Sakura Wedding Kanzashi!

I just have to share with you my latest custom order for a bride who is having a cherry blossom (or sakura) themed wedding!

She contacted me through etsy asking me to create for her a kanzashi that reminded her proposal amongst the sakura trees in Japan.  Isn't that a lovely image!  How could I refuse?

Isn't it adorable!

I never get bored with making falls for kanzashi as they are a lot of fun. 

Especially these ones because they have little bells so they jingle as you walk.

And just to show how long the kanzashi is on someone here is me wearing it.

I think the best way to wear this kanzashi is with a side bun which is sweeped quite high.  This way the hair will frame the bouquet nicely and also allow the falls to dangle just low enough so they swing freely.  My side bun is a little bit low in this photo because I just used a large beck clip to hold my hair but it gives you an idea of what sort of hairstyle you could try.

Wedding Dress - Pembroke by Anne Barge

I know the market is saturated with dresses that are white or ivory but one colour that I don't often see is gold!  

I suppose there reason for this is that gold isn't the most forgiving colours.  I remember my friend tried something yellow and just looked ill whereas for me yellow looked great!

Pembroke by Anne Barge

Why I love it!

Look at the amount of lace on the dress!  You are head to toe in gorgeous lace and it isn't overwhelming in anyway.  Sometimes you see lace being used just to make it look more fancy which is wrong.  Lace should be added to enhance the dress and therefore in my view, the underlayer should be kept as simple as possible to show off the lace.

And then there is the cap sleeves which are just cute and perfect for people who want to cover up the top of their arms.

Hmmm second thoughts?


As I mentioned above, gold can be very unforgiving for certain skin tones which is a shame.

Then there is the back of the dress, it isn't the lowest I have seen but never the less for you brides who can not go bra-less, this is not good.  However I am sure you can buy special underwear which will allow you to wear this dress.

Wedding Dress - ?? by Yumi Katsura

This designer has so many dresses that I love but I think this is the one that I like the best.

I have been discovering so many wedding dress designers since I started this weekly blog post that I wish I could see some of these dresses in person.

Yumi Katsura dresses are gorgeous but they will cost a bit, this one is 312,900 Yen!

?? by Yumi Katsura

What really caught my eye was her kimono section because I am a kimono addict.

Why do I love this dress!


The dress design is so well balanced.  At the top, we have some floral decoration which stand out however the rest of the dress is nice and simple with clean cut lines.  Especially on the skirt, I love how the skirt is figure hugging while at the same time has a wonderful train.

Second thoughts?


I know it is bad to complain about price when what you are getting is a haute couture wedding dress but I have to admit it is scary.  But if the price wasn't on my mind then I'm not sure what would stop me from getting it.  I mean, it is haute couture so the dress will be made to look magnificent on you and if not, I would be very disappointed.

I suppose if I was nit picking then I could say the skirt is somewhat plain but I think you are swapping bling for superior dressmaking skills.

Wedding Dress - BlueBird by Ian Stuart

I'm in a daydreaming mood today and this dress just screams fantasy to me.  It is by the brilliant Ian Stuart and I had a hard time choosing just one of this dresses but this one is my favourite.

Blue Bird by Ian Stuart

Why do I love it?

Lets see, it is a halterneck top, there is a splash of colour and the back of this dress is just soooooo dreamy!

When it comes to details, I love bows for some reason. Maybe it is my inner gothic lolita telling me something............

I can see this dress working for many brides!

Second thoughts?


Not many actually and I am having a hard time thinking of one but here goes!  Having one train is hard enough but this one seems to have three of them so you will need to make sure that when you take photos that all of them are in place.

However I imagine this dress has been designed so that the train can be hooked up.  Therefore making walking around tables and dancing easier.

Wedding Dress - Scarlet Rose by Elisabeth Armstrong

I have just noticed that I have not done many alternative wedding dress!

Well I have to correct this and lets start with corset wedding dress.  I am a little bit bias to corset wedding dress because I wore one for my wedding and I loved it.

Scarlet Rose by Elisabeth Armstrong

Why I love this dress!

Doesn't the red just scream out at you?  Hell if you can't make an entrance in this dress then I give up!

If the colour doesn't get people's attention then the corset should.  The main reason why I love corset dresses is that you let the dress do all the work, a small waist and a flat stomach is guaranteed in a corset.  So rather then spending your time in the gym losing weight, you could just relax and concentrate on making sure that other things are going according to plan.

Also, contrary to what most people say, a well fitting corset does not constrict your breathing and is very comfortable to wear.  It also makes you stand up straight so you will look lovely in all of your wedding photos.

There must be something wrong here.

Well the main problem you will face is other people's expectations.  A lot of people feel a wedding dress should be white/ivory/off white because it is the colour that most modern day brides wear but do not be fooled with this tradition.

It was Queen Victoria who started the trend because she wanted to wear white rather then silver.  Most people in the past would just wear their best dress for their wedding and of course if you were rich you could have a dress made.