Etsy's Premiere Melbourne Wedding Trunk Show

Is there a modern day bride out there who hasn’t scoured Etsy for the perfect artisan finishing touch for her wedding? Lisa O’Brien, new editor of the revamped Bride magazine, thinks “everyone knows that they have got that boho style absolutely nailed. But if you did want more of a more fashion-forward, trend-setting look, you can get it at Etsy. Or if you want the really princess, typical bridal look you can get that there as well.”

To showcase these facets, the publication recently teamed up with the online handmade and vintage marketplace to present the Etsy + Bride Wedding Trunk Show for the first time ever in Melbourne. £1000 Bend and the adjoining Church of the Bang Bang Boogaloo hosted workshops and it was a chance to meet a selection of talented Australian Etsy sellers. “It is not a bad job to have to spend hours on Etsy trawling through the product; the only problem being I wanted to buy everything,” says Lisa.

Her favourite discovery? “Something I am just so obsessed with – and I feel like I need to get married just to have – is watercolour invitations. I just think they are so great, that kind of pop of colour and beautiful blues and greens keep catching my eye.”

Looking at the trends on Etsy, Lisa says, “overall the only rule is, there are no rules. It is one of those catch-phrases, but I think it is so true right at the moment because people are not beholden to as much pressure as in the past as to how they get married or what it looks like.” More specifically she cites Etsy brides giving tea length, vintage-style dresses (“still so hard to find”) their moment. Lisa tips silk or faux flowers too, especially for Summer brides; “you would never know! Instead of wilting, they are going to go the distance and they will be a keepsake as well”. And Great Gatsby/Art Deco-inspired headwear is still going strong.

At the trunk show, we were drawn to Anna Marguerite‘s delicate, nature-inspired crowns, Fluid Ink‘s letterpressed paper goods and beard oil by Reid to leave hirsute grooms sweetly scented with cinnamon.