Supplier of the Month: Sarah Bennet

This month we are introducing you to another one of our lovely recommended suppliers, Sarah Bennet of Make up by Sarah Bennet. We have had the pleasure of working Sarah on multiple occasion, and we just love her work. So without further ado, let's get introduce you...

Tell us about you and your business

Photo Credit: Crystal Memories Photography

I’m Sarah, and I’m a makeup artist specialising in bridal makeup.  I’ve over 12 years’ experience, working on hundreds of brides across Kent, London and the Southeast.  I absolutely LOVE what I do, and I’m proud to have been a finalist in the Kent Wedding Awards for the last 3 years; the talent in Kent is incredible, so to be recognised amongst so many people I admire is just amazing.

What made you decide to start Makeup by Sarah Bennett

I’d always dreamed of being a makeup artist, but adulting got in the way!  However, 13 years ago a close friend asked if I would do her daughter’s makeup for her school prom and the passion was reignited.  

I decided to take the plunge and Makeup by Sarah Bennett was born!  I was lucky enough to have lots of willing volunteers to practice on, but also started offering free consultations for brides as an incentive to book me.  It was hard work, juggling a new venture alongside a very busy full-time job, but word of mouth soon followed, and the business began to grow. 

What’s been your favourite wedding so far and why

Oooooh how can you expect me to answer that!?  I can’t possibly single any wedding out as my favourite, but there are some that I resonate more with, just because I love the theme or the venue they’ve chosen.  

The best wedding mornings are probably when you work with other suppliers that you’ve met before, it’s always great to catch up and makes for a fun morning of prep with the bridal party.  

What services do you offer?

As well as bridal makeup, I offer makeup for all occasions and events.  Outside of peak wedding season, I’m available for 1-2-1 or small group lessons too.  I love collaborating with other local suppliers so try to join several styled shoots each year, it’s a great way to network and create something incredible, plus it allows the chance to make some lovely friends along the way.

What can couples expect from you as part of their wedding

Reliability, punctuality and professionalism!  I’ll always bring a sense of calm to the wedding morning with a hint of fun too.  Reputation is everything to me. I strive to build a great relationship with all my brides, from the very first message they send me.  It’s so important that they feel comfortable around me and are able to reach out if they have any worries in the build-up to the big day.  

My aim is to ensure all my brides feel beautiful and confident with all eyes on them, and if we can have a giggle in the process, great!  I’m blessed to have become friends with so many of my brides, too.  I really am a lucky girl.

Last but least, The Best way for couples to contact you

Via the contact form on my website www.makeupbysarahbennett.co.uk

I look forward to hearing from you!

Instagram: @makeupbysarahbennet

Dress of the Month: Lawson

This month, we are shining the Vicki's Dress of the Month Spotlight on the new arrival from British Bridal Designer, Ellis Bridals, Lumière collection, Lawson. Our wild card for the season, this sparkly dream was just a dress we could not say no to. So here is all she has to offer:

Lawson features a square neckline, with a delicate plunge detail. Her thick shoulder straps support her defined bodice, adorned with delicate beads. Lawson highlights the natural waist with her satin waistband before flowing delicately into her tulle A-Line skirt.

• Available in Champagne or Ivory. 

• Beaded lace & Tulle

• A-line

• Low back

• Detachable satin waistband

• Square neckline

• Available in UK sizes 6-28

So if you think Lawson could be your dream wedding dress, then head over to www.vickisbride.co.uk to book your appointment.

Real Bride Spotlight: Sophia

This month we are shining our Vicki's Real Bride Spotlight on the gorgeous Sophia, who purchased her dress off the rack with us back in May 2023, just over a year before her big day. As well as beautiful bespoke Tulle & Flo veil but more on that later. First, let find out about Sophia's journey to her Big Day!

Let's go right back to the start, how did your partner propose?

Harry surprised me with a trip to Lake Como for my 25th birthday, we went on a private boat tour of the lake and he popped the question! The boat driver was even more excited than us - when we pulled back into the harbour, he was shouting to all his friends that we'd just got engaged! It was such a special day.

 Oh my word that just sounds dreamy, also love that the driver was so excited for you both. So on to the wedding, when and where did you get married?

We got married at Ufton Court in Berkshire in July this year. It’s a beautiful barn venue with a manor house and stunning gardens. It was the first venue we looked at, and we instantly knew it was the one for us.

 What colour/ theme did you go for?

As we were having an outdoor summer wedding, I really wanted to embrace the aesthetics of pretty English country gardens. We didn't really have a solid colour scheme - instead we went for colourful wildflowers. My bridesmaids wore sage green to tie in with the greenery of the gardens and flowers. 

Perfect theme for a british summer wedding.  One bit of advice for couples planning a wedding?

Don't try to do too much, and focus on doing the basics well! For us that was making sure our guests had good food, plenty of drinks, and the DJ got everyone on the dance floor! There are lots of ways you can add some extra bits of fun that don't eat into the budget too much - we had an audio guestbook, and it was one of the best things we spent money on, as listening to the tipsy guest messages on our mini-moon was hilarious!

 Love this advice, eat, drink and be Merry - what more do you want from a wedding. So...Shopping for your dress... Tell us about it?!

I'd initially had a couple of dress shopping experiences that left me feeling quite deflated, and then Megan and Hannah at Vicki's came to the rescue! I'd seen the beautiful Phoebe by Ellis Bridals online and saw that it was stocked at Vicki's so booked an appointment to try it on, the next day the dress went into their sample sale, so I immediately moved my appointment, so I could try her on before she got nabbed up by someone else! She was the first dress I tried on at Vicki's, and although there were some other close contenders, I knew Phoebe was the one for me, and she came home with me that day.

One of the other dresses I loved at Vicki's was a beautiful Freda Bennet dress that featured stunning embroidered daisies. Hannah and Megan suggested that idea of getting a custom veil with the same flowers, and that's exactly what I did! The incredible Tulle and Flo designed and created the most stunning veil, and I loved that I was able to incorporate the daisies into my look whilst still being able to wear my dream dress as well.

 This is just proof that if you full in love with something you shouldn't be scared to move quick. On to the Big Day, tell us a highlight from your Big Day.

A big highlight for me (other than marrying Harry, of course) was hiring a vintage VW Camper that doubled as an ice cream van! The guests loved it, and we even got to have a go at serving ice cream! 

 Now that does sound great, I bet the gave you some great photos as well. Speaking of photos ... Your favourite photo from your big day - professional or moment captured by a guest. 

I absolutely love this photo taken by our amazing photographers! There was a bit of a breeze at this point and my veil was having a bit of a party itself, so our photographer used it to her advantage and got us to pose underneath my veil - I love how soft and airy it makes the lighting look!

Thank you so much to Sophia and Harry (of course) for sharing their wedding journey with us at Vicki's Bridal Boutique. And I'm sure you can all agree that Sophia looked stunning in Phoebe by British Bridal designer Ellis Bridals (sadly no longer available) but to if you think Ellis is the British designer then head our website www.vickisbride.co.uk

From all the Vicki's family, we wish you both many years of happiness and adventures together.

Love

Hannah & Megan x