The Jewellery Quarter is home to over 100 jewellery shops, workshops and designer makers dedicated to helping you find the perfect ring, but did you know you can plan your entire wedding right here in the JQ? We took married couple Carol Rich and Ian Bradbury and showed them everything the Quarter has to offer.
Rings: model's own Shot in the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter
H
ow you wear your hair is a very personal thing. If you really want your hair to be your crowning glory on your big day, look no further than Jewellery Quarter stylists, Harris Gibbs Hair Shop.
Leave it too late, though, and you could find that you don’t have enough time to grow out anything that hinders your desired look! Chris says that any time between two and six months before the big day is fine.
Chris and Alex Harris-Gibbs opened their first salon in 2009 on Warstone Lane and instantly fell in love with the Jewellery Quarter lifestyle. In 2015, they moved to Caroline Street, where they found not only a new workspace, but also a place they could call home. When they’re not in the salon, Chris, Alex and their team travel the country to style blushing brides on their big day.
Chris and Alex have both been hairdressing for over 15 years, and in their time have seen a number of wedding trends wash in and wash out. Tiaras are being traded in for a more contemporary look, and brides are now more than ever before getting more creative with their wedding themes.
Chris says that once he becomes involved in a wedding, he is completely at the bride’s disposal. He often immerses himself in the role of the extra bridesmaid – seeing a couple on the happiest day of their lives is a definite perk of the job for Chris. When helping brides decide how to wear their hair, the first thing Chris will want to see is the dress. Necklines, sleeves, jewellery and a veil will all play a vital role in the overall look, so what may work for the bride on a night out, may not work on her big day. One of Chris’s most important pieces of advice is to not book a hair trial too early, but don’t leave it too late! Have it too early, and you run the risk of changing your mind.
When he’s not being an additional bridesmaid, Chris is part of the TIGI European session team, and regularly styles at world-renowned fashion events, including London Fashion Week. Both Chris and Alex are educators for the TIGI Professional UK Collective team, and regularly deliver training on colouring, cutting and styling to other hairdressers across the UK. To book a no obligation bespoke bridal consultation, or to find out more about Harris Gibbs Hair Shop, visit them online or pop in to their salon on Caroline Street. harrisgibbs.com
Other hair stylists in the JQ include: Cynthia’s with the Good Hair | Hair City One | Hazel and Haydn Hairdressing New Beginnings Hair Studio | Orb Hair Salon | The House of Dolls | The Style Lounge
WED IN THE JQ
–
QUARTER LIFE
A
certain level of trust is required when allowing someone else to apply your make up – it’s perhaps, next to the dress, the most photographed part of any wedding, so the pressure to get it right is most definitely on. Enter Alyn Waterman. As a child, Alyn found himself applying make up to virtually anything he could put make up on, and spent much of his youth volunteering as a make up artist backstage at school plays. He went on to study at one of the only make up schools in the country in the eighties: the Dawn Cragg School of Film, Television and Special Effects Make Up. It was here that he perfected his brush-wielding skills that would eventually lead him to work with some of the most glamourous celebrities in the country. Alyn moved to the Jewellery Quarter three years ago while working on BBC TV show ‘Hustle’. It was a move that would shape his career and pave the way for designing his own studio, where he now holds hen parties, make up tutorials and bridal trials. The studio was transformed from a dental laboratory into every girl’s dream in 2014. The walls are adorned with signed pictures of celebrities that Alyn has worked with, from Dame Joan Collins, to the cast of Footballer’s Wives. The studio can be adjusted to fit any special requirements, and can hold groups of up to 10. Alyn understands that sometimes getting ready for your big day in a city centre studio isn’t always possible, so he often finds himself travelling the country to tend to bridal appointments. Alyn understands how important it is to look perfect in your photographs and, for a small fee, will stay after your ceremony to ensure you continue to look your best. If you’d rather learn to do it yourself, Alyn also teaches one-to-one make up lessons. When he’s not travelling the country, Alyn likes to lend a helping hand close to home. He often delivers career talks at University College Birmingham and was one of the make up artists working on Ready Player One – the Steven Spielberg movie that was filmed right here in the Quarter last summer. alynmakeuphair.co.uk
WED IN THE JQ
–
QUARTER LIFE
W
edding flowers are a bride’s opportunity to let her personality truly shine through on her big day. Among the white lace and buttermilk table linen, flowers are the pop of colour and exuberance that can really bring a theme together. Sherrie Phelps and Joanne Yardley met 15 years ago when they were both working as florists for the NEC, Birmingham. It wasn’t until 2012 that the two friends embarked on what is now one of the top one per cent florists in the UK: Lily Jones. The name of the business is as personal as the flowers that they make for brides and is a combination of Sherrie and her partners’ mums’ names. Now a team of five, Lily Jones creates bespoke arrangements for weddings and makes everything from buttonholes to bouquets. Sherrie and Joanne are seasoned professionals, doing over 100 weddings a year, with holidays, corporate occasions, birthdays and anniversaries in between. They’ve seen it all, and are good at spotting wedding trends a mile off. Pastels, pinks and nudes are a noticeable trend, with greys and greens becoming a frequent request. Sherrie has noticed that brides are becoming more adventurous with their wedding styles, and as such, she’s seeing bold flower choices with a heavier focus on table decorations more than ever before. lilyjonesflowers.co.uk Other florists in the JQ include: In bloom | Red Rose Florist
Shot in Quarter Workshop
WED IN THE JQ
–
QUARTER LIFE
S
tepping into Cake Quarter, it’s hard not to react like a kid in a candy shop. This is exactly the reaction that Ina Bansal wants you to have as you enter her world of baking.
The first thing that catches your eye as you walk into Cake Quarter is 2.5 metres (that’s 21 tiers) of wedding cake that took 12 people three and a half hours to construct on the day of Ina’s own wedding. Ina married her sweetheart in 2015 after they met at Kingston University. The couple studied landscape architecture, but Ina soon discovered that there were a lot of restrictions within the industry and decided to turn her hand to cake making. Having always been very creative, the shift in career was easy. Ina chose the Jewellery Quarter for its rich history and close proximity to the city centre. She also found that the Jewellery Quarter was the ideal place to start a wedding business as the market was already well and truly established, meaning more brides than average passing her huge, beautifully decorated window. Buying a wedding cake at Cake Quarter is a very personal process. Each cake is totally bespoke, and Ina will hand sketch multiple designs before settling on a final piece of artwork for your cake. Ina wants you to believe that anything is possible, and all cakes can be made in any flavour imaginable and gluten free, dairy free, vegan or eggless. She’ll also match your cake to any colour or pattern, ensuring that your carefully thought out theme is carried through right down to the very last detail. Ina does a lot of the work herself, but often has help from her family and completes all final touches to ensure that they are consistent with the initial design. To ensure her cakes cater for every bride, Cake Quarter has a basic range, with a three-tier cake starting at £250. cakequarter.co.uk Other bakers in the JQ include: Frosty Browns Bakery and Catering
WED IN THE JQ
–
QUARTER LIFE
G
rooms could be forgiven for not ranking the importance of their wedding day attire quite up there with the allimportant dress. While it’s true that clothes may not make the man, Karlus G. Tailor most certainly makes the clothes, and they make them well. Karlus and his sister Hilary are cut from the same cloth. Their aunt was a seamstress, and taught the pair how to sew, before they went on to study the arts of bespoke tailoring and dressmaking at Handsworth Technical College. When Karlus and Hilary decided to embark on their own business journey, they wanted a location that was easily accessible from in and around the city with good transport links. They discovered that the Jewellery Quarter was the place to be for grooms-to-be, and with more than 40 years’ experience between them, they set up Karlus G. Tailor. When choosing a wedding suit, Karlus says it’s imperative that you have a good idea of what you want. While a good tailor can offer you sage advice, he cannot tell you what kind of clothes you like, so it’s important that you know what you’re most comfortable in. Karlus works predominantly in wool, and for good reason: wool is natural, breathable, hangs well, durable and is moisture repellent. Most importantly, if wool is looked after properly, it can last a lifetime. A bespoke, two-piece wedding suit starts at £500, and can take up to two months to make. The groom will also need to attend at least three consultations to get the perfect fit, so it’s important to start the process as early as possible. Karlus is currently working on his own casual clothing range, which will soon be available to buy online. karlusg-tailor.co.uk Other male formalwear shops in the JQ include: Ziggy Menswear
WED IN THE JQ
–
QUARTER LIFE
W
hen most people think of weddings, their attention immediately turns to the dress. It’s the most important, not to mention the most expensive thing you’ll ever wear. No pressure, then.
Romantic Dreams is a bridal boutique on Caroline Street and is owned by dress enthusiast Sammy Dingley. Stepping into the boutique is like stepping into every girl’s dream. Downstairs, the entire right wall is adorned from floor to ceiling with bridesmaids’ dresses in every colour imaginable. Sammy takes an interest in every dress that she sells, and hand selects each individual style. When she’s not at the boutique, she’s jet setting across the world to visit designers and choose her collections by hand, taking into consideration the feel of the material, the level of detail in the beading and the stitching along every seam. With the average UK wedding dress costing just under £1,400, it is not a purchase to be made lightly. With this in mind, Sammy does everything she can to make the purchase as easy, and enjoyable, as possible. She firmly believes that a wedding dress should be an emotional purchase, not one that is dictated by price – it is for this reason alone that you’ll find no price tags on the dresses at Romantic Dreams. Romantic Dreams doesn’t stop when the door closes at 6pm. Sammy is on hand 24/7 to put any last minute nerves at ease, and brides are welcome to get in touch any time. All dresses are made to order and are exclusive to Romantic Dreams. Romantic Dreams stocks dresses by Demetrios; Madison James; the White One collection by Pronovias and the Romance collection by Allure Bridal. romanticdreams.co.uk Other wedding dress stores in the JQ include: Amar Kular | Wedding Dress Retail Outlet Wedding Quarter Bridal Outlet
WED IN THE JQ
–
QUARTER LIFE
A
s you enter St. Paul’s Church, you are instantly met with over two hundred years of history and a very warm welcome.
The venue is heavily involved in the local community, and regularly hosts music concerts and plays.
Built in 1779, St. Paul’s was first erected in response to rapid growth in the area, and is situated on the only surviving Georgian square in Birmingham. The land on which it sits was donated by Charles Colmore, a French businessman who made his fortune in Birmingham, almost three centuries ago.
Getting married in church isn’t as complicated as some may think. In order to get married at St. Paul’s, you must live in or have a connection to the parish, or failing that, attend church twice a month for six months before your wedding day. And you needn’t tone down your imagination, either. Mary says that in all her time at St. Paul’s, she’s only ever had to reject one request – the more creative, she says, the better!
Reverend Mary Gilbert has been a vicar for 21 years and has officiated more weddings than she can remember. As a child, she always felt surrounded by a higher presence, but it wasn’t until 1996 that she was ordained by the Church of England.
To have your wedding at St. Paul’s Church, there is a fixed price of £716. This includes your own organist.
Reverend Mary brings a touch of the twenty-first century to the 238 year-old venue. A pro-arts feminist with a passion for steampunk, Mary is not your typical clergywoman, and St. Paul’s is not your typical church.
stpaulsjq.church
Other venues for religious ceremonies include: Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Dormition of Theotokos and St. Andreas | Ramgarhia Sikh Temple
WED IN THE JQ
–
QUARTER LIFE