Topshop Set to Launch Bridal Collection

Topshop has got Wedding fever, as the high street giants will be launching a bridal collection.

The retail store has teamed up with designer, Richard Nicoll, to create this wedding collection, which is due to launch in June.

The details are all a bit secretive, so we have no idea what the collection will look like or what the price range will be, but we are told that the wedding gowns will feature signature Nicoll designs including feminine fabrics and sculptural shapes.

Just to tease us that bit more, the Topshop team tweeted ‘want to get married just so we can wear out @studio_nicoll bridal collection set to land in June. Can’t give you a sneak peek but wow!’

As Topshop has made a name for itself as the trendy, fashionable retail store, we so can imagine that this collection will be gorgeous – but it doesn’t stop us from wanting to see it now. Can you tell that we can’t wait to see!

How to Choose your Wedding Hair


Finding the right hair style for the big day can become quite a complicated process, but finding the right hair do to compliment your dress only makes your special day that bit more special.

There are so many questions to be asked and what is the answer? Should you wear it down or up? Should you wear accessories or not? If you are wearing a veil, what’s the best style to ensure your veil looks great? What style should you choose, retro, classic or modern?

Well, there’s isn’t a correct answer, after all your hairstyle should reflect your personality. So if you like things simple, keep your hairstyle minimal – a simple bun can complete your look and it still looks magical. If you’re style is romantic, go for something wavy and loose. Are you adventurous – try some unexpected accessories like headbands, flowers, pearls, crystals.

There are so many things you can try, it’s always a good idea to get some inspiration so have a look at our inspiration board (above) and if you’re a interest user (we highly recommend) then you can make your own inspiration board of hairstyles that you like to help make your final decision.

The Traditional Wedding Dress gets a Revamp

The rules for a Wedding Dress are no more, if you look at the trends we saw at Bridal Fashion Week. Of course, we love the idea that your Bridal dress doesn’t have to be so traditional and we have loved featuring weddings to reflect that but it seems that major designers at Bridal Fashion week are finally cottoning on about time!

We saw bold colours out there this year with Vera Wang choosing to show her entire collection in all shades of Red. A quirky ensemble that made me think “ohhh I like it!” was the crop top and pants combination. Instead of poofy skirts we got pouffy capes courtesy of Oscar De la Renta, we had Boho, we had Feathers, we had Black and we had very Very Short (enough to see your garter) and finally one that we know and love Vintage.

So now that the Bridal designers have clued up and realised that there is more to wedding dresses than that white classic meringue dress, would you take any trend notes from these collections or are they are bit out there for you?








What lengths would you got to in order to Lose weight for your Wedding Day?

  • April 16th, 2012
  • posted by Toni May
  • 1 Comment

According to a 2007 Cornell University study by Lori Neighbors and Jeffery Sobal, 70 per cent of 272 engaged women said they wanted to lose weight, the average desired weight loss was 20 pounds (a stone and a half). This desire to look perfect on that special day has meant that Brides are increasingly going on crash diets to try and achieve that perfect weight.

One way that Brides lose weight is by going to a personal trainer, after all diet and exercise is the approved way to lose weight. “I’ve been training brides for 12 to 13 years, and the typical weight loss is 15 to 20 pounds”, said Ms Fleming – a session with this personal trainer will set you back up to $200 (I’m not quite sure how many sessions you would need to lose that much weight, but they could all add up).

There are so many fad diets out there claiming to enable huge weight loss at a fast rate like the 10 day Master Cleanse (lemon juice, paprika, maple syrup and water), made famous by celebrities like Beyonce.

Some brides go to extreme lengths, one of the most drastic diets involves daily injections of human chorionic gonadtropin, a hormone associated with pregnancy, which is allegedly supposed to help weight loss. Brides-to-be can pay around $950 for these treatments, where they receive instruction to self-administer the shots. According to the Food and Drug Administration, the drug absolutely does not help in anyway for weight loss. It is a placebo and the women only lose weight because they are combining the shots with a 500-calorie diet.

The latest fad, which has found its way to the UK, involves cutting out food all together for 10 days by being fed a liquid with all the nourishment sans carbohydrates through a tube that goes up the nose down into the stomach (not for the faint hearted). This treatment can cost up to $1,500 for 10 days.

These are some pretty expensive and extreme measures and begs the question, do the majority of brides agree with such measures?

What would you do (or did you do) to try and lose weight for your special day?

Brad and Angelina are Engaged Finally!

  • April 16th, 2012
  • posted by Toni May
  • 1 Comment

Finally Brangelina are engaged to be married!! After seven years together and six children, it seems that Bradd has finally popped the question and Angrlina has accepted!!

Robert Procop, a Beverley Hills-based Jeweler, has had a close relationship with Jolie (Angelina has previously collaborated on a collection of Jewellery with him) confirmed that Brad had finally put a ring on Angelina’s finger. “I can confirm that, yes, Robert Procop did indeed design an engagement ring for Angelina Jolie, designed in collaboration with Brad Pitt.”

According to Procop, the diamond was cut and shaped specifically for Jolie’s hand, the side diamonds were “specially cut to encircle her finger, each diamond is of the highest gem quality.” Well that was pretty much a no brainer, is it bad I really want to know how much it costs?

There is no word of when the two Hollywood stars will get hitched, let’s just hope that we don’t have to wait another 7 years for the wedding ceremony!

Claire Pettibone Spring 2012 Bridal Lookbook

Claire Pettibone is a top bridal designer and her wedding gowns are absolutely phenomenal. The spring 2012 lookbook is a great source of beautiful wedding gowns that may interest you.

If any of you lucky brides, happened to have a Claire Pettibone dress, we’d love to hear from you and get your thoughts on this bridal designer. Have a look through the lookbook below.

TK Maxx Reveals New Bridesmaid Range


TK Maxx have just recently opened their online bridal boutique and well the Bridesmaid section really caught our attention and we decided to share our findings to all you lovely readers.

We know it’s always hard to find the perfect bridesmaid dress that fits in with your wedding and budget, but this is where TK Maxx comes into the mix. They have a fabulous range of Bridesmaid dresses… they have long dresses, short dresses, designer dresses and an array of colours to choose from so that everything and anything can fit in with your wedding day.

The price points of the dresses are also fantastic – in this economic climate, when you plan your wedding you have to know where to spend the big bucks and know where you can save them. Let’s face it, Brides don’t want to be shelling out hundreds of pounds on a bridesmaid dress, when that money could be going towards their own dress!

No, what Brides want is something affordable that looks luxurious providing that alternative to those sky high designer prices. Prices at TK Maxx start from just £24.99 to £149.99, the higher price bracket (not that high!) will get you some pretty big designer names from Calvin Klein to Galliano (I was so shocked at this, I did a double take just to check I hadn’t imagined it – but no it’s all real guys). We recommend everyone searching for dresses to check them out.

Visit the website,www.tkmaxx.com and we are sure you will be snapping up all their lovely dresses in no time.

Interview: Jen’s Handcrafted Wedding Stationary

Everything has to be planned to the finest detail when planning a wedding and well it’s always great to find people along the way to help and make things easier.

Wedding Stationary can set the tone for your whole wedding, from the colours you choose to the style of your stationary – it all matters, even if some may view it as small detail. Often choosing stationary to fit your tastes and wedding can be a complicated process and it’s important to find someone who understands your wants and needs to produce exactly what you want.

We are fortunate to be able to introduce to Ruffles and Pearls readers, Jen from Jen’s Handcrafted Wedding Stationary, where she explains love for her Wedding Stationary business!

RP: Tell us a little about yourself?

Jen: My name is Jen, I’m 28 and from Solihull, near Birmingham. I married my wonderful husband Matt on the 16th May 2011 at Baddesley Cliton National Trust. I work full time as Cabin Crew, and have my own part time Stationery business. I have two bunnies called Sooty and Cazzy. My husband and I love all things Disney and went to Florida for our Honeymoon.

RP: What sparked your interest in making wedding stationary?

Jen: I created and designed all of the stationery for our wedding. Many people commented to me on our Wedding Day how gorgeous everything looked, with our colour scheme adding flashes of glamour through out the day. It was then that I decided, I enjoyed creating and playing with colours and textures to produce wonderful bespoke items for others to enjoy.

RP: What special things do you create for weddings?

Jen: From the moment you contact me, we will work together to come up with something unique to yourself and your partner to be. My stationery will give your guests a sneak peak of whats to come from your big day.

RP: If you had any tips for anyone thinking about their wedding, what would you say are some fun ways to personalize wedding stationary?

Jen: Do you both have any interests or hobbies you’d like to incorporare into your big day? Any pets who will be walking down the isle with you? Any relatives past or present you’d like to mention or have with you on your wedding day. All of my stationery will be 100% unique to you both, the possibilties are endless.

RP: What makes your work different/ interesting from others in your industry?

Jen: My aim is to take the stress out of your planning, so that you can enjoy the lead up to your wedding. I’ll work quickly and efficently to create your stationery. Regular friendly contact with my clients plays a huge factor whether it be meetings, emails or texts with you, letting you know how everthings taking shape, keeping you in the know.

RP: Have you noticed any trends that people are heading towards when choosing wedding stationary?
Jen: I find with most my clients, simplicity in the design can be most effective. Letting your stationery speak for itself.

RP: What is the most unique wedding invitation you have designed?

Jen: I have a four corner fold over invitation that my customers love. This is a whole invitation with the centre holding your Wedding Invitation with the four corners holding other relevant information. All corners are on a perforation so can be torn off and even sent back as an RSVP or menu/song choice.

RP: If you could choose one item from your work that you would want every bride to have, what would it be?

Jen: I love all of my designs, but my Wallet Style Invitation with a large mulberry rose on the front really gives off that ‘wow’ factor. The rose is so life like that you’ll actually think it’s real. It’s ideal for those with an outdoor or english garden wedding theme. The roses and invitations come in many colours, I love having the opportunity to create more invitations is this style.

RP: What’s your favourite thing about weddings?

Jen: Seeing how happy a Bride and Groom are on their wedding day. I remember every moment of my own wedding, and when I watch others in the same position, I remember how good it felt, and how I wish I could do it all over again.

RP: What advice can you give to all the brides that will be getting married in the near future?

Jen: To relax. What will be, will be. Take every moment in and enjoy, you only get to do this once! Knowing all your family and friends are there for you both and enjoying your day with you is just the best feeling, I actually can’t describe it in words. But most importantly, remember who this day is about, you and your new husband/wife. Take a moment to be with them through the course of the day, as it will go by so quickly. Enjoy that moment forever, because that day, is the rest of many happy and unbelieveable years to come.

Jen’s Handcrafted Wedding Stationary is pretty amazing, head on over to her website to have a look for yourself.

Jenny Packham Sample Size Arriving


If you are looking for a wedding bargain you may be in luck, there will be a Jenny Packham Bridal sample Sale.

The good news… there will be up to 70% off past season dresses, Accessories, Shoes and Jewellery – So our verdict is to get your shopping on!!

Sample sales are always a great way (for those of you who are lucky enough to be a sample size!) to get some neat designer wear for a fraction of the price.

The sample Sale will take place on Thursday 19th April 2012 from 8am – 8pm, at a Jenny Packham Pop-up Boutique, 7 Carlos Place, Mayfair, London, W1K 3AR

Be there or be square… Good Luck!

{Images via Facebook}

Bebe debut First Bridal Collection

So for those of you who are on the prowl, or who like me, just enjoy looking at gorgeous wedding dresses, you’ll be please to know that Bebe has launched it’s very own Bridal collection.

There is such variety within the collection that makes it appealing to many and prices range from $198 to $2,500. So whether your on a budget or not, you still might be able to find the ‘one’ dress that makes you want it instantly.

Also another lovely fact, is that they are doing a Kate Middleton inspired Royal wedding dress, which is the priciest in the collection but elegantly worth it. Plus this dress was designed by Rami Kashou from Project Runway, (if you watch this programme, I imagine you probably got excited just as I did, if you don’t watch it then you’re probably wondering what on earth I am talking about – google him) so of course you know that the gown is fabulous already.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a complete Bridal boutique if you couldn’t get other wedding ‘items’ too, there’s a section for Bridesmaid dresses, accessories, shoes, fascinators and even Bridal lingerie (although I have to question the taste of some of these items, they scream more tacky than bridal) – overall there is quite a good range.

Check out the Bridal Boutique here and let us know what you thought of it.

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