As we pride ourselves on being a true designer boutique, I thought we should explain a little more about our designers and why we love them so much. So to start off we are discussing Ian Stuart. Forgive the length of this post, there is just so much to say about him.

Ian Stuart has always had a passion for fashion, art, music and theatre. This passion was the driving force which determined his future as a bridal gown designer.

During his fashion education Ian specialised in bridal and evening wear design, for which he won numerous student awards. Upon graduating Ian began his training at Belville Sassoon, one of London’s finest couture houses who specialise in creating gowns for socialites and members of the Royal family. This training gave him invaluable knowledge of cut, proportion, balance and wearability within design.

Ian then went on to create bi-annual collections for leading bridal and evening wear manufacturers in London before moving on to New York to further his career, where he created bridal wear labels which where sold throughout the world.

With more than a decade of knowledge and experience behind him, the cutting-edge designer decided that it was time to launch his own bridal wear brand based in London. The Collection Designed by Ian Stuart Ltd was an instant success and attracted worldwide publicity.

Launching his own brand has allowed Ian to concentrate on creating collections which truly reflect his passion for innovative bridal design, without any restraints or compromise. His main objective is to provide brides-to-be with a luxurious and diverse selection of shapes, colours, and fabrics to reflect their own individual style.

Ian Stuart is regularly nominated for awards. Some of the awards he accepted include:

2015: New Bridal Retailer (for his Flagship store- The Blewcoat) – You & Your Wedding Magazine

2013: Best Wedding Dress Designer– Retail Bridal Association UK

2012: Best Occasionwear Collection– Bridal Buyer Awards UK

2012: Best Mother of The Bride Collection– Wedding Ideas Awards UK

2012: Best Wedding Dress Designer– Retail Bridal Association UK

2011: Best Wedding Dress Designer– Retail Bridal Association UK

2011: Best Bridal Designer– Perfect Wedding Awards UK

2010: Bridal Designer of the Year– Bridal Buyer Awards UK

2008: Outstanding Contribution to the Industry– Bridal Buyer Awards UK

2004, 2005, 2006, 2007: Bridal Designer of the Year– Bridal Buyer Awards UK

2004: The Bride of the Year– Good Morning Television UK

2002: Style Innovator– Design Excellence in the Bridal Industry USA

2001: Rising Star– Design Excellence in the Bridal Industry USA

1999: Best New Designer of the Year– Brides magazine UK

Ian was also chosen by the prestigious V&A museum to showcase his Flowerbomb dress at their popular wedding dress exhibition. Ian's design was being showcased along with some of the most famous wedding dresses of our time, including those worn by Kate Moss, Gwen Stefani and Dita Von Teese.

So if you want a dramatic style which has hints of Carrie Bradshaw and Helena Bonham Carter then Ian Stuart is the designer for you! You can see his latest collection, Unforgettably Me in the boutique now.

On the blog today we have the wedding of Samantha and Keith. This is a real treat for anyone who loves a theatrical style wedding.

Samantha and Keith got married on 9th April 2016 at the rather trendy Houchins Barn. This is a relatively new venue on the block but I have heard nothing but positive feedback about it.

When Samantha first came into the boutique, she explained to me that she is an interior designer and has her own design company (Morph Designs Ltd). So she was looking for a dress that was something a little different from the normal and as soon as she mentioned the words "Helena Bonham Carter style" I knew there was only one designer for her. The one and only Ian Stuart.

Samantha fell in love with the Pracatan dress, and as one of my all time favourite dresses I was truly jealous she got to wear it! I think the only way to describe this dress to someone is "think Carrie Bradshaw - Sex in the City". Ever the designer, Samantha wanted a few custom changes to the dress which were to remove the sparkle detail off the corset bodice and also to have a corset tie back put in. It was really important to Samantha that she could have different accessories that she could change throughout the day. In the end, she had 2 different boleros, a veil and a stunning hat (the hat was made by the same lady who helped Vivienne Westwood with the costume design for Tim Burtons "Alice in Wonderland").

Keeping with the Vivienne Westwood theme, Samantha had some gorgeous Vivienne Westwood shoes.

The photographer for the day was Jayne Heather, so a big thank you to her for her beautiful images.

Samantha's flowers were absolutely gorgeous. I love the mixture of blue and purples and they are such a stand out feature. Throughout the day Samantha and Keith put in some amazing touches to the make the venue look beautiful.

The wedding cake was made by Hunnybun Bakery and looks gorgeous, again the colour theme is stunning. The love letters were from My Big Fat Wedding and all the other props and screens were provided by Morph Designs.

The Grooms and Groomsmen had suits from Anthony's Menswear. I would highly recommend these guys to anyone looking for their suits. They have modern styles and are top quality in the cut and make. The guys that work there are really helpful too.