English country wedding for an English Rose...

Today, we have some beautiful pictures of Johanna Hehir bride, Emma!

 

The theme of Emma's wedding was very much 'traditional English country garden', being held  in a marquee, pitched in a field by a river on the farm where her parents live.  Everything was simple and elegant,  the reception flowers were cream roses with a little green foliage.

Emma's sister spent several hours baking individual homemade cupcakes for the guests and several months growing and preparing jars of sweat peas to line the fence posts on the lane down to the marquee! 

Olivia, Emma's chosen dress with it's floaty organza skirt, lace bodice and a pale green sash, set the colour theme for the wedding. The bridesmaids wore matching pale green dresses with cream sashes!

'I picked the Olivia dress as it was a traditional style but without being a meringue or too fussy. The material was gorgeous and it fitted perfectly - I have never had anything fit so well! I also loved the fact that it was made in England for the perfect English countryside wedding!'

SWEETIES! - what a clever idea!

Congratulations Mr and Mrs Rooke!

A Touch of Summer!

In July this year,  Johanna's new collection of 1950s inspired wedding dresses was photographed in a throughly vintage way! These photos have not yet been seen....

However, this Friday, Charlie from Fifties Wedding Blog published a wonderful post with all the photos and an interview with Johanna discussing her inspiration for the collection!

So, all you vintage lovers, why not go over there now and see it for yourself!

~ Johanna Hehir's Fifties Tea Party Collection on Fifties Wedding Blog ~

A Dress Fit for a Princess...

The announcement of a Royal Wedding is one of the most exciting things a bridal designer can hear! So, it is no surprise that when I heard that Prince William and Kate Middleton are to tie the knot next year my head filled with ideas of what she could possibly wear on the day!

Any designer commissioned to design a bridal dress for Kate Middleton, will also need to take the venue and style of wedding into consideration. The dress will have to be completely English made and ideally the fabric should also be designed in the UK. I favour something like a layered silk tulle, which can be embellished with crystal, beads and perhaps some floral or lace appliqué.

When it comes to the dress, Kate has not put a foot wrong in style terms so far, so my guess is that she will pick a dress that is an extension of her natural beauty. I am a firm believer in the saying 'less is more' and think that the most stylish of women make sure their wedding dress is a timeless style that can be looked back upon by generations to come.

Although, Kate can wear almost anything, she looks best in a v-neck and with her fabulous figure she can carry off any number of skirt shapes from fitted fishtail to fuller A-line. I also think Kate should maybe consider wearing two gowns, one for the ceremony and another for the reception!

Here is a design I dreamt up - something elegant and simple, with beads, pearls and lace appliqué all over the bodice and train. Perhaps made of duchess satin with a soft fishtail silhouette.

A Rustic Romance...

Here are some pictures of our lovely bride Rhiannon and her new husband, Will, on their wedding day! And what a beautiful day it was, with wild flower bouquets, polka dots and a cornflower blue colour theme! Rhiannon cleverly took inspiration from a piece of Liberty print fabric.

The Johanna Hehir dress Rhiannon chose was Isabelle, a elegant empire line dress with lace detail and a pretty matching shrug - very Pride and Prejudice. I'm sure you'll all agree she looked absolutely gorgeous!

Congratulations Prince William and Kate Middleton!

Did everyone hear the exciting news? How could you miss it?....There is going to be a Royal Wedding next summer!! The biggest question being asked is 'I wonder what she will wear?'

Well, back in June, Johanna Hehir was asked to select a dress she thought would be suitable for a princess and this would then be photographed on a Kate lookalike for Alison Jackson.

Photograph by Alison Jackson (www.alisonjackson.com)

These pictures orginally came out in the Sunday Times Magazine, then OK Magazine and today, The Daily Mail has once again featured these candid camera snaps.

Watch this space for Johanna's unique sketches of what she thinks Kate could wear on her wedding day!

Monday Musings: Lace Galore!

It's a truly amazing how a delivery of beautiful French lace samples can so quickly inspire me! Today, was one of those magical days when everything comes together.

Starting the design process for me begins with draping on the stand, which is how I find new shapes for the next collection. I've always had a love for lace, but this season it is particularly fashionable and is perfect for those wanting a vintage themed wedding!

Here are some pictures of my former assistant, Victoria (now owner of Satin Bow Bridal), and myself having a little design session in the Johanna Hehir workroom.

...just a little taster of what's to come in the new collection...

It's all about Lindon...

Like all Johanna's designs 'Lindon' cleverly blends the traditional with the modern, this time combining beautiful and romantic French lace with a sexy fishtail silhouette and bustier bodice!

This dress has recently been featured in both Wedding Magazine and Cosmopolitan Bride.

Check it out, ladies!

Nicola Fleming and Edward Legget

Nicola wanted something a little different to surprise her family and friends on the day, not to mention wow her future husband Edward.

She chose Godiva, a silk satin fishtail dress with guipure lace detail and an unbelievably 'wow' back! Nicola saw this dress in a magazine and travelled to London from Edinburgh to try it on. She knew it was the one for her as it combines red carpet glamour with delicate lace to add romance. Plus seeing her mum's face when she brought her to see the gown made it final.

Nicola and Edward were married in May at a beautiful Scottish castle in Perthshire. Her colour scheme was white and purple and she carried white tulips - the first flowers Edward bought for her.

Nicola kept her accesories very simple and she wore a beautiful birdcage veil and flower headpiece to finish off the 1940's style.

Congratulations Nicola and Edward!

Where to get your hands on a Johanna Hehir dress

If you can't make it to the London boutique to try on your fave Johanna Hehir dress, then have a look for a stockist closer to home.
We can keep you updated with stockist news and new styles that they have in, you just need to book your appointment and visit our friends in the UK, and further!

Visit http://www.johanna-hehir.com/stockists.html for an up to date list of boutiques and links to their sites.

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A stylish city wedding in Bath

Take a look at the beautiful Jo Hill and her husband Shaun, in the December issue of Perfect Wedding magazine. Jo chose the Valencia dress to suit her chic Bath city wedding in June, and I am sure you will agree she looks amazing!

Jo came to Johanna Hehir to find a simple, evening style dress that worked for the style of wedding she was having, and yet still looked very bridal. She styled her hair using a vintage look band that matched the silver beaded sash on the dress, giving her an all over classic 1940's film star look. Her flowers were avalance roses and eucharis lillies and her bridesmaids wore very cool silver dresses to match her colour scheme.

Congratulations to Mr and Mrs Justice!!

Johanna Hehir Valencia dress