Carla Marie’s Vintage Bridal Hair Clips
When it was time for Carla Marie to marry Anthony, she knew she wanted to repurpose her mom’s 80s wedding dress and headpiece.
Anna Marie got married in 1985. Her gown and headpiece weren’t typical for 80s brides.
“When Carla Marie told me she wanted to wear my dress, I thought, no way! I was so full of emotions. I didn’t know exactly what she was going to do with the headpiece, but I gave her full reign over it because at that point it was hers.”
Carla Marie and Anthony Engaged!
Carla Marie found her dream job in 2009, working at Elvis Duran and The Morning Show on z100. Little did she know this was where she would meet her future husband.
“At the time, Anthony was Elvis’s personal assistant, so we didn’t work together too much. But by 2011, Anthony was working as the show’s video producer, and we became friends.”
In 2014, Carla Marie and Anthony launched their first podcast together which led to them being offered their own radio morning show in Seattle.
“We moved to Seattle in 2016 to host “The Carla Marie and Anthony Show,” and while living out here, we fell in love and began secretly dating.”
Time moved on, and success followed. This electric duo now owns their own media company and hosts “The Morning Show Podcast “and “The Carla Marie and Anthony Show “ on Twitch while managing their own apparel collection.
Carla Marie spent two years thinking Anthony was going to propose. To make up for cancelling her birthday weekend month’s prior, Anthony surprised her with a quick getaway. When he finally popped the question, she had no idea it was even coming.
“Turns out the quick getaway was a trip to Japan. I had no idea where we were going until we were at the airport gate, when we were asked to take out our passports. I immediately thought—Oh my gosh, he’s proposing! Instead, he remained ‘chill’ while asking me to help get some things out of his backpack. This was all a ploy. He had the ring hidden.”
By the second day, the thought of a proposal had left Carla Marie’s mind. An amazing six-day trip to Japan was at its end. After leaving their bags at the front desk, they took a walk to the park before their return trip.
“This man walked around Japan for six days with a ring and waited until we were heading to the airport to propose. I was SHOCKED!”
Mom’s Wedding Gown and Headpiece Restyled
“I knew I wanted to repurpose my mom’s wedding dress for my pre-wedding festivities. ”
“My mom had this awesome headpiece that just didn’t look right on my head. I remember thinking, “I wish I could just cut it.”
“I didn’t know much about what Carla Marie had planned for our Zaffe ceremony. Carla Marie mentioned she was using her mom’s headpiece, but honestly, I barely knew what that meant! What I did know, however, was how excited she was to be able to bring something from her parents’ ceremony and incorporate it into ours.”
“I did some light Googling and didn’t find much. That’s when I took to Instagram and posted a video of my mom’s headpiece, looking for recommendations for someone who could cut it so I could wear it as a hair clip. Quite a few followers recommended Headpiece.com. I couldn’t believe the shop was based in New Jersey, where I am from — and where my wedding was taking place.”
Carla Marie reached out to the Internet world on this Instagram Reel to find the right person to transform her mom’s headpiece.
Restoring and Restyling Her Mom’s Headpiece
“We booked and planned our wedding in ten months. I found Headpiece.com last minute because I kept putting this off. I met with Marie virtually, and it was amazing! I felt like I knew her forever.”
When I received the vintage headpiece and evaluated it, the beads and the rhinestone cup chain were severely tarnished. Carla Marie considered keeping the aged patina on the beads. Black tarnish is common with rocaille beads, and many of my brides are told by professionals that nothing can be done to remove it. There actually is! But it takes a great deal of time and expertise to clean each bead by hand. Not every bride is willing to invest in that.
“I can’t believe I ever considered keeping the beads dark. I normally like dark beading, and her headpiece looked beautiful, even with the tarnished pieces. But why not have it look like it did on my parents’ wedding day?”
“I legit could not believe it! I had no idea the beads on my mom’s headpiece were not gray or black. They were clear and silver! My jaw dropped! It was not what I expected. I expected someone to just cut the headpiece at different spots and glue a hair clip to the back.”
“Cleaning the beaded fringe was tricky but successful. I loved the dangles, and in my mind, they were a must for the finished design, used in their original form. I had another little surprise in mind for Carla Marie, which you will see at the end of the blog.”
Tarnished beaded fringe
Cleaned beaded fringe
Carla Marie’s bridal hair clip was complete. Every single bead, including the pearls, was removed, cleaned, and hand-sewn to a newly constructed base in the same pattern as her mom’s original headpiece.
“This is the difference between an artisan restoration and a home crafter type alteration. I know there are people out there who say they do what I do, but truly, the methods and techniques I have devised set us apart.”
“My restyled bridal accessories were unlike anything I could have dreamed of. They were perfect! Marie kept the essence of my mom’s 1985 headpiece while also making it look brand new and so shiny. I am so happy I found Headpiece.com.”
Carla Marie And Anthony’s Church Ceremony
Wedding Photography by Felicia Photography
CHURCH / St. Mark’s Syriac Orthodox Cathedral REPURPOSED VINTAGE HEADPIECE / Headpiece.com VINTAGE GOWN ALTERATION / Eltsa HAIR / Ashley O’Neil MUA / Victoria Ferrulli FLORIST / A W Flowers Events
Two nights before the actual wedding, Carla Marie and Anthony had a church ceremony and a Zaffe, which is a Palestinian pre-wedding tradition.
“I really don’t know what I was expecting before she walked down the aisle. But the moment those doors opened up, and I saw her smile, it was like time stood still. She looked so beautiful and happy. Her outfit, from her dress to the hairpiece, was so uniquely her. It was perfect.”
“Our church ceremony and Zaffe celebration afterwards were really important to me. The ceremony itself was at St. Mark’s Syriac Orthodox Cathedral, which is the church I grew up going to, and that community has been really influential in my life. Being able to bring Carla Marie and her family into it was very special.”
Carla Marie wore the pearls her mom wore on her wedding day, which were actually her grandmother's. She also wore her grandmother’s watch with her name inscribed on it that she recently found.
“This was such a unique wedding experience, and I love that we chose to have a church ceremony prior to our wedding day.”
“It meant the world to me to have a piece of my headpiece be worn on her wedding day. Two weddings brought together after so many years. So special and heartwarming! Tears of joy!”
Carla Marie and her mom, Anna Marie.
Repurposing her mom’s vintage headpiece wasn’t all for Carla Marie. She wanted her mom and sisters to share in the joy, so she surprised them by gifting each of them with a hair accessory made from her mom’s piece.
“They knew I was repurposing my mom’s headpiece, but had no idea I was doing this for them. They were so happy and emotional. My sisters wore theirs that day! I surprised my mom with her piece on my actual wedding day.”
The Final Headpiece Surprise
I loved the beaded fringe on her mom’s headpiece so much. It cleaned up so beautifully, but design-wise, I chose not to use both fringe styles in Carla Marie’s hair clip. Rather than return the cleaned fringe to her, I made a set of hairpins for her honeymoon. They are so pretty that she will have the opportunity to wear them again.
“Carla Marie shared these beautiful photos with me from their honeymoon in Cabo. ”
Like Anna Marie, I, too, married in the 80s. We wore our headpieces and packed them away with hopes that someday our daughters would unpack them and say, "Wow, Mom. I love this! Can I wear it on my wedding day?" I am so happy Anna Marie experienced this moment! I am even happier that Carla Marie will never ever have to pack her bridal hair clips away.
See you next month on the Fourteenth