Your wedding story by PAOLA DE PAOLA PHOTOGRAPHY

Paola De Paola, is a London wedding and same-sex photographer, and a Most Curious favourite! With her Italian passion, creativity and many years of experience, she is a natural and talented artist.

After Paola's degree in Fine Art, she worked as a professional photographer for music magazines and record companies. She consequently moved to work for Getty Images as a high end digital retoucher, more precisely for Contour Celebrities by Getty images. During this time Paola was able to build a very deep understanding of the photographic industry and is a true professional.

Paola loves eclectic, vibrant, unique people and takes the time to understand and listen to her couples. Her creativity, professionalism, friendly and caring nature will help you relax and enjoy the most magical (and possibly nerve wracking!) day of your life, safe in the knowledge that she will beautifully capture your wedding story as it unfolds.

Paola, please talk us through a typical day in your life

Oh gosh, where to start?

I'm not good at talking about myself or in fact about my family. Why? Despite having a family with children, 5 to be precise, people cannot believe that I can also be a working professional, a photographer in fact.

I get a bit fed up with the stereotype, and this is why working as a photographer is helping me to be who I want, the way I want.

So, back to the typical day, I guess the to-do list is never ending with family responsibilities and work commitments.  The first thing is to clear the mess, tidy up the house, because after 9am it is my office.

I really can't work when there is too much mess. Then I will physically write, with a pen on a piece of paper, my to-do list for the day. It makes me feel better to cross out the points as I go down the list.

I will usually meet clients and wedding suppliers in London as I find the city very exciting.

Who or what is inspiring you right now?

I love people and their stories, so generally I get very excited to hear how someone pulls through hard times to create something amazing and positive.

I can think of many people that are inspiring me for different reasons. I will mention some of them.

Erin, from Way Out Wedding, a truly amazing woman that despite a challenging family life is always genuinely lovely and helpful. 

Kat, from Kat Forsyth Photography for demonstrating an incredible strength and positivity when going through a difficult illness. 

Federica, from Federica Bruno Couture for her enthusiasm and distinctive creativity.  

Zita, from Zita Elze Flowers for her eclectic knowledge and unique style. Her shop in Kew Gardens is the place I visit when I feel down and uninspired.

They are many more people that inspire me, the list it is incredibly long, so I would only mention a couple more. One has to be my friend Louise from Gingham Hearts a catering and event organiser able to cook for 300 people in a very tiny kitchen. Always happy to help others.

Lauren from Frenchmade for her creativity, for her strength and willpower.

Describe a Paola De Paola couple.

My brand is contemporary but fun, alternative but stylish. My ideal couples are creative and happy in their skin, quite free spirits.

They will be looking for something unusual and very unique, handmade rather than machined. They appreciate the value of personal touch, look after the environment and respect others.

I particularly love to work with LGBT couples for their bold, nonconformity spirit.

Most Curious are SO happy to be welcoming Paola back to our London show at the Old Truman Brewery, get your tickets now and come & get curious with this incredibly lovely and talented photographer!

Paola De Paola Photography

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Eclectic wedding collection by OXX JEWELLERY

An Alleweireldt, founder of Oxx Jewellery and graduate of the Royal College of Art, is one of Most Curious's most inventive jewellery exhibitors.

An has a number of wonderfully unique jewellery collections available in her online shop, many inspired by everyday items such as records, lollipops and ice cream sticks, in addition to offering bespoke commissions - ideal for Most Curious couples!

We especially love her 'Cats' collection with cute rings and pendants - a purr-fect (sorry...) gift for feline loving bridesmaids and, of course, Oxx's stunning Wedding & Engagement Collection with eclectic wedding bands and engagement rings.

And you just have to check out Oxx's Cufflinks collection, there is something for every single one of your design-led grooms. We are seriously loving the vinyl record cufflinks!

Hi An, we would love to hear what a typical day is like for you.

None of my days are similar and that's exactly why I love my job.

I look at my emails first thing in the morning and continue to do so during the day as I like to respond to clients requests as soon as I can. 

Contrary to everyone's beliefs I do not make jewellery every day, as there is a lot more to my job than making. I often meet people in Central London to discuss their requirements.

I like picking a nice quiet cafe or hotel bar as it's a good excuse for me to visit these lovely places London has to offer. I get inspired by London's architecture & exhibitions and often take advantage of my time there to visit these places.

Once my head is full I need time to digest and I love having my own quiet space where I can think and make. I don't sketch very often but play with materials to design, or I use 3d modelling programs.

I'm a product designer as  well as a jewellery designer and I'm used to working this way, its a lot quicker and more accurate than sketches!

Once I'm in making mode, my days tend to be very long and lonely. It is something I love and need to do to get the results I want. Over the time of my 13 years in business, my friends have become to understand this, so I'm very lucky!

Who or what is inspiring you right now? 

I work with very simple shapes and materials. Less is more but the attention is on the detail. As Eames said so well 'the details are not the details, they make the product!'. 

I love incorporating daily materials into precious metals to make a finished product. This takes time and a lot of trial and error, but I love doing the research. 

I have a few new wedding pieces in mind, something that I have been thinking about for a while. Christmas and New Year came first though, now is the time to materialize those and I'm very excited to start!

Describe an Oxx bride

My bride is often very creative herself. She loves well made simple and elegant designs, which are unusual yet timeless.

Sometimes she likes adding her own ideas to the work, which makes the finished product unique and extra special.

You can meet An and see the amazing Oxx jewellery collection at our 2016 London show at the Old Truman Brewery so get your tickets now!

Oxx Jewellery
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Simply romantic photography by HEARTS ON FIRE

We are very fortunate at Most Curious to know some of the most awesome photographers in the wedding industry. 

Today we bring you one of our all time faves, Karolina AKA Hearts on Fire. Polish born Karolina is based in East London and her personal take on modern wedding  photography is completely spot on, focusing on the real people and their romance.

Check out our blog today and see what we mean! We bet you fall a little bit in love with her too.

Talk us through a typical day in your life

I like to get up in the morning between 7am and 8am and as I mostly work from home, I’m lucky enough to be able to organise the day as I like. I always drink a black coffee in the morning and read online news but, occasionally, I skip the news and go to a nearby café and walk around the marshes.

Creating lists helps me with my day-to-day work schedule. There is always so much to do and I‘m not always able to cross out the whole list at the end of the day. I try, though.

I dedicate a few hours each day to editing photographs and I listen to the podcast ‘This American Life’ at the same time. The rest of my time goes on meeting customers, administration and also reading books and watching films.

I recently took an MA in visual anthropology and I like to work on developing a couple of my own photography and film projects. Around lunchtime I mostly go for a run or a squash session with my boyfriend or, sometimes, I just go for a long walk and shop for food. 

I tend to stop working on the computer around 6.30pm and go to cook and listen to Radio 4. I love preparing food and I’m very happy when I can do it for friends. I cook vegetarian and try to be seasonally conscious. My new favourite is celeriac pate and plums, which I can eat all day long. I love them.  

In the evening I try to read as much as possible. I’m reading Ignacy Karpowicz at the moment – he is a Polish writer and his books are very smart and witty, such a good read. I can’t stop reading him and I don’t want to finish, either.

Who or what is inspiring you right now? 

For recent inspiration for my wedding photography, I really like the work of Fergus Padel, who had one of his photographs shown at the National Portrait Gallery in London. 

I like the simplicity of the moments he decides to photograph and the way he uses light. 

My idea of wedding photography, which I’ve developed over a few years of doing it, is to not only capture the key points of the day but to put lots of attention on the moments before and after, the in-between romance and happiness, the settings, details, atmosphere and smells.

My aim is to create simple, well-composed images that look effortless.

Describe a Hearts on Fire bride

Hearts on Fire brides (and grooms) are fun-loving, kind and laid-back people. 

We are all individuals and come from various backgrounds and do diverse things in life, so I think it’s all about being able to click at the first meeting. 

Once the feeling of mutual understanding and laughter is reached, the rest is a piece of cake. Couples trust me to do a good job and I feel comfortable and welcome to be part of their special day.

You can meet the lovely Karolina at our 2016 London show at the Old Truman Brewery so get your tickets now!

Hearts On Fire
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Glorious wedding tipis by the BOUTIQUE TENT COMPANY

For unique, extraordinary weddings, who doesn't love a tipi?!  

And now you can celebrate your nuptials whatever the weather in the most glorious tipis by the Boutique Tent Company.

Made in Lapland, their sturdy Scandinavian design enables them to withhold whatever the Great British weather has in store.

In the summer, the Tipis keep their cool, by allowing you to lift the sides and extend the party into the garden. Whilst in the winter, the Nordic inspired Tipis trap in the warmth, keeping you and your guests nice and snug.

The thrilling bit is that the cone shape and smoke hole at the top of the Tipi allow you to have a rustic open fire to add to the ambience of your event. 

The tents each hold up to 70 people for sit down parties, up to 100 for more informal gatherings and can be linked together for larger events. The tipis arrive as a blank canvas for you to decorate yourself or props and furniture can also be hired to fit your style, from retro to bohemian!

Founders, Jack and Tina, will get to know you and chat through all your ideas to make sure you have a magical celebration.

So, Jack and Tina, please talk us through your typical day

There isn't really a typical day for us!

As with any wedding supplier, the summer months are our busiest and most events fall on a weekend. With Saturday being the most popular day for weddings, we would typically start building the Tipis on a Thursday, giving our couples the Friday to jazz up the interior and add any finishing touches. 

A lot of behind the scenes work goes into the build and although we love the great outdoors, it's not much fun if the weather isn't on our side. 

The feeling at the end of a build, when we take a step back to admire the magnificent Tipis in all their glory after starting with just a bunch of wooden poles, makes it all worthwhile. 

During the quieter period after New Year, we take the time to do site visits, as this is a great opportunity for us to meet our couples and for them to ask us lots of questions - we're a family run business, so we take a personal approach and like to get to know our customers. 

What is inspiring you right now?

We are avid readers of blogs such as Boho Weddings, Love My Dress and Rock My Wedding, for inspiration on how to style our Tipis. We were very excited to have our wedding featured on Boho Weddings in October - you can see it here! 

Pinterest has also been a great hub of inspiration for us and is where we have sourced ideas for our lighting collection and hire items. 

We love seeing the creative ways couples have brought their Tipis to life, from vintage furnishings, to lovingly handmade decorations. The great thing about starting with a blank canvas is that you can truly make it your own, and no two Tipi weddings are the same. 

Describe a Boutique Tent Company Bride!

Our Tipis add the wow factor in any setting and suit many themes, from the bohemian bride celebrating in festival style, to the country chic bride looking for a little rustic charm. 

Whatever her individual style, a Boutique Tent Company bride is fun, laid back - and one thing is for sure, she knows how to throw a great party! 

The Boutique Tent Company is exhibiting at our 2016 London show at the Old Truman Brewery so get your tickets now and start planning your unique wedding party!

The Boutique Tent Company

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Cutting edge wedding dresses by MUSCAT

Muscat creates the most exquisite, minimalist wedding dresses for modern brides.

The deserved winner of our BridalNEXT! competition to the find the NEXT BIG THING in 2014, Muscat is renowned for it's bold, cutting edge designs and couture finishing.

Most Curious have been following Muscat since they exploded onto the bridal scene and we think their 2016 collection is the best yet. 

Designed to accentuate each bride's natural beauty rather than overwhelm with complexity, every dress is designed and handcrafted in Muscat’s London atelier using the most luxurious fabrics.

Most Curious also highly rates the exciting range of headwear offered by Muscat, featuring a selection of stunning pieces including Riri, the ultimate studded statement, and Loren, a softer but equally striking look - modern bride must-haves!

Riri

Loren

And did you know that designer and founder, Kevin Muscat, has a most curiously fascinating past?! 

Kevin left his native Malta at 18 to pursue a top flight career in dancing that took him to the Royal Opera House, Glyndebourne and international tours including Matthew Bourne’s world famous all-male Swan Lake. 

Upon retiring, Kevin moved into fashion, developing his extensive self-taught skills while working for four years under Stevie Stewert, co-founder of internationally acclaimed 80s brand BodyMap, creating costumes for pop icons such as Kylie Minogue, Britney Spears and Cheryl Cole. 

Drawing on his background as a top-flight international dancer, Kevin creates timeless pieces that accentuate the bride’s every movement, emphasising her beauty as the dress dances around her.

This excites the MC team greatly...we are SO going to beg him to give an impromptu twirl at the show! 

Kevin, be warned...

Kevin, please talk us through a typical day in your life

The first thing I do when I get to the atelier is to make a pot of coffee. I have a chat to my team, talk about what we need to get done in that day, see how the orders are coming along, and how the new collection is progressing. I then sit (or stand these days) at my desk, looking at my giant mood board. This gets me into the Muscat zone. 

There are always emails to answer in the morning, but I prefer to do the creative stuff first. I am usually bursting with ideas at this time of day, so I spend some time sketching or draping on the mannequin. It is not unusual for me to have imagined new dresses in my sleep, so I test whether I can make them work in real life, using fabrics from the collection. I always take pictures as I’m working, to keep a record of anything that I might use later on. 

I have been known to do a little dance every now and again too! 

I like to take care of the more technical aspects after lunch. It’s a good time for me to oversee the cutting of patterns and the production of garments, making sure every dress that comes out of our atelier is absolutely perfect. Later on, we tend to have our fittings and appointments with any clients coming directly to us. This is always very exciting, seeing a dress come to life, seeing how it moves, and enjoying the client’s face lighting up. 

Again, I have been known to do a little dance every now and again too!  

(MC - ok, so now completely planning your dancing segment in the program Kevin!)

Who or what is inspiring you right now? 

I draw inspiration from the city around me. Living and working in an exciting city like London, inspiration comes at me from every direction. People are so interesting to look at. The architecture is fantastic. The parks, the flowers, shop window displays, museums, art…. The sources are infinite. 

My husband often discovers that I’ve stopped listening to him mid-conversation because I have seen something that sparked an idea. I always carry a sketchbook with me, so I quickly pull it out and put the idea down on paper.

With a background as a professional dancer, I am naturally inspired by movement. That could be someone’s walk, or it could be chiffon blowing in a breeze. It is a very romantic way of thinking about dresses. I can see the bride dancing the night away and having fun.

Please describe a Muscat bride

I would describe my brides as confident, happy, elegant but playful.

Muscat is exhibiting at our 2016 London show at the Old Truman Brewery so get your tickets now and prepare to be love-struck!

Muscat

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