Shiny Happy Sponors: Introducing Queens and Bowl – Vintage inspired wedding accessories

I’d like to Introduce you to the very lovely Kate from Queens and Bowl  one of my rather lovely sponsors. Having met Kate I can say that she is as gorgeous as the prettiness that she sells on her on line shop! Plus she’s totally lovely!
Her shop sells a wide selection of brial accesories, from shoes to jewllery, head peices to shrugs,  making the whole shopping experience that much easier!

If you want to see some gorgeous boards that Kate put together for a guest blog last year then you can read them here ‘Choosing the right accessoirs for your venue’
She was kind also kind enough to lend me some accessories for my Trash the dress shoot and also my 1920s Shoot.

I thought it would be good for you to get to know a bit more about her business and also about the women behind the sparkles! so I set Kate a few questions to answer for me.

First of all could you briefly describe your business and ethos?
I own and run Queens & Bowl Wedding Accessories – an online boutique that sells the best selection of vintage-inspired bridal shoes, jewellery, headpieces and accessories. By putting specially chosen pieces by different designers in one online site, I hope to make the whole process of wedding accessory buying easier and less stressful.

When did you set up your company?
I set up Queens & Bowl in June 2010, 18 months after my own wedding.

What made you get into it?
Finding accessories for my own wedding was a nightmare. I worked full time and had a set vision of what I wanted – time was scarce so my favoured shopping method was online, but it was deflating and uninspiring having to trawl through ugly, badly designed sites selling generic bridal accessories. I wanted beautiful, unusual, vintage-inspired pieces to make me feel special! So now with Queens & Bowl, I make sure that there’s a great range of quality pieces in a range of price points. There are also tips and advice in the form of ‘inspiration’ pages to help brides pull together their look. I also offer a free consultancy service – many brides email me photos of their dress and I advise them on accessories. For brides who live close to the Manchester area, I quite often meet brides so that they can see items before they buy – this has had a great response.

Where are you based?
I am based in Bramhall, Cheshire, just south of Manchester.

What sort of geographical area do you cover?
I send my pieces far and wide – all over the UK, plus Europe and Worldwide. My latest international order was from New York State!

What sort of Couple do you think you attract?
I think brides that are drawn to Queens & Bowl are all looking for something a little bit different from the norm. My customers are obviously web-savvy and confident – I’m sure they’re looking for great quality pieces that will last the test of time and may even end up as heirlooms!

What’s the most unusual request you’ve had from a bride-to-be?
Nothing too outrageous yet, but one of my most recent customers is having 3 headpiece changes in one day!

What is the best bit about your job?
I LOVE it when my designers showcase their new ranges and I get to choose what to stock! I’m like a kid in a sweetshop (or Carrie Bradshaw in Dior!) when putting together the capsule ranges from each brand.

What is your biggest achievement so far?
The absolutely fantastic feedback I’ve received from customers, friends and fellow wedding industry professionals regarding the site and my ranges, but most of all the great feedback I receive about my personal service. Professional and individual customer service is really important to me and I’ll go above and beyond the call of duty to make sure my customers look amazing on their big day.

What are you plans for the next 2 years?
I’d love to add more designer ranges to my site and also keep improving the customer experience – I have lots of ideas but they are under wraps for now!

What advice would you give couples when choosing their wedding shoes and accessories etc
Of course choose your dress first, but also take your time in choosing your accessories and really make sure they complement your dress. Don’t play it too safe, but don’t drown out a beautiful gown with too much. Some dresses can take bold statements, some can’t, if in doubt get in touch (preferably with photos) and ask! Also remember, made-to-order items take time to craft well, so don’t leave it too late!

Do you have a favorite designer that you sell?
No – I’ve purposefully chosen designers who’s designs all serve different and unique styling purposes and give brides a great choice without being overwhelming or repetitive. There’s something for everyone, but nothing makes it into my ranges unless I LOVE it.

Tell us something about yourself that we may not know, non work related
Erm, my house has been featured in Ideal Home magazine… wit woo!

What is your ideal way to spend a day off?
I love to shop and I love to eat, so preferably a mixture of the two – with friends and some bubbly, of course!

What can you never leave the house without?
Lip gloss and phone. Sorry if that’s predictable…

Who would be your 5 dream dinner guests dead or alive?
Crikey. OK, for entertainment value I’d have to say a comedian – probably Peter Kay. For amazing stories and pure glamour, either Marilyn Monroe Or Liz Taylor. I’d have to have a chef of course – Jamie Oliver – I admire his unfussy style and good food ethos. I think Mary Portas would be a great guest, full of opinion, and maybe she could give me some online retail tips. Finally for eye candy, Rupert Penry-Jones..mmmm…

If you weren’t running the design business, what would you be doing?
I’d be an interior designer.

What would you do if you won the Euro Millions?!
Faint! Then invest heavily in Queens & Bowl and maybe a couple of other business ventures, give a chunk to charity and then buy a big yacht and head to Monaco with my hubby…

Thank you so much Kate for answering my questions. make sure you pop over to her gorgeous on line store and have a good shop around! There’s so much prettiness on there!

For more information go to:
www.queensandbowl.com
www.queensandbowl.com/blog
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
17 Tudor Court,
Bramhall,
Cheshire,
SK7 1BE.
Tel: 0161 448 1628