Earlier this year I came across the stunning work of Victoria Corbin of The Tiara Boutique, with the care and attention to detail that she puts into her work, along with a little bit of her own special magic you have to agree her work has an elegant beauty all of its own. As one of her newest fans
I asked Victoria to write a feature for all my special followers about her work and where she gets her inspiration from.
The sound that every jewellery/bouquet designer
dreads...thousands of beads hitting the laminate flooring and escaping to every
corner of the room at a rate of knots...I would say that happens about every
three days in my house, Nevertheless, I never learn, as I type this there is a
pot of seeds beads perilously close to the edge of my dining room table and my
two young children are tearing around the house as children do....it’s like a
ticking time bomb...
It all started with
my best friend asking me to make her some pins for her wedding day, they were
so well received at the shop she purchased her dress from that a tiara
collection followed and The Tiara Boutique was born.
Since then I have extended
my range to artificial and crystal bouquets.
Artificial flowers
are no longer the poor plastic imitations we used to see at our Nan’s house,
they are now beautiful and very realistic in appearance. Beautiful artificial flowers
often act as the base within my work and I dress them with brooches/ bead
work/wire work to transform them into a unique design. I am often asked how do
I have the patience, but like many others in this field of work, I consider it
a labour of love so I don’t think of it as a chore. I do feel extremely lucky to have a job I
absolutely adore.
I wouldn’t call my style modern or vintage inspired, elegantly
understated or wildly flamboyant, I like to think I have pieces that cater for
all tastes. I do offer a bespoke service
which many of my brides have taken advantage of. My collection offers my clients a diverse selection of styles
and techniques and, crucially, shows the quality to which the items are
produced to. My brides appreciate that all of my items are handmade and are
labour intensive. I am very particular in my work and hope this attention to
detail shines through.
Each piece can be
personalised with the addition of personal items such as family heirlooms,
jewellery, lockets, watches, buttons and so much more...the options are
endless!
I have, perhaps, a
rather romantic notion towards my work.
I hope that my pieces are cherished by the bride and may one day be passed
down to her children, be proudly displayed in her home once the big day has
passed or stored away as treasured keepsake of her big day.
I try to make my
products available to all brides. My
prices range from £40 - £500 and many of my designs can be customised to fit
within a realistic budget. I am all too aware that times are tight on all of us
at the moment so I offer the option of payment plans to brides who wish to
spread the cost. This has proven to be very popular as many brides have chosen
to order something extra special as it doesn’t seem quite so extravagant when
you pay in installments.
My business has only
been going three years now, it’s been hard work but this year it has really
taken off. I believe it’s because I offer
something a bit different that appeals to the brides of this age who are
breaking from tradition and being a little more adventurous in their choices. Social
media has been invaluable to getting my products out there without breaking the
bank spending out on advertising in wedding magazines.
I am not for the
hard sell approach I like to think my work speaks for itself – I want a bride
to carry/wear one of my creations down the aisle not because the price was
right but because she fell in love with it. I want her to treasure it and when
looking back on her big day she can open up that keepsake box many years
afterwards and the bouquet/tiara will be just as beautiful as the moment she
said ‘I do’...
If you would like to check out more of Victoria's work or contact her for more information then please check out her page http://www.facebook.com/TheTiaraBoutique
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