FREE WORLDWIDE EXPRESS SHIPPING ON ORDERS OVER $350 AUD.
Botanica Collections
An Evening in Florence

True to its name, in the 1880s the Carriageworks workshops in Sydney were used for building and maintaining train engines and carriages to meet the demands of Sydney’s expanding rail network. Today, Carriageworks is exclusively used for creative projects and events – fashion shows, exhibitions, performances and now, a very special bridal photoshoot.

The moody, industrial setting of Carriageworks was the perfect contrast for the soft and feminine accessories in our new collection; The Romantics. We’ve returned to the classics when designing this collection, focusing on decadent headpieces, embellished veils and statement earrings.

To bring the collection to life, we worked with a talented group of creatives. Photographer Jack Henry and videographer Josh Carr-Hummerstons captured both the intricate details of the accessories and the impact of the full bridal look. Thanh Vo used her hair and makeup artistry to beautifully style models Hailey and Lilly and our stylist for the shoot was our good friend, Sophie Kirkby from Engaged Creative.

Just like Carriageworks has been reinvented for a different and creative purpose, we’ve breathed new life into classical pearls, bows and florals to create a line of fashion-forward bridal accessories.

Pearls

French fashion designer Coco Chanel was the queen of timeless style, championing the simple yet sophisticated aesthetic, with tailored suits, little black dresses and layers of pearl necklaces. We’ve also championed pearls, but through headpieces, veils and earrings. Some of our favourite pieces are the MARA pearl birdcage veil, the VIENNA pearl drop earrings and ADELINE pearl headband.

Shop this look: MARA birdcage veil | ADELINE pearl headpiece | ATTICUS pearl earrings

Bows

We’ve introduced the classical bow design in a new and bold way, transitioning them from sweet to sophisticated. We have several new pieces which feature bows, including the LAURENCE shoulder veil, with the statement bows attaching to the shoulders of dress, the HEPBURN veil, with a scattering of satin bows, and the slender, gold LUCIA bow earrings.

Shop this look: LAURENCE bridal wings | HEPBURN veil with bows

Florals

Our signature floral detailing remains a prominent feature, however, this time we’ve turned to smaller, delicate sprinklings of flowers, as seen in the ODESSA shoulder cape, SABLE headpiece, PEPE circle veil, MORNINGTON floral earrings and BLAKE floral drop veil.

Shop this look: ODESSA cape | SABLE headpiece | PEPE circle veil | MORNINGTON earrings | BLAKE veil

Crowns

Dainty, detailed and bold, bridal crowns feature strongly in the collection.  From the ANTOINETTE tiara to the EVELEIGH headband through to the CASPIAN, there is a crown for every queen.

Shop this look: ANTOINETTE tiara | EVELEIGH headband | CASPIAN pearl crown

We hope you will find your ultimate bridal look in The Romantics collection, and enjoy returning to the classics with us.

Special thanks to:

From the moment Alicia and partner Victor drove up to the gates of Milton Park Country House they immediately fell in love with this fairy tale venue. Located in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Milton Park boasts beautiful, rambling gardens, ornate water features and sculptures and the oldest Weeping Beeches in Australia. These giant, dome-like trees make for the most magical photos (see above and below).

Once the wedding venue was decided on, Alicia needed equally special accessories to match the beautiful location. Her pick of the bunch were our rose AURORA earrings and floral lace RIVIERA veil, to tie in with the magical, garden theme.

Embellished Veils

An embellished veil captures the mood of a springtime wedding like no other accessory. Adorned in florals, lace, pearls, crystals, or all of the above, an embellished veil will instantly elevate the simplest wedding gown and perfectly frame a dramatic gown. Our exquisite veils are designed and handcrafted in-house so we can design and create a wedding veil to suit your wedding gown without drawing attention away from the beautiful details on your dress.

The dream bridal look

To help find her dream dress and accessories and narrow down her ideas, Alicia took to Pinterest and Instagram. However, it was conversations with other brides and her mum that proved to be the greatest help. The best wedding dress advice she received was from her mum, who said to “pick something you feel like you in.” Alicia knew she wanted a backless dress, and a style that was timeless.

“I had gone to Karen Willis Holmes to look at a completely different dress. By chance, I picked out this one and tried it on. I had tried so many different styles and this was the first time that I felt like a bride but also like myself. I knew it was the dress for me because I couldn’t wait to show my now husband.”

Before she decided on her dress, Alicia had been admiring the Tania Maras veil collection. When she picked her dress she knew the embellished RIVIERA veil, featuring hand-beaded organza flowers, floral lace and a scattering of pearls, would match perfectly. We customised the veil for her, to incorporate blusher layer.

“I loved how beautiful and intricate the RIVIERA veil was but loved the idea of a blusher as well. There’s so something so classic yet dramatic about blushers,” Alicia enthuses.

She finished off the look with the AURORA earrings, a feminine design with statement roses and cascading pearls.

“My dress was quite simple so it gave me room to play with elaborate accessories which is my usual style. I picked the RIVIERA veil and AURORA earrings in particular as I feel like they matched our garden theme beautifully.”

Special touches

From the ceremony to the reception, the couple personalised their wedding with many special touches.

“The priest that married us was the chaplain at my husband’s work so it was an honour that he was able to marry us in the gardens. We both wrote our own vows and that would have to be one of my favourite parts of the entire day,” says Alicia. “My husband and I are both South American so we had cultural dances during the reception from each of our home countries which was really special.”

As Alicia and Victor’s wedding was affected by the pandemic, they came up with a novel (and practical) favor idea for their guests.

“We thought it would cute to offer personalised hand sanitisers with our wedding date, as wedding gifts,” says Alicia.

Best advice

“It’s okay to have a plan but in today’s day and age accept if things change,” says Alicia. “It’s the most magical day and if things aren’t exactly what you thought they would be, that’s okay. The fact that you’ve married your ‘person’ is all that matters,” says Alicia.

SPECIAL THANKS TO…

Over the last few months our studio has begun to somewhat resemble a haberdashery store, as beautiful bundles of lace trims started arriving at our doorstep. Beaded, corded, stitched and sequinned – soon the cutting table (and our head space) was filled with laces and possibilities, as we began designing and creating pieces for our newest collection.

We are excited to release the Paloma collection. Paloma is the Spanish word for ‘dove’. We took inspiration from these beautiful creatures, along with the exotic styles and aesthetics of the Mediterranean. Designer and Creative Director, Tania Maras, designed these new pieces to have a staring role in your bridal look. Feminine, dramatic and utterly romantic, this collection includes decadently embellished accessories, featuring laces, beading and florals.

“The Paloma Collection is inspired by birds of flight that roam the earth and sky. Peaceful yet powerful, the collection features statement wedding capes, veils, earrings and hair pieces to showcase the beauty of the free-spirited bride,” says Tania.

Photo credits: 1. via Pinterest | 2. Sasha Esenina | 3. Andrea Tiller | 4. via Pinterest | 5. via Pinterest | 6. Who What Wear | 7. Sasha Esenina | 8. Ash and Co

We photographed the collection at Mrs Fray Bridal Concept Store, a light and airy bridal boutique in Canberra. The earthy tones and magical lighting in the store made for some beautiful backdrops. The boutique stocks dresses by Karen Willis Holmes and Prea James Bridal (along with others), which we styled with our accessories.

A talented team of creatives brought our vision to life. Tania’s talented brother, Martin Maras alongside Hayden Sault, beautifully captured the mood of the collection. We also had the expertise of Kate Lily, on hair, and Jessica Peris, on makeup. Plus the beautiful Tahlia Toth modelled the pieces with grace and style.

With Señorita, by Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello playing in the background, we channelled ‘Spanish princess’ vibes during the day, to help capture the regal and exotic mood of the collection. Previously, the brand focused on pairing veils with headpieces. As an alternative, this collection is about showcasing how lace capes and statement earrings can be styled together for stunning results. Along with capes and earrings, we’ve also released new birdcage veils, crowns, headbands and hairpins, which can transform a simple dress into something very special.

Ready to explore our new collection and create your ultimate bridal look? Visit our store to browse the new styles of capes, veils, headpieces and earrings.

SPECIAL THANKS TO…

Logo
Close