Only in the darkness can you see the stars

I thought this was a very apt title. As we approach week seven million and fifty three of lockdown, is it just me that feels it’s been that long…?

There is something rather magical about the stars. I find it rather mind-blowing to get my head around the fact that many are so old and far away and it’s taken so long for their light to reach us that they have long burnt away. We are effectively looking at a memory. How magical is that? I love the moon as well, especially a full moon, when it hangs like a shiny ten pence in the sky. As a child, I felt I could just reach up and take in my hand.

Anyway, this blog is not just me rambling on about stars and moons and how long they have been there. I would like, however, to take this moment to digress and mention star signs. I am mightily peeved to reach the long awaited May 2020, which I had carefully orchestrated (OK – that’s a stretch – it was a fluke…)

- My son Rowan would turn 13 on the 12th (yep, we await the switch to Kevin the teenager)
- I would turn 50 (no I can’t believe it either!) on the 28th
- My daughter Rhianna would turn 16 on the 29th!

An amazing month of celebration, with parties galore (also my Mum is 73 on the 11th and my late sister Fleur has her celestial party wherever she is for her 46th on the 27th) So, as you can imagine a certain party pooper called Covid was not on my list of favourite guests! We all have Amazon wish lists and I’m pretty damn sure a pandemic is not on there! But I’m going to be 50 until 27th May 2021 so i will have that party! Anyway I digress. On with the stars!

A couple of years ago I met a lovely bride to be called Linzi who was to marry her partner Graham. I have rarely met a more wonderful client, so full of joy. together, we designed an ombre dress,which was quite full and which was to have an ivory star topper. During the dress journey, Linzi’s health took a turn for the worse and she had to change her wedding plans. She knew she might possibly be in a wheelchair and would definitely have a stick. She wanted a more slimline dress that she could easily manage, but she refused to give up her stars and that little bit of extra! So, as if by magic, she found some starry fabric and, using that and a version of my Rhianna Cape, the Linzistar Cape was born! It’s become one of our bestsellers; celestial themed weddings have become really popular , which I’m really pleased about because I simply love stars! I used to doodle stars over everything when I was a child, so being able to source fabrics with stars is fabulous.

Here are Linzi and Graham on their big day captured by https://belleartphotography.co.uk/and featured in Rock n Rollbride Magazine.

We now do the Linzistar in many colours: ivory with silver and gold (when I can get the fabric as it’s like gold dust, or should that be stardust?), ivory with gold, champagne with gold, ivory with pink and lilac, pink with pink and lilac, midnight blue with silver and finally simple ivory on ivory for the more sedate star lovers.

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/806128641/linzistar-cape-star-veil-embroidered

About a year ago a colleague of mine Nicola from Not so Average Wedding challenged me to make a star dress for the cover of her new magazine The Alternative Wedding Magazine and so the Rowan dress cosmic version was created, and modelled on one of my favourite places Marsden Beach. Photo by https://www.instagram.com/thewildloveclub/. You can buy this magazine here http://alternativeweddingmagazine.co.uk/shop

Every week I have a virtual coffee morning hosted by the wonderful Linzi Barford from http://unconventionalwedding.co.uk and I rashly make a promise to Linzi and the other virtual novelty mug tea drinking wedding suppliers who drop in and keep me sane, to make something each week. Last week brought you the Pink starry Andromeda dress, this week I bring you Starlight Rowan available on etsy. Looking fabulous in the sunlight, and in artificial light, so you can imagine what you would look like twinkling on your big day.

I managed an impromptu photo shoot on my own in the Studio carpark, and the mannequins were all well behaved and tried to social distance, but then remembered as they were all headless it was fine to cluster together for photos. I’m hoping I have a queue like this when I reopen 🤣

I’ve pulled together a selection of images of Linzistar and Rowan for you to enjoy. I’ve credited the photographer, BUT there is an awesome team behind every image. I could not supply you with such beautiful images without all the amazing suppliers I have been privileged to work with. Please contact me if you like what you see and I can point you to the full team behind each image.🖤

Tonight, go outside with a rug, lie down and stare at the stars and the moon – really stare. In a time of uncertainty like this its great to have something beautiful and timeless to gaze upon. If you live near the sea, even better…

Enjoy these images. Until next time, love from Bexbrides and Eclecticbrides team: Bex , Marie and Christine ( and behind the scenes Chris my hubby and tech support, Rhianna my often times model and Rowan my ginger tea maker…)Xxx

Love to you all

Bex (aged 49 and 49/52ths…)

These 2 images taken at Arnos Vale by https://www.leeshawilliamsphoto.com