Tilly Wheating is a London based Fashion Stylist and Fashion and Jewellery Editor at Harper’s Bazaar UK. She styles fashion, accessories, jewellery, and watches shoots for Harper’s Bazaar UK and has worked with other titles such as Violet Book, Interview, and Esquire UK. Having recently got married, we decided to sit down with Tilly to discuss bridal style and some of her top tips on how to choose the right wedding hat for you.

Tilly Wheating.        Photo: Anna Schwarz: https://www.anneschwarzweddings.com/

How to pick the right wedding hat.

1.  What inspired you to work in fashion journalism?

I have always loved fashion and after studying Fashion Design at university I started to think about which areas of the industry I wanted to get into. Editorials in the glossy mags were always my go-to for inspiration and I wanted to, one day, be that source of inspiration for others.

2.  What does a normal working day look like for you?

I am very lucky as no working day looks the same. One day I might be at home or in the office prepping for a photo shoot or a client’s red-carpet appearance and the next day I might be on location somewhere remote in the British countryside styling a model for an editorial. It’s what I love about my job – some people need more rigidity but I find having the different creative inputs on a daily basis really refreshing.

 3. What has been the most memorable experience of your career to date?

Once again, I am super lucky to have been exposed to some amazing experiences and to have worked with some incredibly inspiring women on shoots or projects throughout the years. Most memorably for me though, was early in my career I got to assist on a shoot with Helena Bonham-Carter, an all-time idol for me, and definitely a “pinch yourself” moment. Seeing your name credited in Harper’s Bazaar for the first time was also pretty magical. 

 4. How would you describe your style?

My style has changed and developed quite a lot over the years, which I guess is pretty normal considering how ever-changing the fashion landscape is. Right now I always find myself picking something out that is quite feminine but quirky and I am also very rarely seen without a bow in my hair or on accessories.

 5. Having recently got married, how did you go about deciding the right Bridal look for you?

Spending most days styling other people and not having thought about what I might like to wear on my wedding day, I have to be honest, I found the process surprisingly tricky. We actually ended up having two ceremonies – one slightly smaller legal ceremony in Chelsea and another bigger blessing down in Cornwall, followed by a proper reception and party. This meant I had the luxury of not one, but two dresses, and each one was very different.

 6. How would you describe your Bridal style?

For our legal ceremony, I went very me in an organza puff sleeve dress with floral embroidery. It seemed to work really well for the slightly smaller occasion. For our outdoors blessing and party, I went a little more traditional and classic. Of course, there was a signature bow at the back of the dress.

7. Did you wear a headband or headpiece on your wedding day?

Absolutely! Hair accessories are essential. I wore a large organza bow in my hair to match the puff sleeve dress I wore in Chelsea. Conscious of bringing my personality into the more classic look I wore a floral hairband made from fresh flowers.

 8. What was the inspiration behind your wedding day?

We wanted to have a relaxed day surrounded by the people we love and in a place we adore. I love wildflowers and with the location being a field just off a coastal path in Cornwall with 360-degree views of the sea we ended up being inspired by what was around us using flowers from the hedgerows and foraged cow parsley as our main decoration. We added pastel sweat peas, bright peonies, and hand-dyed silk ribbons. The colours were echoed by festival flags that framed the sea view and luckily the weather played ball! It was a fun mix of tradition and something a little new and different.

 9. In terms of your wedding guests, were there many hats on display?

There were! Although it wasn’t a traditional wedding in a church, I think people just love to dress up and hats have always played such a big role in that – they bring a nice consistency to a wedding. There was a huge array of colours, styles and sizes on display, so much fun!

 10. What would your top tips be for choosing a stylish wedding hat?

My advice would be to find what you want to wear first. I find it easier to then pick the right hat to accentuate particular colours. You can definitely push the boat out at weddings and go as bright or fun as you’d like. No restrictions. You could also match your hat to the surroundings – a country summer wedding might lend itself nicely to a straw boater, for example, and a floral pillbox would work perfectly for a city wedding.