‘A veiled woman sits at the window, shrouded in white she looks away,A woman cannot be seen before her wedding day she cries, faceless in disguise,The husband is nowhere to be seen, caught in flight he got cold feet,The clocks are ticking simultaneously, her youth begins to fade,Like Miss ol’ Haversham her groom never came, stood up on her wedding day,But still she never turns, a spider caught in a cobweb,Like a dancer suspended in flight she stays frozen, an embryo of a forgotten world,The feast lies untouched, hovering flies long dead, mold begins to settle,But still she never turns, the scene stays frozen for 28 years and 28 days,Until one day he walks through the door, a wizened cherry on the icing of her long forgotten cake,She turns young again, revitalized by the sight of her love, No words are spoken, tears fall freely,Crystallized in time they embrace, beauty fades but love never dies’
Once upon a time there lived a Jeweler and Vintage Connoisseur who lived in two separate worlds. Kassandra a poet and jeweler believed that the presence of words made a powerful impact on the creation of jewellery, living by the ethos that there is nothing more powerful than a jewel worn in the spirit of ‘famous words’. Because of Kassandra’s interest in ‘political’, ‘economical’ and ‘social’ female figures, each piece in her self-titled collection Kassandra Lauren Gordon Jewellery (KLG) is influenced by female figures who changed the course of history. Similarly Anna, founder of Lucky Sixpence Bridal sees strength in ‘femininity’ and believed that the ‘construction’ and organization of the ‘bridal industry’ was unnecessarily ‘painful’. Anna’s experience of dealing with ‘painfully bad’ wedding experts on her own wedding day led her to found vintage fashion line Lucky Sixpence Bridal. Both innovators of ‘design’ and influenced by ‘playful sentimentalism’ it seemed like a natural course of progression to fuse both brands to curate vintage meets bridal jewellery event ‘Bad Ass Brides Sip n’ Snack’. 
Taking over Dalston hotspot ‘ The Hive’, the inaugural B.A.B.E.S showcase showed promise and flare from the moment we stepped into the ‘snake den’. A python lay draped over a vintage bridal model who lay poised with ‘refined elegance’ and a sophistication beyond her years, uttering no sound as the large snake writhed across her neck. A group of bloggers and journalists stood in anxious anticipation watching the living art transfer onto camera and the photographic consequence was exceptional; the clash between the reptilian’s hooded eyelids and the demure human lid that fluttered in the style of a 50’s starlet was eerie if not eerily beautiful. Each of us bystanding spectators was given a chance to stroke or hold the snake but I could only manage a quick stroke and its skin was surprisingly cool to the touch. The merger between the vintage bride and her reptilian counterpart was effortless and brought a unique, finessed energy to the B.A.B.E.S production. But the production element was not over yet, as we sauntered down the stairs we stepped into the retro catwalk bonanza; floral wreaths were hung overhead tantalizing assortments of vegetarian bites including Victoria Sponges, sweet potato and feta pizza’s and cucumber ganashe’s provided by Feast Food. We took our seats amidst good company and sipped on elderflower cordial and ‘elderflower gin by ‘Wild Drinks’, munching on the delicious vegetarian bites and admiring the decor while we awaited the start of the show. Bumping into fashion designer and blogger Bhushavali from Fashion Panache who I met at KLG’s Last Event was a pleasant surprise while newcomers Natalie from Up Your Vlog and Madame High ST were delightful bloggers and made us both squeal with laughter. 
The unadulterated atmosphere was pleasantly comforting but it was time for the vintage catwalk to start and we all gasped with pleasure. An array of sumptuous vintage gowns cascaded across the blue runway but the highlights were undoubtedly the yellow and cream brocade period gown and 50’s tulle lace beauty. Borrowing elements from ‘wartime’ fabrics mixed with Late Victorian- Mid Edwardian aesthetics, the simplicity of the jacquard design was enhanced by a matching 1920’s flapper headband which created a stark contrast to the a-line 50’s midi skirt hybrid. The unique and innovative combination of ‘period styles’ made the vintage gown a showstopper but there were a few other vintage bridal dresses that deserve an honorable mention. While the brocade gown turned heads , a full skirted tulle 50’s beauty captured hearts. The top half featured enhanced subtle shoulder pads with a round scoop neckline, swathed in thin netted material that branched out into iridescent floral motifs. With three quarter sleeves, the gown is weather appropriate while the full 50’s netted chiffon skirt draped delightfully across each calf. Completing the look were a pair of nude-blush satin heels with floral corsage detailing from new footwear designer Radhia, founder of ‘ House of Spring’.
Each bride was given a stunning bouquet of flowers, custom made by Bloom Room featuring ferns, roses and fresh foliage that captured the stark essence of vintage fashion. As the runway concluded each bride threw their bouquets in the air and the sheer ecstasy on their faces were captivating and resonated with the warmth that radiated from B.A.B.E.S ceremony. After the runway drew to a close I spoke to some of the brides and found them to be surprisingly frank ; *Hannah an aspiring actress and model even decided to follow me on Instagram because she found me to be a ‘refreshing change’ from most bloggers and I was touched. When I asked *Hannah what she meant she explained that other ‘fashion’ bloggers she had met seemed to be more interested in the ‘freebies’ rather than interacting with the people at the event which is a real shame. I love freebies as much as anyone else but I believe it is imperative that you develop and create relations with other bloggers, brands first and foremost.
Grabbing some more refreshments I headed over to the KLG stall and caught up with Kassandra who I had not seen since November at her last launch Fly Me To Jupiter. Since November Kassandra’s career had been a whirlwind and had seen her debut collect attract national press coverage and attention, news I was ecstatic to hear. A jeweller with a difference, her minimalist rose gold, silver and gold pieces are all handcrafted in the spirit of playful sentimentalism, imprinted with differentiating signa’s. From medallion rings to rose gold miniature pipe earrings, we were able to choose a piece of our choice. For me rose gold is always the answer and intricate rose gold earrings would complete my rose gold collection perfectly whereas my photographer Jumanna chose an intricate gold necklace that complimented her skin tone. Both pieces were handcrafted and 4th Dimension earrings are also available in gold and silver. As we spoke into the evening, the poignant overtones of a promising musician, gently strummed a guitar whose lulling notes signaled the end of a delightful evening and I left in a positive frame of mind. Good food and even better company made B.A.B.E.S an unprecedented success and I wish them the best of luck. 
What are your thoughts on vintage bridal wear?
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