Make up artist Carolanne has been working with Miss Bush for over a decade now, as well as being a Miss Bush bride herself, so when it was time for her little sister, Lisa, to get married, we were so pleased that she brought her straight to the chapel for her bridal outfit.

Lisa wanted a look that wasn't too traditionally bridal, and we put together an outfit featuring chic cigarette trousers and a simple top, which made the perfect base for her statement cape. All from Jesus Peiro, these elements came together to create the perfect bridal outfit for Lisa, which was comfortable whilst still feeling special and one-of-a-kind.

The wedding took place in early November, with Lisa and Jay marrying in a chic city wedding around various locations in Birmingham, starting with an intimate registry office ceremony followed by dinner at The Ivy.

Read on to find out more, along with images from the brilliant Lisa Jane Photography.

Jesus Peiro top, trousers and cape

The cape was the star of the show - it made me feel so comfortable and confident. I wasn't very keen on being "too bridal" if there is such a thing, and the cape was a perfect way of wearing a once in a lifetime outfit, standing out from the crowd, but still being simple and comfortable. I had never seen or thought of anything like it before coming to Miss Bush, and yet it turned out to be exactly what I had always wanted.

My sister Carolanne came with me - she had gotten her wedding dress from Miss Bush and knows Emma well so we both went in knowing we would find something perfect. She was the one who suggested we try a cape option first, whilst after the initial consultation, Emma suggested I try trousers. Putting the two together was the perfect outcome - I was very lucky to have two skilled women at my side.

Dress Shopping

Trying on a variety of styles during my first visit was a lot of fun - it is an incredibly comfortable and non-judgemental space and Emma made sure there was no negative body talk, and no talk of sizes. It felt like a real privilege to try on so many beautifully designed outfits - especially at the end when I got to try on a proper traditional corseted and big skirted affair just for fun. The options available at Miss Bush go so far past any traditional idea of bridal wear, I was bowled over by what was available to me and it was very different from any bridal shopping I had done with friends in the past.

We had a few issues with the trousers, in that we changed the fabric at my first appointment as I was worried they were too shiny. The change in fabric altered the fit in a way I hadn't anticipated and the Miss Bush team went above and beyond, using all of their skills, to try and make them work to that original image I had in my head. In the end, we ended up going back to the original fabric and extra fittings were squeezed in right up to the wire to make sure they were perfect in time. The team had a real vested interest in me being delighted with the end result, I really felt like they would have turned up on the day with needle and thread if I had needed them - they made me feel like I was their only customer and were more than patient with me.

Styling

I had the image of a high ponytail in my mind to go with the sleekness of the trousers - and Carolanne took that and elevated it beyond my imagination, adding custom designed hairclips to create a dramatic headpiece and managing to get volume from my poker straight hair that Dolly would have been proud of. The simple lines of the outfit meant we could go for really bold shoes - and Carolanne found the perfect gold sparkly pair on eBay. I can't stress how lucky I am that I had Carolanne in my corner every step of the way, turning all of my most vague ideas in to reality. I don't tend to wear jewellery, but the morning of the wedding Jay surprised me by sending a very simple swarovski bracelet to my room - it went perfectly with the look by complimenting Carolanne's headpiece design and adding an extra sparkle to the overall look without being overkill.

A chic Birmingham wedding

The day was intended to be small and intimate but also to feel really special and luxurious. We wanted to spend our budget on making sure everyone who attended had a really lovely day as we all know how expensive going to a wedding can be, and so there were only 20 of us at the ceremony and lunch, and then we extended to 50 for some more informal cocktails in the evening.

We wanted a simple ceremony, and so chose to go for a registry office - we were delighted to find one as beautiful as Priory Hall in Dudley, just a 25 minute drive from Birmingham. We were lucky that The Grand Hotel in Birmingham had just reopened after a massive historic refurbishment, and knew we had to stay there and use it as our base to take advantage of its art deco backdrop. We chose The Ivy for lunch as the private dining space was so gorgeous, and we knew they would do us the perfect steak! In the evening, we had a private area in The Alchemist for negronis, bowl food, and some impromptu dancing.

Emma was great at steering me in the right direction once we knew our locations, pointing out that with them all being so grand and decadent in their decoration, I would want to have something simple in order to stand out in that backdrop. Having multiple locations meant I didn't want to feel weighed down or it be too difficult to move - we wanted something city centre stylish that could see me hopping off a bar stool and getting low with the rest of my pals when the time came!

The best bits

My favourite part of the day was when Carolanne walked me down the aisle - my incredible, talented and supportive photographer lisajanephotography gave me the best last minute advice just before - "when you walk in just look at Jay and ignore everyone else". With Carolanne squeezing my hand and the Jurassic Park theme on the piano, I turned the corner and locked eyes with him immediately - just in time to see him burst in to tears. In that moment I knew all that effort was absolutely worth it, all my nerves left my body and we just had the best day we could have ever hoped for.

Lisa's Advice

I would say try and have a sibling that is part of a creative, skilled and kind wedding dream team. If you aren't able to do that, then just use my suppliers exactly because they all came highly recommended by the people who live and breathe weddings, and I couldn't have been happier with all of them.

Suppliers

Photographer: Lisa Jane Photography
Hair and Make Up: Carolanne Armstrong
Bridal Outfit: Jesus Peiro at Miss Bush
Flowers: Mad Lilies
Hotel: The Grand Hotel Birmingham
Registry Office: Priory Hall, Priory Park, Dudley
Reception: The Ivy, Birmingham