And so, preparation for my wedding this Autumn begins! (Shall I call it late Summer, and hope for better weather?)

Venue – done.  Food – done.  SO EXCITING!  After sampling lots of options in the Sheffield area, we chose to go with Chequers Out, the outside catering business of Chequers Inn.  We went with relatively low expectations, only to have our minds blown by the creative and passionate chef Karl.  One more (very important) thing ticked off the list!

Other than alcohol (we are organising an open bar…gulp), that leaves the aesthetic considerations.  I’m doing my own flowers, so no doubt I will bombard you when Spring time brings blooms back again!  I’m also doing my own invites, and they will certainly appear on the blog too.

Doing things yourself doesn’t have to make them second best.   Response from family and friends has ranged from concerned to patronising.  Can I cope?  Don’t I want the best for my big day?  Here’s my answer.  If I wasn’t happy with it, I wouldn’t use it, regardless of prices and savings.  If you think otherwsie, keep it to yourself!!  My aim is to have a beautiful wedding, one which I can be very proud to have contributed to creatively!

So, to this post.  The headdress.  I am wearing a veil, but I wanted something else special in my hair.  I HATE RHINESTONES.  Just had to get that out of the system.  I know a lot of brides begin with this philosophy, and then err towards them, so I am watching for signs in myself.  My first slight stumble – I have succumbed to a bit of beading (and some swarowski sparkles!! Sorry me!) in my head piece.

Gillian Million – style

I visited the Conde Nast Brides fair last year, and was so taken by the beautiful headgear.  This is not something I had foreseen.  I particularly fell in love with the Petite Lepley at Gillian Million, but was terrified by the £295 price tag.

This isn’t quite the one I fell for, but it gives you an idea, with the organic beading split into two areas on a headband.  It seems you either pay £80 for something a little bit rhinestone-y and tacky, or you have to blow a week’s wage on something beautiful like this (which you may only wear once).

So, I decided – I can do this.  If it is only half as good, or even a quarter as good, but I spend a twentieth of the price, I am pretty happy!  I popped down to YumYum Beads in Leeds where a nice lady guided me through the thickness of wire I might need and calmed my beading anxieties (she was rather patient, I had a lot of questions for a beginner)!  And I got going.

D.I.Y wedding headpiece

4mm silver coated wire (5.99)

10 Swarowski beads in clear, pearlescent and grey-blue (15p each)

1 scoop of pearlescent glass beads (50p)

one pack perfect glass beads, same size as above (£1.95)

All I did was follow the basic premise of the Gillian Million design I loved so much – loop 5 beads onto a reasonably long strand of wire, then tie off in a tight circle.  Repeat!  From each end, I continued to do this, occasionally weaving back on myself to strengthen the designs.  Each of these took me between 20 mins and an hour depending on size (perfect way to be pro-active in front of the Olympics/6 Nations!)

I wanted my headpiece to be quite easy to use, as I’m not fully set on how I want my hair.  To keep my options open I simply left two loops of wire, so that I can either pin in the decoration, or tie it with a ribbon, or even put them onto a hairband.

So, for under £12, I have made some individual pins for my two bridesmaids and flowergirl, and two larger pieces for myself (second one pending, I need to buy a few more swarowski blue-grey beads)!

What do you think?  Would you have paid the high price for something more professional, or are you impressed by my £12 wonders?? xxx