There are plenty of vintage wedding spots once you scratch through the surface of conventional locations. There are venues which can do everything for you, and venues that will let you do the leg work. Personally I was on a mission to find a venue that was like a blank canvas, which suited our personalities.

I hope to save you some leg work on finding the venue for your vintage wedding by taking a look at some of the venues which were jotted down on my own vintage wedding list. (I’m getting married next year by the way, eeeee)

St Andrews hall

Perfect for those watching the pennies and for bigger weddings on a budget. The main hall would make such an atmospheric place for a wedding, and you can decorate any way you want. They also have some very nice caterers who will happily talk through menu option to try and give you something to your tastes.

The Arts Centre

This venue would make a perfect traditional yet alternative venue. As an old church building you can see why this would suit traditional tastes, but, it’s the arts centre which really appealed to our musical memories of gigs in Norwich. We’ve spent many a happy evening leaning against a column with a pint in hand listening to some cracking tunes in an intimate setting. You can imagine the restrictions for guest numbers though.

Seaside Hotels

Heading off the beaten track for a little nostalgia you could do far worse than a sea side wedding. Victorian hotels galore with faded seaside glamour appeal! There were some beautiful buildings, some still holding their original charm inside and out, and others refurbished to a high standard. Some seemingly make their bread and butter by offering wedding packages and the prices vary wildly. The Links Hotel at West Runton made it into the top three of my vintage venues list.

Whitwell Station

All aboard! Our winning contender was Whitwell and Reepham Railway. Only recently getting a wedding licence this venue was an instant hit. We knew straight away that this was our perfect venue. With a price to suit our budget, we still have a lot of control and choice over our wedding, and best of all the place is full to the brim with vintage character.

Hopefully you’ll feel inspired by the nostalgic venues Norfolk has to offer soon-to-be-weds. Finding the venue is rumoured to be the hardest part of wedding planning, but, all the hard work will pay off when you find the perfect setting for your big day!

Thanks to Laura from Social Gremlin for this post

Tucked away in the performance space at the Birdcage there was a great atmosphere. Though the audience wasn’t huge, it would have been a struggle to fit many more people in, which gave it an intimate and relaxed feel, and the enthusiasm and support for local and eclectic acts really was evident.

Dan is the only local act to play Red Card Comedy at Carrow Road and is founder of the Birdcage New Comedy Cabaret, Norwich’s longest running new act stand-up comedy night. He has played all over Norwich, and having run comedy nights in various venues for the last six years, bringing Richard Herring and David Trent, among others, to Norwich, he decided it was time for a new challenge – I spoke to him about how it came about, and future plans for Alternative Variety Night:

“I had been reading a book about the alternative comedy movement in the 80s and noticed that as much as stand-ups, there were poets, street performers and general madmen sharing the stage. I wanted to get back to that air of experimentation and risk. With the success of Britain’s Got Talent variety was back on the radar so I decided to call it an ALTERNATIVE VARIETY night to indicate it was slightly different. It featured seven of the best and most eclectic performers from around Norwich. It was a mixture of stand-up, character comedy and cabaret in a pub environment. I started the night because I had noticed that there was a number of variety acts operating in Norwich and a rise in the popularity of local, high profile cabaret nights. Bo Nanafana, Festival Asylum and Hocus Pocus had been doing some great work with cabaret and variety in larger venues and with professional acts but I realised there was nowhere for performers to experiment and develop. Also there were no variety nights in pubs. I am hoping to make the event quarterly and we will hopefully return in September. Perhaps in a year’s time we might be able to do an event for the Norfolk and Norwich Festival. We are looking for new acts who are looking to experiment and have fun. All genres are considered from burlesque, to comedy, to magic and beyond.”

Salt Box Comedy returns to the Birdcage next Wednesday with The Debating Society. Keep a look out for the return of the Alternative Variety Night in September, if you are interested in performing please contact saltboxcomedy@hotmail.co.uk

You can find Saltbox Comedy on Facebook

Henry Trevor was the visionary gentleman behind this charming garden. In the early 1800’s Trevor, a successful cabinet maker and upholsterer, decided to invest his fortunes and following 40 years in turning the former chalk pit into a little piece of paradise.

As with many fanciful gardens of the time, WW1 saw devotion turn towards the bigger picture, the war effort. For some years the garden was left in an almost forgotten state. In the 1980’s the garden had caught the attention of the local community. With the original structure hidden in the undergrowth and the efforts of The Plantation Garden Preservation Trust the garden has been lovingly restored to its former glory.

In recent years the trust has been holding events to encourage the community back into the garden. It’s a good idea to keep an eye on their events calendar to see what up and coming wonders they are planning! The now annual Vintage Fair couldn’t keep us away for long, after attending last year for the first time we were delighted to see the event double in size this year.

The bank holiday weather was perfect for milling around the gardens and weaving in and out of vintage stalls. There was a varied selection of clothing, housewares, crafts, and jewellery to keep the avid vintage shopper happy.

After a spot of shopping and a leisurely explore of this secluded sunken garden (which has steps and pathways hidden around the sides of the pit- and even a rather rustic looking bridge) we took time to have a spot of tea in the sunshine. Lovely!

Whilst sipping tea it was nice to do some people watching. The event attracted an impressive mix of ages and styles, ranging from cute toddlers in polka dots to very groovy grannies in pin curls. It was lovely to attend a vintage event that was so accessible to everyone.

We had a cracking day at the Plantation Garden Vintage Fair. The turnout was impressive and the variety of the stalls was spot on. With follies and fountains, serpentine pathways and steps this remarkable garden certainly made an impression. Our final word: make this special vintage fair a special date for your diary!

Visit the Plantation Gardens Website for information on future events.

Established in 1978, the restaurant is set in a grade 2 listed building on one of Norwich’s prettiest and historical streets. The overall feel of the restaurant is very relaxed bordering on rustic, there’s a fine selection of beers and wines and a truly mouth-watering choice of toppings for the Belgian waffles which are made to order.

Just some of the toppings available include a scrumptious ham with cheese sauce and mushrooms, Asian tuna salad and vegetable curry. It’s worth noting is the wide range of choice for vegetarians, this isn’t a restaurant where non meat options are limited to just one menu choice.

Open seven days a week, and with live folk and jazz music twice weekly, it’s a great place to hang out, and if you feel the urge to have afternoon tea and cake with a twist, then why not pop along and take a look at the dessert menu. Banoffee waffle anyone?

We haven’t visited for brunch yet, but looking at the menu it’s only a matter of time! With special offers including a discount for students and special prices for weekday lunches, The Waffle House is well worth a visit.

The Waffle House is located at 39 St Giles Street, for more details visit the website

Original novelty prints can be quite expensive, but it’s worth keeping your eyes peeled for modern day look a likes. Last Summer Primark had a great 50s style skirt with a street scene printed around the hem, and you’ll often find novelty animal prints popping up as stores get their Summer stock in.

Radley are a modern company that’s famous for it’s 50s style scotty dog logo that can be found on everything from shoulder bags to luggage. Radley bags are stocked at John Lewis on Ber Street.

Cath Kidston is another modern brand famous for novelty prints.  Currently you can find trains, cowboys, sailing boats and cottages on everything from dresses and skirts to weekend bags. The Cath Kidston store is at 21 Castle Street.

For a slightly tougher take on novelty prints try Hell Bunny. Local stockists Rock Collection are on Lower Goat Lane. This 50s style dress has a print of pin up girls and anchors.

Of course, if you’d rather try and track down the real thing then there’s plenty of vintage shops in Norwich to explore. It’s worth getting in touch with them in advance as not all shops keep all their stock on the floor and they might have that perfect 50s novelty print dress hidden out the back in just your size. Take a look at our vintage directory for the best places to start looking for those prints.

We arrived at 1.30 to find that both floors were full, but we came back about half an hour later and there were a few free tables downstairs and upstairs had cleared entirely, so we picked a table there. The menus are written out on blackboards, upstairs and down, and boast a selection of breakfasts (served til 3pm), tapas (served from 6pm – I recommend the Little Fishies) and a general menu including Soup of the Day and various wonderful concoctions involving aubergine. Last time I came during the day I had salmon crepes and the staff were very accommodating to my three-year old, presenting him with a brownie (delicious) wrapped in string and brown paper, which went down very well.

I ordered downstairs and was given a table number written on a picture frame to take upstairs. My experience of the service there has always been good, and this time was no exception, our tea arriving promptly in a huge red pot and mismatched cups-and-saucers. I’ve always liked the décor at the Bike Shop, from the art deco lamps, tomato plants growing out of old books and, of course, the bike strapped to the wall outside.

Our food arrived within fifteen minutes – we had Eggs Royale and Eggs Benedict, both of which were delicious, and were recommended the organic brown sauce to go with it. They came on toasted muffins, with perfectly poached eggs (and, in my case, fresh salmon) with hollandaise sauce on top.

The Bicycle Shop always has a lovely atmosphere – people meeting friends, eating alone, people reading or working. In the evenings the basement opens up, which is also a lovely space, though occasionally it’s closed for poetry readings and events.

If you’re after somewhere with delicious, healthy food which is reasonably priced (both meals and tea came to just under £14), good service and a relaxed atmosphere, a place to chill with a cup of tea or somewhere to work (particularly if you’re self-employed and need a change of scene!), or a you need a place to meet friends as a bohemian pub-alternative, then I’d recommend it. It can get busy at lunchtime and in the evenings (more on some days than others) so I’d advise getting there early or reserving a table (or indeed booking the whole top floor) if you want to eat straight away, particularly if there are a lot of you. 

The Bicycle Shop can be found at 17 St. Benedicts Street, Norwich.

This weekend I took a warm walk along the Marriots Way with my land girl in tow and headed over to the festivities at Whitwell 40s weekend. Finally feeling warm and spring like I was able to enjoy an outdoorsy vintage event without covering myself up in a big thick coat! There were some fantastic outfits at the event… I must say the chaps beat the ladies hands down (sorry ladies) as there were some dapper looking gents in original WWII attire. They really looked the part sat out on their army surplus chairs sipping on cups of tea in the sunshine.

There were some great memorabilia stalls and stands inside the main marquee. Some stalls displaying domestic and household bits and bobs. Recognisable brands that we still have today like pears soap and Rolos, but, there were some rather unusual home spun items such as toys made out of wooden cotton reels, and a rather sobering child’s knitted gas mask balaclava.

As fun as at is to step back in time at these of events it should always be made clear that it wasn’t all romance and red lippy. So I was pleased to see a fair share of fun things like tea and cakes stalls, and memorabilia stands, mixed with a few artillery displays, which were captivating. The whole event really did bring the past to life!

Outside there were some impressive classic cars and military vehicles, including some 1940’s motorbikes. I really don’t think they make them like that anymore! It’s really lovely to see vehicles being kept to such a high standard. They looked as if they had just popped out of the past into 2013. It really is admirable how much people put into their vintage car projects. It’s not boys with their toys its people preserving a piece of history.

The steam train was in big demand and looked great with so many people dressed for the part. It was easy to imagine what the station would have been like back in its heyday. Whitwell is impressively looked after by a keen group of enthusiasts who work year round to restore the station as well as maintain their gradually expanding selection of railway bits and bobs.

The event went on all weekend, and from what I hear there was evening entertainment too on the Saturday evening. During the daytime the atmosphere was really welcoming. families stopped on their Marriots Way bike rides and happily snapped away with their cameras as their children gawped at the steam train and all the costumes. It’s really nice that the event was so accessible to everyone.

As for me and my land girl we did our bit by sampling some of the local ale available on the bar. With the Panther microbrewery up the road we just had to have a try of some of the guest ales, including the Whitwell Wobbler….which after a couple we were. We wobbled all the way home!

Visit the Whitwell & Reepham Railway website for more information on other events throughout the year

Thanks to Laura from Social Gremlin for this post

Only for decoration (sadly, as we’d love to sit and browse a magazine or two whilst under these hoods) they add a real retro style to the salon, and we applaud The Egg for their imagination at using these dryers even if just for ornamentation. We hate to even give a moments thought to how many traditional dryers like this ended up in a skip, as more modern styles replaced the traditional wash and sets!

With a second salon now open on Magdalen Street, there are now two salons with hints of vintage to visit. Waiting for your turn in the chair is a rather stylish affair with a big comfy sofa in the window and a 50s vibe to many of the other furnishings. 

One of the stylists, who isn’t from Norwich, commented that he feels Magdalen Street is developing quite a Hackney feel to it. It’s certainly a street with some great vintage shops, places to eat and a part of Norwich well worth exploring further.

Visit The Egg website

This weekend at the Birdcage you can do just that at a fabulous Clothes Sale Spectacular, and as a Vintage Norwich reader we’re excited to say you can get an exclusive 10% discount at the event.

The Clothes sale spectacular is open from 11am-4pm and features original vintage, vintage reproduction and labels, as well as Catherine Ashley Designs with a range of handmade jewellery and Halcyon Designs with a selection of beautiful hairpieces. Plus, of course, the Birdcage will be serving lovely Saturday afternoon drinks.

To claim your 10% discount this weekend you just need to double click on the voucher below, print it out and take it along.

There is nothing more lovely than flowers so why not buy a few bulbs – they are so cheap. Norwich Market always have plenty or even supermarkets sell them – choose something that will scent the room as you walk in – Paper Whites or hyacinths smell wonderful, once you have got your bulbs transfer them from the boring plastic pot into a vintage teacup or vase and put them all around the house.

Another way to give you home a little lift is to change the soft furnishings around – it is not as expensive as it sounds, buy some really cheap muslin fabric and add it to your windows for a floaty feel or have a look around for some vintage fabric in soft pastel or bright pop art colours and make some new cushion covers. If your sewing skills don’t run that far just drape it over the arm of a chair or sofa.  Anglia Fashion Fabrics have some great reproduction prints or try Junk and Gems for original pieces, both on Magadalen Street.

Get your wardrobe warm weather ready – take a look at your clothes and check that nothing needs cleaning or mending – they is nothing worse than pulling out your favourite vintage dress when the sun comes out and finding the hem falling down.  Have a little look at what you have and if there is anything you need to re-vamp it for the season – again it doesn’t have to be expensive – a few flowers to add to your hair or straw hat, a bright cardigan to wear with your dress when the weather is a little cooler or if you feel like splashing out a new fabulous print dress, it’s always worth taking a peek in the charity shops for those little extras.

Finally take advantage of the wide range of al fresco dining and drinking that Norwich has to offer – make the most of the sunny days, sit outside, have a coffee or cocktail and watch the world go by! The Birdcage and the Sir Garnet both have outside spaces to have a drink, and Revolucion de Cuba has a beautiful garden to enjoy lunch in and pretend you’re in a tropical paradise!

The weather had certainly not discouraged the eager brides and their entourage of Mothers, Bridesmaids and some less than eager Grooms being taken around to sample the wares of our local Wedding related businesses. All whilst being entertained by musical performance and fashion shows on the stage making this much more of an exciting event than the usual wedding fairs.

A Bride could plan her whole Wedding with the exhibitors in this one room, from Photographers to Wedding cakes, venues and even underwear!

One of the first exhibitors stands that drew our attention was the beautiful display of Wedding cakes from Vanilla Cake Design. Offering a range of cakes of varying flavours and designs to suit anyone’s tastes. It did help getting some tasters of their delicious cakes whilst admiring the intricacies and flair required to create such masterpieces.

The must have and most exciting item for any bride is of course, the dress, and with Clare Bridal Studio who had a selection of beautiful vintage-style designer gowns on display from designers such as Claire Pettibone, Charlotte Balbier and my personal favourite Cymbeline, this is covered.  Clare Bridal Studio offers dresses with a current take on the timeless vintage designs of days gone by, with a modern touch to bring them into the 21^st Century.

Adnams also had a stand at the fair offering some sparkles for a wedding toast or just as something special to have with your new Mr after the big day. I was quite intrigued and delighted by the sparkling ale, which made an unusual twist on the classic champagne.

If I hadn’t already chosen my venue then I would have been tempted by Godwick Hall, a beautiful and historic barn set in the Norfolk countryside. Offering the full wedding experience with the extra luxurious touches that can make your day all the more special.

Whilst wandering round the many exhibitors we were treated to a performance by The Voxettes, a vocal harmony trio that sang the old favourites such as Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree (With Anyone Else but Me) and other classics that all the attendants tapping their feet and swaying along to the music.

Of course the main event of the day was that of the BridalNEXT! competition, which showcases up and coming designers based within the wedding industry.

This years winners were Anna Barclay and Sarah Day Designs who produce Gowns Jackets and Accessories and won the “One to Watch-The Dress”,  Boom!Boom!Baby!; designers of gorgeous corsets and gowns came in “highly commended” in the dress category. Next we had Annelli Clark Millinery who won “The One to Watch-The Accessories”, and Bohemian Love Story, who can help brides with adornments and planning, came highly commended in the accessories category. With such an array of talent, I would not want to be tasked with picking the winners for the one to watch, however the judges rose to the occasion and picked some very deserving winners.

After all that entertainment it was time for a sweet treat and who better to help than to Madame Deroubaix, who can provide you “an adventure in Chocolate”. We spent maybe a little more time here than necessary trying all the different chocolates, however with such gorgeous tasties it was hard to drag ourselves away from the Hazelnut Pralines and Raspberry ganache.

The final fashion show of the day was one of Vintage Norwich’s favourite designers, Sophie and Smith. A bespoke wedding gown designer that are original and unique were displayed in a danced showcase with Mystic Magic accessories creating a majestic finale for the fashion shows of the day.

So as the 2013 springtime Norwich Most Curious Wedding fair drew to a close, we wandered home, our tummies full of chocolate and our minds buzzing with ideas to make that special day that takes all the months of planning that much better. Bravo! A Most Curious Wedding you have once again inspired and encouraged East Anglian’s Fashionable and creative brides.

For anyone that couldn’t make it to the Norwich Wedding Fair, or for those that just need another dose of A Most Curious, then A Most Curious Wedding Fair is on in London on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st of April at The Truman Brewery, Bay Gallery, 91 Brick Lane, London E1 6QL. Tickets £4 on the door or £3 in advance. Find out more on the Most Curious Wedding Fair Website

Many thanks to Keith Gamble who took these excellent photos for me.

We caught up with Rebecca from A Most Curious Wedding Fair over a couple of pots of peppermint tea at Biddy’s to chat about the upcoming fairs and the BridalNEXT! competition that showcases the fresh, up and coming talent within the bridal industry.

E: How did it all start? What inspired you to create such a refreshing and unique competition and show?

R: I had previously worked for a magazine that dealt with Interior design and had consequently visited design shows in Paris and London in which they would have a section to the show where they introduced new makers and companies with their fingers on the pulse. It was always here that often the most interesting pieces appeared, so when I started planning my own innovative wedding fairs, it became apparent that brides follow new current trends so I knew my fair needed this sort of formula. bridalNEXT! was born.

E: The Show has been well received by RocknRoll Bride who has judged BridalNEXT as well as other key bloggers for the wedding and fashion industry such as Theweddinggirl, Annieviweddings and RubyandDiva. How has Bridalnext been received elsewhere within the fashion industry?

R: At the first bridalNEXT! in London last year, we had Peta Hunt from You and Your Wedding judging the Bridalnext competition. The magazine has since been supportive with advertising the shows in the magazine. We have also had an event piece included in Time Out magazine.

E: In previous years you have had fashion shows incorporating ballet. Can you give us any clues as to what to expect in this years shows?

R: This year we are going to be including Real Life engaged couples from Norwich within the shows, modelling pieces by Vintage Deli especially chosen for them, this is a new feature we are very excited about! The dancers will be back again, so you better come and watch what they have our sleeves Our winner from last year’s bridalNEXT! Mystic Magic will also be showcasing work in the fashion shows so it’s coming full circle!

E: The Most Curious Wedding Fairs have a really Unique and eye-catching marketing campaign. How do you come up with the ideas for the posters?

R: A lot of time is spent researching what is current, which involves looking through Vogue and sifting through Pinterest, absorbing the current trends, not looking at purely bridal but also taking in fashion on the whole. We were inspired by the Mexican influence that has crept in over the last year, especially all the sugar skulls that was a running theme over Halloween, so this year we researched the work of Frida Carlo, a Mexican painter. Floral crowns and the idea of being adorned with flowers also inspired us. We loved the colour and festival theme that make the posters such an eye catcher.

E: What challenges do you think modern designers face today and what advice would you give a designer working within the wedding industry?

R: I think the main advice is to be both fashion forward and practical, that’s the hardest balance to achieve. Getting creative with different fabrics, not always associated with bridal makes for interesting ideas. One of the main challenges is just how emotionally charged the job is. You are making dresses for a women’s dream day and you may meet the odd difficult bride or mother of the bride. A designer may not be able to give someone their ideal dress due to their shape or size, which takes some care and attention.

E: Who is your favourite designer?

R: I have a few! Claire Pettibone is a favourite, she is based in L.A. I love the lace and details in her dresses. She has nailed the vintage styled wedding dress but obviously with the advantage of it being new and available in any size!

Belle in Wonderland that sells vintage wedding dresses and has a great 70’s collection. FedericaBruno is a designer who has a stunning selection of couture wedding dresses. Frederica is from Naples and provides more of an experience, in a very old school Italian way were the bride comes to the house for their bespoke dress. It’s such a great old-fashioned ethos to have today

In Norwich some of my favourites would be Sophie and Smith run by Sophie Collins who’s dresses are fun and creative. Sophie will certainly be a big name in the future and you can see her work in the fashions show on the day.  Vintage Deli is a dedicated follower of vintage fashion and has a wide selection of vintage finds ready to be picked for brides that want to stay true to Vintage.

E: Following the success in Norwich and London, will you be looking to move to other cities?

R: It is something we are considering. We have had loads of people request for us to go up North and we would like to roam around in the future but you’ll have to wait and see.

E: Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?

R: In 10 years time I would want to be the event for bridal fashion at London Fashion week. It would be great for A Most Curious to be a name that the industry associates with fashion forward bridal design, but the main aim to keep inspiring brides.

E: Having entered the world of Vintage tea parties and the kid’s fairs with A Most Curious Kids, what’s next for the Most Curious brand?

R: The Most Curious brand has evolved from events in my own life, which started with an interest in the vintage scene and events. After collecting loads of crockery and nicnacs for my own wedding I started hiring them out for use at vintage parties and A Most Curious party was born. I was still keen to do something in the wedding industry so A Most Curious Wedding Fair evolved from that same idea of helping brides have an expressive wedding that reflects who they are. As I have carried on following fashion so has my wedding fairs. The Most Curious Kids Fairs came from the arrival of my daughter Bella and wanting to provide a children’s fair that I would want to attend myself! So who knows what could come next? It depends what life brings my way!

You can catch BridalNEXT! and all your other gorgeous bridal needs at the Most Curious Wedding Fair in Norwich, St Andrews Hall this Saturday (23rd March) Tickets are £2.50 on the door and it is open from 11am until 4.30pm. Alternatively check A Most Curious Wedding Fair out in London on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st of April at The Truman Brewery, Bay Gallery, 91 Brick Lane, London E1 6QL. Tickets £4 on the door or £3 in advance.

For more information on A Most Curious Party and BridalNEXT! visit the Most Curious Wedding Fair website

With some interesting designers, and some new up and coming talent setting up shop for the day, the grandeur of The Assembly House certainly provided a chic ending, to what’s been a great celebration of the talent we have in this fine city of ours.

We got to have a quick chat with the young creators of Ultimate Kits, a handy little makeup bag that comes complete with essentials like a packet of tissues and a cute compact mirror, making it an ideal gift for the lipstick lovers amongst us.

We also met a few of the faces behind Mr Shift, a group of students working as a huge team (30 and counting!) to add some original retro inspired designs to the world of t-shirts,  as casual wear featured quite a lot during Norwich Fashion Week, we’re sure these are going to be a popular choice for the retro lovers in Norwich who like to take a more laid back approach to their wardrobe.

A live photoshoot took place in the restaurant, so diners enjoying their afternoon teas, were treated to an array of models in various outfits and accessories. A sneaky peek behind the scenes of what goes on at a photoshoot, and an exhibit that was also used at other events during Fashion Week.

As it was ‘live’ we got to observe all the bits you might not normally get to see, such as the photographers giving direction, the stylist tweaking the hair, and models collapsing into giggles as they tried and jump together at the same time for an action shot!  It added a really fun element to the day and what a glamorous room to sip tea in.

We didn’t manage an afternoon tea unfortunately, but well worth a mention are The Assembly House scones, which arrived delightfully warm and were served with the most delicious jam. At £3.95 for a pot of tea and a scone, we think this is great value, and when eaten in a setting like this,  it feels like a purse friendly touch of glamour, which is just what we like.

Vintage Norwich turned 2 years old at the start of March, and the idea of the Vintage Norwich Awards was to celebrate the amazing vintage scene we have here in Norwich which is made up of lots of talented and hard working people. Since Vintage Norwich launched in 2011 we’ve had over a quarter of a million views on the site and received press coverage both nationally and internationally which has been incredibly exciting, but without something to write about, or people who wanted to know what was on none of that would happen.

For this years awards we received over 800 nominations forms in, and over 200 different businesses were nominated. The top 3 in each category received the most nominations this year, but there were so many fabulous and well loved businesses that didn’t make the short list that are still a huge part of what makes Norwich so amazing. There were over 1000 votes received in the second round, with some categories being so close that in the end there were less than 10 votes in it.

I was at the Puppet Theatre all afternoon transforming the Octagon into our VIP lounge with Champagne Cocktails available for early arrivers from about 7pm.

Guests were played to their seats by out house band for the evening The Ben Weston Quartet, before our compere Paul Preston Mills took to the stage to introduce the evening and the first half of the awards. Sponsors Wake Up Little Susie, Jane Richards Interiors , Norwich Original Fleamarket and Durrants Auction House had all sent representatives to present their awards and we were treated to a glamorous feather fan dance by burlesque dancer Natalya Umanska.

During the interval we sent our photographer Missy Vintage on the prowl for the evenings Best Dressed Guest. While the rest of the guests treated themselves to more Champagne cocktails we were making preparations backstage for the second half where we celebrated all things fashion.

This half featured a fashion show from the best vintage shop nominees arranged by the awards sponsor The Fabulous Miss K, and an amazing finale from hooper Daisy Black

Post show it was time to let our hair down with some tunes from our DJ Jonny Love Train, more Champagne Cocktails and Alex the mindreader. This is what the Vintage Norwich Writers look like letting their hair down post show (sadly without Daisy Black, who had headed off home)

The green dress worn by me (Editor Gemma!) is on loan from Heyday! Vintage Style, and is a sample of a new style they have coming in soon, a beautiful taffeta 1940s gown.

All our official photos from the awards, including some back stage shots, are now up over on the Vintage Norwich Facebook page, feel free to tag yourselves if you got snapped!

We’ll just finish with a massive thank you to everyone who came along to the awards, to our performers and to our sponsors for the night, without you it would never have happened (or it would have been really boring!)

With music from rising stars Nina Baker, Jake Morrell and Lettie, we sat back and watched an extravaganza unfold, as dancers and models took to the stage. With some spectacular choreography, this was a fashion show with a difference!

For some collections the stage became a catwalk, and models looked über cool as they walked the stage, whilst for other collections it was high energy all the way, with dance routines that had the audience applauding in awe and appreciation. The variety of fashion from shops and designers made for a really eclectic mix, with something for everyone, whether your taste leans towards vintage or high fashion.

Also wowing us with quirky and wonderful vintage styles were Vintage Deli and dress designer Jane Kenning. The show was rounded up with a rather splendid avant garde collection from Mystic Magic Masquerade, who injected a steam punk element into the evening. A huge well done to everyone involved in this show. We feel the combination of  fashion, music and dance worked perfectly together, and added a fresh twist to what’s been a superb fashion week.

This was the grand finale in terms of shows, but the good news is that due to the ongoing success of Norwich Fashion Week, it’s been extended to include a ‘wrap weekend’ with activities including a pop up hair and beauty bar at The Library restaurant on Saturday and a designer boutique day at The Assembly House on Sunday.

For more details of the wrap weekend visit the Norwich Fashion Week website

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