long choosing a venue as we had been to Killashee House in Naas for a friend's wedding a few years ago and loved everything about it. The hotel also has a gorgeous civil ceremony room so everything worked out great with our plans!"

"I first called to Aisling about six months before the wedding with my bridesmaid AnneMarie. I was a bit apprehensive as I'm completely clueless when it comes to things like hairpieces and I wasn't even 100% sure of the hairstyle I wanted! There was no need to worry though as within 10 minutes of being in Aisling's beautiful studio, she had my hair styled in the shape I was thinking (I wasn't much help as all I said was a "side bun type thing"!) and loads of different haircomb options.

We chose a gorgeous pearl and rhinestone haircomb which I ended up wearing with a birdcage veil, it was great as I could take the veil off later in the night and still had the haircomb to wear. Aisling also made a lovely pearl bracelet for me which I know I'll wear many times in the future!"

"My favourite moment of the day was our "first look" where I met Mark in the bridal suite before the ceremony. It was quite emotional seeing each other all dressed up and there were a couple of tears! This was a nice chance for a few minutes together before all the madness and I think if I had to give any piece of advice to brides and grooms it would be to make sure you have some moments alone throughout the day to remember why you're both there!"

"Our wedding day turned out to be quite a relaxed and really fun day. We both stayed in the hotel the night before with some of our friends and family so we didn't have to get up early or travel anywhere that morning. We were getting ready in two separate rooms and my morning really was stress-free with hair and makeup by Sinead at The Hair Mob and Claire Noonan, no need to worry with those two in charge!"

"Our photographer David McClelland was so easy to have around and we have amazing photos to look back on that captured our day so well. We met when I was bridesmaid for AnneMarie a couple of years ago and loved his informal reportage style. As our ceremony wasn't until 3.30pm there was plenty of time for getting ready and lots of friends and family calling to the room for a glass of bubbly!"

"The whole day was a blur of emotion, laughter, fun and dancing. It's crazy because it's the only day that nearly everyone you know will be in one room so it's quite overwhelming that they're all there for you!"

Joanne, thanks for telling us all about your day. If it was a quarter as good as your photos, it must have been an epic day! I highly recommend that you all now visit David Mc Clelland's blog to see loads more fantastic photos and hear his side of the story.

Thanks to each and every one of you who share memories of your day with me and my readers. You can read more Rangoli bride stories here on the blog.

Credits:
Photography: David Mc Clelland
Jewellery and headpiece: Aisling from Rangoli
Hair: Sinead Gaffney with The Hair Mob
Makeup: Claire Noonan
Cremony and Reception Venue: Killashee House Hotel

Baring all for love!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 06 May 2013 17:33:00 +0000

Last weekend, I went to the Hugh Lane Gallery and fell in love with the Harry Clarke stained glass windows again. This time, I took the time to read up on the poem that inspired them... I wasn't expecting it to be so risqué!

The Eve of Saint Agnes was written by John keats on 1819. The poem is inspired by an ancient tradition where young maidens would fast and go to bed early on 20th January and hope to dream of their future husbands. In the poem, Madeleine had been forbidden by her father, Lord Maurice, to marry Porphyro who was a sworn family enemy.

"Keats based his poem on the superstition that a girl could see her future husband in a dream if she performed certain rites on the eve of St. Agnes; that is she would go to bed without any supper, undress herself so that she was completely naked and lie on her bed with her hands under the pillow and looking up to the heavens and not to look behind. Then the proposed husband would appear in her dream, kiss her, and feast with her." via Wikipedia.

Brave Porphyro makes his way to the castle and with the help of a maid, is led to Madeleines's room. After spying her preparing for bed, he prepares a feast of rare delicasies! When she wakes up, he declares his undying love for her and promises her a life together over the southern moors. They escape the castle past the party revelers. I suspect there were a few grisly deaths along the way but the girl gets the guy which is the main thing!

The poem describes how there were 'a thousand guests' at the castle party. There was a marine theme to the costumes and many are decorated with peacock feathers, sea shells and pearls. There are even some seaweed-like head dresses. Harry Clarke loved to go to the Aran Islands. He was inspired by nature and loved to sketch jellyfish, shellfish and seaweed as well as butterflies, dragonflies and flowers.

There's a magical feeling when you stand in this small, darkened room and see how the colours light up the space. It's a similar magic to all the dressing up we do for weddings! Decorating our heads and bodies with sumptuous fabrics and jewels. I love being part of that magic too.

Out of the box

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 13:13:00 +0000

I like to think of my jewels as precious, but not so precious that they are worn once and wrapped (however lovingly) in a box. I firmly believe that life is for living and savings should be for holidays or pensions!

Every time someone buys a piece for me, I quiz them on how they are going to wear it again. And I often get a similar reaction; 'Oh, I didn't think about it like that.' All I do is ask them to visualise the jewellery or headpiece with a completely different outfit. Generally, it won't be a floor length formal gown. My designs tend to look really good with simple, well cut dresses. Save the decorative details for your accessories.

I didn't have to give this advice to Cliodhna though; she loves to dress up on a daily basis and only owns a single pair of jeans. So impressive! She got in touch though, to tell me that she'd prefer to have her wedding comb on a hairband.

She was going to a wedding and had chosen a divine creation from Dirty Fabulous. The lace dress combined a blush/apricot with taupe underlay and bow. 'V' fabulous as my sister would say!

So here is the 'new' headpiece which Cliodhna loves; she tells me she'll be wearing it every weekend. That's what I like to hear.

You can read about Cliodhna's wedding as well as the bridesmaids hairpin I designed for her sister.

Do you plan to wear your bridal accessories again or have I got you thinking if you're already married? Leave me a comment below or on my Facebook page. I'd love to hear from you.

Rangoli bride Norah

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 15:34:00 +0000

I fall head over heels with hairstyles as much as wedding dresses - they are the starting point for all of my designs. So, when Norah showed me this one, I was so inspired and couldn't wait to play hairdresser with my big can of Elnett hairspray!

Norah visited my studio with her Mum and wanted something really delicate to dress her hair. We had lots of fun trying on different designs. This combination seemed to suit the hairstyle perfectly; a curved rhinestone comb and a scattering of 'Wildflower' hairpins.

"Thank you so much again - myself and Mum just had the best experience going into your studio. I knew exactly what I wanted in my head and you listened and showed us exactly what I was looking for. The slides were perfect!" Norah

Norah - you look stunning and I really appreciate you sharing your photos and for saying such lovely things about me. I'm so glad you enjoyed your experience. That makes me happy too!

Norah wore my 'Wildflower' pearl hairpins and a limited edition rhinestone comb. View my portfolio of designs or have a look at some recent bespoke designs

Photo credit:
Photography by Michael Crean Photography

An Irish themed bridal shoot

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 17:41:00 +0000

I've been dying to share some photos from a recent shoot I did with The Wedding Crew. The theme celebrated The Gathering; so we all dug deep to come up with our own take on what is to be Irish. I wanted to capture that ethereal Irish beauty and soft understated elegance.

Days like this allow me to meet other creative designers and I always come away buzzing with ideas. And I like being able to recommend these talented people to you.

This was my favourite photo from the day. January, (what a beautiful name) captures everything for me that reflects Irish beauty; porcelain skin, delicate features and a mane of gorgeous auburn hair. I designed this new piece especially for this shoot - it combines multi strands of gold crochet dotted with pearl and blue topaz drops. The headpiece continues in a single strand which is woven into the back of the hair. Lorraine Browne created all of the pretty hairstyles.

January and Jordan braved the extreme cold, to model in the sheerest of outfits. We had to wrap them in blankets in between shots!

Sarah Foy designed the dresses. I particularly loved this peach, chiffon-layered design with the tiniest hand-stitched beading trims. January wears a matching gold crochet bracelet with pearl drops. Jordan is the perfect foil in his 'Pennys' attire!

The second headpiece I designed is the 'Gold Lace' headwrap. It can be worn as a wide hairband, or across the forehead as you see here. I'm a big fan of transparent fabrics and this headpiece allows you to see either the skin or hair through the lattice design.

I had already met Claire from The Informal florist and her business name sums up my favourite kind of flowers - ones that look like they've just been plucked from nature and lovingly 'bunched' together! Although in reality, there is much more to it than that, I know. Claire's blog is filled with wild posies and stories about her love of flowers.

And finally, two fairly new businesses that are offering something different - Little Birds Bake made a whole dessert table filled with sweet bites. The coconut cupcakes were a new flavour sensation for me. Dusty Boy Designs are a stationery company run by make-up artist Kate Rose Crean and her husband Justin. Their designs combine vintage and contemporary elements with lots of fun lettering.

The trio that make up The Wedding Crew were busily working away behind the scenes to co-ordinate and capture all of the story. Lorraine Browne styled all the hair, Naomh Kirwan did the make-up and Paul Kelly was the photographer. Thanks for asking me to be involved in this project - it was a fun day working with all of you!

Here's the low-down on all these great businesses - lots of talent for you to choose from;

The Wedding Crew

    Photographer: Paul Kelly | Studio3
    Photographers Assistant: Feena Kavanagh
    Location: Boyne Hill House

    Hair: Lorraine Browne
    Make Up: Naomh Kirwan
    Bridal Gowns: Sarah Foy

    Jewellery: Rangoli
    Flowers: The Informal Florist
    Cakes: little birds bake
    Stationery: Dusty Boy Designs
    Models: January and Jordan from Morgan the Agency

Why I love designing for you

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 22:24:00 +0000

Have you ever tried on a dress and loved parts of it but hated the shape or the colour or the scratchy fabric? Thanks for sharing some of your dress-choosing stories with me! Sometimes it's just as important to know what we don't like!

Yesterday I saw this Peter Langner dress over on Wedding Inspirassi. I looked at his collection on my mobile and I found myself zooming in to see the details. And then being sorry that I had zoomed in! Because there were elements of this dress that I loved; the illusion neckline with the delicate embroidery and the dainty striped belt... but I didn't like the fussy bodice or the shape of the skirt.

It got me thinking about how I would love this dress if it had a plainer fabric and a narrower skirt. And then I realised that this is exactly how I work with my customers;

When I first meet each of you, I know nothing about your personal style. And when I talk about your style, I just mean knowing what makes you feel good. I'll get you to tell me your ideas, even if they seem vague to you. And then it's time to try on lots of different styles. Maybe things that you would never have considered trying on yourself; bigger or much smaller, muted or twinkling with rhinestones! I want to know what you like about each piece as well as what you don't. Have you ever considered not wearing a certain item of jewellery at all? Sometimes I need to grab my sketchbook so I can show you an idea that's in my head.

The best part of having a design made for you is that you are involved in the process. And the reason I don't sell my designs to shops is because I want to meet the people who will wear my designs. It's definitely a two-way creative experience. I get some of my best ideas from conversations in my studio!

I've shared some of my recent commissions here on the blog and have lots more examples in my showr oom and in my head! If you have an idea in mind, let's get chatting.

Designing a silent bracelet

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 15:50:00 +0000

Yesterday there was a surprise in my in-box. When you lovely people get in touch to thank me and share photos, it means the world to me. Thanks Deirdre!

Deirdre made me laugh non-stop every time we met! She had absolutely no time for people telling her what she should or shouldn't do or wear for her wedding. She had some quirky must-haves (and have-nots). She wanted a 'silent' dress and was appalled by the thoughts of ones which make swishing sounds when she walked (more on this later!) and she wanted to wear a big statement bracelet, despite what everyone else thought.

I like how this girl thinks! Deirdre had a dream bracelet in her mind and had trawled the internet for it. She had spied January Jones wearing a wide pearl cuff and had even managed to source the designer's name. But her hunt for this elusive bracelet was in vain.

So, Deirdre got in touch to see if I could design something similar for her. I was on for the challenge. I started experimenting with techniques to create a solid pearl cuff. This style of piece is very different to my signature style but I loved the simplicity of the pure pearls.

The design of this piece took a long time to crack but I thoroughly enjoyed the process. Deirdre was involved at all stages, from initial sketches right through to her finished piece. At first I was going to add moving pearl drops to the crochet structure but Deirdre was fearful that the moving pearls would make a sound :-) More laughter...

The finished cuff was almost 6cm wide at it widest point. Every space was woven with hundreds of different sized pearls. The photo on the left shows the crochet framework that held it all together. The pearls gave an amazing bubbly, organic texture.

"I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you for my beautiful cuff, I absolutely loved it on the day and got a million compliments about it!

What a gorgeous picture - Deirdre's dress was designed by Kathy De Stafford. You can't see the bottom of the dress here but it was a beautiful soft tulle.

Thanks for trusting me to make your bracelet Deirdre and for being so much fun to work with!

For more inspiration you can check out my latest commissions or give me a call to chat about your own ideas.

Image credit:
Photo of Deirdre: Icon Photography

Remembering Grandparents

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 14:46:00 +0000

Recently, lots of you have been showing me photos of your Grandparents weddings. I thought it was time to put our favourite relatives on the stage and hear some stories about their wonderful wedding days! This series is all about the romance, the style and the personalities.

'Love day' is the perfect excuse to share some more glamorous vintage wedding photos. Normally I only post one photo but I just couldn't choose this time! Sian, your Granny looks so beautiful and Gramps looks equally dashing. Sian Sharkey is a hairstylist that I've got to know and I recommend her to you all! That's for another post but today she is sharing photos of her Grandparents wedding in 1945.

So, let's meet Mercedes Munden and Frank Purcell. Apparently these two met at a dance, and were introduced by a family relative. They were both qualified architects and also shared a passion for amateur dramatics.

They married on July 4th and Frank used to joke about losing his independence on independence day! I think a sense of humour is essential for a happy marriage...

Don't they look so relaxed and glamorous? I love Mercede's hairstlye too. Apparently she was always into fashion and style. The couple went on to have eight children.

Sian is delighted to share these images, especially as her Granny died only a few weeks ago. She says that all of the family have followed in their footsteps with their love of music and drama. Check out Sian's website and Facebook page for gorgeous bridal hair-styling.

And here's one final photo of these love-birds. What a stylish and happy looking couple. Thanks for letting me share your family photos Sian!

Do you have photos or know of someone with stories to tell? Drop me an email or leave me a comment below. I'd love to hear from you.

Doodles to designs!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 13:46:00 +0000

As soon as I hold a pencil in my hand, I start doodling curvy, delicate patterns. Lines meander off across the page. Before I know it, I have designed another headpiece! It's not quite that simple but I love this part of my work!

I'm so inspired by natural patterns and forms. I won a wrapping paper design competition in school when I was 7 and have been a pattern addict ever since :-)

So yesterday, while researching/noodling over on Pinterest, I discovered the amazing photos of Anna Atkins; an English botanist and photographer (who may have been the first female photographer). Her Cyanotype technique involved laying plants on paper with a photo-sensitive solution and then exposing them to light. Look at that fern wreath. Isn't it beautiful?

I don't think it's possible to create patterns that are more beautiful or intricate than ones found in nature.

Anyway, these beautiful fern images reminded me of a piece I designed for a Christmas photo-shoot. Let's time travel back to December. Claire Barry from White Sage Events asked if I would like to design some jewels for a festive photo-shoot. Yes please! It's always a fun challenge to design something new.

The Theme was Luxe Christmas, with lots of gold and red elements. Claire wanted sparkle over bling which is right up my street! I've picked a few of my faves below but you can view lots more over on One fab Day.

The top design is a crochet beaded headpiece which is inspired by ferns. It can be woven into the hair in lots of different ways. The second design is called 'Gold waves'. Those delicious 1920's finger waves were the starting point for this piece :)

A big thanks to Lisa O'Dwyer for allowing me to feature her photos. The images were shot on film which gives a lovely quality to them. The dresses for the shoot were by Patrick Casey and Adah Lynch. Check out more photos from the day via One Fab Day.

If you like these designs, have a look at some more of my recent bespoke pieces or get in touch if you'd like to chat about your ideas. I'd love to hear from you.

Credits:
White Sage Events - events company
Lisa O'Dwyer Photography
Anna Atkins photos via Wikipedia

My Saturday snippet

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 10:52:00 +0000

What did you get up to this weekend? I took Saturday off and it felt like a Sunday... no work or huge agendas; just hanging out in a local café and chilling with my hubs. Our favourite new spot is The Fumbally on Clanbrassil Street, Dublin.

It's a fun, mish-mash of random art and furniture. You could easily spend a cosy afternoon nattering with friends here. And the tunes are good too.

The walls are randomly decorated with paintings and photos (see the Irish mozzarella producing buffaloes above!) I went for the Green Gggs and Ham - an unusual but amazing combo of scrambled eggs, avocado and chorizo on brioche.

The coffee got my heart ticking nicely, so my second cuppa was a Wall & Keogh tea. 'Put the cat out' mixed all my favourite flavours; camomile flowers, lime blossom, lavender, mint and liquorice leaves.

I think I'm going to spend more of my days off here, reading books and sipping coffee. The free WiFi is a bonus too. How about you guys - do you have a favourite weekend hangout? Tell me; I want to know about it!

Miriam and Daire's Casares wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 10:15:00 +0000

I felt ever so special when Miriam told me that she'd flown over from Malaga to visit my showroom! This lucky lady lives in the Moorish influenced, white-washed, village of Casares with Daire. A big thanks to Clíodhna (who's wedding I featured previously) for recommending me to her friend :-) Here is Miriam with some memories from her wedding - this girl knows how to tell a story -

"Daire and I are living in Casares, a gorgeous village in Spain, so deciding where to get married was a no brainer! The reality of getting married started to set in a few days before the wedding, when people started to arrive. My sister Eithne was flying from Sydney, my sister Eimear from London, my brother Ciaran from Vancouver and of course a host of people from Ireland.

The morning of the big day the first thing we did was have a dip in the pool, it was so nice and relaxing! Ciaran then prepared a big fry up so we enjoyed breakfast on the terrace before Kathryn arrived to start on the hair and make up. My dad ran down to the church to open it for the florist and also picked up our beautiful bouquets."

"I am somebody who is so clueless when it comes to hair, makeup etc that I am very grateful I had such good advisors. The hunt for my dress involved a lot of people and trips from Madrid to Malaga to Seville. For hair I had no idea where to start. Luckily my sister in law Clíodhna advised me to meet Aisling before deciding on what to do.

I knew I was going to have a veil and that I didn't want a tiara but that was as far as I'd got. I was actually quite nervous going to meet Aisling as I always feel a little bit helpless but she soon put me at my ease. Once I tried out the hair wires I think I knew straight away that that was what I wanted, but as with dress (which I'd tried on the first day of looking) I felt I had to go through some long drawn out process before making a decision. My hairstylist loved it too and managed to work it in very well (in my opinion!). I also took, for me, the big step of having my ears pierced and could show off the Rangoli pearl earrings on the day too."

"There were a lot of people coming and going. A bottle of champagne was opened. Anna Gazda, the photographer, arrived. She just got on with it, I hadn’t even met her before, but I knew I didn’t really have to tell her what to do. I had some downtime in the hammock while my sisters had their hair and make-up done.

Time flew. Final make-up, dress on, veil on, then we walked out on the balcony to take a few photos. I think I saw my reflection in the balcony window and thought ‘Oh my God, this is really happening'. Then everybody was leaving and it was just my dad, my sisters and the photographer."

"I’d had this idea from the beginning that I wanted to walk down to the church with my sisters, but it wasn’t really practical. Then literally a month before the wedding a new path was opened. It was already 3pm but from the top of the hill I could see that there were still people arriving so we took our time going down.

Then we were off down the aisle. Now that was a blur!
Everything was lovely (I know I’m biased). I’d spent such a lot of time trying to plan the music and it was the part that probably gave me the most stress, but was worth it. We were lucky to have so many talented friends and relatives. My friend Eadaoin was playing piano. Cliodhna was singing some of the songs through the mass and my new sister in law Niamh sang the songs through the signing of the register. The string quartet had been organised by our Spanish teacher and her daughter was playing with them.

We'd organised some drinks in the centre of the village. We were pulled left, right and centre for photos. Then it was time for us to go off and get some more official ones. I had to have some at a beach so we stopped off and I got to dip my feet in the water too! By the time we got to Benahavis, where we were having the reception, it was getting a little bit darker, but we got some fantastic pictures in the park."

"When we arrived the cocktail was in full swing accompanied by some Spanish classical guitar. Then in for the meal, which was as good as I’d remembered from the tasting....and a lot! I was as clueless about decoration but in the end I came up with a few ideas. seaside (shells and stones), cycling (figurines and tour de france markers, bicycle bookends and the cake topper) and books (yup, actual books, preferably older ones and quotes from the authors our tables were named after), our favours were just poems and arty postcards. Oh and lindt spruengli. Our favourites! So a mishmash, from a stylistic point of view it probably looked a mess, but I loved it.

When the band started everybody was up dancing. They played some Irish songs too, which I wasn’t expecting, so that was an added bonus. We had them DJ afterwards as well, though for the last hour or so my sisters were pretty much dictating the music! The DJ had to finish at 4pm, after that my Dad started a bit of a singsong, I’m not sure how long that lasted, we left shortly before 5pm. A long, exhausting but amazing day!"

Miriam, that was a rollicking story - I loved reading every detail of it. That early morning swim sounds amazing and I went Googling 'Lindt Spruengli' - are these what you mean?! Thanks so much to yourself and Daire for letting me share your photos and story. I'll let you know when I'll be over to visit...wink.

Miriam wore my Rangoli Diamond hairwire and matching drop earrings in her newly pierced ears!

Credits:
Photography by Anna Gazda from Limelight Photography.
Hair styled by Kathryn Parr

It's two thousand and thirteen!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 10:37:00 +0000

It's a brand spanking new year and I'm glad to be back to my studio after a thoroughly relaxing break. How was your holidays?

This Christmas was all about chilling for Ben and I. We spent a few days unwinding in windswept Donegal. Lots of (indoor) swimming and saunas and long beach walks! The bliss of doing very little was perfect.

Today, I'm sitting at my table, sketchbook in hand. I'm designing some unusual back headpieces to be tucked into romantic rolled hairstyles. And I have a beautiful Spanish wedding to share with you in the next couple of days.

The studio is open for appointments, so get in touch if you'd like to arrange a visit. 2013 brides, this is your year!

Rangoli bride Claire marries Brooks

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 11:29:00 +0000

One day, Claire came to visit my studio and showed me photos of a delicious hairstyle that Marie Hickey had created for her wedding! Just that week, I had been designing a new crochet headpiece and it was as if it had been made for Claire. As soon as we tried it on, we all (Claire, her Mum and me) knew that this was the headpiece for her!

I often talk about how my designs are influenced by hairstyles and I'm lucky to have met some amazing stylists that I recommend to my clients. Marie and I have worked together with a few clients recently which has been great fun. I hope we'll meet in person soon Marie!

Claire's hairstyle has all the elements I love; it's natural, asymmetric and elegantly simple. I think it complements her dress beautifully. Below you can see Marie weaving the three crochet strands into the side plait.

Hairstylist Marie Hickey working her magic

I'm so delighted that Claire is here to tell us about her amazing day; I've been dying to hear all about it. And even more excited when I heard that the Mastersons duo were photographing the day.

"Planning a wedding from abroad is never easy. I moved to Canada with my Canadian husband over three years ago, but we always knew that we both wanted to get married in Ireland, where we met and fell in love. Brooks and I decided to get married at Mount Juliet, Kilkenny. The hotel and its surroundings were absolutely perfect. Also, half of our guests were coming from Canada and we knew that Mount Juliet would be able to accommodate all of us. Everyone was wowed by the venue and the level of professionalism of the staff."

"The first time I met with Aisling was a week before the wedding. In hindsight I left it a bit late. Luckily it all worked out and I think that is largely because of Aisling’s commitment to her work.

I knew I wanted to wear my hair down for the wedding. I wanted something pretty simple but I also wanted something that was individual to me. After meeting with my hairdresser Marie Hickey she suggested adding a hairwire. We found Rangoli and I was immediately taken with Aisling's work.

My mother and I arranged to meet with Aisling at her shop and we were both in awe of the beautiful range of jewellery she creates. Not only that, Aisling has a very calming and patient presence. She listened carefully to what I was looking for and helped me find something that would suit me."

Marie weaves my 'Cascade' headpiece into the side plait.

"There were many beautiful pieces available in her shop. However once she showed me an intricate piece she was working on and I knew it was perfect! It was subtle yet elegant. Aisling insisted on creating a new hairwire for me and she worked hard that week to make sure that it was flawlessly finished and arrived in time for my wedding day. I also bought a beautiful bracelet she created. Marie, my hairdresser, was blown away by Aisling’s work and Marie worked her magic to make sure that she did the hairpiece justice."

"The wedding day itself was one of the happiest days of my life. It went by so quickly! Before I knew it we were married.

Aisling I want to thank you for your hard work. You are very talented! All of my friends and family commented on the hairwire that you created for me. Thanks for helping to make our day so special!"

Claire, just looking at these photos makes me smile. Your headpiece must have been designed with your name on it before I met you. I'm so glad you enjoyed your experience. Thanks for all your kind words; I really appreciate them. Wishing you both a cozy first married Christmas x

Credits:
Hair styled by Marie Hickey - Bridal Hair by Marie
Photography by We are the Mastersons
Venue: Mount Juliet, Kilkenny

a thousand words - Jenna Thomas

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 14:56:00 +0000

Great photographs tell a story by capturing a moment in time. In this series, I am asking some of my favourite wedding photographers to describe one of their cherished photographs. My inspiration is the book Photography Speaks: 150 Photographers On Their Art. This book features a number of iconic photographers who share some personal reflections about one of their photographs. The idea captured my imagination and is the inspiration for a new series of guest blog posts with photographers.

Searching the internet is like beach-combing really! You spend hours gazing before you find a twinkly gem. And everyone's gems are different. I recently came across Jenna Thomas's photography and loved the emotion in her photos. (I also featured some of her images in my Everyday love... and stripes post) She's from north Carolina and loves costumes, word games and surprises! Here she is to tell us about one of her favourite wedding photographs -

"Photography is nothing - it's life that interests me. "

Henri Cartier-Bresson began to change modern photography with his profound art and his bold philosophy in the late 1920's. His words didn't find me until about 10 years ago but I have been moved since my first encounter.

The variety in philosophies amongst wedding photographers is vast - and beautiful in my opinion. When I first began photographing professionally, I was on a journey to define my philosophy. After years of searching I have realized that the journey is my philosophy. It's an ever-changing theory shaped by experiences.

More than anything, I have learned that the images that speak volumes are never the images that I "set up." There is definitely a time and place for that, but the photos that deliver emotion are the ones that just happen.

Henri says it best:

"There are those who take photographs arranged beforehand and those who go out to discover the image and seize it. For me, the camera is a sketch book, an instrument of intuition and spontaneity, the master of the instant which - in visual terms - questions and decides simultaneously. In order to "give a meaning" to the world, one has to feel oneself involved in what he frames through the viewfinder."

To me, that is this image.

Jenna, I love how you describe being in the picture and totally get Henri's idea about a camera being his sketchbook. People are generally not 'precious' about sketchbooks either - the pages are made up of random, special observations. I'll remember that idea; it's great. Thanks for being part of this series.

You can see more of Jenna's photography on her website Red White and Gree n. This feature is part of a series called 'a thousand words'.

Photo credit:
Jenna Thomas from Red White and Green.

Rangoli bride Ciara

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 19:24:00 +0000

Ciara, I'll always remember the afternoon you visited my studio with your Mum and sister. I think we laughed for an hour and a half. It was clear that you were not going to stress over your wedding planning. And your sister was so helpful with her advice "You can't look fat in a headpiece"! You really had to be there to fully appreciate Niamh's nugget of wisdom :-)

Do you know what one of the best parts of my job is? It's opening an email or envelope and getting to see how everything turned out on the day. Your kind words are the best reward ever. Here's Ciara to tell us about her wedding to Kevin. Doesn't she look gorgeous?

"Aisling, I just wanted to thank you so much for your beautiful creations that made me feel like a princess the day of the wedding. I feel like there may have been divine intervention that I Googled Rangoli two years ago. So many of my friends and family were blown away by the hair wire and the earrings and an ex-boyfriend of mine that was at the wedding remarked on the hair wire several times saying how beautiful it was, so even men appreciate your talent! Thanks again for making my day so special and for a fantastic time in your studio in January."

"I think we had the only sunny day in Kerry after weeks of torrential rain so we were so lucky that we could go to the beach after the windmill and then up to the Connor Pass on the way to Dingle. The photographer Riona is a genius and loves to take different types of pictures, so she convinced me to climb a very high rock across a little stream and sit right in front of a waterfall. Riona always insists on brides and bridesmaids wearing flip flops for photographs so it made the climbing a bit easier!!

It really was one of the best days of my life and its all the simple little things such as being able to have my my own little touches and our own personality put into the wedding. I think maybe some couples alienate themselves from their own wedding by getting too stressed out, but Kevin and I really enjoyed all the planning and I can honestly say we made sure we had a sense of humour about the whole thing."

Thank you Ciara - I hope we'll meet again some day for another dose of giggles!

Ciara wore my Rangoli Brooch hairwire and matching pearl and rhinestone drop earrings. Her beautiful flowers were by Best of Buds and photos from Riona MacMonagle.

Photo credits:
Photographer:Riona MacMonagle
Flowers by Best of Buds

Remembering Grandparents

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 20:54:00 +0000

Recently, lots of you have been showing me photos of your Grandparents weddings. I thought it was time to put our favourite relatives on the stage and hear some stories about their wonderful wedding days! This series is all about the romance, the style and the personalities.

Jo is a friend of my husband and he heard me tweeting about this series! I'm so glad that he got in touch to show me this beautiful photo of his Grandmother, Ellen. I'm not sure if you can see that this photo has been hand-tinted by her husband Noel. It's so delicate. Here is Jo's Mum, Noeleen to tell us a bit more about her parent's wedding and their runaway photographer.

Ellen Smith on her wedding day in 1960

"Ellen Smyth and Noel Green were married on the 18th of June 1960, it was a typical wedding with about forty guests attending. Ellen wore a beautiful lace dress that was made for her by her sister in law Mrs Rosaleen Kenny and her wedding bouquet was made up of red silk roses and was borrowed from a neighbour. The bouquet was passed on to many brides in the area but still remained as beautiful as the day it was made.

Ellen was a shy quiet girl as is evident from her shy smile in the photo. Herself and Noel were married by a Fr Con Sayers in the Church of the Nativity in Whitehall and it was a beautiful summers day. Unfortunately the photographer who was to take the photos never turned up and so all the wedding photos were collected from guests who had cameras that day. The wedding breakfast was held in the Melvin hotel in Drumcondra and the entertainment was by a blind accordian player. Noel and Ellen still have the invoice for the wedding breakfast tucked into the back of their wedding album."

Noleen - thanks for telling us these stories. It's great to hear all those memorable details. Obviously there were wedding dramas even in the 60's; I'd say that photographer's reputation was finished after his no-show?! But whoever took this photo had a great eye. Please thank Noel and Ellen for allowing me to share this beautiful photo.

This post is part of a series - do you have an image of your Grandparent's that you'd like to see up on the blog? Please send me an email [aisling at rangoli dot ie] or leave a comment below.

Rangoli Jewellery and Hair Accessories by Aisling Nelson

It's time to say 'thank you' and farewell

I've spent the last few weeks thinking about writing this post and what words I'm going to use. So many emotions have been tumbling around in my head. I've made the difficult decision to close Rangoli so that I can focus on my new business, Three Thought Bubbles.

I have a limited number of designs which are available to purchase. So if you know of anyone who is looking for bridal accessories, please share my website, blog or Facebook page.

My new adventure (and business) is called Three Thought Bubbles. I now help businesses to be human on the web - something that I discovered how to do at Rangoli. I believe that the passion behind a business is something worth sharing. I hope you agree!

Thanks to everyone for your support, business and friendship.

x Aisling

Rangoli bridal hair chain

I always think of my headpieces as jewellery that you wear in your hair. Why should a necklace only be worn around your neck? Here's a peek at a recent commission that's got me really excited! I know it's going to inspire a whole new collection.

The best piece of advice I can give is to just be you - wear what makes you feel happy. I spend lots of time with clients, just listening to how they talk about their own style and what makes them feel comfortable. At the end of the day, I believe that's the most important thing.

A stylish, alternative hen party, in Dublin

This is an amazing opportunity to be invited into an artists working studio for an afternoon. Ayelet Lalor creates bold sculptures in ceramic and bronze. She is probably best known for her colourful Divas. The idea for the parties came from her life-long love and collection of unusual tea-cups!

To find out more, have a look at the Creative Parties website. You can also keep up to date on the Facebook page. And spread the word if you know someone who is looking for something different to do!

Sunny wedding waves to Siobhan

It's a spectacularly sunny August 8th and one of 'my' brides, Siobhan, is getting married today! I wish herself and Eoin a brilliant day.

Image credits:Taken from Tiaras - A history of splendour by Geoffrey C. Munn

Rangoli fantasies

And if you're a total fan, you might like to check out my other Alexander McQueen posts! Hot or not? What do you think?

The Open Door Supper Club

This post is absolutely nothing to do with weddings but everything to do with taking time out for you! If you're planning a wedding, you deserve some relaxing treats.

We all need more adventure in our lives don't we? When is the last time you dined with ten people you didn't know in a mystery house in the centre of Dublin? Recently, Ben and myself went to Aoife's 'Open Door Supper Club'. We had so much fun!

This menu won me over straight away...

Thanks for a great night, Aoife and Shane.

Bridal cap sleeves

I think that shoulders are a gorgeous part of the female body! And I adore sleeves. Delicate or sculptural, transparent or solid. I'm designing for a client who will have ornately beaded sleeves on her dress. Looking through my Pinterest boards, I'm reminded of my ongoing obsession...

I made this Instagram video as an ode to the wondrous sleeve!

Are you looking for hair accessories or jewellery? I'm based in The Design Tower in the Dublin Docklands and I'd love to hear your ideas. For more inspiration, check out some of my recent commissions on my blog or website.

Aberystwyth to Vegas via Tipperary!

Annemarie and Paul were married on 12th July 2012. But this love story began 14 years ago in Aberystwyth! I'm thrilled that both Annemarie and Paul are here to tell us more about their beautiful day. Let's begin with how they met.

A huge thanks to Paul and Annmarie for telling us their memories from the day. Thanks for all the kind words too; I know I say this a lot but this makes my job so rewarding!

If you'd like to find out more about Annmarie's hairstyle and 'Cascade' headpiece, you can read the interview with Marie Hickey. As always, I'd love to discuss any jewellery or headpiece ideas you might have!

Bridal hair-stylist Marie Hickey

I have so much lined up to share with you from Annemarie' wedding. Magical photos by Shane O'Neil + a cool video by Best Day Productions. But before Annemarie tells us her memories from the day, I wanted to chat with Marie Hickey who created this hairstyle for her.

Joanne (the twirling bride) marries Mark!

OK girls, how many of you would like to have a twirly whirly pic of you in your dress? I think this should be the new standard. We need a 360° of our dress surely?

Joanne, thanks for telling us all about your day. If it was a quarter as good as your photos, it must have been an epic day! I highly recommend that you all now visit David Mc Clelland's blog to see loads more fantastic photos and hear his side of the story.

Thanks to each and every one of you who share memories of your day with me and my readers. You can read more Rangoli bride stories here on the blog.

Baring all for love!

Last weekend, I went to the Hugh Lane Gallery and fell in love with the Harry Clarke stained glass windows again. This time, I took the time to read up on the poem that inspired them... I wasn't expecting it to be so risqué!

There's a magical feeling when you stand in this small, darkened room and see how the colours light up the space. It's a similar magic to all the dressing up we do for weddings! Decorating our heads and bodies with sumptuous fabrics and jewels. I love being part of that magic too.

Out of the box

I like to think of my jewels as precious, but not so precious that they are worn once and wrapped (however lovingly) in a box. I firmly believe that life is for living and savings should be for holidays or pensions!

Do you plan to wear your bridal accessories again or have I got you thinking if you're already married? Leave me a comment below or on my Facebook page. I'd love to hear from you.

Rangoli bride Norah

I fall head over heels with hairstyles as much as wedding dresses - they are the starting point for all of my designs. So, when Norah showed me this one, I was so inspired and couldn't wait to play hairdresser with my big can of Elnett hairspray!

Norah - you look stunning and I really appreciate you sharing your photos and for saying such lovely things about me. I'm so glad you enjoyed your experience. That makes me happy too!

An Irish themed bridal shoot

I've been dying to share some photos from a recent shoot I did with The Wedding Crew. The theme celebrated The Gathering; so we all dug deep to come up with our own take on what is to be Irish. I wanted to capture that ethereal Irish beauty and soft understated elegance.

Why I love designing for you

Have you ever tried on a dress and loved parts of it but hated the shape or the colour or the scratchy fabric? Thanks for sharing some of your dress-choosing stories with me! Sometimes it's just as important to know what we don't like!

It got me thinking about how I would love this dress if it had a plainer fabric and a narrower skirt. And then I realised that this is exactly how I work with my customers;

I've shared some of my recent commissions here on the blog and have lots more examples in my showroom and in my head! If you have an idea in mind, let's get chatting.

Designing a silent bracelet

Yesterday there was a surprise in my in-box. When you lovely people get in touch to thank me and share photos, it means the world to me. Thanks Deirdre!

Thanks for trusting me to make your bracelet Deirdre and for being so much fun to work with!

For more inspiration you can check out my latest commissions or give me a call to chat about your own ideas.

Remembering Grandparents

Recently, lots of you have been showing me photos of your Grandparents weddings. I thought it was time to put our favourite relatives on the stage and hear some stories about their wonderful wedding days! This series is all about the romance, the style and the personalities.

So, let's meet Mercedes Munden and Frank Purcell. Apparently these two met at a dance, and were introduced by a family relative. They were both qualified architects and also shared a passion for amateur dramatics.

Do you have photos or know of someone with stories to tell? Drop me an email or leave me a comment below. I'd love to hear from you.

Doodles to designs!

As soon as I hold a pencil in my hand, I start doodling curvy, delicate patterns. Lines meander off across the page. Before I know it, I have designed another headpiece! It's not quite that simple but I love this part of my work!

The Theme was Luxe Christmas, with lots of gold and red elements. Claire wanted sparkle over bling which is right up my street! I've picked a few of my faves below but you can view lots more over on One fab Day.

A big thanks to Lisa O'Dwyer for allowing me to feature her photos. The images were shot on film which gives a lovely quality to them. The dresses for the shoot were by Patrick Casey and Adah Lynch. Check out more photos from the day via One Fab Day.

If you like these designs, have a look at some more of my recent bespoke pieces or get in touch if you'd like to chat about your ideas. I'd love to hear from you.

Credits: White Sage Events - events companyLisa O'Dwyer PhotographyAnna Atkins photos via Wikipedia

My Saturday snippet

What did you get up to this weekend? I took Saturday off and it felt like a Sunday... no work or huge agendas; just hanging out in a local café and chilling with my hubs. Our favourite new spot is The Fumbally on Clanbrassil Street, Dublin.

I think I'm going to spend more of my days off here, reading books and sipping coffee. The free WiFi is a bonus too. How about you guys - do you have a favourite weekend hangout? Tell me; I want to know about it!

Miriam and Daire's Casares wedding

Miriam wore my Rangoli Diamond hairwire and matching drop earrings in her newly pierced ears!

It's two thousand and thirteen!

It's a brand spanking new year and I'm glad to be back to my studio after a thoroughly relaxing break. How was your holidays?

The studio is open for appointments, so get in touch if you'd like to arrange a visit. 2013 brides, this is your year!

Rangoli bride Claire marries Brooks

Claire, just looking at these photos makes me smile. Your headpiece must have been designed with your name on it before I met you. I'm so glad you enjoyed your experience. Thanks for all your kind words; I really appreciate them. Wishing you both a cozy first married Christmas x

a thousand words - Jenna Thomas

You can see more of Jenna's photography on her website Red White and Green. This feature is part of a series called 'a thousand words'.

Rangoli bride Ciara

Thank you Ciara - I hope we'll meet again some day for another dose of giggles!

Image credits:
Taken from Tiaras - A history of splendour by Geoffrey C. Munn

I've shared some of my recent commissions here on the blog and have lots more examples in my showr oom and in my head! If you have an idea in mind, let's get chatting.

Credits:
White Sage Events - events company
Lisa O'Dwyer Photography
Anna Atkins photos via Wikipedia

You can see more of Jenna's photography on her website Red White and Gree n. This feature is part of a series called 'a thousand words'.