British Wedding Awards 2015!

It's that time of year again when everyone dusts off their party dresses; it's awards season! This year there is a new addition to the line up The British Wedding Awards! This exciting new event is held in association with Wedding Ideas Magazine and will reveal the very best wedding suppliers across twelve categories. These awards are exclusively voted for by the public so don't miss your chance to vote!

 Team Flo & Percy collecting last years award!

The lovely tower hotel where last year's Wedding Ideas awards were held.

If you vote, you'll be entered into an exclusive prize draw to win a weekend break for two worth an incredible £600!

Now don't forget to vote Flo & Percy in the best bridal accessories company and our sister company Kitty and Dulcie

Flo & Percy's new collection - Shakespeare's Garden!

We have had a very busy few months at F&P headquarters beavering away working on our new collection - Shakespeare's Garden.  This collection will launch at the end of January and has been inspired by Autumnal florals and the trend for flowers to be worn in the hair. 

Here is a sneak peak at a few of the pieces in the new collection:

Juliet is made from luxury velvet Carabella roses and Delphiniums in creams, ivory's and greens. Juliet is finished with wire loops and a detachable ivory organza ribbon tie. The introductory opening price is £90.00

Image: Wed Magazine  

Image Wed Magazine

Portia is made from luxury velvet Delphiniums in antique pink, green, mauve and cream. Portia is finished with wire loops and a detachable ivory organza ribbon tie. The introductory opening price is £90.00

Desdamona is organza lace forehead band with vintage flowers in lavender, cream and green and ties at the back with ribbon. The introductory opening price is £75.00. 

If you would like to make an enquiry about this new collection please email us at info@floandpercy.com

To sash or not to sash!

Want that added bit of sparkle to a dress then how about a sash? At Flo & Percy we have 6 gorgeous sashes starting from just £72 to choose from.  Sashes are very versatile and work with numerous different dress styles. Take a look below for our guide of which dresses work best with which sashes.

Short style dresses - A sash really shows off a waist in this short 50's esque dress the floral diamante pattern on the Audrey's dream sash really adds a bit of sparkle.

Dress by www.kittyanddulcie.com

Audrey's Dream Sash £215.00

Long dresses - Add a touch of glamour and sophistication to this long Art Deco inspired dress with either the Rock Baroque Sash, the Queen of Persia Sash or the I feel Pretty Sash. 

Dress by www.elizajanehowell.com

Rock Baroque Sash £195.00

Queen of Persia Sash £215.00

I Feel Pretty Sash £195.00

Traditional dresses - A sash even works with this more traditional style dress. A touch of detail around the waist can really flatter as well as adding a bit of subtle detail to a plainer dress.

Dress by Suzanne Neville

Hippy Chic Sash £185.00

Festival Sash £72.50

Snow White Shoot

We were delighted to take part in a recent shoot by the lovely Lisa Devlin. The theme was Snow White... the Grimm version and features a poison comb which is actually something super pretty to tempt her into putting it in her hair. 

For further details and images the shoot will be the featured in the 2nd issue of Rock n Roll Bride magazine.

 Give Peace a Chance £195.00

 Dusk Till Dawn Cuff £75.00

 The White Queen Comb £155.00

  Dusk Till Dawn Cuff £75.00

 The White Queen Comb £155.00

Credits.

Images by Lisa Devlin http://devlinphotos.co.uk

Model Lucy Scarfe http://www.lucyscarfe.com/

Dresses The Couture Company http://www.the-couture-company.co.uk/

Accessories Flo and Percy http://www.floandpercy.com

Styling and Flowers Petal & Feast http://petalandfeast.co.uk/

Hair & Make Up Elbie Van Eeden http://www.elbievaneeden.com/#home

Rebecca Adlington wears Flo & Percy for wedding!

Olympic gold medalist Rebecca Adlington looks beautiful wearing the Wilderness comb for her recent wedding.  It matched perfectly to her stunning Stewart Parvin gown. Check out this weeks Hello magazine for all pictures.

The Wilderness Comb £95.00

Watch all the action on the below video:

Images curtesy of Hello Magazine.

Perfect Wedding Awards!

We are delighted to announce that Flo & Percy are a nominee in the "Best Hair Accessories" category of the Perfect Wedding Awards 2014. To cast your vote and for a chance to win a luxury weekend spa break click on our  badge below. Voting closes on the 29th October 2014.

Charlotte Balbier Shoot

We were delighted to continue our long standing collaboration with the lovely Charlotte Balbier to provide accessories for her 11th collection Iscoyd Park.  Inspired by her own wedding the collection is named after the wedding venue where Charlotte and her now husband, Edward were married in December 2013.

The collection is made up of over twenty beautiful dresses including two dresses which Charlotte herself wore on her special day, the Charlotte and Iscoyd Park. Our personal favourite is the Iscoyd Park with its delicate gold embroidery. What's yours ?

Charlotte wearing 'The Charlotte'

Charlotte wearing 'Iscoyd Park' 

Ivory Flower Halo with 'The Beatrice'

Pink Flower Halo with 'The Emilia'

Pink Flower Halo with 'The Petal'

Black Label Flower Headband with 'The Isadora'

The Rochelle Headband with 'The Rebecca'

The Rochelle Headband with 'The Charlotte'

The Flower Child with 'The Mabel'

Gold Rose Halo with 'Iscoyd Park'

The Rochelle Headband with 'Petal' 

10 mins with…….The Dressing Rooms

This weeks stockist features The Dressing Rooms. This beautiful boutique based in Halesowen, West Midlands. It is run by Rebecca and her team of 9 trained staff with customer service being second to none. The shop is open 7 days a week including 3 late nights. Read below to find out more about this boutique and all the great services they offer.

Rebecca - The lovely owner! a self confessed work-aholic, very happily married, mum of two lovely boys

How did the Dressings Rooms come about ?

I trained as a florist almost 30 years ago now and did a third year of training specilaising in Wedding Floristry.  As part of the final exam I created a "one stop bridal boutique" even at this early stage the seed for The Dressing Rooms had been sown!  After many years in Floristry and a few other career changes along the way I decided the time had come to branch out on my own.  Premises were found and so The Dressing Rooms began.  With a small loan from the bank and a lot of hard work and determination, the business bloomed into what it is today.

How did you feel when you received your first order ?

I remember just being so excited that someone had tried on one of my dresses the first time we had a client in store!! The fact that the bride loved it and placed her order was over whelming - I jumped up and down with my mum after the bride had gone!! Wooohooo!!!! :))))))))))

What makes your boutique different ?

There are many little features that make us different, like being child friendy (we have a box of toys to keep them amused) like having an "open door policy" (you can come back and try on as many times as you need to even after the order is placed)  Free storage right up until the wedding day (dresses are safe and most importantly, insured)  Our unique Order Of Service (a beautiful little book that explains the process each bride will go through with their time with us) Rebeccas eye for detail and current trends, (always ensuring we have the latest styles in store) Our opening hours (seven days a week and three late nights)  so brides can come in their spare time rather than use up precious Holiday time that they want to keep for their Honeymoon) Most importantly our Team of staff, all chosen because they're lovely and kind, not because of any selling techniques they know or how they can compete with sales targets, we are simply not interested in that.  If the stock is good and up to date it does that work for us, we just need to be kind, find time and always listen.


What is a typical day at The Dressing Rooms ?

Oh my days!! there is no typical day at The Dressing Rooms!!  Each and every day is different and each day brings new challenges and delights in equal measure.  All I can say is we literally do not stop from the minute we open until the minute we close, every day.  Whether its brides to be served, the phone ringing, e mails to be answered, queries to be sorted, orderes to be placed, alterations to organise, dresses to steam and prep, the shop to clean, the window to change, we just never stop! Christmas Eve is a quiet day for us!

What's the best/worst things about running your own business ?

The best thing about running my own business is the freedom to be creative and reward those around me for their dedication to my business.  Without my team The Dressing Rooms would not be what it is today.  The worst thing about running my own business.....mmmmm... I can't think of one!

If you were stuck on a desert island what 3 things would you take with you ?

If I was stuck on a desert island - gosh I would be bored! But I suppose I would have to take my laptop suncream and sunglasses and make the most of the break whilst still keeping in touch with work! :))

10 mins with..........Amanda K Bridal

The second of our stockists features Amanda K bridal. With a brand new boutique in Truro Cornwall, and designers such as Mori Lee, White Rose and Maggie Sottero I think you will all agree this is one beautiful boutique.

The stunning Mansion House in Truro where Amanda K is based.

How did I get into the bridal business?

It is a cliché but when shopping for my own dress I was disappointed with the local bridal shops…. Tiny changing areas, mediocre customer service and no passion to be seen. I have a business background and a lot of experience in sales and customer service, teamed with my interest in fashion and passion for dressing to suit your body shape, I said to my friend Carmen “ I could do better than this!” – she agreed and that was the day Amanda K was born!

How did you feel the day your boutique opened?

The day my boutique opened was wonderful – I had so much support from family and friends and although we started small with just two designers I was proud and threw myself completely into making it the success it has become today.  The opening of the new boutique was completely different with great support from suppliers in the industry and generally an altogether more upmarket evening! I feel proud of how far we have come and what we have achieved.

What makes your boutique different?

Along with our friendly service, what stands out is that brides come to us not to just buy a dress… but to be styled. According to our brides we are the only boutique who suggest styles that flatter and try out different looks that we know will compliment our brides weddings. We have also introduced our own “Signature” Collection where we can change the design of a dress to suit each bride. We try to create an environment that is about more than just a dress, it’s an all-encompassing experience for the bride that we want her to cherish forever.

The best and worst thing about running your own business?

The worst not knowing when to switch off – I am a keen Facebooker and find myself on social media when I am supposed to be relaxing. 

The best  - making changes and improving the business as I see fit because I can make my own decisions that comes with running a business, and above all sharing such personal moments with my brides and their families – we are honoured to be involved and many come back to share pregnancies with us and anniversary details which we love.

What 3 things would you take with you to a desert island?

My IPAD so I can keep in touch with my brides - not sure about the Wifi connection though!

Something to read – I love the fashion magazines such as Vogue & Elle (and perfect time of year for it, just in time for the Autumn Winter collections)

A bottle of bubbly – a desert island sounds like a break away from it all so I would want a bottle of fizz. There is a local vineyard in Cornwall named Polgoon who do the most amazing Elderflower and sparkling Raspberry Aval – I always make sure I have a bottle chilled in the fridge as you never know when you might need to celebrate!

10 mins with….The White Collection

We are very lucky to have welcomed lots of fabulous new stockists to Flo & Percy over the past few months. We would therefore love to share some of these beautiful boutiques with you in the coming weeks, hopefully you will find one in your area!

Store: The White Collection, Clevedon, North Somerset

Owner: Lea Watson

How did you get into the bridal business ?

A few years ago, after several unfulfilling years studying and pursuing a career in litigation, I decided to develop my hobby of designing jewellery. This soon moved towards designing bridal accessories, but things didn't stop there, my love of all things bridal got the better of me and when the opportunity arose for me to open my own bridal boutique I couldn't resist. It's a wonderful business to be in and I love all the different aspects associated with running the shop. Meeting people at such a happy and important time of their lives is a privilege to be part of.

How did you feel the day your boutique opened ? 

Over the moon! Getting the shop ready and open was a gradual process and took time but when the first few customers came in and commented on how beautiful the shop is and what a wonderful experience they’d had, it was really lovely to hear and reassured any nerves I had!

What makes your boutique different ?

Any business is a reflection of it’s owner, I’d like to think that my boutique has a strong identity that represents my values and style. It can be daunting making an appointment to try beautiful designer gowns in an exclusive boutique. I want Brides to genuinely have a fabulous time when they visit, in a relaxed and welcoming environment without feeling uncomfortable or pressured to purchase. The aim is for them to have fun and enjoy the process of finding their dream dress and accessories in a luxurious environment. With a background in accessories I love helping to style the bride from top to toe and offer consultation appointments purely to try different accessories. The collection of dresses we stock are carefully chosen and all fabulous but equally, accessories are so important in finishing the look and often appear in every photograph on the wedding day so, I feel that it’s important that the bride loves them as much as her dress. I take pride in ensuring that visiting brides have the best choice of accessories available and time to indulge in trying different options.

What's the best/worst things about running your own business ? 

The best thing - the sense of personal satisfaction from knowing that you’ve helped create happy memories for the bride and their party when they’ve visited the boutique. I love hearing the squeal of delight from the Bride and seeing the hugs from her loved ones on the pavement outside when she’s just left the shop after an appointment.

The worst thing-life’s a balancing act, running your own business can be very time consuming and especially if you love what you do as it can be hard to turn off in the evening and leave the business behind for a few hours. I have a family so have to make sure that I’m not just giving the best of myself to the business.

If you were stuck on a desert island what 3 things would you take with you ?  

Assuming the basics are covered like food and drink…I would take my family, I have a husband and four children (can I include our dog here too?!), some way of playing music and a camera to capture the memories.

Many thanks to Lea for being our first features boutique, if you are not tempted to visit already then please see below for images of her beautiful shop!