We have had the great fortune of working with the Drake Hotel on a few occasions this past year and have been blown away by the high-quality of service, food and atmosphere.  A bridal shower hosted at the hippest hotel in the city would definitely make for some memorable moments for you and your guests.

The Mad Hatter Hat

David Dunkley has gone from making hats in his basement to opening his own store on Bathurst Street. Over the years he has done it all – from selling at the St. Lawrence Market for three years to wholesaling, he now has gone back to his roots of producing one-of-a-kind objects. He studies with the Queen Mother’s milliner every spring and buys his feathers from exclusive suppliers in London.  Davids goal: to be the leading bespoke milliner in Canada.

Mini top hat in progress and the finished product

From wide-brimmed hats to mini top hats and fascinators, a David Dunkley piece is an original piece of art for the confident bride. He will work with you from start to finish to make the piece that will complete your look or be your look.

David Dunkley

With an edible birdcage veil, pearls and purple hat to top it off Lori says, she prefers to “dress” her cakes as opposed to decorating them, infusing the couple’s style and personality into each design.

After the cake has been eaten and the wedding is over, Lori presents each couple with a keepsake gift – a framed copy of the sketch they created together, what a lovely gesture.

Sketch that will be presented as a gift to the couple

The finished cake

Signing their crane.

We met Sarah and Kyle at Indie Wed last weekend, they drove six and a half hours to attend the event (it helped that they have family in Chicago) to find a few details for their St. Louis-based vintage, outdoorsy-with-a-short-dress, casual, fun wedding on their 10th anniversary in September.

When we asked what the groom would wear on the day, he smiled and shrugged, “maybe a vest, maybe a hat, not a suit” and she followed up, “maybe some suspenders for the groomsmen.”

Dressed at Indie Wed, as Sarah put it in an email earlier this week, “in matching cowboy shirts” they looked every bit the ultimate couple for the show. And their wonderfully hands-on, personalized wedding is a perfect fit for the artisanal exhibitors. Kyle is a photographer and so pictures are making up a large part of the budget while a lot of the decor sounds like it will be DIY however, they loved the super 8 cinematography they found at the show as well as vintage wedding veils and the adorable wedding cake toppers from The Small Object.

We’ll find out soon enough if they do go for any of the Indie Wed vendors; we’ll be keeping tabs on Sarah’s own blog, Sarah’s Confections: Sweet little daily thoughts, a spot where she organizes and muses on her favourite online finds and potential projects as well as shares her thoughts about the planning, such as the anxiety she feels over their lack of venue.

The Small Object's cake toppers start at $135US

I especially like one dress from Dame Couture in which the train is lined with a gorgeous striped fabric that peaks out along the bride’s waist at the back where the train meets the gown in a series of pleats and also when the bride is walking and the fabric billows out behind her. For all the designers who participated in Indie Wed, check their vendor’s page.

Photography: All black and white images, plus the picture of the MC are courtesy of Mary Kate McKenna Photography, the rest are by our Catherine Lash.

Duo Lucid Flower Necklace, $55US

The third accessory designer we met at Indie Wed was Katie, the metalsmith and artist whose hands are behind the work at Dollybird Design. Launching her first bridal collection for Indie Wed, Katie promised us she’d hurry to get her bridal designs up on Etsy but we had no idea we’d hear from her four days later, be among the first to view her bridal-specific designs here.

I love Katie’s aesthetic, from the her website that feels like a revered specimen collection to this bridal collection that, as she says, strikes a balance between being non-traditional but also non-competitive with a wedding dress, to that incredible poppy ring on her homepage (that I would definitely give to a bridesmaid — but want to keep pour moi)!

Made from sterling silver and lucite, the rings, necklaces and earrings of this collection are feather-light and brilliantly white, they’re lush and large and absolutely perfect for a spring wedding, paying homage to the over-sized blooms of the season.

Lucid Flower Button Earrings, $40US

Layered Lucid Flower Ring, $65US

Another accessory designer we met at Indie Wed was Agnes B. Miles who creates amazing hair accessories, mostly daring and a little demure, all her pieces have a nice little edge to them and hit the high notes when it comes to glamour. Our booths were almost touching and it was fun getting to know a local Chicago girl who has such a distinctive vision. Miles, who began her career working in musical theatre, found herself stuck in a creative rut before recognising that she always had something in her hair or on her head in photograps and from there, her independent business, Lulu Mae, which she feels blends couture statements with an indie approach was born.

Agnes (left) and her model at Indie Wed

Agnes’ prices range from about $50 US and up, her custom bridal collection custom pieces start at $225. She needs three months notice to put a creation together for you and she’s always happy to re-create sold-out designs (with new variations and colours) for new clients!

Photography: product images courtesy of Lulu Mae, bottom picture by Mary Kate McKenna Photography

The first was Ododo Originals, handmade flowers for brides’ and ‘maids’ hair.

Especially fitting for the destination wedding and non-traditional bride and designed to add a splash of colour and to be worn as individual hair pieces or in groups of three, the flowers come in two sizes, tiny ($25US) and regular ($28).

We just loved how different colours popped against different hair colours and how sweetly they accented a variety of outfits, what a great gift for bridesmaid: love that they can be worn again and again!

Click here to see what Ododo Originals have been bought and to place your custom order!

Tiny Turquoise - Small Hair Clip

Copper Belle - Hair Clip

Imperial - Hair Clip

Greta (left) and Kristen at their booth at Indie Wed

Native to Chicago but available worldwide, there isn’t a day these girls don’t ship internationally, Australia, France and Canada being three of their most popular destinations. Starting with a handful of items, co-owners Greta and Kristen’s online confectionery for the eyes has sustained itself entirely and has grown to 600-odd items from the perennial favourite baking cups for cupcakes to sprinkles, toppers and packing materials. Providing DIYers with what has only been available wholesale until now, Greta (whose parents owned a bakery, giving her a taste of the sweet life) and Kristen have found themselves a fantastic niche market in which to sell their hand-picked vintage and fun baking supplies.

A fraction of their wares ... this was one popular booth at the show!

Video courtesy of LensFlare Films