the design journey of a custom bridal crown

Hello rad brides! I've been getting more and more inquiries about the custom design process lately, so I thought I'd write a quick guide to solve all your doubts!

The first thing I'd like to point out is timing. It takes an average of two weeks to finalize the design, and another two weeks for me to make the piece and ship it. I can always accommodate tighter deadlines, but four weeks would be ideal. Remember that you should always ask; the number of pieces I make fluctuates throughout the year, and I'll do my best to fast-track the process if you're in a time crunch.
You should never worry about location. I ship anywhere in the word, and standard shipping fees are included in the price.

Another question I've been getting is if I would ever design something that doesn't involve triangulated metal. To be honest with you, it would have to be something very, very special. Not because it's not possible, but because the minimal aesthetic of the triangulated pieces goes hand in hand with my design philosophy of creating contemporary, architectural lines as an alternative to the traditional pieces you see in the bridal industry everyday. There's a place for everyone!
But that doesn't mean there's nothing new coming up. I'm releasing a new line of limited pieces in mid-September, with a different metal treatment and lots of sparkle! Keep your eyes open!

Now for the topic at hand...
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All custom piece starts with you sending me an email, or filling out the contact form. It's completely up to you how much you want to tell me, but it's always helpful to know a little bit of your love story, your wedding day expectations, if you've already picked your flowers, your colors, or your dress. Every bit of information helps me imagine your piece more clearly, and allows me to draft an array of designs that is tailored to you.
​Once I have a good picture of what you're looking for, I'll send you three or four design proposals, with their respective price.
You have the option of requesting any flower or leaf you can imagine; working with cold porcelain allows me to model every single application into one of a kind, personalized shapes. You can also request crystals, stones and everything in between. Sometimes I find beautiful paper flowers that I can incorporate into your piece. The possibilities are endless!

Every design sketch has a letter that we can refer to when we talk about it, which streamlines the process. Every little bit helps to have a good design experience.
It's important to remember that these are in no way final designs; you can add, tweak, omit or propose something else. These will only serve as a starting point as we create your dream piece together. If there are any modifications to the designs, I'll send you updated sketches until we find the perfect one.
Many brides believe that custom pieces = pieces with porcelain applications. The truth is that most of my custom pieces are exclusively made of metal! A custom piece could be based on one of the original designs; it can be an Aurora that goes up the head on one side, or it can be turned into a full crown. It could be two modified Lystenas that adapt to a pony tail. Because my process is completely artisanal, I can easily design and make one-of-a-kind pieces every single time.

The start of every piece, custom or not, is the original triangulated base. It serves as my perpetual inspiration, but in the case of custom pieces with applications, it also serves as the framework to which every petal, leaf and crystal will attach.

I'll also send you a few photos of the porcelain applications, and depending on the design, I will email you a small mock-up of how the applications would look together.
These photos will help you better visualize your piece, and it gives you the chance of making any additional changes. I've sometimes had brides replacing the flowers we had talked about for something more subtle, or replacing flowers with more leaves. This is a great opportunity to make any tweaks before I put the whole piece together.
I want your opinion! I want you to take every opportunity to make sure you get exactly what you want. Only happy brides!

I'll always send you a photo of your completed piece before I ship it. This is the last opportunity to change the location and quantity of the applications, or the metal configuration; I want to make sure that you're getting your dream piece! 

If you've been thinking about a custom headpiece, now is the time! You can fill out the contact form or email me directly any day, any time. Let's chat!
I'm ready to design and make the geometric crown of your dreams!

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​Until next times rad brides!