If you want to get ahead, don't get a hat, get a tiara instead, says EMMA EDMUNDS.

Little did Amanda Ellwood realise when she started making bridal tiaras as a 15-year-old girl that she would be doing it professionally several years later.

"I started doing the flowery tiaras and combs when I was younger. I used to do them a bit for a bridal shop in York as a Saturday job," she explained.

Amanda, 29, who owns Frangipani bridal wear business in Low Petergate, York, now makes much more sophisticated ones which are in high demand among her customers.

"I gradually progressed from flowery Alice bands to adding pearls and taking the flowers away," she said. "Then it progressed to a more tiara look using metal bases wired with pearls or metal embellishments soldered, painted gold or silver, and pearled."

Now she does unique handwired ones which are becoming more popular. The handwired ones are made using silver or gold-plated wire, intermingled with freshwater pearls and crystals or diamante. "It's a slightly softer look and a bit more personal to me," she said.

"One popular look which I have done a lot of over the last year has been using vintage 1940s crystals. I go to antique fairs and buy 1940s crystal necklaces. I break them up and produce a tiara. It's something quite special for the bride because it's something old. These type of crystals never come the same twice and I might not be able to get them again so it's something quite unique."

The results are quite stunning and Amanda is able to make them to her customer's requirements. "They can have a bespoke design. Last week a customer came in with an old vintage necklace which belonged to her grandmother. I was able to make up a tiara which matched it. She was so happy with it. It was something really special."

Amanda does all the tiaras herself. "I'm too much of a perfectionist to let anyone do them, plus I enjoy it too much."

Her ambition is to have numerous tiara outlets in designer shops across the UK and it doesn't seem too far off. She has already supplied some to Harrods and a couple of shops in Surrey and central London as well as a shop in the USA.

Where Amanda finds time to make the tiaras is anybody's guess as she also runs Frangipani bridal studio during the week.

The business recently moved to its present site in Low Petergate. "We started selling the bridal gowns two years ago after constant demand from customers who came to order our bridesmaids' gowns. I said I would do it if I could find a designer I liked," said Amanda. "Then we came across Sassi Holford based in Somerset and it's snowballed from there.

"We have recently taken on another designer, Suzanne Neville, who's based in London."

Frangipani still does bridesmaids' dresses and made-to-order evening and ball gowns. "We haven't done traditional bridesmaids' dresses," she said. "We have tried to keep them very evening-looking. The average age of a bride is 35, as are her bridesmaids, so they are not going to be wanting peachy dresses with bows etc so we have gone for a more slinky look so they can wear them again." Exclusively designed by Amanda, the designs, made-to-measure in silk, start from £220.

"York is now becoming one of the best areas for bridal wear in the North," she went on. "We have people from Newcastle, Lincoln and even London because they can come to the city for the day and see a range of dresses from £300 to £3,000."

Amanda has just taken on a third designer called Hayley J, who is based in London, and specialises in beautiful dresses and long flowing coats embroidered by the Queen's embroiderer. "As soon as we saw them we thought 'we have just got to have that in York."