How to order your bespoke bridal hair accessory

For many of you, choosing your hair accessory is a simple as browsing the different options online, clicking a button on the keyboard, and waiting excitedly to receive something Glorious through the post. If that's you, then head this way!

www.glorioustiaras.co.uk

But if you're keen to have a hair accessory that is unique to you, something that you've had a hand in designing, you're probably one of the brides that asks me my most commonly asked question:

"How do I go about getting you to make something for me?"

• Book a consultation with your chosen designer/s - Consultations are usually in person, over the phone, via email or other messaging service, and some designers, like me, offer Skype consultations.

• Set your budget - Very often it's the elephant in the room, but if you speak to your accessory designer about how much you want to spend on your headpiece at the start of the consultation process, then you do away with the possibility of that embarrassing moment when you have to say that the piece you've just spent half an hour discussing, and falling in love with, is too expensive. As a guide, you can expect to spend from £80 - £280 on a hair accessory, dependent on it's size, intricacy, and value of the components used in it's making. Also, ask about payment options. Designers work differently, but personally, I require a 20% deposit to start work on your accessory, with the final balance due on completion. I also offer payment by instalments, invoicing you an agreed amount across a period of months.

• Share your ideas - Pinterest is your friend! If you're using Pinterest to gather inspiration for your wedding, share your hair style, hair accessory, or wedding theme boards with your designer. A good designer will be able to see straight away if your look leans towards boho, vintage, city chic, modern, classic, rustic, festival, alternative, or fairytale, and will be able to suggest accessories styles that would suit that look

• Get the dress - Don't start accessorising until you've chosen your wedding dress. Your accessories are the icing on the cake, the things that raise your look to the next level. Colour clashes can look fun, and contemporary, fluid lines look organic and natural, crystals enhance a glamorous gown. Again, if you're unsure, your designer can guide you.

• It's all in the detail - If you have pictures of your dress, and any detailing on the bodice, sleeves or overskirt, share those pictures with your designer. If the lace on your dress carries a floral, or leaf design, it may be nice for your hair accessory to build, compliment and enhance that design. If your gown is fairly plain, then you can go to town with your accessories. Likewise, if you have a lot of sequin and crystal embellishment on your bodice, you might want to keep the accessories relatively simple. A good designer will talk you through some ideas.

• Have some hair ideas - Again Pinterest is great for gathering wedding hair inspiration! If you have a collection of pictures, be they online, in a magazine, or simply in your head, be sure to show/discuss them with your designer. Looser styles work really well with hair vines and combs, more formal styles look stunning topped off with a more classic piece a la Kate Middleton's tiara.

• Try a few different styles on - If you have the luxury of meeting your designer face to face, either at a wedding fair, or at a consultation, make the most use of that time by trying a few different styles on, I guarantee that you'll surprise yourself! So many of my brides have told me that they definitely don't want a 'traditional' tiara, or a gold accessory, or something with pearls in it, and yet once they've tried that very style on they change their minds. Much like trying on wedding dresses, it's often very hard to visualise what it is that is best going to compliment your hair colour / face shape / where you want to wear your accessory

• Think about what you're accessorising - Talk to your designer about what you want your hair accessory to work alongside. Is it to compliment a veil? If you're wearing a headpiece with a veil, think about that point in the day when you remove your veil. How will your accessory look then? Do you want your hair accessory to accentuate your overall theme? Hollywood glamour? Great Gatsby? Disney fairytale? Rustic? Vintage?

• Think about the bridal 'team' - Do you want your bridesmaids to have hair accessories that compliment, or contrast with our own? A simpler version of your theme often looks effective. Or pieces that tie in with your look, be that Grecian, floral, pearl, or crystal. It's often fun to bring one or all of your bridesmaids along to your consultation. They can take pictures of you wearing different hair accessories for future reference. They can share the fun of the 'girly try on', and they can have some input into what they would feel excited about wearing.

• Let your designer know your wedding date, and don't delay in booking them if your wedding is less than 6-7 months away! Accessories are often one of the last things that brides organise. However, designers get very busy during 'wedding season', April - August, and usually ask for around 4-6 weeks to complete your order. If you've seen their work, checked their client feedback, and are happy with the ideas from your consultation, then give them your date, and book them to start work!