I WON AN AWARD! SO WHAT...?!

It was with great delight, a large helping of disbelief, and a whole lot of whooping, that two weeks ago I picked up my first ever Wedding Industry Award at a glitzy event hosted at Heaton House Farm in Cheshire.

Post awards I grinned so hard that my face did genuinely start to ache. I joyfully accepted congratulations from my fellow wedding industry friends, and I celebrated...Hard!

When I woke the next morning, the first thing I did, was to sit up in bed and lift my shiny, Wedding Industry Awards award from the bedside table, stare at it to make sure I hadn't imagined the whole thing, and start to relive and relish the whole awards ceremony experience over again in my head.

The intervening two weeks has involved even more recounting of that Glorious night to friends, family, colleagues, and potential customers, and in that time, through the recounting of how I felt, why it was so exciting for me, and why I ended up staying up way past my bedtime to sip on a few glasses of bubbles, I've had the chance to ask myself...so what?! Why are awards like the one I picked up for the North West's Wedding Accessory Designer of the year, so important? What does it actually mean?

So what? For me:

To win a nationally recognised award at the Wedding Industry Awards gives me something exciting, tangible and credible to shout about! I can blog about it, send out press releases to local media. I can let my followers on social media know, announce it on my website, tell visitors to my studio, as well as the people I meet at wedding fairs. It creates a buzz around my wedding accessories supplied by voting from past Glorious brides, which in turn gives me a big opportunity to raise awareness of the quality of my products and service.

So what? For my customers:

An award from the Wedding Industry Awards is an instantly recognised mark of approval for businesses involved in supplying goods, services and expertise to brides, grooms and their family and friends. To be shortlisted for such an award tells my future customers that I'm an established professional. To win the award tells my future customers that I'm established, and recognised as something special in my field!

So what? For the future:

Through winning the regional award for Wedding Accessory Designer of the year, I'm now through to the national Wedding Industry Awards held in London in January.

I get to buy a dress for the awards do! And shoes!

After the January awards, I get to actually see the comments made by past Glorious brides when they voted for me. This is invaluable to me and my business, as it gives me the chance to see what my brides think I do well, and plan to develop those aspects of my service. It also allows me to see where the gaps are in what I currently offer brides and their bridal parties, and plan to improve those areas.

So thank you TWIA:

For arranging an award that is voted for by past brides, giving businesses like mine a true reflection of what we're doing well; and for giving us the chance to get together, to kick off our shoes, and to celebrate our industry and what we do best.

So thank you Glorious brides:

For taking the time to vote for me, and by doing so, giving me the chance to tell future Glorious brides that they can expect award winning accessories and service when they come to Glorious Tiaras.

Roll on January and London!

http://the-wedding-industry-awards.co.uk

Thanks for your thanks!

Ask any of my friends and family and they'll tell you I'm all about the Summer! Long evenings spent pottering around my garden; walking the dog; sitting outside the local for a drink with friends; lapping up whatever warmth comes our way. I don't do the dark, cold, and wet that come with the Winter months. Not easily anyway. So, it used to be, before launching Glorious Tiaras 3 years ago, that I would welcome Autumn and it's vibrant colours with an edge of melancholy at the thought of the dark months ahead.

How that's changed in recent times!

Why?

Because after the rush of summer orders, summer weddings and Glorious summer brides, come the pictures sent to me, by my brides, of them wearing their Glorious accessories on their amazing wedding days! Those pictures never fail to make me feel a warm glow, and really do brighten up the dullest of days!

Image courtesy of Chelsea Shoesmith Photography

Then there are my brides reviews of my work. All reviews are important to me and my business. It's through knowing what I did well; what my brides appreciated about my service; and what is sometimes left unsaid, that I can develop plans to continue to improve what Glorious Tiaras offers to brides. And above all, knowing that one of my brides has taken the time out of her busy, post wedding schedule, to write a review, send a card, or an email, leaves me with the best of feelings about what I do.

Reviews are amazing tools. They reassure future Glorious brides that I am good at what I do, that I'm friendly, approachable, knowledgeable, helpful, and that Glorious accessories are exactly that - Glorious!

I use those valuable reviews on social media, when I'm entering awards, and as a tool to help me plan for my business, so when they pop up in my inbox, I can't help but feel happy.

Autumn is also the time when I work on new designs for the following year's collections. Spending time gathering inspiration, settling on a theme, sketching, and trying out new ideas, before finally getting to work on designs that are going to bring my brides looks to life next year, is a joyous and exciting time.

So, far from dreading the shortening of days, the changing colours, the need to throw on a few extra layers, I say 'bring it on'! Bring on the brides, the reviews, and the plans for the fresh 2016 wedding season.

Hello! Magazine Hair Inspiration

So I'm pretty certain that I, personally, will never make it on to the pages of Hello! Magazine, but I'm chuffed to pieces to see that my Sofia bridal comb, as styled by the very talented Gemma of Dollface Make Up Studio, has!

Hair by Dollface Make Up Studio
www.dollfacemakeupstudio.co.uk

Under the title: The best wedding hair inspiration on instagram; our Sofia comb makes it into the top 10, dressing up this relaxed, romantic, low bun, as styled by the Dollface team at their Cheshire salon.

This style is the perfect choice for a more informal, pretty, boho bride look, channelling that iconic Kelly Clarkson wedding look.

Dollface Make Up Studio, based in Congleton, Cheshire, are an official stockist of Glorious bridal hair accessories, and can offer bridal hair and make up trials using our accessories to inspire you lovely brides-to-be.

We think it very apt that the Sofia bridal accessory just happens to be named after one of the most glamorous Hello! worthy celebrities of all time, Sofia Loren!

Glorious Tiaras and Dollface Make Up - We do!

It's gives me goosebumps and great happiness to announce a very exciting collaboration between Gemma Lucas of Dollface Hair and Make Up, and myself, offering the Cheshire, Derbyshire, Lancashire and Greater Manchester bride-to-be an incredibly useful service!

Gemma Lucas - Dollface Make Up
www.dollfacemakeupstudio.co.uk

Heidi Reid - Glorious Tiaras
www.glorioustiaras.co.uk

I first met Gemma in the autumn of 2014 having spotted a few of her make-up related updates on Facebook. I took my then, very sorry eyebrows, to her Cheshire studio for a HD makeover (love the results), and we got to chatting about her bridal hair and make up service.

Gemma is a very experienced make up artist having trained and worked as an Advanced Artist for Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, worked backstage on Britain's Next Top Model, The National Wedding Show, and the Scottish Fashion Awards.

Bridal hair and make up with Dollface
www.dollfacemakeupstudio.co.uk/gallery/bridal/

Our make up, brides,  and hair accessories chat, led us naturally to a problem that many brides-to-be face when trying to choose a style that suits them, and that they love, for their wedding day look. Gemma explained how difficult it is for many of her clients to envisage what their style might look like when teamed with an accessory. A chignon accessorised with a large diamante comb, will look very different teamed with a smaller comb, or with a scattering of crystal hair pins, wrapped with a fluid hair vine, or set off by a pearl laden band. Without those accessories to hand, to play around with during a trial, many of Gemma's brides were struggling to find a style that they were confident enough with to have it replicated on the day of their wedding.

I think you can guess what happened next...!

From here on in, when you book and attend your bridal hair and make up trial with Dollface Make Up Studio, you will be treated to a full 'try on session' with a choice of Glorious bridal hair accessories, as part of your trial. That way you can know for sure whether you suit a cascade of pearls running freely around your fishtail plait, or a glitzy Hollywood glamour comb tucked neatly down the side of your half up do.

Ava side tiara
www.glorioustiaras.co.uk/side-tiara-ava

There will never be any pressure for you to place an order for any of the accessories used during your trial, but of course if you do fall head over heels in love, Gemma will tell you where to find me and my very wonderful HD brows!

If you'd like to book a bridal consultation with Dollface you can contact Gemma at:

www.dollfacemakeupstudio.co.uk
info@dollfacemakeupstudio.co.uk
07816 291001
www.facebook.com/dollfacemakeupstudiouk
twitter.com/DollfaceMUp

Dollface Makeup Studio
Mawson Hairdressing 
42 Chesterfate 
Macclesfield
SK116BA

Glorious Tiaras can be found at:

www.glorioustiaras.co.uk
glorioustiaras@gmail.com
07904 301059
www.facebook.com/glorioustiaras
twitter.com/glorioustiaras

Glorious Tiaras
Makers' Place
Heritage Centre
Roe Street
Macclesfield
SK11 6UT

YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A KEY PIECE FROM THE GLORIOUS 2015 COLLECTION!

I have some very exciting news for you this wintry November weekend! The Glorious 2015 range of accessories launches in our on-line store today, and with it comes your chance to win your choice of one of the key pieces!

Ava side tiara

http://www.glorioustiaras.co.uk/side-tiara-ava

This collection of 7, divine bridal accessories, incorporates side tiaras, combs, pins, birdcage veils, hair vines, and bridal cuffs, and are all designed with that old style Hollywood glamour firmly in mind.

Some like the Sofia side tiara, comb, and pins, feature dramatic clusters of crystals that Liz Taylor would have totally rocked, whilst others, like the Seren Birdcage veil, were designed to recreate the stylish, vintage elegance, of Hollywood great Sophia Loren.

Sofia side tiara
http://www.glorioustiaras.co.uk/tiara-sofia                                

Seren birdcage veil
http://www.glorioustiaras.co.uk/birdcage-veil-seren

The Seren range features tiny hand stitched and wired stars, that twinkle softly and subtly.

Seren hair vine
http://www.glorioustiaras.co.uk/bridal-hair-vine-seren 

All pieces are hand crafted by Heidi in her Cheshire studio, and can be adapted through a relaxed and friendly consultation, to suit your specific requirements.

To find out how you can win, head over to our Facebook page now, and follow those simple instructions! 

https://www.facebook.com/GloriousTiaras

Stockists enquiries are very welcome at glorioustiaras@gmail.com

Heidi x

• The winner may choose any accessory from the 2015 collection (Sofia side tiara. Sofia comb. Sofia pin. Ava side tiara. Seren birdcage veil. Seren hair vine. The unnamed crystal band!)
• The accessory will be hand crafted by Glorious designer Heidi Reid, and will have a 3-4 week lead time before delivery. 
• Work on the accessory will begin once the competition winner has notified Glorious Tiaras of their accessory choice. 
• The prize must be claimed before 1st March 2015
• Best accessory name wins! 
• The winner will be chosen by a panel of wedding experts. 
• The competition will close for entries on 7th December 2015
• The winner will be announced on 13th December 2015
• Competition is open to UK residents only

Rocking those Vintage Brooch Bouquets!

Glorious Vintage Brooch Bouquets
in stock at Rocks for Frocks

When exhibiting at wedding fairs I'm often asked if I have 'a shop', the short answer to this question is 'no'. The longer answer is that I'm proud to be a member of a growing army of small business women and designers who work out of a home studio. I have always welcomed visitors by appointment and pull out all the stops to make you feel very, very welcome when you pop by the studio to try on some of our Glorious hair accessories! However, I recognise that a number of my clients need to tie in their wedding shopping with other related stuff, which is why I was delighted when Gail of Rocks for Frocks approached me at an event to discuss stocking our bespoke vintage brooch bouquets at her outlet in Liverpool's The Wedding House.

The Wedding House,
Great Gorge Place, Liverpool

Crystal Vintage Brooch Bouquet
©E&MArts Photography

North West brides, if you haven't been, make time in your busy schedules to pop by The Wedding House! Several floors within this imposing Gothic building offer you the chance to talk to everyone from dress suppliers, cake designers, stationers, photographers and of course, accessory designers. A great starting point for the newly engaged, and the perfect place to tick off those final items on your wedding day 'to do' list.

Our bespoke vintage brooch bouquets are in stock NOW at Rocks for Frocks, 2nd Floor, The Wedding House, 3-4 Great George Place, Liverpool. L1 7AG.

www.theweddinghouse.co.uk/index.html

www.glorioustiaras.co.uk/section/bouquets

Glorious bride Hannah & how to order a bespoke bridal headpiece!

It was an utter delight to work with April bride Hannah earlier this year, and the process we went through to reach her completed hair accessory makes the perfect blog piece for brides-to-be unsure of how to approach their accessory buying.

Image © Delicious Photography http://www.deliciousphotography.co.uk

Hannah first got in contact with me on via email, having heard my hair accessories discussed on Capital FM Manchester, by another of my brides-to-be!

Image © Delicious Photography http://www.deliciousphotography.co.uk

Hannah had a very clear idea of the kind of hair accessory she wanted and helpfully sent me a handful of images from Pinterest (what did we do before Pinterest?), showcasing the look she wanted. We spoke on the phone, and Hannah described her dress; pinpointed that she wanted leaves in her tiara, and that she wanted her accessory to have a 'vintage feel'.

Image © Delicious Photography http://www.deliciousphotography.co.uk

Hannah shared her budget with me, the date of her wedding and when she'd ideally like to take delivery of her hair accessory, and I went away to work up some ideas.

Image © Delicious Photography http://www.deliciousphotography.co.uk

Having shared a number of images of fledgling design styles with Hannah, we settled on the look she liked, featuring crystal navettes, ivory potato pearls, and diamante leaves.

Image © Delicious Photography http://www.deliciousphotography.co.uk

I kept Hannah posted with the progress of her design, sending her images and giving her the chance to comment and make any last minute changes.

Image © Delicious Photography http://www.deliciousphotography.co.uk

Hannah notified me of her tiara's arrival with the wonderful message: 'It's arrived and it's perfect'! Just what every designer wants to hear!

So, why did the process work so well?

• Hannah had a clear idea of the theme she wanted her accessory to compliment.
• She discussed looks and shared ideas she liked.
• She knew how much she wanted to spend and was happy to share her budget with me.
• She was honest about the designs she didn't like, which enabled me to get to the one that she did!
• She allowed plenty of time for the design process to happen, contacting me 8 weeks ahead of her wedding.
• She was lovely!

And I think you'll agree, Hannah looks amazing in her bespoke Audrey tiara!!!

Photography: Delicious Photography, Lancashire http://www.deliciousphotography.co.uk www.facebook.com/pages/Delicious-Photography

Audrey Tiara: http://www.glorioustiaras.co.uk/tiara-audrey www.facebook.com/GloriousTiaras