blog

Black Pearl Weddings of London is
a superior boutique wedding planning
and consultancy service.


Saturday 27 September 2014

Black Pearl Weddings Meets Kevin Halfhill Modern Art & Design



Black Pearl Weddings feel privileged to have gotten to know the hugely talented Kevin Halfhill, of Kevin Halfhill Modern Art & Design.

Extremely skilled at taking your treasured images and reworking them with an edgy Pop-Art style, Kevin is capable of turning any photographs into exquisitely unique artwork, worthy of the most stylish penthouses, personalised phone cases, and much, much more.

With over two decades of experience in the art and design industries, Kevin is a true veteran that can bring knowledge skill and experience that leaves you rest assured that your memories will be turned into a masterpiece.

Please tell me a little bit about yourself and your business?

My name is Kevin Halfhill, and I enjoy the occupation of Artist. I’ve been involved with creative endeavours for most of my life, and professionally for nearly 20 years. I spent the better part of my 20’s and early 30’s as an art director for both print and web-related projects. A few years ago, I found that I wanted to refocus my professional career on fine art. Thus, I closed my web design shop and opened a small art studio instead. I began working on various private commissions and fine art prints for charities and non-profit organizations. Somewhere along the way, I created a portrait as a wedding gift for my friend Noe, who had recently married the love of her life. Soon after that, I began receiving requests for wedding portraiture. Much to my surprise, I discovered that I enjoyed wedding portraiture more than anything else I had been doing. It quickly became the focus of my studio and now it comprises the bulk of my schedule.


Please can you tell us about your services and products?

I create beautiful, unique wedding portraiture through illustration. My illustrations are based on photos of the couple, either from their engagement or wedding shoots. The style of art that I work with would be best be described as modern, geometric collage. The result is a very unique portrait of the couple. My illustrations are hand-drawn, and output as Fine Art Prints (for framing). I also do Gallery Wrap Canvas prints on request. I try to make my work as affordable as possible, so as to complement (and not compromise) couples’ photography and invitation budgets.

Couples frequently work with me for both their engagement and wedding portraiture. While my portraits most often find themselves hung in a couple’s home as decoration, they’re also quite commonly used in invitations, thank you cards, and entry placards.

Recently, I’ve begun offering post-wedding portraiture services, too: sonogram/ultrasound portraiture, newborn/child portraiture, and family portraiture. The sonogram/ultrasound portraiture in particular has been receiving a tremendous amount of positive feedback.



What advice would you give a couple when using your service?

It’s always best to submit between 2 and 4 photos for an illustrative portrait. My artwork is collage work, and several photos gives me enough elements to draw from when creating the portrait.

It’s also a good idea to keep in mind where you intend to hang the portrait. I don’t advocate creating a portrait (which you’ll keep for years to come) for a specific location; decor can and often does change, even in the same home. But knowing where the portrait will hang can set a tone for the work; something you intend to put in the living room might turn out a bit differently than something for the entryway or bedroom.

Lastly, I’d suggest finding a quality framer in your area. My portraits are shipped ready to be framed in standard, off-the-shelf frames. But for something this special, I think there’s merit in having a professional framer’s input; matting, frame selection, etc. People are often surprised by how much more impressive a portrait like this is when professionally framed.


What are your most popular products?

My most popular product is probably the Large Wedding Portrait. It measures 16in. x 24in. (406mm x 610mm). It’s perfect for so many things: the artwork can be used by invitation and thank you card designers; it makes a beautiful wall decoration in the home; it’s the right size for an entry placard.

Many of my couples also buy matching phone cases for their iPhones. These phone cases (also available for Samsung Galaxy) have the portrait boldly printed on them. Couples most often order these as an identical pair of cases. Sometimes, however, they order matching “his and hers” cases, featuring the groom half of the portrait on one case, and the bride on the other.


How will they benefit a couple?

I’d say one of the benefits lies in the uniqueness of the work. Family and wedding portraiture (original, illustrative artwork) is somewhat a lost art in our society today, vastly overtaken by the photographic portrait. Photographs are beautiful, but an illustration allows us to add a very special something….extra. Photographs of the most magical and beautiful memories can become just a little bit more magical and beautiful, in a way that a photograph can’t accomplish. This is a fresh, modern take on a very traditional concept, and as such I think there’s a certain pride couples can enjoy in that.

The phone cases are fun and a nice way to personalize what has become an integral part of our everyday lives: the smartphone. It’s another way to carry those cherished memories with you every day. The style makes it far more unique than just having a photograph printed on a phone case; it’s customized, designer artwork that’s sure to catch more than a few eyes when you send your next text or answer your phone.

For more information, or to get a feel of Kevin’s style and work, please take a look at his website, http://wearehalfhill.com

Thursday 18 September 2014

WeddingDresses.com - Guest Post: How to stay comfortable in a mermaid wedding gown




Mermaid gowns have always been one of the most popular wedding gown silhouettes for brides. The tight style is stunning and flatters the womanly figure in the most fabulous way, but it does come with a price. A mermaid gown can often be uncomfortable, especially if worn for an entire day and evening!  No bride should have to endure any kind of discomfort on her wedding day so here are a few tips to make sure your mermaid wedding dress is completely hassle-free and fits like a glove!


Start With A Good Foundation 

With any wedding dress, it is absolutely necessary to start with a smooth and supportive foundation, and this usually means investing in proper shape wear. While it isn’t the most fun shopping experience, we recommended you visit a department store or specialty lingerie boutique to work with a specialist and find out what kind of shape you need. If you have a larger chest it is important to invest in a piece that supports and lifts your chest to avoid any accidents. Is your stomach more rotund than you would like? Find a piece that flattens out your stomach without cutting off oxygen.


Pick Your Straps

Mermaid gowns are often very sexy. For a bride looking to balance the bombshell look, pick a mermaid gown with thick straps or sheer sleeves. By being more covered, you will be more comfortable with the curve hugging design of your wedding dress. By choosing straps, you can also opt to have a low back mermaid gown - talk about a showstopper!


Don’t Forget Your Feet

One of the most desired features a mermaid gown provides is the flared bottom at the knees of the dress. This element gives beautiful curves and a true classic silhouette. However, this can also make it more difficult to walk and dance. Be sure to pick comfortable shoes that are easy to walk in and won’t get caught in the train or tail of the dress. Wedges, stacked heels and ankle straps are all reliable features for mermaid-footwear.

All images curtsey of  www.weddingdresses.com . 



Monday 8 September 2014

A Black Pearl Weddings Welcome to Charlene

Black Pearl Weddings would like you to join us in giving Charlene Nwaka a warm welcome. You may remember our guest blog "Gowns' Galore" which Charlene wrote for us - well Charlene, a fully qualified Wedding Planner, has joined the Black Pearl team.



Charlene and Black Pearl Weddings would love to share this introduction with our readers...

Tell us a little bit about yourself ?

Hi I’m Charlene, a qualified wedding planner/consultant. Aside from my passion for all things weddings I have always had an interest and genuine love of fashion, vintage fashion in particular as I think it’s pretty cool to take an old item of clothing for example a mini dress from the 60’s and team it up with something like high tops (trainers). A little different admittedly but I love that.

Another of my interests is music, I grew up listening to everything from hip-hop to classical thanks to my family which I also think are responsible for the creative gene I seem to have as it definitely runs throughout ha-ha.

Like most people though, when I get the chance to have some down time my most favourite thing to do is relax with family/friends watch a DVD, eat some good food and enjoy great conversation, all the simple things.

What attracted you to wedding planning?

I remember I was quite young, it was family movie night in my household and we were watching ‘father of the bride’ (Steve Martins version), from the moment I realised that such a job existed there was nothing else I wanted to do but become a wedding planner and as I grew up that feeling only escalated. I loved the idea of a career so beautiful and different every day, to get ready for work knowing that I’m on my way to do something that I enjoy and have always had a passion for.


What do you like most about being a wedding planner?

What I like most about being a wedding planner would be the fact that I get to create something special and memorable for the couple, I’m able to be a part of making that day everything they wanted and that’s incredible.

 Who is your favourite wedding dress designer?

It’s really difficult to select just one favourite wedding dress designer as I have a few different looks and styles that appeal to me so my 3 favourite designers are: Caroline Castigliano, Lillian West and Madeline Gardener. They all offer perfection in different forms, depending on the look your after for your day.

Are there any particular weddings (past or present) that stand out to you?

A wedding I always remembered and fell in love with was celebrities Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey’s wedding back in 2002. It was romantic, timeless and elegant; they used a pale colour pallet that included white, pink and yellow with plenty of candles which gave the wedding a soft cosy feel. Very much a day I believe would have been a treat to organise.


What would be your ideal wedding to plan?

My ideal wedding to plan would be something simple, romantic with a hint of fairytale. Both the ceremony and reception held in a beautiful country house surrounded by stunning picturesque views, greenery that stretches for miles yet still has a cosy an intimate feel.

The Vision- A waterfall of flowers, yellows and white intertwined with greens.

The Theme- vintage love (yellow, white, green) depicting a love with longevity, somewhat traditional, equal and endless.


Images from the top right clock wise - Flowers - Forever yours weddings , Dress - Martha Stewart Weddings , Cake - Flickr , Drinks - Pinterest, Chairs, Pinterest

Wednesday 3 September 2014

Upcoming Trends For Spring 2015


As the summer of 2014 reaches its fabulous crescendo, rather than reflect upon the divine trends we have witnessed through this year, Black Pearl Weddings are somewhat excited to look forward to the next range of breath-taking trends, set to take the wedding world by storm in 2015.

Acclaimed designers have opted for off-the-shoulder necklines as a main feature for dresses in this upcoming seasonal range, designed to show the beauty of the feminine shape enveloped within the gown.



Oxymoronically, delicate lace collars are also destined to be a favourite with many designers, choosing to elegantly grace the neck with these stylish additions.



In terms of colour, 2015 will observe an increase in more subdued yet sophisticated colours, with greys, blues and pastel mint-greens showing their worth in the upcoming collections, marking an increased favour towards alternative colours to the traditional favourites such as white or ivory.



The picture has been painted, the scene set, for brides to create a dramatic style with their bridal o attire, and a key feature accessory add emphasis to this illusion are capes. A reinvention of the style will see capes explode onto the market as a must have accessory for many of the glamorous gowns from esteemed around the world.



And our final pick from the stunning spring range is the inspired Tulle overskirt adornments. Fitted around the dress itself, the overskirt can add an almost ethereal glow to the appearance of a bride on her wedding day; one superb fact is that while it provides an opaque effect to the outfit, this can itself be altered through choosing the colour of the Tulle lace to add a completely unique touch to your bridal beauty.



Black Pearl Weddings eagerly await this sublime collection being released to the world, and cannot wait to see what else is in store for 2015.