Vintage Bridal Millinery

Today we're sharing the gorgeous vintage inspired collection from Vintage Bridal Millinery, whose pieces are simply gorgeous and very unique. If you're looking for a hair accessory that's a little different to the swathe of floral crowns and sparkly headpieces we so frequently feature, then these might just be for you... It's a dream team collaboration too, with dresses from the lovely Hayley at Rolling In Roses, who you'll find on our Look Book pages and Ryan from Shutter Go Click - these three businesses work amazingly well together and seem to have a shared understanding of making vintage feel contemporary for stylish brides. Which is no mean feat ;)

When Shutter Go Click met Vintage Bridal Millinery is exactly that. I have known of Ryan Learoyd, the super talented photographer behind Shutter Go Click for a few years as some of my brides have been lucky enough to have their weddings photographed by him but we have never actually met. When I was creating a new set of bridal headpieces for my online shop I knew I needed some amazing images to really show them off at their best. I immediately thought of Ryan as the man for the job and was thrilled when he agreed! I also needed some stunning bridal dresses to compliment my headpieces and enlisted the talents of my good friend Hayley Neil, owner of the amazing Glory Days Bridal. Hayley has such a good eye for vintage and having collaborated together before, I knew our pieces would work beautifully for this photoshoot. Hayley then asked her very talented friend Vicki Farr, owner of Victoria Farr Make Up & Hair Artist and beautiful Hannah Walker to model everything-our ‘dream team’ was complete! We just needed a venue and where better than the magnificent Victoria Hall in Saltaire. The hall was the perfect place for our photo shoot, crammed full of period features and light, open rooms. Ryan’s wife Hannah works at Victoria Hall as a manager and very kindly allowed us to use it for the whole day. Vintage Bridal Millinery had been a pipe dream for some time and when I found myself redundant from a long term career as a theatrical milliner and costume prop and also pregnant I decided to go for it and set up on my own. I had spent years interpreting designers ideas and longed to design my own headpieces so it seemed like the perfect time. I decided that I wanted to concentrate on creating bridal headpieces inspired by vintage periods but adding in a twist. I loved the idea of brides wearing a headpiece that no one else would have and could also be passed down generations. I have been a milliner for over twenty years now and incorporate these couture skills into my work. I love using millinery felt in particular to create felt crowns based on bridal headpieces of the 1930’s and 1940’s. I use vintage jewellery and freshwater pearls to create beaded headpieces inspired by headbands of the 1920’s. Alongside these pieces I also make bows, birdcage veils and weddings hats, usually in a percher style as I find these so striking and remind me of the percher hats of the 1940’s, one of my favourite periods for millinery. I also freelance still as a theatrical milliner which I love and find my work often crosses over, influencing my designs. As well as made to order and one off pieces, I also love to help brides design their own bespoke headpiece. I find that many brides like elements of a headpiece but not all of it, so that’s where I come in. I can work with brides to design a headpiece so special and unique to them. One of my favourite commissions was for a fabulous lady who wanted to use tartan fabric from a kilt given to her, by her late grandmother. I designed a headpiece using tartan bow loops and feathers, the bride was overjoyed with the result as she felt her grandmother was part of her special day too. I absolutely love what I do, working with wonderful brides and amazing creatives. It’s the best feeling ever knowing that a bride has chosen to wear one of my headpieces for such a memorable and wonderful day.