The work of artist and couture dress designer Catherine Blades.

Coronavirus update

catherine.hunter73@gmail.com (Catherine Hunter) — Sat, 24 Oct 2020 11:17:30 GMT

Keeping you safe.

Having a dress designed and made for you is a great way to cut down the amount of people who handle your dress. No trying on lots of worn sample dresses and pushy sales. No visiting lots of shops and coming into contact with lots of people. Made in the UK not China.

The way I work has not changed apart of the the obvious mask, visor and hand sanitizer. The Blades Studio is an isolated environment set in open countryside, it is a studio design experience rather than a bridal boutique. Giving you what you want in the most efficient way.

I do not and have never had lots of people in and out of the studio as it is both my sanctuary and a safe place for my cherished customers.

Your dress is designed and made specifically for you . You will have your own toile made for you and then try on your own dress . None of these will be tried by anyone else at any time .

At this time I will be focusing on bespoke customers only and not alterations to limit the number of customers at the studio.

If you would normally travel into London to shop for occasion wear this may be your best solution.

Please check availability for intimate weddings and occasion wear for events taking place within 6 weeks.

Please note that Wedding dresses can be designed in a way that they can be worn twice giving the bride two different looks for both intimate wedding and larger wedding. Alternatively we can make two separate outfits if required.

Please respect my isolated environment and only visit if you are feeling well. If you are from a very high restricted area please postpone . Please either come on your own or with just one other individual.

I look forward to hearing from you . Thank you for helping me keep my cherished studio safe and consistently creating your dreams

Take care

Catherine

Blades Art

PAR002_123@heg.com — Sat, 24 Oct 2020 10:53:11 GMT

Through the eye of the needle...

Society is being squeezed right now . I’d like to think that we are heading towards a new structure of society that works way better than our current system but that’s the optimist in me. All I know is historically after any Great Depression comes a Renaissance.

Today I’m sharing a Blades art piece we did in June after lockdown. This surreal Salvador Dali inspired piece reflects the squeeze of consciousness and time. The narrow balance of making the right decisions and being pulled through the eye of a needle to a better future.

Photography - Edit - www.samlucas.co.uk

Are You Ready For Love?

catherine.hunter73@gmail.com (Catherine Hunter) — Tue, 02 Jun 2020 09:21:26 GMT

An Elton John inspired shoot for the new issue of Rock n Roll Bride

Shortly before lockdown we were so priviledged to work with the fabulous team at Rock n Roll Bride Magazine again. This time around a kitsch Elton inspired shoot was the order of the day, bright, brash and bold, and oh so glamourous. Thank you again to Cat, Lisa Devlin and Alex at Bijou Bride for creating such an awesome set of images.

Art Direction - Kat Williams

Photography - Lisa Devlin

Styling - The Bijou Bride
MUA - Shani Mush
Hair - Becca Hunton Hair Stylist & Make-Up Artist
Location - Mama Shelter London
Model - Caitlin at BAME Models

Art, Love and Female Consciousness

catherine.hunter73@gmail.com (Catherine Hunter) — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 13:23:57 GMT

Recently Catherine was interviewed by Laura Bartlett, founder of House of Coco, and here's the interview in full for you to read.

Catherine Blades is a force to be reckoned with, a powerhouse and true boss babe who founded a company of the same name. Catherine Blades Couture , award winning wedding dress designer, exploring the world of art, love and female consciousness and a name that should be on everybody’s lips. When you think wedding, you need to think Catherine Blades Couture.

Catherine Blades provides a fully bespoke service creating stunning wedding gowns and occasion wear that are unique to every client.

Her intimate knowledge of cut and fit set her apart from other designers. She is a highly skilled dressmaker, taking your ideas and transforming them into the dress of your dreams. The warmth and personal service you will receive at the Blades Bridal studio makes having a dress designed and made by her a truly wonderful experience, one that has her clients feeling at ease, and thoroughly enjoying the process from beginning to end.

Catherine learned her craft with some top name designers, including Alexander McQueen, and over the past 20 years has refined her skills to become a couture dressmaker, designing and hand crafting exquisite gowns using a mix of traditional and modern techniques, luxurious fabrics and stunning embellishments. Catherine designs with innovation, and her creations are cutting edge.

Catherine works from the beautiful Blades Bridal studio, set in the tranquil countryside on the Berkshire/Hampshire border. All dresses are designed, made and fit by Catherine personally and her attention to detail leave her clients owning a truly stunning bespoke gown.

Catherine is not just a couture designer. She is an artist in her own right, creating stunning works of contemporary art and exploring the art of bridal in a totally different way. Her work as an artist allows her to bring that creative vision to her design work, which sets her apart from so many other designers.

Here, we spent some time with Catherine to find out more…

Tell us about our journey so far to get to where you are today

Working for Alexander McQueen and being a freelance creative pattern cutter, working in the wedding industry was not at the top of my list. Whilst freelancing, I found myself working in a reputable bridal shop. The very first customer I had sent flowers to me at the shop as it was the best service she’d ever had. I think from that moment I was pretty hooked, knowing that I had the ability to use all my skills and make a difference to each and every bride during this life transition filled my heart with joy. I worked in retail for 12 years before Catherine Blades Couture began in 2012.

It was the day of Prince William and Catherine Middleton’s Royal Wedding that cemented the fact it was time to open my own studio. Having worked for McQueen and also the lady who created the flower girl’s dresses, I felt that it was my time.

My philosophy has always been the same, that each bride should be totally unique and have something designed and created just for them. Having sold 5 of the same wedding dress in one day, telling each girl how utterly lovely she looked, it felt fake. I didn’t want my brides to feel that they were on some sort of conveyer belt, so now each dress is designed working closely with the bride, using my expertise in cut, fit and design, to create a dress which conveys not only the way she wants to look, but the way she wants to feel.

I work with the most incredible women, the most luxurious materials, and, in the most tranquil of settings on the Hampshire, Berkshire border, in South East England. I spend my days creating bridal gowns that are loved and cherished by their wearer.

You recently made a pivot in your business and want to take a slightly different direction, tell us about this

I have discovered, whilst on my creative journey, that what seemed to be the ideal job, has now become a quest for true connection to ones heart, soul and authentic self, that in a time when, as women, we are learning to embracing a new sense of femininity, we need a bit of courage to love ourselves in totality. From the pit of my stomach, I knew brides suffered from a lack of self love, and as female consciousness rises, the need to express this through art has become a must for me.

The new direction of my business aims to express how to love ourselves fully. This journey is detailed on my blog, The Art Of Bridal.

I shall be getting all romantic, positive and creative. Showing you how I work for my brides, what inspires me, and also taking you on a journey of self discovery, as I embark on producing some exhibition pieces for an art show that combine a variety of creative, philosophical and spiritual works, helping us, as women, become more connected to the divine feminine, peace and balance within our hearts .

When people say “I Love My Job” part of you thinks “yeah right” or “is that even possible”, but for me it’s true. Everything I do is in the pursuit of becoming more whole, in order to serve my beloved brides. From the ability to manage my own stress, to pushing my boundaries of creativity to meet a bride’s desires, the sense of reward is immense and for these opportunities of growth I am truly grateful.

There is no other dress that is as important as your wedding dress. To me, a wedding dress is a sacred gown, that empowers the bride with love for herself, and the journey ahead, representing her in all her glory, and radiating her inner beauty. The seams, fabric, cut and every detail must be infused with deep love, confidence and the pure potential for a successful loving life. This is my Zen and hopefully it can be felt in abundance by the wearer.

What is it like working in the wedding industry

Working in the wedding industry has been an absolute joy. I’ve met some incredibly talented and supportive individuals. Coming from a bridal retail background it is exceptionally different having your own business. I now have the ability to support and connect on a social level, an essential part of both my business and my personal growth. I’ve built some beautiful relationships with my clients and other business owners alike.

One of the most important relationships I have is with my colleague, right-hand woman, and graphic designer, Jo, of Grey Card Creative. We work closely on my brand direction, website and promotional materials, and have a great working relationship as well as friendship.

Collaborations have been essential in order to bring my visions to reality, starting with ex-bride Chrissy Lippett of Smart Frames Photography on some branding images and art works. I have recently collaborated with Sam Lucas of Sam Lucas Photography, and the husband of one of my brides. Sam is an incredibly talented individual, and we have worked closely together on creating branding and artworks together in the past year. My mentorship of him has been most rewarding for us both.

Tell us about the most important relationship in your life

The most important relationship in my life is the one I have with myself. This may sound egotistical, but I’ve come to realise, in the last few years, that when my connection to myself is in balance, when my mind is focused, and when I’m creating from the heart, this is reflected through each and every relationship around me.

This has not always been the case. When I have been in a state of war with myself, when my self talk was aggressive, this was reflected in the lesser amount of love and connection I was able to give to my clients and to others around me.

My home life is one of laughter and love with my husband, daughter and dogs.

Although different to my home life, the relationship I have with my brides is one of great depth and honour to be part of such an impactful time in their life. I’m lucky enough to class the majority of my brides as friends. This individual connection to me is like gold.

The one relationship that I value above all others is the one with my daughter Sophie. She is 15 years old, and is part of a generation that is under such pressure, more than any other generation has had before. As I connect with her, the work I create is my legacy to her.

What does self care mean to you

Self care to me is about creating a reality that feels like a dream, allowing stillness and clarity everyday. The social world we live in has us pushing constantly, breaking down boundaries, and presenting the best version of ourselves. Self care and a balanced life to me, are the same thing . I keep it very simple, but these simple daily habits mould my day and mental state. I awake early and work the best in the mornings.

I take a long walk with my dogs in the woods every afternoon, no matter how busy I am. This always clears my head and helps me to work more efficiently.

I have a Himalayan salt bath every evening and go to bed at a decent time. These simple habits help me to live a wholehearted life, where clarity and balance are essential.

In fact these are the topics of my art. Clarity is discovering your authentic self, not the one you’ve been told or programmed to be, not the one that society would lead you to become, but a version of yourself that comes from the heart, from a deep understanding of who you are and your connection to everything around you.

A life that leads to being calm, centred, transparent, joyful, fulfilled, balanced, inspired to live as a fearless, free and a joyful master of incredible clarity and integrity.

“Wholehearted living is about engaging in our lives from a place of worthiness,” Brené Brown writes in Daring Greatly. “It means cultivating the courage, compassion, and connection to wake up in the morning and think, no matter what gets done and how much is left undone, I am enough.”

I am forever tweaking and learning how to be the best version of myself and it’s not always pretty and perfect, sometimes we have to unravel a little in order to learn how to live the right way .

Top of travel bucket list

The top of my travel bucket list are visiting Japan and Tibet. I have always been fascinated in a zen way of living. Oh and Burning Man!

Outside work, what do you like to do to switch off

I take a long walk with my dogs in the woods every afternoon, and take pleasure in being in nature.

Family time is important to me, and I make sure that my life/work balance is considered.

Looking back over your career, what have been your highlights

The highlight was the day I found my sanctuary. A random set of circumstances lead me to take an alternative route, driving past a to-let sign. I turned left past a beautiful grand house, and opposite some tennis courts was the studio, a converted and extended stable unit, with a wild flower meadow and romantic mown path leading to some grand oak trees. I fell in love instantly, not only with the location, but the potential of who I could become there.

There is always a moment with every bride when I’ve created her vision, and I know that all the hard work, worry and endless hours of hand stitching have paid off. When the deepest of connections happens, and the bride is transported in her mind and heart, standing next to the person she loves. This has to be the highlight for me with every client.

Yes, I drive a sports car. Yes, I have the freedom of being my own boss. But the real highlights of this career is making other people happy, and it fills my soul.

Is there anything you would do differently

There is always a darker, more serious side of me, that wants to come out and play. I think it’s the Alexander McQueen influence in me. My art allows that, and also the red carpet dresses that I’m creating. I think if I were to do things differently, I would have started my art work sooner, but I often think that maybe I didn’t have enough to say then, and the timing is perfect right now.

I would have worried less in the early days if I’d know what I do now. The first 2 years were torture, feeling like I had to have everything figured out, scared to make a mistake, scared to get anything wrong. The loneliness was intense and my inability to share my vision was frustrating. I felt I had to be everywhere and know everything, whilst raising a young daughter and keeping a happy marriage. The standard pressure of being a women in business these days. Now I realise it is possible to have it all, and not be under so much self-inflicted pressure.

What does 2020 look like for you

In 2020 I hope to produce some of my best work to date. My dream is to exhibit at the Satchi gallery and have a Harper’s Bazaar front cover. To dress the stars and provide centred guidance. The change in my business has opened the cage door, allowing me to function as the truest version of myself. As an artist, as a soon to be reiki master, and as a master couturier.

First published January 2020. Read the full article here

Compact and Bijou

catherine.hunter73@gmail.com (Catherine Hunter) — Sat, 30 May 2020 09:38:34 GMT

The rise of the intimate wedding is something to be celebrated

Contending with restrictions on numbers and large wedding cancellations in recent months, the popularity of small and intimate weddings has increased no end. Small and beautiful venues are coming into their own, and with destination weddings often resulting in only close friends and family as guests, the intimate wedding is on the up.

But intimate doesn't mean less important. A small wedding doesn’t mean you require anything less important than the dress of your dreams .

Not all the weddings that I create are large weddings with a huge guest list . Many are small and intimate with just the bride and groom and close family . It may even mean you get to wear your beautiful dress twice if you’re planning a party later in the year .

Of course, there are so many advantages to a small wedding. Choosing an intimate venue instantly opens up hundreds more venues, and some quirky ones at that. It allows you to choose a stunning menu, without worrying about the per head costings, venue decor suddenyl becomes so much easier, and cost saving on invitations, drinks, and much more are apparent immediately.

Not only that, but a small wedding allows your guests to really be an integral part of your day, There's no straining to get the best view, deciding on table plans or who should do what, you're all there, in one small and very loving group, witnessing love at it's finest. What could be better than that.

Emma and Matt's Glorious Sunny Somerset Wedding

catherine.hunter73@gmail.com (Catherine Hunter) — Tue, 28 Jan 2020 14:19:33 GMT

Emma and Matt chose gorgeous Almonry Barn for their sun filled Somerset wedding day.

Emma and Matt wanted a rustic, country style wedding, and when beginning their search for the perfect venue, they stumbled upon Almonry Barn in Muchelney, Somerset. The barn really brought their rustic wedding dream to life, and it was the only venue they fell in love with straight away. Their summer wedding was booked at their dream venue, and it was on to the planning.

They decided on a yellow and blue colour scheme and with it being a summer wedding, Emma and Matt chose Sunflowers as their main florals. The sunshine yellow contrasted beautifully with the navy bridesmaid's dresses and the Groom's suit, and luckily Emma is pretty handy with arts and crafts and made a lot of items herself.

Emma says, "We made the wedding invitations from scratch, the order of the day, the menus and the seating plan. I also made my bridesmaid's bouquets!".

The Almonry Barn is a stunning venue, and so decor was so easy to do. Emma and Matt kept the decor super simple, using Sunflowers and foliage in the beautiful Hayloft for their ceremony, and soft lighting in the Threshing Barn for their reception.

Emma explains, "There is a beautiful tealight chandelier hanging from the middle of the Threshing Barn ceiling, and so to carry this theme on, we added more delicate lighting using lanterns and tea lights on all of our tables.".

The rustic theme continued throughout the Threshing Barn with the addition of wooden, hessian and lace decor, and rustic log slices as place names. Small glass bud vases filled with country garden flowers in white and yellow added to the delicate theme. Their wedding 'cake' was a stack of sumptuous cheeses piled high on a chunky log slice, and topped off with bride and groom pinecones.

Emma's dress was created with Catherine. Emma describes her experience of working with her.

"I wanted my dress to be simple but elegant. I’m not a very glamorous person and so I knew that I wanted a lot of lace but no sequins.

My initial ideas started off with a strapless a-line dress. I didn’t have much body confidence at the time, and wanted to hide all the areas that I was self conscious about.

I started going to the gym quite regularly, and found that my body shape was changing and that gave me more confidence to experiment with a more figure-hugging style dress. As we got closer to the wedding, I chatted to Catherine about all my ideas. In the end we settled on a halterneck style dress, that had a low back, which nipped in at my waist and clung onto my hips, with a sheer drop in beautiful, delicate, flowing fabric. The design was a combination of two dress styles I'd seen on Pinterest, and Catherine helped to put them together beautifully. I’ve always struggled with body confidence, but on my wedding day, wearing the dress that Catherine made for me, I felt a million dollars."

Emma and Matt's day was captured perfectly by photographer Sam Gibson and I'm sure you'll agree their wedding day looked just stunning. Thank you to Emma and Matt for sharing their special day with us.

Dress - Catherine Blades Couture

Photographer - Sam Gibson

Music - Ed Cuisick

Flowers - Emily Jameson

Venue - Almonry Barn

French Destination Wedding gets a Magazine Feature

catherine.hunter73@gmail.com (Catherine Hunter) — Mon, 20 Jan 2020 14:28:25 GMT

Adam and Emily's Stunning Chateau de Lisse Wedding in the sunny South of France.

Adam and Emily planned their sunny destination nuptuals in the gorgeous South of France, and it didn't disappoint. Emily fills us in on the planning, details and their romantic Chateau wedding.

The Venue

We had driven around France a couple of times prior to the wedding and adore skiing in France. The people had always been extremely welcoming so it was an area that we thought made a lot of sense. If it wasn’t France it would have been cornwall and in honesty, what we paid for the chateau for three nights is what we would have ended up paying for a venue in cornwall for 11 hours. With that, the fact that we could almost guarantee the good weather and the travel time was pretty much the same as our london based friends to cornwall then it made a lot of sense.

This particular venue just tugged at the heart strings. We had searched around online and found a few different chateau’s in this vague area but this one always looked fabulous. From looking at the pictures we had both agreed that if it was as good as it looked we would go for it. On arrival to look around I have to say that it was even more striking than the photos do justice. It really is a stunning venue and somewhere we still feel hugely fortunate to have found. We did some shopping around online to try and find the ideal place and just came across this one randomly. The thing we loved about Chateu de Lisse is that the venue had a chapel so people just needed to get to one location (at least anyone that wasn’t staying on site). That and the fact that it was a truly fabulous view out at the back of the chateau which is what we would look over for our wedding breakfast.

We were fortunate that the Chateau itself housed the entire bridal party and as we only had 80 coming to the wedding itself this didn’t leave a huge number to find accomodation. Thankfully, Jo (our aforementioned wedding planner) had a shortlist of places that she recommended people should stay. On our drive over to search out wines we stayed at the place that would accommodate most of the other guests and it was delightful. Jo really made this very easy for us in this sense. All we did was listed these venues on our website and let people book directly. We organised for a bus to pick people up on the afternoon of the wedding and bring people to the venue with two of the ushers onboard to check that everyone made it on and up to the venue.

The Dress

The dress was a totally bespoke number made by Catherine Hunter at Catherine Blades Couture. There had been lots of shopping round to find the right thing but nothing ever really tugged at the heart strings to think that this was “the one”. I went to Catherine with the things I liked about a number of dresses and she set to creating what would be my ideal dress. She created sketches, showed me fabric swatches and then started to put the dress together. I went for a few different fittings, one with my Mum, and was made to feel a million dollars at every step of the journey. Catherine really did create my dream dress which, in my view, was elegant and classy with beautiful detailed touches as well. As a wedding gift Catherine also framed the sketches that she had originally done for me which now adorn my bedroom wall and will be a fantastic momento for years to come.

I am very particular on the type of makeup that I like to wear and was conscious that I wanted to not look too different to how I normally look when wearing makeup. I therefore decided that I would go to Charlotte Tilbury with one of my bridesmaids and that my bridesmaid would help me do my makeup on the day. I bought all the makeup from them and had plenty of opportunity to try it out ahead of the wedding so that I would be comfortable on the day, and not have makeup that I had never had before. My bridesmaid did a fantastic job and I felt so much more comfortable with this approach than having someone come in and do the makeup for me.
The chateau recommended a hair stylist who came and did all the bridesmaids hair, mine and my mother’s. She did a great job and it really was a military operation over the course of the morning (champagne glass in hand of course).

What inspired your colour palette?
We just wanted something very classy so stuck with green and white. No specific inspiration, we simply didn’t want to over complicate things. We were really happy with the final look on the day.

What were the challenges of planning a destination wedding?

Having a wedding abroad certainly came with its challenges. We very much had to our faith in our wedding planner and her team to decorate things as we had hoped but it was the little touches that took the majority of our time. It was these that we always took the view would make that extra difference to make the weekend truly memorable. Getting some of these things over to the venue proved a little challenging but thankfully Jo allowed us to send things over to her for her to collate and bring to the chateau. The main things that proved challenging were getting over our substantial amount of gin (which thankfully a friend took over in their car), and sorting out getting the champagne delivered from the vineyard we had found in Reims. The owners of the vineyard spoke very little English and we spoke little to no French. Thankfully we drafted in a French speaking friend to draft and decipher messages so this all ended up going rather smoothly. We were also extremely fortunate to have a family member who worked in events so was hugely helpful in putting together a run down of how the day would go and subsequently setting tasks for specific people to compete. Without this I’m certain we would all have been running around like headless chickens and things would almost certainly not gone as smoothly. I’d hugely recommend for anyone planning a wedding to take this approach. Whilst it was very regimented, it meant that we didn’t miss a things and absolutely everything went to plan on the big day, which is all we could ask for.

Thank you to Emily and Adam for shring their bug day with us. Their wedding has been featured by Destination Weddings and Honeymoons Abroad Magazine in their latest issue. You can get your copy here .

Suppliers

Venue - Chateau de Lisse
Photographer - Chris Kemp
Events - The Impeccable Pear ( impeccable pear events )
Band - Groove Zoo
Make up - Charlotte Tilbury makeup
Hair dresser - English Hairdresser in France
Dress - Catherine Blades Couture

Stunning Lake Como Wedding

Fri, 13 Dec 2019 11:30:52 GMT

Patricia shone in gold and lace at her marriage to Joe in beautiful Italy.

Patricia and Joe chose Lake Como in Italy's Northern Lombardy region for their stunning elopement in September. Surrounded by their fsmall wedding party, their intimate celebration is a sight to behold, surrounded by glistening lakes, gorgeous white villas high up in the mountains, good food, laughter and of course love.

Their coastline wedding took place in front of their closest family and friends, who arrived by boat to Villa Lario where they took their seats in the shade, and looking out onto the amazing views, they watched the couple say their vows. A stunning location, we're sure you'd agree.

Patricia, a professional makeup artist herself, was pampered by Make Up + Hair Beauty by Ausra, before making her way to the intimate ceremony to wed Joe. Her stunning gold lace gown was designed and made by Catherine Blades Couture and featured the most delicate pale gold tulle skirt and intricate lace bodice.

Patricia's beautiful flowers in muted tones were created by Madness Flowers, Italy, and were complimented by table decoration at their reception meal.

The incredible Italian sun shone for the photographs, expertly captured by international photographer Ilaria Petrucci. The Northern Italian location providing no end of stunning backdrops for the romantic images taken. The day was also captured on video by McGill Sisters Films, you can see their highlights here .

Thank you for sharing your special day with us Patricia and Joe, what a pleasure to see such incredible images.

Suppliers :

Venue Villa Lario, Lake Como

Flowers Madness Flowers, Italy

Make Up + Hair Beauty by Ausra through Kristina Gasperas MUA

Dress Catherine Blades Couture

Videographer McGill Sister Films

Celebrant Como Lake Celebrant

Elegant Froyle Park Wedding

Fri, 22 Nov 2019 09:41:29 GMT

Sarah and Andy's Hampshire Wedding was elegant and sophisticated in pastel hues from a match made online.

Sarah and Andy met on Match.com, and their love story began like a fairytale. Their November wedding at Hampshire's Froyle Park was straight out of a wedding magazine, with Sarah, a brand consultant, creating a stunning pastel hued classic and sophisticated day, that suited her and Andy to a tee.

We were thrilled to design and make Sarah's dress, even on her tight deadline of just four weeks, but with elegant glamour, stunning lace sleeves and a beautiful full skirt, we're sure you'll agree, Sarah looked incredible.

“My dress was bespoke by Catherine Blades and it was an amazing experience. She was beyond helpful and understanding of my insecurity over my weight, had solutions to all my ‘problem’ areas and, as I was losing weight through the whole countdown, we only started the actual making of the dress four weeks before the big day! I loved the way it fit me at the waist and flattered my curves. It was a perfect fit for my proportions and I felt like a princess. The skirt was a heavyweight duchess satin and it was so elegant.”

There are so many gorgeous touches in this wedding. Ther beautiful stationery, designed by Sarah herself, of course the stunning dress designed and made by Catherine Blades Couture , beautiful pastel buttonholes and bouquets designed and made by Tarnia William s , and simply shimmering cakes by Hayley Elizabeth Cake Design amongst many more just gorgeous elements and decor.

You can read the full article on this week's Love My Dress Blog post, which features more stunning images by Hannah McClune Photography and Sarah and Andy's gorgeous wedding. Thank you for sharing your day with us.

Halloween Wedding

Thu, 31 Oct 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Matt and Gemma got married at Halloween, and where else to hold it, but Asylum in London.

Matt and Gemma got married at Halloween. The venue? Where else than Asylum in London. They wanted a unique day, something that reflected their tastes, something special and fabulous, and so their masked ball wedding was planned. With candles instead of floral decorations, the venue lit up with soft light and dancing shadows, transforming the atmosphere and creating the magic they desired.

So where did it all begin? At dawn in Flores, Indonesia, Gemma and Matt rose early to see the sunrise over the ancient volcanic lakes. Matt’s proposal took Gemma totally by surprise, and after gathering herself, she replied “I’d love to”.

They wanted a wedding completely unique to them. They wanted to keep some traditions, but add in some of their own, a wedding that reflected their relationship, not governed by the Church, but one that was true to them and put their friends and family at the centre of it all. This intimate focused ceremony should be followed by a fun-filled decadent party, and that is what they did.

They started planning in the February, planning to marry at the end of October on Halloween. Luckily they agreed on almost everything throughout the planning, with things falling happily into place within the last manic month.

Their ceremony and reception was to be held at their chosen venue, Asylum in London, which meant a few room changes throughout the proceedings, but all went without a hitch, and they relocated to the local pub for the after party.

Drinks and canapés were served on the portico, making it possible to prepare the ceremony room for lunch, then after the speeches, guests were treated to macarons and a cute coffee van so the masked ball could be prepared.

A lighting crew transformed the daytime venue into a decadent night time affair, and the atmosphere was changed for a fun-filled and sexy evening party.

The venue was completely bare, and so Gemma and Matt hired in large golden candelabras for the tables, and props from the National Theatre to create a chilled corner with chaise longues and a standing lamp. Candles added to the atmosphere and the venue provided a welcoming space for all their friends and family.

Gemma and Matt chose a Humanist ceremony, conducted by a celebrant, and had speeches from the Bride and Groom, Father of the Bride, Best Man and Bridesmaid, and chose tequila shots instead of champagne toasts. They had a reading from The Prophet by Khalli Gibran, and Us Two by A.A Milne, then sang Fever by Peggy Lee and Get By With a Little Help From My Friends by the Beatles, accompanied by their friends Nick, Cleo and Yaz.

Gemma wanted an Oscar worthy gown, and didn’t she just get it! She wanted red, and after her off the peg search proved fruitless, she turned to designer dressmaker Catherine Blades. Catherine was brilliant and completely ‘got’ Gemma’s vision. She took her two pictures, one a Marchesa red dress with a huge skirt and lace bodice, and the other an Oscar de la Renta black dress with an open back and asked Catherine to merge the two. What Catherine designed was absolutely perfect, it combined all the elements of the two dresses that Gemma loved, with an added bit of something thrown in. The dress was three quarter sleeved, with a lace bodice and an open back to show off Gemma’s butterfly tattoos. The large silk skirt added drama and the red colour made the gown even more dramatic and stunning. Gemma decided against accessories as the dress was so grand, and had a simple pearl, cream and black silk bouquet made by Matt’s Mum. Gemma already owned the perfect pair of shoes, and so she was wedding ready.

Matt chose a cobalt blue classic slim cut two button Paul Smith suit, and the five bridesmaids wore black dresses of their own choosing and red shoes, to match their red glitter masks for the ball.

Gemma and Matt’s photographer, Sassy from Assassynation, captured their day perfectly, missing dramatic images of the couple and their venue with gorgeous candid shots of their friends and family enjoying such a special day. Sassy took the couple around the Old Kent Road to find some interesting places for shots, and the resulting shots are wonderful.

After the wedding, Gemma and Matt flew to Glasgow, got legally married, and then drove to Islay in the Hebrides where they rented an Eco Lodge for a week’s honeymoon.

Humanist – Sally Feldman – www.humanist.org.uk/sallyfeldman/

Band – Congo Faith Healers – www.thecongofaithhealers.com

Venue – Asylum, Caroline Garden Chapel – www.asylumlondon.org

Photographer – Sassy at Assassynation – www.assassynation.com

Oystermeister – James Bowles – www.oystermeister.com

Dressmaker – Catherine Blades Couture – www.catherinebladescouture.com

Coffee Van – Santiago Coffee

Thanks to Gemma and Matt for sharing their day with us.

The Sustainable Revolution

Wed, 25 Sep 2019 12:41:38 GMT

Fashion is having an epiphany, and you’re invited.

Eco-friendly fashion. It hasn’t always had the best image, but with the world suddenly acutely aware of the harm we are doing to our planet, sustainability has become the buzzword of the decade.

So what harm can fashion possibly cause? We, as a nation, are lovers of so-called ‘fast fashion’, on-trend, off-trend, it changes almost daily, and we all want to keep up. But the sinister cost of this desire for the latest killer dress, means we are killing our planet.

From low paid workers, to the burning of excess stock, the fashion industry is a dangerous threat to the environment.

Infinitely disposable, the fast fashion industry is responsible for huge amounts of water pollution and textile waste amongst other consequences.

You’d be forgiven expecting these kinds of practises being limited to the low cost high street stores and online £5 an item retailers, but it has been exposed that some of the higher end chains and designers are just as guilty of burning leftover stock to make way for new season clothing and accessories, creating tonnes of air pollutants every year, in turn affecting both our environment and our wildlife. Not to mention the questionable ethics of low cost items being a result of poor pay and working conditions for thousands of workers across the world.

So what is the answer?

Finding out the provenance of your clothing has never been so important. A new generation of designers are building their brands with a more conscious approach to fashion. Less waste, better working conditions and pay for manufacturing staff, sustainable materials and an emphasis on quality and longevity rather than quantity are at the core of these new businesses, and it’s about time we took notice.

H and M’s conscious clothing range has been around for some time now, but the brand is pushing their message heavily now, striving for a renewable fashion industry, using sustainable natural resources and offering a range of classic clothing that contain at least 50% recycled materials, organic materials or TENCEL TM Lyocell material. They’re trying to change on a big scale, and other large clothing chains are taking note. Their climate, circularity and water related production goals, alongside their ethical values sets the standard industry wide for a more sustainable and ecologically friendly approach to the world of fashion.

And it’s not just the high street making changes, some new designers are pioneering their sustainable goals within their own independent brands in order to make a difference.

Richard Malone collaborates with a collective of female weavers in India to develop beautiful natural fabrics using natural dyes and little water waste, and using no harmful chemicals that large brands lean towards in their search for profit over progress. He sources his fabrics ethically, and has also developed techniques which turned recycled plastic and viscose into yarn and fringing, as well as working with weavers on recycling ocean waste.

Samantha McCoach, founded her brand Le Kilt after learning her trade from her grandmother, a Scottish kiltmaker. She says “I want to encourage people to understand the value of their garments: the number of hands who have worked on them, the length of time it takes to weave the fabric, where the raw materials have come from. Then, they stop feeling disposable.”

Even big name designers like Stella McCartney are committed to producing low waste, sustainable fashion with a focus on pushing a circularity industry. Her company is striving for clothing that is restorative and regenerative by design and therefore the clothes we love never end up as waste.

Fashion giant Vogue has been seen highlighting initiatives like Eileen Fisher’s ‘Take Back’ programme in the US, and luxury brands striving for circularity and sustainability within their businesses, alongside a trend for carbon neutrality.

So, what has this to do with bridal fashion? Surely a dress you purchase once cannot produce waste that is harmful to our environment? Unfortunately, the opposite is true.

Bridal designers producing collections each season are no less wasteful than many of our high street brands, using unsustainable fabric sources, high waste production methods, low pay and poor conditions for cheap manufacturing and end of season waste is disposed of to make way for the new season of bridal gowns.

But there are alternatives for a planet conscious bride.

Choosing a designer/dressmaker has never been so important, and the issue of provenance comes back to us again. If we can see where our wedding dress originates, the methods used to produce it, the materials sourced to construct it, and the precious nature of the finished garment, rendering it un-disposable, it may just have an impact on the bridal industry with huge positive effects.

Catherine Blades designs and constructs every garment she makes by hand. A loving touch of course, but it’s so much more. She sources her fabrics from reputable and sustainable suppliers, ones with eco-creditials that are undeniable, she creates little to no manufacturing waste due to her hand made processes, and the finished garment is infused with so much love and positive energy, that no bride could ever part with the finished gown, creating treasured heirloom pieces and red carpet style dresses that can be worn again and again. What could be a better way to ensure that your wedding dress meets the standard of being eco-friendly? Of course, there’s more to saving the planet than having a dress hand made for you, but Catherine’s business values hold a holistic approach to garment creation too, with positive energy, reiki attuned dresses and creating strong, emotional relationships with her clients, all lead to a better understanding of customer values and what is important to them personally. Paired with her ecologically sound base, this approach makes her dresses exceptionally special, and a joy to own.

Cover Star

Wed, 25 Sep 2019 11:05:04 GMT

Making the cover of Rock n Roll Bride

A few months ago I was contacted by Kat Williams, the editor and creator of one of my favourite bridal publications, Rock n Roll Bride. Kat has been pushing boundaries with her 'embrace all' wedding blog, website and now magazine for several years, and her no-nonsense approach is one that I love. She specialises in uplifting, welcoming and celebrating weddings of every shape, style and size, no matter who you are and who you love. Love is the keyword here, and the ethics and morals behind her business mirror my own almost perfectly.

Kat wanted a pink dress for a photo shoot, and of course I was happy to oblige. My blush pink couture gown was the perfect choice, and Kat and her formidable team took it away to create a magical feature for the September issue of the magazine, the first truly global issue, and one that celebrated all things pink. What an honour it was to find out that my dress had been chosen as the cover star for the issue, and I think you'll agree, it looks amazing on the beautiful model Ceci Zhang. Thanks to Lisa for her stunning images, and to Kat for the feature.

Creative team details below.

Art Direction | Rock 'n Roll Bride

Photography | Lisa Devlin Photography

Relaxed Countryside Wedding

Sat, 31 Aug 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Sam and Shermin's relaxed country pub reception was everything they'd hoped for.

Sam and Shermin planned a relaxed country pub wedding, with flowing Willow trees and friends and family. Shermin shares her experiences of having a bespoke dress made, and their wedding choices which made up their perfect day.

My dream dress started out after I had seen an image of a designer dress which was very light, delicate and feminine. I knew I couldn't afford to buy the designer dress (it was over £10k) so Sams mum suggested getting it made so searched online and Catherine's name came up. We booked an appointment and I actually had to cancel the first appointment because I thought I wasn't going to get a dress any longer as I had found out that I was expecting my first baby. However once I told Catherine she was brilliant and actually said even more reason to get the dress custom made as it could be made to fit however far along I was. The dress would have a v-neck line, was fairly sheer and had a bit of lace on the bodice and was light and airy at the bottom.

The first appointment started off with getting my ideas down, what I liked, didn't like , The style of the wedding, my personality etc. with this information alone and the images I had previously sent of dresses I liked/had tried on in boutiques, Catherine was able to sketch out exactly what I wanted but paying close attention to my body shape. That is something you will never get from an off the peg dress. I found when I tried on the boutique dresses, parts of my body that's I was always self conscious about were accentuated and Catherine explained that was because of the way the dresses are made and the fact that each persons unique proportions aren't taken into account as it's not possible to do that during mass production. I was very self conscious about my back because I have a wide upper back and a small lower back (a bit like a gymnast) and I'm only 4ft 9. Catherine was able to identify the parts of the dress in the image which would need to be changed so that I suited/complemented my shape (the model wearing the dress was 6ft something and was long everywhere!). What I hadn't realised was that it would look completely different on me if I was to wear the exact same dress in my size simply because it has been designed with the proportions of the model in mind. Once that had been figured out, Catherine then gave me a great big pile of lace and other bits of material to pick from (create two piles - one for things I liked the look of and one for things I didn't fancy). This was actually very quick considering just how much choice there was and it was fun to see Catherine getting excited about some of the laces I had picked. Her enthusiasm shown at every single stage of the process was contagious and just wonderful to see somebody love what they do so much and be amazing at it. Catherine also gave a cost estimate of the dress based on the laces I had chosen, which we were pleasantly surprised with given it was a bespoke dress that would fit perfectly with no alteration.

Before my next appointment, I had found out that I had just had a miscarriage so other than being completely distraught by the news, I was also a bit apprehensive as I wasn't sure if I would still feel the same way about the wedding, the dress etc. Suffice to say Catherine was so amazingly wonderful about the whole thing and actually having her make my wedding dress was the one of the few things that kept my spirits up at a sad time. Catherine treats you not only like a human being but also like a friend and caring relative. You feel completely at ease with her and trust her from the first time you meet her. You might think that that's not so important when choosing your wedding dress but I can't stress enough how much anxiety it relieves from you and the entire process when you know you're in good hands. For example, when I went to the designer boutiques, there was always the sense of a false happiness and generally as pleasant as the staff appeared to be, when it came down to your thoughts and needed advice on how the dress would look after adjustments etc or any advice on what size to order when you were expecting a baby, the service really was just OK because that's all it can ever be when you're buying a dress that just needs altering. The motivation of the staff is different and also unless there is an in-house seamstress who is amazing, it's difficult for the sales staff to provide any additional advice/ideas. With Catherine, any doubts you had or uncertainties, she would explain things in a way that was easy to understand because she knows how every dress is made from scratch and therefore has the confidence in saying 'that shape would suit your shorter torso or those lines will complement your frame or adding a bit of bone structure here will create x/y or z'. In short whatever you're not sure of or can't imagine, Catherine will help you 'see it' without actually seeing it made infront of you.

Anyway, the second appointment was lots of fun. Catherine has drawn up some sketches based on the first visit and I chose the one I liked and the laces I had previously selected were all draped across a dummy. Catherine fitted me with a plain toile and marked out all the various lines and each step took a step back and made sure the lines worked with my body. She then started pinning bits of lace in various places to get the shaping of the bodice exactly right on my frame. I can only describe it as black magic how she starts off with a plan piece of fabric and within an hour you can already see the outline of the dress and what it could look like.

The next appointment was trying on the dress which still had several pins etc on as Catherine needed to make sure the placement of the Appliqués were exactly right once I wore the dress. Adjustments were made to the sleeves too as I preferred the sleeves a little bit over my shoulders and Catherine tried a variety of other things including adding Appliques over the sleeves which worked beautifully. Catherine also tried adding a final touch to the appliqué on the body which again I preferred so that was done too.

The final fitting was wonderful. I tried on the dress and I was blown away with just how perfect it was. My dreaded 'back fat' was on existent and everything was just right............ I know it sounds silly because you're getting a custom made dress but there's one thing saying it and there's another thing actually seeing it! Every detail was there on purpose, I could walk easily in the dress without worrying about dancing it, it was light, airy, delicate and very feminine. It was exactly what I wanted :-)

Sam, his brother and the best man all wore the same thing and we all went shopping together with sams mum. I had seen a picture of a light grey suit jacket and Navy suit trousers and thought Sam would look good in it and it wasn't too formal because I knew the more formal it was, the more 'out of place' he'd feel. Anyway we went to M&S first and mama she'd to find everything there including their dark brown Oxfords and belts. Their shirts were light blue and ties were navy. Sam is blonde so the light grey and blue went beautifully with his hair and eyes.

The ceremony was pretty basic and relaxed as both of us didn't want to feel too nervous about remembering anything! We went for the simplified vows, Sam had a best man but I didn't want any bridesmaids or anything like that. My aim was to be as relaxed as possible and just have an amazing time at the "after party" aka the reception. Although it was relaxed, we both still had sweaty palms haha but reading our vows to each other was quite emotional. I also struggled to get sams ring on so that was amusing....... actually there were quite a few moments with lots of laughs e.g. When our neighbours arrived late and had to sit at the front whilst proceedings stopped, the sheer embarrassment on their faces really lightened up the mood in the room and made us a lot more relaxed. We decided to walk down the aisle together as I didn't want any pressure on picking anybody but also we both agreed we would be most comfortable if we walked in holding each other's hands so it was perfect for us. The music we walked into was KC and Jojo "all my life" instrumental which Sam had prepared a few days before from a sound clip online which he edited himself. We walked out married to "Stand by me" acoustic version. Favourite part of the ceremony other than saying our vows was just seeing everybody there on our special day and how happy everybody was for us.

We picked the Perch because we had a few of our initial first dates there and it was always very laid back and rustic. Also it has a load of willow trees which I've always loved ever since I watched Pocahontas as a little girl :-) everything was super relaxed, which is exactly what we wanted. We didn't have a head table and took turns in sitting at each table during the meals so we got to interact with everybody. Loads of people mentioned how much fun it was and how relaxing it was being so informal compared to a lot of weddings they had been to. We used all the existing decor in the marquee (simple fairy lights and rustic table runners) and that was it! It didn't need much else because the food was a country feast which meant there was a load of food on every table which meant there was really much space for anything else! We had "I-spy" games on each table with a disposable camera where each table had to take certain snaps........ my two nieces ended up taking most of the photos and there were lots of great candid shots. The food at the Perch was really good, only thing was that there was way too much food so quite a bit ended up wasted, but other than that, it was the perfect venue. We had a live band for the evening reception and that really made a difference with the number of people up on the dance floor. Our first dance wasn't really a dance haha we both just held each other in each other's arms and swayed whilst I tipsily sang to Sam the words of our first dance song "let's stay together" by Al Green. everybody found it amusing and it made Sam relax as he had been nervous about the first dance. We had an open bar with a limit which actually lasted a lot longer than expected which everybody appreciated and just meant everybody could have a good time without worrying about spending an arm and a leg which can easily happen at a wedding. My new mum had a pair of white flip flops made for me which had "Mrs Lucas" studded into them which I thought was very sweet. However I didn't get to use them on the night as I wore the comfiest wedges in the world (even though they were over 6inches....... I'm only 4ft 9 so I needed the height). I found them in the Kurt Geiger store in Heathrow by chance as I had been looking for shoes for a long time. Definitely recommend wearing wedges especially if there's grass at the wedding or reception. We had evening nibbles provided by the Perch as well (burgers and bacon baps) and we also ordered individual cake slices from Pattiserie Valerie which went down really well as it meant there was something for everyone (in the end I think there were 10 or so varieties for everybody to choose from). Overall it was a wonderful day and we both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and so did all the guests too. Every time we think back about the day, we can't help but smile every single time.

Photographer - Chris Kemp

Reception Venue - The Perch at Binsey

Flowers - Harrison & Green

Dress - Catherine Blades Couture

Cakes - Patisserie Valerie

Thank you to Shermin for sharing her special day with us.

The Real Price of Couture

Thu, 29 Aug 2019 09:02:39 GMT

High Street or Bespoke? How much does a Couture Wedding Dress Really Cost?

A couture gown has a certain status. An impression of grandeur. An unattainable height.

It’s always been a sign of wealth and abundance, having custom made, form fitting clothing designed, made and fit perfectly for you, and wedding dresses are no exception. But in this day and age of budgets, cost saving and a high cost of living, such luxuries appear out of reach, extravagant, and unattainable to most. But is this really the case? What does a couture gown really cost?

Most brides planning their weddings have their dream list of what they’d have if money was no object, but what if I told you that what you thought was out of reach, really wasn’t?

We’re bombarded with images of the most stunning wedding gowns, embellished to perfection, shimmering on the catwalks emblazoned with a designer label. Out of your budget? Perhaps. Not everyone can afford a £10k wedding dress, but what about a custom designed, form fitted, stunningly embellished and entirely hand made gown for the same cost as a high end bridal boutique gown? Don’t believe me? Maybe you should.

A lot of brides visit countless bridal boutiques when looking for their dream wedding gown, trying on dress after dress, until they find ‘the one’. The reality is that ‘The one’ usually comes with a heap of alterations required, and no extras included, all of which have a large, and often unexpected impact on the cost of their ‘dream dress’.

The dress that fit your budget at £1600, has now ended up costing over £2k with alterations and veil, and is, well, to be blunt, completely off the peg, not unique to you and likely to have been purchased by 20 other brides that day across the country. Is it still your dream dress?

So, what about a couture, custom made wedding gown, made to your specifications, to fit you perfectly, that is truly a one-off, unique dress, and completely hand made? Out of budget? You’d probably say yes, but you’d be wrong. Bespoke wedding gowns are a totally different league to the dresses a high street bridal boutique can offer, but it needn’t cost as much as you think.

Catherine Blades is a couture dress designer with over 20 years experience in the wedding industry. She’s seen her fair share of brides wanting alterations on their cheap bridal gowns, purchased online in a hurry, which ultimately don’t fit and are of questionable quality. She’s also seen some gorgeous brides in high street boutique gowns which have looked beautiful on their wedding day. But, and it’s a big one, she believes that every bride should have the dress of their dreams, and she can show you how.

How does a couture gown come to life? In Catherine’s beautiful Blades Bridal studio on the Berkshire/Hamsphire border, she meets with brides every week, wanting to create the dress of their dreams. Catherine’s knowledge of cut and fit set her apart from other designers, and this is what makes a bridal gown designed and made by her truly special.

Yes, it may seem that a couture gown carries a large price tag, but the difference in buying bespoke instead of high street, is where your money is actually going. So what are you paying for when you go bespoke?

You’re paying for knowledge, experience and a personal touch. A highly skilled designer and dressmaker who can take one look at a bride and instantly know what will flatter her figure, fit beautifully and make her feel like a million dollars on her wedding day.

You’re paying for years of experience in pattern cutting, a personal toile fitting to ensure that your dress fits your body like a glove so no alterations are needed.

You’re paying for hours of hand sewing, individually placed embellishments, hand stitching and beading, and hand finishing which ensures the most perfect finish to your gown.

You’re paying for a personal service, in a beautiful setting, and private one to one appointments that put you in a safe and comfortable space, allowing you to enjoy every step of the process.

You’re paying for a truly unique garment, which comes from your imagination, and is worked up using Catherine’s incredible design and dressmaking skills, resulting in a stunning one of a kind dress.

Still not sold?

You can have all of this from only £1900. Yes, you heard that correctly.

Don’t get me wrong, a £10k dress is a £10k dress for a reason, any bridal gown encrusted with expensive embellishment and made in the most exquisite fabrics available isn’t going to get anywhere near the £2k mark, but you can have so much more than the high street boutique gown for your money, and it really is worth every penny.

So if you want to go bespoke, give Catherine a call, book a consultation appointment and see what you can really get for your money, you won’t regret it.

www.catherinebladescouture.com

catherine@bladesbridal.co.uk

Clarity

Mon, 05 Aug 2019 10:57:55 GMT

Clarity is Wholehearted Living

Finding my own clarity has been a struggle, it’s taken me to the depth of depression and given me the smallest of gaps to squeeze through.

It’s so very easy to follow the well trodden path, but I don’t always think it leads to that point in your heart where true clarity comes from.

This picture was taken in the field at the back of the studio on the first sunny day in 2018 . It had been the most dull and drab beginning of the year with very little sunshine . My photographer friend and ex bride Chrissy was meeting me at the studio then we were going for lunch which we never made and ended up sharing a museli bar and taking a few photos instead.

The crops in the field were lush and green and not a cloud in the most intensely blue sky, which seemed even brighter after such a dull start to the year. This picture is of a mirror in the field of lush green and guess what, I’m behind the mirror holding it up.I make such random requests of my friends, but look how it turned out.

Clarity is wholehearted living. Clarity is discovering your authentic self. Not the one you’ve been told or programmed to be. Not the one that society would lead you to become, but a version of yourself that comes from the heart. From a deep understanding of who you are and your connection to everything around you. A life that leads to being calm, centred, transparent, joyful, fulfilled, balanced, Inspired to live as a fearless, free, joyful master of incredible clarity and integrity.

“Wholehearted living is about engaging in our lives from a place of worthiness,” Brené Brown writes in Daring Greatly.

“It means cultivating the courage, compassion, and connection to wake up in the morning and think, No matter what gets done and how much is left undone, I am enough.”

This image to me also represents our relationship with the earth and nature. If our external world is a mirror of the internal, then lush green and vibrant blue is what I want to see.

How to create Clarity in your life.

1. Create space.

Your mind has to process everything in your field of vision. If your home or work environment is cluttered and messy, you won't have a clear mind. You can’t work effectively or live thoughtfully in chaos. Clear the clutter and reset at least once a week.

2. Identify what matters.

Write down your passions for work and life. What really matters to you? Passions aren’t maybes, they are musts. Where do you want to be and how do you want to get there?

3. Do one thing at a time.

When you are writing, write. When you are doing the dishes, do the dishes. You don’t need TV, Twitter, Email, and lots of other things going on at the same time. Immerse yourself in the task at hand and focus.

4. Eliminate distractions.

You may be so used to the beeps and dings from your phone and flashing messages on your computer screen that you don’t know how distracting they are. It can take 15 minutes or more to recover from even a small distraction. Turn off notifications and if you can’t resist the pull of your devices, turn them off when you are doing other work. When you realize that most of your distractions are self-imposed, it’s easier to eliminate them.

5. Eat well.

Remove the stimulating substances you think you need, life caffeine and sugar, for one week. Then start adding more natural fuel like greens and fresh fruit. See what a difference less artificial stimulants makes to your life and your ability to focus.

6. Get quiet.

Set aside a few minutes to get quiet and/or meditate every day. Even just 5 minutes is enough to focus yor mind and gain clarity in your visions.

7. Write to get clear.

Write for a few minutes every morning. If you are experiencing great clarity, write it down. If you can’t get clear, write that down too. Sometimes you can write out the distraction and get to where you want to be.

8. Experiment.

You don’t know what you don’t know. If you want clarity about the foods that best fuel you, the habits that improve your life, or the work you want to do, experiment. Learn through experience and experiments.

9. Put yourself where your heart wants to be. If you want it, go get it. Be present, get in the moment, and get it done.

Inspiring Women

Mon, 05 Aug 2019 10:57:53 GMT

Women in business who inspire me to create and succeed

Last year I decided to focus my attention and support on the women in business who inspire. There are many ways you can promote your business, after years of trying different avenues I made a conscious decision last year to support those that empower women and have a great ethos.

Laura Bartlett is an exceptional business leader and watching her grow has been a complete joy. The creator of The House Of Coco, a magazine that inspires in fashion, travel, beauty and lifestyle, Laura has created an amazing platform with her team, sharing the best destinations and brands across the globe. She has won many business awards and is now the head editor of Boss Babe. She's a fellow Yorkshire lass too!

Kat Williams is the creator of Rock n Roll Bride. Her ballsy attitude towards breaking down barriers of love and acceptance just blows me away. Her simple philosophy is that Love is Love, and the expression of that love comes in many forms. By celebrating contemporary weddings, Kat has built a world wide audience who just love to embrace love and marriage with vibrancy and authenticity.

Annabel Beeforth is the creator of Love My Dress blog. A beautifully inspiring and heartfelt platform for the stylish and ethical bride. Annabelle and her team support some extraordinary talent in the wedding industry. With a passion for wholehearted living, Annabel's social feed treats us to a hygge way of life.

These amazing women look to empower love and support in a way that touches my soul, by having a voice that gives confidence to many in leading a beautiful, enriched and authentic life. Thank you ladies, you inspire me.

House of Coco - Facebook - Instagram

Rock n Roll Bride - Facebook - Instagram

Love My Dress - Facebook - Instagram

Inner Love

Mon, 05 Aug 2019 10:57:51 GMT

Be kind to yourself and practice self love

Over the last 20 years of serving many brides, one thing that never ceases to amaze me is the lack of self worth and self love many women feel.

I constantly find myself saying “Be Kind to Yourself “ because some of the self-depreciation talk I hear breaks my heart. Part of this job is to instill confidence and to allow a safe place to be authentic, to be brave and bold, and to glow with self love. You may be a bride for one day but you can learn to love and accept yourself every day. This is why it’s important I take my own advice by being authentic, choosing self love and self worth, and radiating my own boundless self love.

This has helped me to build the career I had only dreamt of as a young fashion student. Looking after myself, ensures that my business functions on the highest level it can, and I believe this is incredibly important to building a beautiful life.

This is why I made the decision to try something new and to create regular events at the studio that you can attend even if you’re not a bride but want a deeper connection to self love.

The few events I’ve had at the studio with Laura from The Wellbeing Feeling have been a trial to see if this deeper introspection was the right fit for the creative and feminine energy that the Blades studio has. The workshops been a huge success so far and have sold out every time.

I am thrilled to say that later in the year we will be looking at more events in the Inner Love Series delving into happiness, peace, creativity and inner power.

This may sound strange coming from a bridal designer but, your biggest day is not your wedding day. It’s the day you have faith in yourself, to love yourself unconditionally, for in this moment of clarity, you forever become the Bride of your own heart, limitless, loving, and move through life with grace and ease.

It takes enormous courage to love without limits. To be all of yourself with no exceptions. Sometimes it takes being stripped back to the bone and the uneasy task of rebuilding yourself the way that honours your existence. It is a never ending process of learning evolving , refining and moves at a pace that suits you on your journey in life .

Keep an eye on our Instragram and Facebook pages for details of our next event, and visit Laura at The Wellbeing Feeling for more spiritual inspiration.

Yin and Yang - Finding Your Balance

Mon, 05 Aug 2019 10:57:50 GMT

Balance in our lives is fundamentally important.

Id like to introduce you to this amazing picture by BLADES & LUCAS

This is an idea I’ve had for such a long time, a desire to represent the balance in life, the play of polarity and opposites, and the zero point of creativity.

Each of these dresses were created some time ago. I had a desire to photograph the black dress in a more art based way than the typical styled wedding shoot. I've been consciously moving away from the traditional bridal photo shoot, and if I’m honest it’s never really satisfied me. I think it may be my Alexander McQueen background or the philosophical interests I have for self discovery and alignment that has driven a me to deeper artistic place. While Bridal is all lightness, purity and grace, it’s wrong to deny there is a darker side. Each as important as the other.

Balance in life is fundamental. But what is balance to me, may be hell to you, so discovering your own boundaries is essential and it takes time and intention.

How do you create balance in life? It’s not just the activities we do inour lives, but the intentions behind them.

Where is my mind when I do daily routine? Am I at peace or is there a storm within? When the storm comes do you listen to what it has to say in order to create more light on the other side? This too shall pass. If you believe you create your own reality, the flow of energy is paramount to what what you create.

What is Yin and Yang? A simple definition is 'Two halves that together complete wholeness'.

Yin and Yang are also the starting point for change. When something is whole, by definition, it’s unchanging and complete. So when you split something into two halves – yin/yang, it upsets the equilibrium of wholeness. Both halves are chasing after each other as they seek a new balance with each other.

How can you enhance your energy and promote balance in your life? Here's a few ways that you can incorporate into your everyday life.

Meditate – Meditation allows us to be fully present with the quiet places within us, and focus completely upon ourselves and what we need to live a full and balanced life.
Breathing Exercises – Breath is one way we consistently bring life into our bodies. Taking a deep breath into your body allows you to focus on the conscious and unconscious thoughts that reside in your mind, and to transform them into positive energy.
Affirmations - Positive thinking is a fantastic way of bringing ideas to life and focusing our minds in order to achieve our goals. When we speak, we consciously put our thoughts out to the universe, and speaking commands or prayers are the tools that allow us to invite more positive energy to flow through us.
Laughter - Laughter lifts our mood, gives us light, and creates positivity. Essential to balance in everyday life.
Loving and Being Loved - Love is the frequency of the universe and when we act from this place of grace and compassion, our heart lightens. When we share this love and grant it to others unconditionally, the universe blesses us as well. We are honoring this innocence in all we encounter and it not only feels amazing, but it actively amplifies our energy.
Live with Passion - Don;t live a life that lacks fulfillment, choose passion over the mundane, in any way possible. Doing what we love is not an act of selfishness, it is an act of self love, and in order to give love to others, we need to love ourselves first. Do what makes you happy, and be fulfilled, passionate and focused on what you choose to do.
Release Negativity - Toxic relationships can be hugely damaging in so many ways. When people are abusive, disrespectful and demanding, your life energy is quite literally drained. To let go of relationships that feel the opposite of love, no matter how difficult, will fill our lives with positive energy and will allow us to attract and gain abundance and more loving connections.
Be Consistent - Energy is always moving, and consistently showing up for your life balance practice shows commitment and dedication. Give time and consistently practice love and harmony in your life, and concentrate on keeping positive energy consistent in your life.
Be Compassionate - Live with empathy, respect and understanding. Treat yourself with gentle care and the love you cultivate for yourself will naturally flow out to others.

Photograph by Sam Lucas Photography

Concept by Catherine Blades

Dresses by Catherine Blades Couture

Model - Georgina Lawrence

Lundy Island Magic

Wed, 03 Jul 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Rebecca and Richard’s Lundy Island wedding was a weekend filled with friends, family and fun.

Rebecca and Richard’s Lundy Island wedding was a weekend filled with friends, family and fun. We asked Rebecca to tell us all about the wedding, weekend and their inspiration behind the island celebration.

Our vision

The inspiration behind our wedding was all things that we love: Lego, bridges, and maps – all tied together with a grey and yellow colour scheme. I’m a huge Harry Potter fan and so including aspects was a no brainer! My challenge was to incorporate HP subtly so that the die-hard fans would have an ‘ah-ha!’ moment, but to the causal onlooker, the detail would just look in keeping.

Our first holiday together was on Lundy Island. We went in winter and so the only way to get there is via helicopter: The instant we landed, we knew it was a magical place. Lundy sits in the Bristol Channel between Devon and Wales – very fitting as I grew up in Devon, and Richard in Wales! We wanted our wedding to feel more like a weekend away with friends than a formal affair – so much so that we called the wedding ceremony “the legal bit” on our invites. Don’t get me wrong, marriage is a serious commitment, but we already felt married so this was really just a formality.

We planned our whole wedding around Lundy Island: from the date to the ceremony venue, the reception décor to my dress (gotta get in and out of a helicopter with ease!) Logistically, this meant we needed to be super organised because all our décor, alcohol, favours, and photo-booth props for our November wedding needed to go over on the last ferry, which was in September.

The only venue on Lundy with a marriage license is the Church but neither of us are religious, so we needed to get married on the main land beforehand. The helicopter only flies to and from Lundy on a Friday and Monday, and at set times. Because we didn’t want to interrupt other people’s holidays, we planned our schedule around the regular flying schedule.

What we wore

I couldn’t believe my luck when I met Catherine. We talked about our wedding inspiration, colour scheme, what type of clothes I normally wear, the look I was going for, etc. She was so thorough before she even took out a sketch pad. I brought along some images of dresses that I liked and she took each of the elements and combined them into my perfect dress. My must-have was a backless number with sleeves, and she certainly delivered. It was her idea to add the beaded embellishments to the deep v-cut back to bring the dress to life and what a difference it made! To complement, I wore a pair of yellow suede heels, a simple silver bracelet, and small hair clip with feathers, so as not to detract from my dress. My bouquet was informal and simple with white roses, yellow craspedia and grey thistles, topped off with a hidden snitch.

Richard has always wanted a tailor-made suit and this was the ideal opportunity. To complement, he had custom designed and embroidered converse for both him and his two best men. His yellow and grey Hufflepuff socks also made an appearance!

The wedding ceremony

We chose Hartland Abbey to get married in because it was the closest licensed venue to the helipad. An immovable 11am chopper dictated a 10am ceremony, which meant a 6:30am dissention of seven – yes seven – hair and make-up people at the cottage where us girls (one bride, two bridesmaids, two mums, and a sister-in-law) were staying. It was pastry-fuelled organised chaos! Credit to the ladies at Bideford-based Colorseum: they turned us round and we left for the Abbey on time, in fact we were there 10 minutes early!

My ‘something old’ was a beautiful 100-year-old-plus silver bracelet that my mum gave me on my 18th birthday, she had received it from her great Aunt on her 18th birthday, as had she. My ‘something new’ was my wedding dress designed by Catherine at Blades Bridal. My ‘something borrowed and something blue’ was a brick from Richard’s Lego Tower Bridge model – I returned it to him during my vows! And, the often forgotten ‘six pence in my shoe’, from my husband to be.

My Dad (aka Big Nige, Shovel Hands, and Captain Morgan) and I had a quiet moment together whilst everyone got settled. We’re both quiet, introverted people. He squeezed my hand just before the door was opened to the ceremony room and that was all I needed to feel utterly calm inside even though I was shaking like a leaf! We walked in to one of my bridesmaids, a very talented pianist, playing Glasgow Love Theme from the film Love Actually.

The Victorian Drawing Room, with its dark oak-panelled walls and crackling log fire, was the perfect setting to tie the knot – very Gryffindor common room! Our guests were seated in an arc rather than rows to give a more intimate feel to the ceremony, with us standing in front of them in the beautiful bay window to say our vows.

With our ceremony over by 10:30am, we recessed to the light and airy Billiard Room where we cut our wedding cake and handed out the mini Lego cupcakes to our guests. Who doesn’t want to eat cake at 10:30am?! Each guest also received a breakfast snack box to keep them going until lunch – I can’t stand being hungry so we wanted to make sure our guests were well fed from the start!

Our helicopter (the very one used by Anneka Rice!) was scheduled to pick up the bridal party and our photographer from Hartland Abbey at 11am, with the rest of the guests making their way to the helipad for 11:30. There was a slight hiccup which meant our flight was delayed but this gave us the opportunity to take some beautiful pictures at the abbey, which we would have otherwise missed out on.

The Lundy Experience

Albert took us off around the island to take some couple shots. My one demand was photos at the top of Old Light, the 96ft-tall light house on the island and damn it, I climbed all 147 spiral steps in my dress! Having arrived at the top and handed my craspedia-filled bouquet to Richard whilst I caught my breath, he promptly dropped it – all the way down!

Our guests arrived over the next couple of hours, and were greeted with an afternoon cream tea spread, where those that didn’t know each other already were forced to mingle! Copious amounts of Brightwell sparkling wine helped the conversation flow…

After a quick freshen up, everyone headed to Marisco’s Tavern for the wedding breakfast, which was a feast: spiced parsnip soup followed by Lundy Lamb shanks, rounded off with rhubarb crumble.

The staff at the tavern were what made the weekend feel special. We could not have had such a smooth-running weekend without them, and our special thanks go to Island Manager Derek and head chef John who welcomed all of us with open arms: From suggesting a hearty menu to laying the tables with our DIY projects. We had buckets of yellow, white, and grey Lego; jars full of paper flowers; menu-printed napkin-wraps; and bags of sherbet lemons as favours to lay out.

We sipped the evening away on wine from our local vineyard and apple nectar from my hometown’s cidery.

Our first dance

Completely awkward by the way – was to Melancholy Hill by Gorillaz , an odd choice but the words and meaning are so beautiful. The whole party danced to our iPod playlist solidly from 8pm to 2am, when the island’s generator was turned off. Being a rowdy bunch of 90s teenagers, we reminisced with some classic chart topping numbers from Reef, Spice Girls, Offspring, S Club 7, Craig David, Bon Jovi and Meat Loaf – you get the idea… The evening was rounded off with the entire island’s staff joining the party when the happy hardcore hour kicked in! I’m proud to say I was the last person on the dance floor!

Weekend shenanigans

Because we were on the island for the whole weekend, we’d planned some activities to keep our guests entertained. Everyone was sorted into one of the four Hogwarts houses by picking a handmade badge out of a Sorting Hat. Each team (hip flasks at the ready!) was then sent out to find the hidden Letterboxes: a kind of treasure trail which is spread over the whole island. It got seriously competitive pretty quickly. Not even a hail storm straight off the Atlantic dampened the spirits! In fact, when all the letter boxes couldn’t be found in one day, the super dedicated amongst us went out to find the missing ones on Sunday, whilst the rest of us relaxed.

We hosted a candle lit pub quiz in the evening with lots of questions about us, as well as a Harry Potter charades round – the father of the groom’s was particularly memorable!

Home time

We woke up to a fog-bound island on Monday which meant that the helicopter couldn’t fly. We were fortunate that MS Oldenberg was passing Lundy to go to dry dock that day, and so she took a detour to collect us.

The fabulous suppliers

Ceremony venue – Hartland Abbey

Weekend reception – Lundy Island

Photographer – Albert Palmer

Cake – Rosanne Hollowell

Groom’s suit – Cad and the Dandy

Dress – Blades Bridal

Hair clips – Beth Morgan

Hair and Makeup – Colorseum

Flowers – Blooms of Bideford

Invitation – Michael Burbridge

Wine – Brightwell Vineyard

Cider – Lyme Bay Cider

Thank you to Rebecca and Richard for sharing their amazing wedding with us.

Mindfulness - Balance in a Creative Life

Wed, 01 May 2019 13:19:23 GMT

Balancing your energies and mindfulness are the key to a happy life.

I’m so excited for the beginning of a journey with Laura from The Wellbeing Feeling . Opening the door to my creativity as you can imagine is pretty important, to be able to use intuition and feeling to turn a brides idea into a physical and sacred piece of art is of upmost importance to me . But none of this is possible if I don’t get clear with my own thoughts and direction in life. As the energy of Love is the source to my creativity, I’m so excited to be learning the art of reiki with Laura which will impact the nature of my work and open those doors to creativity . Laura is an incredible individual whom I’m excited to share her beautifully written words and knowledge with you.

To open up this deep work with Laura we will be taking a look at the internal balance of the masculine and feminine energies . It seems that as women race to gain power and take a stand to strive forward in business and status we can become imbalanced. This can often be the root of the tension, anxiety and illness. I’m looking forward to Laura's words of wisdom and her knowledge which we will be sharing in the intimate and creative feminine space of the Blades Studio. Keep your eye on the Facebook page for the dates .

I’ve pretty much been unfolding myself since opening the studio, having your own business kinda does that because you have to learn to delve deep, to manage your emotional stress and become comfortable with discomfort in order to drive forward regardless of what people think. Mindfulness , positivity and personal growth are key to a happy and peaceful life. Creating balance within oneself is reflected in your external world, This is why self love is so important. To some this may be having their nails and hair done to others it may be time with the sun on your face, to walk among nature, or get lost in your passions, one thing I have learnt for sure is We can only Love as deeply as we love ourselves and this deeply energetic work is what restores life and the feeling of worthiness and wholeness.

This may sound strange coming from a bridal designer but, your biggest day is not your wedding day. It’s the day you have faith in yourself, to love yourself unconditionally for in this moment of clarity you forever become the Bride of your own heart, limitless, loving, and move through life with grace and ease.

My brand is the epitome of this and the logo not only represents Catherine Blades Couture but the letters C and B and the internal quest for self love and transformation. I recently received feedback that wearing one of my dresses was life wearing Heaven. I can’t tell you how grateful I am to receive such high praise. The energy infused into each dress cannot be seen but it can be felt on a deeper more sacred level.

As the shop grows with items that empower you to be your best self with Art that represents that journey of female consciousness and the Art Of Bridal journal expressing this journey, I urge you to get involved to share and grow with us to love yourself fully in order to be the best version of yourself, impacting all those that are dear to your heart.

Big Love

Catherine x

Catherine Blades -Bespoke Bridal Designer Testimonials

Fri, 01 Mar 2019 14:01:01 GMT

Bespoke Bridal Designer - Kind words from Happy Brides

The success of a bespoke bridal designer lies with satisfied clients, and I'm thankful that all of my gorgeous brides are more than happy to sing my praises following their weddings.

I pride myself on having a very close and special relationship with every single one of my clients. Having a dress made for you is a very personal experience, and one that is essential for me to make as easy and stress-free as possible for every woman that walks through my studio door.

From the moment I meet my brides, we talk as friends, not client and dressmaker. I get to grips with their wishes, desires, insecurities, and ensure that I fully understand their vision. This ensures that their experience with me, and the journey to owning the perfect wedding dress is seamless and one where they feel at ease at every stage.

I am incredibly humbled by the words of my brides following their weddings. Every time I read a testimonial full of their kind words, it makes my job as a designer and bridal dressmaker that bit more magical.

Here are just a few words from recent brides. Read more here on the testimonials page.

Bespoke Wedding Dresses - From Sketch to Dress

Mon, 11 Feb 2019 15:12:49 GMT

Blades Adventures in Bespoke Wedding Dresses

Kazmin wanted an alternative, fairy gown for her wedding, and of course I happily obliged.

Making Kazmin's dress was such a joy. Designing and making bespoke wedding dresses is such a journey for me. When a bride arrives at the studio with unconventional and quirky ideas I get truly excited.

Kazmin wanted a lilac wedding dress that was a little wild and fairy like. This is where the fun begins for me, getting in lilac swatches and playing with the layering of different shades to give a couture look.

Kazmin's dress was a mixture of lilac silk and blush fabrics with a mixture of cappuccino, mushroom and lilac tulle. All layered together to give this alternative tiered dress with the most adorable butterfly cap shoulder .

The embellishment I used on the gown was a beautiful platinum embroidered Indian lace on soft lilac tulle, which was used to anchor the fabric and define the shape and proportion of Kazmin's figure. This exquisite embroidered lace looks like wings and with Kazmin's choice of Amethyst crystal fairy tiara and necklace, the look was complete.

I'd just like to say a huge Thank you to Kazmin for allowing me to create such a stunning Alternative wedding dress .

Here's what she had to say;

"I turned to Catherine after searching without hope for a dress which would express my personality and allow me to feel comfortable in myself on my big day. It was immediately clear that she not only knew her craft inside and out, allowing her to bring out the best of my body but also got ME, my off-beat, fantastical hopes for the dress. The dress she created is magnificent, unique and so entirely "me". Catherine was a pleasure to work with throughout, and I could not recommend her enough"

Venice Wow - Renewal of Vows

catherine.hunter73@gmail.com (Catherine Hunter) — Sun, 10 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Jenny and Alan had a renewal of vows in beautiful Venice with their close family.

Jenny and Alan held a renewal of vows after 25 years of marriage in the beautiful city of Venice, accompanied by their four sons, their romantic getaway was majestic and magical.

Their wedding was set on the Ca Sagredo Grand Canal in Venice, followed by a small reception at the Florian Bar in Piazza San Marco, otherwise known as St Marks Square.

Jenny describes the planning and a magical day for her, Alan and their family.

The dress:

I first approached Catherine to see if she would be interested in creating a dress for someone who was the opposite of a new young slim bride. Alan and I were renewing our vows after 25 years of marriage with our four sons in Venice and I wanted a red and gold dress that reflected Venice. Our first wedding had been 30 people in a Registry Office, our youngest was 5 weeks old and the outfit choice was more about being able to breastfeed in a modest way than impress!! I met Catherine in her studio, surrounded by beautiful floaty dresses and fabrics and everything was really beautiful. I had chosen Catherine as she had worked with Alexander McQueen, my most favourite Designer ever, because of his style, complexity, and personality. Catherine was really pleased to work with me and it was obvious she felt what we were doing was very special and indeed it was. The meeting with Catherine made me realise how special this event was going to be, I think she was as dewy eyed as me! I dressed with care for our first meeting as I wanted her to get my ‘style’ so I paid attention to everything. Catherine is astute and highly skilled, with real clarity. The only proviso I gave her was that the dress needed to be red – scarlet – with some sort of gold embroidery on it somewhere – not a lot to go on. In my head I imagined something with a train perhaps, and to my ankles, not right to the floor. We parted and Catherine asked me to send her any photos of any ideas I had. I took my time and sent her snippets of ‘that waistline’ or ‘that sleeve’ or ‘that pleat’, I think 17 things in all, none of which joined up! By my next visit she had some beautiful red silk and had already made up a little jacket that we both recognised as being very similar to the photo of a Dior model from the New Look (50’s fashion phenomena not budget high street!!). She had made the jacket without measuring me and it fitted almost perfectly, in fact, I don’t recall that she ever measured me, she just has an amazing understand of fit. She then draped fabric around me whilst I looked frankly stunned in lots of mirrors. It was such a strange combination – I both recognised and did not recognise myself at the same time, and it was an incredible process.

My girlfriend, Julia, came with me for the next 3 visits and I brought along no end of pairs of red shoes with me each time to make sure they matched. Each visit the dress became me and by that I mean, you know when you wear a posh frock it can wear you? Well, it was like putting on an old favourite, but yet I had never worn it. The final fitting was amazing, but it was not a big reveal as we had designed and created this absolutely beautiful garment together. I felt like it had heritage, like a historical costume, but at the same time it was absolutely contemporary. Catherine had made the most of my best bits – which we all have – and she created a shape that was absolutely right for me. It was in fact two dresses worn together, a straight shift dress with no sleeves and, what can only be described as, a wrap over dress mounted on a small jacket with a stand up collar that all together presented like the most elaborate dressing gown ever. It moved beautifully, I could manage it, it felt like I had had it forever, it took my breath away, we were all in tears. My Twin brother, with whom I was very close, and who was a Goldsmith, was making four rings for me to wear as a ‘stack’, each one representing one of our children. His text to me when he saw me in the finished dress was so lovely, and one of the last texts as I ever got, as he was killed in a car crash 3 weeks later. Unfortunately I had the both the best day and worst day of my life within 3 weeks. Catherine was skillful at the highest level – a designer, a tailor, a costume designer, intuitive, magical and she delivered something I will cherish for the rest of my life. I walked in St Marks Square and the Doges Palace with 1000s people around me feeling like a Queen- absolutely supreme and that was down to her.

The accessories:

It was freezing cold in Venice! I bought red cashmere gloves and red fox wristlets from a boutique in Venice. My shoes were from Russell and Bromley, my jewellery was bizarrely from Amazon!
My wedding rings were designed and made by Paul Draper, a fellow of the Goldsmiths Institute.

Alan’s Suit :

Hand made silk pink and red tie limited edition
Prince of Wales check suit with red line
Shoes from John Lewis
Cufflinks hand made Murano Glass from Venice

The Day itself:

We were staying at Palazzina, a 5 star Phillipe Starck designed hotel on the Grand Canal. My hair and make up artist arrived at 7.20am and spent 3 hours with me! The two Italian Weddings planners and photographer all arrived at 10.am. We chose an Italian Wedding Planning Company to work with us and they were amazing. They gave us lots of options to choose from including the hotel we stayed at the venue for the ceremony the receptions the photo venues photographer and hair/make up, florists wedding cake and Celebrant. We wrote our own words and had them translated into Italian. The Celebrant said them first and we repeated the English version, it was very personal. The Celebrant actually said she thought it had been so beautiful, she thought more people should celebrate their marriage with their children after so many years! We walked together up an amazing candle lit staircase with huge murals on each side to classic Italian Opera music. The food was classic Venetian Canapes at the first reception at Ca Sagredo with, of course, Prosecco. The second reception, which we travelled to by boat, was at the oldest bar in St Marks Square, The Florain Bar, where we had more savoury and sweet canapÃ©s, and more Prosecco. We had planned another dinner in the evening, but in the end we all got into warm clothes and went to a family Pizza restaurant with our boys, which was perfect.

The best part of the day:

The moment when we walked into the room for the ceremony at Ca Sagredo, holding hands and reaching the top of the stairs, with the beautiful Italian Opera playing, and brilliant sunshine flooding the room. In such historic surroundings it felt so powerful, like all the love we had felt over the last 30 years was in the room. We could not see if our boys had arrived because it was so bright, they had flown in from London that morning, but then I caught sight of my youngest boy’s silhouette. It was very emotional and I hugged each one of them. We sat on two beautiful chairs and my rings were bound together on an embroidered cushion. We said the words to each other that we had written with so much love and feeling, there is a photo of Alan really looking at me and it is a forever look. Each of the rings were placed on my finger, and words about each son said. The whole thing was magical, and the feelings Alan and I were left with really shocked us, as it made us realise we had taken an even deeper step with our love for each other, it was just amazing.

Dress – Catherine Blades Couture

Photographer – Enrico Celotto

Hair and MakeUp – Stefania Bon

Haute Couture Dress Designer - Blades in 2019

Fri, 01 Feb 2019 14:26:40 GMT

Haute Couture Dress Designer Catherine Blades

Catherine Blades shows her skills as a haute couture dress designer and contemporary artist in this short promotional video. Creadit to Sam Lucas Photography for the film.

2018 in Review - Couture Wedding Dress Designer

Fri, 01 Feb 2019 14:26:32 GMT

A year of change for a couture wedding dress designer

2018 was a year for pushing myself with great love, which basically means taking my time with decisions and projects.
It was a year for making 'it' happen. As a Couture Wedding Dress Designer , I produced some intricate and challenging pieces that pushed my creativity, something that continues to be on going in both my art and design work.
Here's some of my 2018 highlights;

I become a preferred supplier of Love My Dress, one of the most respected wedding blogs in the world.
I was listed in the Top 10 Best Bridal Boutiques in You And Your Wedding's listings.
I won the Global Wedding Award for Best Designer.
I won The Wedding Industry Awards Best Wedding Dress Designer award in the regional category.
I started producing my own conceptual art, something dear to my heart and essential for progressing my work as a designer.
I focused on a new direction for my work and my business which was more authentic and reflects my true self, something particularly beneficial to my brides.
I launched a brand new website and started writing my new online journal, The Art Of Bridal.
I got a new puppy! A new furry edition to our household, and he's wonderful.

What a year of growth and discovery, I can't wait to see what 2019 brings!

The National Wedding Industry Awards

"Finding Catherine was an absolute highlight of my whole wedding experience. After despairing of boutiques all offering variations on the latest gown fashion, Catherine designed a dress that felt entirely "me" - she listened to all of my (at times disjointed!) ideas and designed an entirely wearable, entirely stunning dress. I felt like a glamorous Hollywood star all day, and yet fully confident that I had every bit of freedom to move, to hug, to dance, to roll about on the floor with the kids!" Lixi

Warrior of a Peaceful Heart - Amongst Women Artists

Tue, 08 Jan 2019 12:06:49 GMT

What is your life's quest? Women Artists & Bridal Wear

This new year I ask a question. What is your life’s quest? Is it to move mountains, start a business, write those words that have been spinning around in your head, or maybe travel more.
While life often leads us on a road of wanting and waiting for the right moment my quest is that of a peaceful heart. Like many I feel everything with such magnitude that peace has become like liquid gold. Our attention is always diverted away from what settles us in search of the next dopamine hit. But what puts your heart at peace?
The obvious answer is those whom we love and our pets. What I’d like to propose is that pushing your boundaries in creativity and self worth can achieve the same feeling of contentment and bliss. Being peaceful can be difficult and not that achievable by many in this modern society, the thought of meditation and sitting with your own thoughts can literally drive some people mad. Creativity allows for a gap in the noise and a chance to listen to your intuition, this space is where you’ll find peace and faith a break from the noise and the opportunity to be in a state of flow.
The video in this post is of a painting I created last year, of the powerful force that we can become when we focus our mind. I wasn’t aiming for perfection here, in fact I had no idea what I was going to paint, but the very act of losing oneself was cathartic. It has lead me on a path of deep contemplation, giving me the strength to achieve some bigger projects this year. A journey of a thousand miles beings with one step.
My new year is not about going to the gym or losing weight, although lengthy walks in the woods with the dogs is on the menu, it’s about becoming creatively strong in order to produce the best work I can. Being among Women Artists everywhere.
2019 is set to be a year of pushing personal boundaries, learning how to breathe fully to experience the depth of my heart through creativity, and becoming a Warrior Of A Peaceful Heart.

The Creative Process - Made To Measure Wedding Dresses

Fri, 14 Dec 2018 11:33:11 GMT

Having your made to measure wedding dress designed and made for you is so special. Here's a breakdown of the process.

A made to measure wedding dress is so very special. One of my favourite parts of the process is meeting the bride at her initial consultation. It’s where you get chance to visit the studio see my work and decide if you’d like to put your trust in me to create this very special gown .
The studio is set on the Hampshire Berkshire border in a very private and peaceful countryside location, you’ll park opposite the tennis courts ( helicopter landing available) and if you’re lucky see a deer whilst having your fitting .
The Blades Bridal studio is a working environment which means you’ll see not only the progress of your own dress but also the development of other projects all different and unique .

I believe that the process should be effortless for the bride. That it should flow with ease and grace. I fully engage myself heart and soul with each creation and treat every bride as an individual so my style is yours and I mirror your desires .
Here is breakdown of your appointments

Consultation
Where the bride decides if she can put her trust in me to create this very special gown . We explore inspiration, fabrics and trimmings, the type of wedding and emotions one wants to express .

Toile fitting and design reveal
At this stage I have taken all the brides ideas, researched and produced a series of designs. A simple dress shape called a toile is moulded onto the brides figure, where I can begin to proportionally design the wedding dress to flatter and enhance the brides figure. By the end of this appointment which is approximately 3 hrs we have made lots of successful micro decisions together .

1st dress fitting
The wedding dress has been pattern cut and constructed and is now ready to try on for the first time . I check the fit, length and positioning of details and add extra where needed. The fastening is added next .

Final dress fitting
The dress is finished all fastenings are added the hem and details complete. It’s a chance for the bride to try on with her accessories some of which we may have created too and to get used to walking and often practice dancing. Always an exciting appointment.

Collection
The dress is pressed and bagged ready. The drawn illustration is wrapped as a parting gift and a sign of my love and appreciation for being part of your special day .

For those customers that are traveling from abroad, Initial consultations can be done over video call and your gown can be collected by a trusted member of your bridal party. The same process applies to red carpet and evening dresses.

Catherine Blades Couture creates bespoke bridal gowns that reflect who a bride truly is at heart . Each dress is lovingly designed and constructed not only to flatter and draw amazement but to give the bride confidence in being authentic .

Love Yourself - The Wellbeing Bride

Thu, 29 Nov 2018 13:21:37 GMT

The Wellbeing Bride - Finding your Self Worth

When people say "I Love My Job" part of you thinks "yeah right" or "is that even possible", but for me it’s true. Everything I do is in the pursuit of becoming more whole, in order to serve my beloved brides. From the ability to manage my own stress, to pushing my boundaries of creativity to meet a bride’s desires, the sense of reward is immense and for these opportunities of growth I am truly grateful.
There is no other dress that is as important as your wedding dress. To me a wedding dress is a sacred gown that empowers the bride with love for herself and the journey ahead, representing her in all her glory and radiating her inner beauty. The seams, fabric, cut and every detail must be infused with Deep Love, confidence and the pure potential for a successful loving life. This is my Zen and hopefully it can be felt in abundance by the wearer.

Over the last 20 years of serving many brides, one thing that never ceases to amaze me is the lack of self worth and self love many women feel. I constantly find myself saying “Be Kind to Yourself “ because some of the self-depreciation talk I hear breaks my heart. Part of this job is to instill confidence and to allow a safe place to be authentic, to be brave and bold, and to glow with self love. You may be a bride for one day but you can learn to love and accept yourself every day. Become The Wellbeing Bride . This is why it’s important I take my own advice by being authentic, choosing self love and self worth, and radiating my own boundless self love. I shall be talking about my art work In another blog , but for now, you can take a look in the shop on this site .
Next week Is all about the process of having a bespoke wedding dress designed and made, but today I just want to leave you with one more thought - “You are loved more than you’ll ever know “

Big Love

Catherine
x

Welcome to the Art of Bridal - Wedding Dress Designer London

Wed, 21 Nov 2018 10:16:17 GMT

Wedding Dress Designer London - My success at the TWIA 2019 Awards

It’s great to be able to begin this new blog adventure by sharing an award I won this week from The Wedding Industry Awards for Wedding Dress Designer regional winner for south central . This award is all about the brides and what they have to say about your services . I can’t tell you how lucky I am to have the most amazing brides who become good and valued friends. I feel incredibly blessed and grateful, thank you to you all.

The Art of Bridal

Me writing a blog. Ha ha! It’s actually hilarious as A, I’m dyslexic and B, an incredibly random person . But as one of the sculptors I follow on Instagram said, its time to get your big girl pants on and get stuck in . So here I am showing up and hoping to inspire you in what ever life’s quest you have.
I have discovered along my creative journey, that what seemed to be the ideal job, has now become a quest for true connection to ones heart , soul and authentic self, that in a time when, as women we are learning to embracing a new sense of femininity, we need a bit of courage to love ourselves in totality.
I shall be getting all romantic, positive and creative. Showing you how I work for my brides, what inspires me, and also taking you on a journey of self discovery, as I embark on producing some exhibition pieces for an Art show that combine a variety of creative, philosophical and spiritual works, helping us, as women, become more connected to the divine feminine, peace and balance within our hearts .

Enjoy

Big Love

Catherine x

Wedding Dress Designer London