The Elegance of Roses and China
There is so much prettiness going on in this bridal inspiration shoot and it’s every pastel lovers dream too! Exploring the heritage of Stoke-on-Trent which is world famous for its pottery, china & roses; this shoot celebrates all that is handmade and vintage! Be sure to check out those stunning head pieces too!
“We wanted to look to the origins of bunting and tea parties and soon found a desire to explore something that means so much to us, the heritage of our industrial past, when beautiful things were “Made in Britain.”
Tea parties with beautiful antique china are often part of a Vintage styled wedding, and it’s part of Staffordshire’s heritage too. Generations of women handed down the skills that created our teacups, saucers and china flowers, and it’s a sense of pride that’s very emotive even today. We were inspired to create a shoot influenced by our pottery girls, and our Bohemian artists and designers.
The shoot took place at Gladstone Pottery Museum against the industrial backdrop of rustic brickworks and the giant bottle kilns of the former Gladstone China Works which have been preserved as one of the last complete Victorian Pottery factories in the country.
We styled the industrial shoot with ethereal dresses and accessories that are soft, delicate, and subtly embellished, just as fragile china tea cups are borne from a factory setting. We looked to the delicate patterns on bone china for inspiration, with their subtle coloured roses and gold leaf.
The industrial setting of the old factory and mould rooms contrasted with vintage inspired 1930s dresses with fragile layers of organza tulle and lace. There were delicate roses in chalky colours, flower circlets and handtied bouquets. Hair and make up was inspired by an element of bohemian gypsy styling, and with china roses and pretty roses in jars this made for a really exciting shoot!”
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Photography: Light and Lace Photography // Dresses and Accessories: Sarah Willard Couture // Hair and Make-Up: Beauty Angels Hair and Make Up // Flowers: Flowers By Breige // Props and China Tea Set: Agatha’s Vintage Tea Party // Location and China Roses: Gladstone Pottery Museum //