overwhelmed!

Wow - I can't believe the number of custom requests coming in the last 2 days! I am spending most of my time on the custom orders, but I'm still falling behind. So if you've submitted a request recently and you haven't gotten an email from me yet, don't worry! I am on it - I just need to catch up, and I'll update the blog as often as I can.

xoxo

Mandy

Modern vintage birdcage for Dawn

Meet Dawn. Dawn is wearing the above gorgeous gown, and is looking for a birdcage style headpiece that is both modern and vintage (and yes that does make sense to us) but doesn't draw too much attention to itself. It should just be chic and make her look and feel gorgeous.

While birdcage veils are often quite dramatic showstoppers:





they can also be subtle accessories. It's true!



The bee is a little too subtle for me in this case. I want to do a small birdcage - the netting will cover forehead/a little eye if placed low, just forehead if placed further back - with a subtle crystal/feathery soft light accent on the side. I actually have 2 different ideas in mind and hope to make both, but both are based on this idea.

I'll post pictures when they're ready!

Jim's Lucky Bridesmaids

Celeb wedding alert! Remember Jim Verraros from the first season of American Idol? He's getting married! And he and his partner Bill are going all out for their bridal party. The girls are wearing floor length black silk chiffon gowns and they need some hair jewelry to bump up the old hollywood/glam factor. Time is of the essense, so I'm going to throw a bunch of ideas out and see which one wins!

First here are the gowns:


Stunning, no? They're all by Enzoani - the Love collection.

Many things jump to mind all at once so I'll begin here:




This is a piece we made for a party in NY during fashion week last February. It's such a fun piece that can be worn with the netting over your face, or pointing away from your face (shown both ways by party-goers above!) It's totally chic and glamorous and vintage.

We just finished creating a new collection of vintage inspired headbands (coming soon to the site but you'll get a preview here!) Now, these designs are on headbands now, but we could just as easily take them off the headband frame and do a comb or hairpin version for most of them.

This asymmetrical feather headband is one of my favorites (we'd do it in black):


Other options (change feathers to black in all cases):


(this one sans headband would be a lot like our luxe hairpin)


(not the best shot but I love the giant silk rose on the side! might be too much for this look but had to show!)



Now, maybe I'm just too excited about the new collection that I had to post all of those, because what I think Jim is leaning towards is something a little more simple, like:




Maybe a little smaller - I have these fabulous new round shaped filigrees to play with that would be perfect - with feathers just peaking out off to one side. The closest thing we have to it is:


(one of my all time favorite pieces!) only we'd remove everything except the feathers, and put the rhinestone filigree piece at the center. Actually I found a picture where we used the rhinestone piece I'm talking about:



A lot like this, only a lot less feather - shorten the feather and spread it out like the picture above!

What do you think?

Amanda needs drama!

Meet Amanda. Here's her gorgeous dress by Jasmine:





It's hard to see, but the bodice is covered in beadwork. So pretty!

She wants something more on the vintage side but also something that will definately pop! The dress is a little calm for what Amanda would have normally gone for, so she's thinking to go a little crazy with the jewelry - in a good way, of course! She likes vintage, and it should definitely pop. She's looking specifically for a necklace and earrings, and is open to any other ideas.

Sidenote: she is also looking for necklace or earrings for her 9 bridesmaids, who are wearing black tea length or above the knee dresses to spice them up a bit.

Ok - I think we should choose one focal piece and base the rest of the jewelry around that. If the focus is the necklace, I would LOVE to do a necklace dripping with large swarovski teardrop crystals like the ones we use in the jade earrings:



I'm picturing the largest drop at the center of the necklace, with either 1 or 2 smaller drops on each side. The necklace would be made up of smaller linked crystals and chain, a substantial sized chain like the waterfall necklace:



You know, posting that, I really like the waterfall necklace with this dress too - but I would lose the mother of pearl coins and replace them with more crystals, and replace the jade stones with clear quartz or moonstone. Both necklaces, the imagined one above and the waterfall are similar in that they are chunkier, substantial statement pieces. The one above would be a bit more structured, while the waterfall is a little more natural. So it really depends on the look.

Now, if the EARRINGS are the statement, I really, really love the shape of the toula earrings with this dress:



But I would replace the pearls with crystals, and probably do a briolette shape at the bottom of the middle drop.

As for her bridesmaids... What about a classic CZ pendant like this:



Classic and pretty and won't upstage the bride - and affordable for 9 girls! This will be added to our website this week, along with a solitary 1 carat version.

A birdcage for Zandrea

Zandrea is looking for a vintage inspired birdcage veil with nearly opaque netting and a thicker headband as the anchor. Her wedding is not until summer of 2011, but I've been wanting to do a headband style birdcage for such a long time now! Perfect excuse!

Now, I haven't seen a picture of her dress yet, and all I have to go on is the above description and to "adorn as appropriate :)", so I'm going to definitely do that. She mentions crystals, pearls and gemstones as possible materials. I'm not sure if she means she wants the actual veil itself to be adorned or the headband - but I'm definitely more about adorning the headband with what I'm envisioning.

I want to use regular tulle like in the Svana birdcage:



and loosely work it around a satin headband frame. I always think that birdcage veils look best with some other hair accessory going on on the side, so I'd love to make some sort of removable comb piece with either feathers, more tulle, a silk flower, or something else with a little substance.

The OTHER alternative, which I just thought of and makes me really excited, is to go for a minimal look. I know, right, a minimal birdcage look?? But no really, we can do this. Think of how pretty/ethereal it would be to have just the single piece of tulle over the face, on a simple headband, with tiny pearls and crystals, equally weightless, scattered around the headband? It's so pretty I want to die!

What do you think?

New Custom Blog

Ok, I've decided that this blog was too confusing for me to follow, so I'm making some changes. I (Mandy) and going to post all of the brides myself, and at the same time give my advice. Then, Andi, Sharon, Catrina, and Whitney will all post comments if they have different ideas. I'll update the posts with additional information as we go along in the customization process, which is usually lots of emails going back and forth until we come up with the perfect design.

Then, after you get your piece and wear it on your wedding day (or other event!) you can send us pictures and I'll post them here and on a special section of our website (soon to come!)

I hope having all of the ideas for each bride all in ONE post will be much easier to follow! Thanks to all for suggestions and continuous feedback!

And now I shall begin the first new post...

Introducing Farah

faux hawk faux hawk faux hawk

let's just get that out there--how cool will that be! the modern twist to a lovely traditional dress, Farah is going to be rocking a faux hawk and is looking for an asymmeterial veil (like the one seen below). important: not to interfere w/ the faux hawk, of course!

talking jewelry :
farah wants to keep the accessories coolly elegant and chic, it'll be fun to see what earrings and necklace Mandy will dream up to make this look picture-perfect.

Response to Sophia

Sophia, your dress is gorgeous!! I have thought up the perfect elegant necklace for you. Of course, the necklace would only be about 15" so that it does not come down too far and get in the way of the dress. Also, there would be no long drops, only a simple pattern of filigree and green amethyst gemstones.
Here's what I'm thinking:

The Bird Necklace is simple and pretty. I like this, but take out the pearls. And in between every small link, a teardrop gemstone will connect each piece of filigree. Therefore, the gemstone drops will only hang slightly longer than the filigree making a seamless non-flashy necklace.

For your earrings, I am thinking something much more statement-esque.

We will take the filigree pieces from the bird necklace and make a chandelier earring that will be shaped like this:

@
@ @
@

(the @'s are the filigree)

and on the bottom three pieces, a gemstone teardrop will be hanging from it, making the earrings free flowing, simple and charming!

Introducing Sophia

It's so exciting when the bride sends a picture of the dress---with her in it! It helps us to see her thick dark hair, and how great that might look with green gemstones, or rustic silver tones, and how most of all, Sophia is a romantic through and through.

Looking for a necklace or earrings (that don't hang too low), and not with too much shine, but with just enough of a vintage vibe--Sophia exudes old world charm and style (and so does her dress!).

Introducing Ashley

Ashley, I suspect, is one classy lady. You see this perfectly perfect dress, but you should also know that she has some lovely accents as well. First, diamond jewelry. You can never go wrong with that! Second, a brooch adorned with pearls kissed with the lightest of pink.

What Ashley would like is a hairpiece to match that brooch--something just as classy and perfect to pull the pearl-diamond look together.

update! i know everyone was curious to see the brooch--i sure was--
ashley was cool enough to take these snaps and send them... light difficulties notwithstanding

Alicia has found love....

And now needs jewelry for the big day! A hair piece is what she is in search of...something with champagne coloring and vintage similarities. Because Alicia's hair is so thick she would really like a comb. Here is a picture of her beautiful gown , which she will be wearing in ivory without the gloves. She is open to using crystals,gemstones, rhinestones, and pearls as long as they fit with in her color theme. Please list any suggestions! Her big day is June 20th!

Introducing Stephanie

Welcome, Stephanie ! She is our non-traditional bride with a Costa Grecian themed wedding!

Inspired by these queenly gold shoes, Stephanie is looking for an arm piece and a comb to enhance and complement. What's going to be especially exciting about the comb is that it will be taking the place of a traditional veil. Check out her theme-perfect dress below!

Fiona

Fiona wants simple. I don't blame her, being that her dress is fabulous and so amazing the jewelry must only enhance its beauty.

I suggest a simple headband. Much like the Irina netting idea.


(obviously I love this headband.) We can use any type of netting you'd like. I think that a russian netting would look nice too instead of the tulle. On the side, there can be a simple rhinestone piece in a symmetrical art deco design. Simple, elegant and not too flashy!

Josephine's Custom Jewelry

For Josephine's bracelet, it is hard to tell what it looks like, but I'm guessing it's a cuff with a lovely butterfly in the center. I think it would look gorgeous if I shaped the outline of the butterfly's wings in wire then attached a web of crystal inside for an airy, unique look. So imagine, taking the Petra idea of the wires and crystals and just replacing the flower petals with the butterfly wings:


The body of the butterfly can be solid crystal. Also, the cuff part can have strands of crystals that hook at the bottom.

Can't wait to see the image of the necklace you are inspired by!

solution for Jessica's prom preparation

Jessica is actually a little different from our usual blogs. She is in search of some great hair accessories for her prom! Her dress is inspired by the vintage wave that is hitting fashion so hard....she already has her necklace and earrings and I want to suggest the many possibilities that she could use to decorate her luscious locks.

Her hair will be in an updo and her dress is in-crusted with crystals at the bodice. Therefor I have suggested these possibilities while keeping the final product within a reasonable price range.

First I was thinking of one of our most popular vintage inspired hairpins, the Luella hairpin on sale for $30.

The Nika hairpin is another suggestion of mine, in which she can choose a brighter crystal if needed....it also sells for $30.

Then my favorite choice would be the Edina vintage hairpin at $30 paired with the feather hairpin at $40. I think that feathers automatically speak vintage and this could really complement the vintage look that Jessica is going for. Feathers also come in black....

Introducing Jessica

recipe for sparkle

One vintage-loving gal in a crystal laced bodice + a Tigerlilly designer+ a dash of simplicity and voila ! we have Jessica's soon-to-be one of a kind hair piece...

Introducing Fiona

a wedding abroad...

I am fairly certain this dress alone would grant you access to the left bank of Paris during its glory days.

This is probably why Fiona is letting the dress do most of the talking and is hoping for just the right touch (be it earrings, headband, tiara) to accentuate the dress but not take the dress into "costume"-y mode.

Fiona doesn't usually wear headbands, earrings or bracelets, and the trick will be creating something that is relaxed enough for a lovely wedding abroad, but with enough life and spark to perfectly complement this Art Deco dress.

Introducing Josephine

It's a little hard to see (click on picture to enlarge), but what Josephine loves about the butterfly bracelet (upper left hand corner) is how the bracelet seems to be made of multiple strands of crystals that come together to form a design. Josephine wants a piece that's unique and stylish (what we all adore about vintage pieces) and in the hands of our Tigerlilly designers, she's well on her way!



Looking for-bracelet, necklace

Donna's Bridemaid Dilemma

Donna wants some pieces for her bridesmaids.... originally she stated that she wanted a necklace and earrings, I wanted to suggest a hair pin and earrings. This will really help out with Donna's budget and I think that they are simple, but create just enough glimmer. I suggest the grace hair pin with pearls....mixed with clear and light rose crystals to accent the dress and the chunky pearl post earrings, letting the dress do the rest. I really think that this could be just the right look for her bridesmaids....the grace hairpin is selling at only $30, and the earrings at $25 at tigerlillyjewelry.com.

Introducing Donna

Welcome, Donna!-- ever interested in detail. She wants custom jewelry for her bridesmaids (who will be wearing the dress seen above) and is thinking something along the lines of a burnished silver chain or chocolate brown pearls might do nicely.








Interested in intricate detailing, she cites the Cinderella necklace as inspiration--





But the bottom line is "whatever looks gorgeous!"