Behind The Scenes With Brooke: A Look Into LoveCraft Weddings

A few weeks ago I was fortunate enough to be seated next to the fabulous designer Harper Della-Piana at the PVD Lady Project’s Fourth Birthday Bash. She told me all about her upcoming event LoveCraft Weddings. It’s an annual pop-up showcasing local handmade and vintage wedding/event vendors. This is the 3rd year they are doing it and if you are looking for something personalized, intimate and fun for your big day (any of your events really) or if you are a vintage/handmade enthusiast, this is the place to go for sure! 

LoveCraft was born out of a desire to break away from the factory aspects of convention center style wedding shows, which personally I find incredibly alienating - They usually leave my wedding styling clients feeling overwhelmed and disappointed. Hence my delight in finding out about LoveCraft. It will be downtown at Aurora Providence on Sunday, March 20th from 11am-4pm, featuring 24 unique and local New England Event Vendors for only $10. 

Now in its 3rd year, LoveCraft has evolved and is spearheaded by 4 incredible ladies with businesses you need to take note of! All took time out of their busy schedules to chat with me about the event. (I was also able to meet with some of the ladies and take some fun photos for this post.)

First off, Harper Della-Piana owner of Seams Couture. The one thing you should know about Harper is that she is totally on Team Bride when it comes to designing custom wedding gowns for your big day. She has the talent, know-how, and experience to create exactly what you're looking for. She has done it all from steampunk to classic vintage style to renovating your grandmother’s air loom dress. She can make it happen and does it all with her own 2 hands, no outsourcing!

She also understands that not everyone can afford a custom gown or starts early enough to get one made from scratch. That's why she created a line of formal separates (tops and bottoms) on her SEAMS Etsy store. They're designed to look great together, work on all body types, and can be easily tailored to look like they were made exactly to your specifications. So they may not be custom, but they are customizable. She will have pieces from her Etsy line at LoveCraft as well as one of a kind frocks and is offering free alterations if you buy a piece at the event. She is also taking orders for her custom work that day. (If you aren’t a gown type of gal, she makes beautiful women’s suits.) Harper works with all sizes and body types and caters to all couples, same sex included, as well as transgender and genderqueer clients. 

Next, on a rainy afternoon last Wednesday, I got to meet with the lovely Lulu Locks, hair stylist and owner of Suite Tart Salon. Lulu co-owns the salon with her wife, abstract oil painter, Kathy Gearon and prides Suite Tart Salon on having personal, local connections as the framework of the business. Lulu loves participating in LoveCraft because it's like a glamorous farmers market. The experience is local, artisanal, boutique, AFFORDABLE, personal, and inclusive. For Lulu, as well as the other vendors, sexuality and gender are not an issue. LoveCraft is about love and making your event amazingly memorable and stress free!

The Suite Tart bridal philosophy is timeless rather than trend. Their team of empathetic and specialized artists allows her to match you with stylists and services that fit your beauty needs, personality, and budget. The salon is compartmentalized, so that you can have a beauty experience in the salon or a private hair appointment for yourself and/or your bridal party in the photo studio (or hire them to come to your home or event venue). It’s also good to note that they have an amazing collection of vintage and vintage style wigs, outfits, hats, accessories, and props in the photo studio for a variety of photo shoot possibilities. The room is currently being renovated (She was gracious enough to let me take fun pics in there anyway.), but will be back in action shortly, so definitely ask about booking it for your big day. 

Later that afternoon, I made my way over to see the dynamic Kristen Minsky of Chifferobe Events. When I got there Kim Hobby, owner of Archetype Vintage, another great LoveCraft vender, was just leaving. She let me know she’s bringing legit vintage wedding dresses as well as other dresses for bridesmaids or nontraditional brides ranging from under $100 all the way up to $1000. They are mostly from the 20’s up to the 70’s, but she even has some tea dresses from the early 1900’s. Everything’s been pressed, ready to go, and at LoveCraft, you can buy from her and go right over to the Seams Couture table and have Harper consult on alterations ;).  

Feeling super enthused about what LoveCraft has to offer, I got to chatting with Kristen Minsky on how her boutique production company Chifferobe Events can make your big day more fun, unique, and memorable. Most of what they do is individualized to fit your venue, colors, budget, theme, and style. They can match you with live music entertainment and have about 2 dozen bands they work with on the east coast, depending on the location and style of your event. Some of the most popular options are having cigarette girls (candy girls) to distribute favors at the end of the evening, a surprise dance at the cocktail hour or having them get things moving at the reception with a flapper flash mob.

They are currently working on a custom masquerade ballet performance for a wedding they have booked this in the fall that sounds amazing! Kristin and her team have an impressive knowledge of period costumes, dances, music, and they are all total vintage nerds, so there's no problem doing the research that's required to get you the most authentic experience. Especially since so many weddings in RI (with all it's historic spaces, including, of course, the mansions in Newport) are nodding to turn of the century, 20’s, and 40’s vintage aesthetics.

Lastly, I wasn’t able to meet up with photographer Dawn Temple of Bellaria Designs, but we had a wonderful exchange over email. She gave me the scoop on what separates her from other event photographers out there. Just from checking out the photos on her website, it's obvious she has an amazing eye and exceptional technique for capturing the emotion of the moment. She is an advocate of the printed image and will have a variety of printed products on display at LoveCraft to help her wedding clients create tangible heirloom art. 

You should also know her motto is “Have camera, will travel!" While she is based here in Rhode Island, she is willing to follow you to the ends of the earth to capture your special day. She also really values the relationships she creates with her clients. Dawn totally understands the importance of a photographer’s role in all of your events, especially weddings, and is honored to provide a living record of her clients lives in images. She looks forward to starting new stories with the couples she meets at LoveCraft this year! 

For tickets and more info on LoveCraft Weddings, check out the Facebook Event Page. Also, there will be FREE gift bags for the first 50 engaged couples through the door, so make sure to be there early and let them know if you are engaged. ;)

More About Brooke Goldstein

Brooke Erin Goldstein is an Artist, Stylist and Creative Entrepreneur living and working in Providence RI.  She has a BFA from RISD, majoring in textiles. Brooke worked in the fashion industry for 5 years before starting her own businesses. Since then she has been working for herself providing personal and creative services for over 13 years. To find out more of what Brooke is up to follow her pages on Facebook State of Mind Styling and Brooke Erin Goldstein Art & Design.

*Harper Della-Piana images are courtesy of Seams Couture. Ballaria Designs images courtesy of Dawn Temple. Images of Lulu Locks and Kristin Minsky with and without the Tropigals are courtesy of me ;).