Love My Dress Soiree

The suitcase has been put away and our holiday is now a distant memory. A memory it was, one of the loveliest we've been on and probably the last holiday with just the four of us. With my eldest approaching 17, I think next year will include friends (and girlfriends!).

As I went through my usual morning ritual - tea and my Instagram feed, I came across Annabels post about the Love My Dress Soiree. We reminisced about it the other week when we caught up in Paradise!

I can't remember how I suddenly found myself driving six hours north on my own in a hire van, packed to the brim with furniture and props. My family thought I was mad, I thought Annabel and most of her guests would think I was too. Vintage prop hire and styling companies are starting on a daily basis today (and I'm very happy about that) but back in 2011 noone was really doing it in the UK. My inspiration came from Found Rentals in the US. If you haven't checked them out, you must! I'm really hoping to go and visit Jeni one day.

So after meeting Annabel for the first time on the south bank of the Tyne, I unloaded the van into the blank space of the The Baltic and started setting everything out. Chairs, crates, standard lamps, tables, vintage typewriters and telephones. Looking back on it now, it wasn't that exciting, but it was very different and the guests seemed to enjoy it as they arrived in their glamorous frocks greeted by stunning flapper girls with trays of cocktails.

Thanks Annabel for asking me to be involved. We've done a lot together since and you've always supported me. So excited to see the next set of Naomi Kenton's images from the Goldsmiths shoot.

Take a look at the full posts over on Love My Dress and the fab Minty Slippers film is still great to watch.

Photo credits / Helen Russell & Katy Lunsford