If you’re a long time follower of Chic Vintage Brides, then you will know I have something of an obsession with wax flower crowns. I have always thought them the most chic of bridal hair accessories (thanks to my rather stylish Nan, whose wedding portrait I have treasured since I was a child) and if I ever manage to persuade Mr E that we should renew our vows, a wax flower crown will most definitely be adorning my head (if you’d like to know what else I might wear and do, you can read my whole re-imagined wedding here) So, you can imagine my joy when the lovely Emily from Waxflower Vintage emailed me to share her exquisite collection of these delicate vintage treasures…..

If you’ve never stumbled across them before, Wax flower crowns are just that, beautiful bridal vines, tiaras and headbands created from delicate flowers crafted of wax. So much prettier than they might sound, these iridescent buds of wax resemble pearls and have an ethereal elegance. Whilst they may not sparkle like diamonds, they make a real style statement as well as a beautiful heirloom piece to pass down to future generations. Emily at Waxflower Vintage specialises in creating these exquisite, handmade, vintage bridal headpieces. Sourcing antique and vintage wax flower crowns and bouquets she lovingly restores and reworks them for today’s modern bride.

“The Waxflower Vintage story started with my own wedding. I was looking for a vintage-style crown to go with my vintage-style dress, and stumbled upon an old wax flower bouquet. I’d never seen anything like it before, it was so beautiful and intricate, and had obviously taken someone long ago a long time to make. Then I found a vintage wax orange blossom crown, even more beautiful than the bouquet, and found it so amazing that I bought that too! Before I knew it, I’d gone wax flower crazy, had more tiaras than I’d ever need for my own wedding day, and Waxflower Vintage was born.

I think these vintage crowns are stunning and sometimes, if I can’t bear to take them apart, I sell them as they are. Often though, they’re not as wearable for the contemporary bride, so I unmake them and then re-work them into something new. Having ‘unmade’ a few antique crowns, I’ve got to know the traditional methods of how they were created, and use the very same method in my own crowns – sometimes the old ways are the best!”

Emily even kindly shed a little more light on the history of these bridal beauties “Wax orange blossom crowns were very traditional in the late 1800s and early 1900s, when the bride wore them to represent fertility, chastity and innocence. It was Queen Victoria who started the trend in 1840 by wearing a grand wreath of real orange blossoms at her wedding. In northern climates however, for any bride who wasn’t wealthy or royal, real orange blossoms were hard to come by, so wax replicas were used, and so the tradition of wearing a wax flower wreath began. And it remained popular well into the 1960s!”

The length of their popularity explains the lovely variety of style, flowers, and colours. “The flowers in my crowns come from across the decades, from the lifelike blush-toned blooms of the Victorian period, to the more stylised pearly white petals of the 1950s.” So each of the gorgeous crowns in Waxflower Vintage‘s collection is either a true vintage piece, or is hand-crafted by Emily from vintage and antique materials – making every one unique! If none of the crowns in the shop makes your heart skip a beat though Emily also offers a special bespoke service! “I have Edwardian buds, as well as vintage wax flowers and crowns, so if you have a specific look or idea in mind please do get in touch for a custom piece.” This would be especially lovely, if like me you have a cherished photo of a flower crown loved but lost that you would like to see recreated.

“I love the mystery of these vintage blossoms – the timelessness of their appeal, the intricacies of the craftsmanship, the purity of the materials, the delicate translucence of the petals, and the thought of an unknown bride wearing those very flowers on her own wedding day. It’s great to know they’re getting a second outing, and that another bride is enjoying these marvellous, miniature and unique pieces of art.” I couldn’t agree more Emily!

You can see more of Emily’s beautiful collection in her Etsy shop Waxflower Vintage and you can also be the first to see any new additions (they don’t hang around for long!), as well as keep up with other Waxflower Vintage news, by following Emily’s beautiful Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts.

Amy

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