Your Sussex Wedding - Page number 9 - August/September 2021 (Issue 92)

FASHIONWITH LOVE If sustainability and ethical shopping are crucial to you when looking for your big-day dress and accessories, pop along to The St Barnabas House Charity Wedding Boutique in Worthing. It has a huge selection of both new and pre-loved wedding dresses, bridal accessories and bridesmaid dresses. The Wedding Boutique is open by appointment only and upon arrival you’ll be greeted by one of the team who’ll help you find the dress of your dreams. There are plenty of styles to choose from both in ivory and white, with silhouettes including ballgown, mermaid, A-line, tea-length, fit and flare and vintage. There’s certainly something to suit everyone. What’s more there’s also a wide range of sizes available. Best of all, not only are you helping a charity to provide hospice care when you buy your dress here, you’re also making an ethical bridal fashion statement. To find out more, check out www.stbh.org.uk/wedding or call 01903 823 424 to make an appointment. Catch up on the latest from around the county Nearlywed NEWS  TIP TOP Brighton-based hat designer and milliner Rachael Clunie of Avant Garde Couture and Rachael Clunie Millinery, has been awarded a scholarship from The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust, a charity supporting excellence in British craftsmanship. This prestigious award will fund her further training, enabling her to learn specific skills from master milliners Dillon Wallwork and Maor Zabar. Rachael’s work features both contemporary couture hats as well as more off-the-wall designs, including her spring/summer 2019 collection made from locally-sourced seaweed and beach litter. Previous works have seen her use recycled plastic from regular household products and lights. She says, “I’m overwhelmed and honoured to have been seen as talented enough to be accepted and supported by this wonderful trust. I’ve been totally shocked as I made it through each stage and to find out this wonderful news is just mind-blowing. I can’t wait to start this new journey as one of its new scholars and QEST family member.” So, if your mums are looking for something super-special to crown their wedding-day look head over to www.avantgardecoutureuk.com to find out more. YOUR CARRIAGE AWAITS When the country, and most of the wedding industry with it, ground to a halt during Covid lockdowns Weaver Family Limousines found itself with little to no business with their poor couples forced to postpone their weddings. Owner David says, “A wedding day is a huge event in anyone’s life and it should be special, complete with all the planning and anticipation. Instead couples’ dreams were dashed with uncertainty replacing that excitement.” But, the team set to work doing everything they could to support their brides and grooms – moving dates at a moment’s notice, honouring bookings at no extra cost and generally trying hard to give their nearlyweds much needed hope and encouragement. “Where we could make a wedding happen, we did. Where we could rearrange, we did,” David says. In the face of adversity this determined wedding supplier decided to take a significant risk and increase its fleet, enabling it to offer a wider variety of services to help couples focus on new plans. The latest exciting additions to the fleet are a beautiful white Rolls Royce Silver Spur, a stunning silver Bentley and another silver Mercedes S350 Executive. The former has a special history having been built to special order by Rolls Royce for a princess. It’s one foot longer than standard and is finished in diamond white with an elegant white leather interior. What’s more, Weaver Family Limousines is still offering fixed prices and bookings will be honoured even if your date needs to be moved. Check out www.weaverfamilylimousines.co.uk YOUR ESSENTIALS 9